Women’s Day at St. Andrew Primitive Baptist Church
Submitted by Ashlee Horton
“Christian Women United to Build for Christ” was the theme of the day at St. Andrew’s annual Women’s Day celebration. The morning message was given by Rev. Dr. Claudette Owens of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Decatur, Alabama. Rev. Owens spoke of “The Name.” She spoke of how in today’s society names are given based on popularity, power, wealth, and place. However, in the Bible, names were given based on calling, countenance, and character. She reminded us not to let people give you a name because they will use it to “define you and confine you.” Rev. Owens also reminded us that Jesus is the only name we need to call on. Jesus is the name deserves and has authority. Jesus is the name that is exalted, extolled, and evidence.
At the end of the morning service, four young people answered the Invitation to Christian Discipleship; three candidates for baptism and one coming on Christian experience. St. Andrew’s first annual Woman of the Year nominees were also announced.
The afternoon service was led by the Gray Sister Singers from Decatur, Alabama. The Gray Sisters moved the congregation with song, while Missionary Elizabeth Gray Raybon moved the congregation by preaching the word. Missionary Raybon used the subject “Our Discouragement is Worth Being Stedfast and Unmovable” using Job 14:1 and I Corinthians 15:58 as her guide. She charged us to remember that God is in control no matter what the Devil throws at you and no matter how bad things get. She said “When it gets too hard for you, it gets just right for God!” When the trials are all over, the award is more that just worthwhile. “You gotta go through it to get to it.”
Our celebration ended with a charge to the women of St. Andrew given by Mother Darala Hartwell. Drawing from the two sermons of the day, she charged us to remember that Christ is the Name we always need to turn to and to be stedfast and unmovable. Church Clerk Deaconess Lena Andrews (Mike), Education Director Deaconess Lorine Lewis (Dwight), and Youth Advisor Deaconess Valerie Moore (Sandy) were all named St. Andrew’s Women of the Year.
The annual Women’s Day celebration can be summed up with the poem written by one of St. Andrew’s youth, Phyllis Brandon, which was shared with the congregation while given the occasion.
“A Phenomenal Woman”
She holds on when everything goes wrong.
She smiles even when she is run down to her last miles.
Losing hope along the way, she always remembers to pray.
Only a phenomenal woman knows about the pain that’s deep inside.
Only in her does extra ordinary love resides.
Christian women united to build for Christ being victorious in their life…..
On this Women’s Day your labor is not in vain.
No other woman can understand your pain.
A phenomenal woman: growing in Joy, Peace and Love.
She was truly sent from above.