WS Chronicle

Photo by Timothy Ramsey

BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY

FOR THE CHRONICLE

The Pentecost is defined as a holiday on which we commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples after the ascension of Jesus into heaven. In many ways it is described as the birthday of the church.

Union Baptist Church celebrated its two day Spring Pentecost Conclave on April 27 and 28.  During this year’s celebration, Union Baptist wanted to focus on its missionary work.

“What we are trying to do is bridge our spiritual life with our responsibility to make our community better around us,” said Bishop Sir Walter L. Mack Jr. on what this year’s Conclave was about.

The scheduled guest preacher on April 27 was Dr. Cynthia Hale, the founding and Senior Pastor of the Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur, Ga.

The Rev. Dr. J Louis Felton of the Mount Airy Church of God in Christ in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was scheduled to deliver the sermon on April 28, but because of travel difficulties, he was unable to attend.  So on short notice, Mack called Bishop James Woodson, pastor of Greensboro’s St. James Home of Fresh Start Ministries, to deliver the message.

Hymns by the Union Baptist Choir set the mood on April 28. Following the choir was a presentation by the Compassion Experience, which gave the congregation a background of the organization and showed the highlights of the bishop’s visit to Ecuador. Mack challenged his parishioners to sponsor at least 50 children before The Compassion Experience left at the end of the week.

Mack said he has traveled to Third World countries many times, and going to Ecuador was a different experience for him. He said it gave him a sense of “making the Scriptures come alive,” and what he discovered is they love God there like we love God here.

The church’s dance ministry performed a very uplifting routine that got everyone out of the pews.

Woodson was in route to the celebration to support his friend Mack, but was happy to deliver the message when he received the call to do so.

“I think if you are going to be competent, you have to be a professional, so if you are going to be a preacher, then be a professional,” Woodson said. And when asked how he was able to come up with a sermon on the fly, he said, “After 40 years of preaching, that’s all you ever do, and I guess it’s that simple, you know.”

Woodson’s sermon touched everyone who attended, even the guest ministers, who were on their feet, hanging on his every word.