WS Chronicle

The Youth Department of Union Baptist honored all graduates on Sunday, June 17. Two were theology school graduates. Felecia Johanna Piggott-Long and Pamela Peoples Haith graduated from the Apex School of Theology (ASOT).

Piggott-Long received a Master of Divinity Degree. Because she matriculated through her degree program with a 3.8 grade-point average or better, she received the Presidential Recognition marked by two golden cords during the graduation ceremony. The founder and president of ASOT is The Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Perkins. Bishop Sir Walter Mack Jr., pastor of Union Baptist, started a consortium at the church and has partnered with the Apex School of Theology for several years.

“I give God all of the honor and praise for ordering my steps. I am grateful that Bishop Mack has partnered with Dr. Perkins and the Apex School of Theology because hundreds of area clergy, lay leaders, Christian educators, chaplains, teachers, pastors, Christian counselors and nursing/rest home ministers have been able to receive formal theological training through face-to-face and online instruction,” said Piggott-Long. “When I started my degree, my husband Ben Long and my mother, Mae Clarida Piggott, were sick. Attending the classes and learning more about God’s word has been very encouraging and spiritually uplifting. Although they are both deceased, I felt their presence at the ceremony, along with my family members.”

Piggott-Long is currently an associate minister at Union Baptist Church. She also served as a Youth minister and director of the Kemet School of Knowledge at Emmanuel Baptist Church for 10 years under the direction of The Rev. Dr. John Mendez. Piggott-Long was ordained into the gospel ministry by authority and order of the Rowan Baptist Association on July 20, 2017 at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Greensboro. She is also a member of the Ministers’ Conference of Winston-Salem and Vicinity.

She currently teaches at George Washington Carver High School.

Pamela Peoples Haith received a Master in Christian Education degree.

The daughter of Charles and Shirley Peoples, Haith is the widow of the late Marvin L. Haith Jr., and they have an 11-year-old daughter Madison. Pamela has been an employee of Kao Specialties American LLC as a chemist technician for 22 years. It was her love for God’s Word that led her to want to learn more about theology. This is the reason that she became interested in getting her master’s degree. She is involved with the Christian Education Department at Union Baptist Church. 

Haith lost her husband in 2011 after 13 years of matrimony, but she is thankful that, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). “This Scripture carried me through many nights because I knew that one day, joy would come. I didn’t know how long it would take me, but God said to me be still and see the salvation of the Lord. “