WS Chronicle

In above photo: Members of Church Women United gathered at St. John Christian Methodist Episcopal Church on Saturday, Aug. 29 for a prayer breakfast. The breakfast was part of the organization’s Human Rights Celebration. (Submitted)

By Tevin Stinson

The Chronicle

As part of its 2015 Human Rights Celebration, Church Women United held a prayer breakfast on Saturday, Aug. 29 at St. John Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.

After the breakfast, Jamenszanna Sudler awarded the Rev. Kelly P. Carpenter and Linda Sutton with awards for their community service.

Special guest speaker Judge Denise Hartsfield said she has worked with both recipients in the past and they both deserve the award.

“Our community would not be the same without these two,” she said.

Hartsfield is a district court judge for the 21st Judicial District, which covers Forsyth County.

During her speech Hartsfield said churches in the community should continue to work in the community.

“The churches in the area have to continue to do work outside the walls of the church,” said Hartsfiled. “We need more organizations like this one who are about bringing people together, and working together.”

Church Women United is an organization of Christian women working for a world of peace and justice for all.

Founded in 1941, Church Women United has organized into more than 1,200 local and state units. The movement represents Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox and other Christian women.

“Reverend Carpenter is the poster child of with the fight for human rights,” Hartsfield said.

Carpenter is the senior pastor at Green Street United Methodist Church. Carpenter has been working with a number of organizations that fight for equal human rights.

Hartsfield went on to applaud Carpenter for his work on a program that is working to remove the question regarding past arrests from applications.

“That is one program that I am totally behind.” said Hartfield. “I am glad that is one program that Reverend Carpenter is pushing for.”

Linda Sutton, field organizer for Democracy N.C., has been active in the Winston-Salem community since the early 1970s. Sutton is a cofounder of the Winston-Salem Voting Rights Coalition, a nonprofit organization that registers voters and promote programs such as early voting.

Hartsfield praised Sutton for her many accomplishments and said they had grown to become like family over the years.

After accepting his award for community service, Carpenter said he remembers his mother bringing him to prayer breakfasts when he was a kid, and that it was an honor to be receiving the award.

“As a kid, my mother would drag me to these events on Saturday mornings,” laughed Carpenter. “Knowing how much these events and community service meant to her makes this award very special.”

Jamezeanna Sudler said the local branch of Church Women United will continue to fight for human rights in Winston-Salem.

During the celebration a donation was collected for the Church Women United national branch.