LAYMEN’S DEPARTMENT ANNUAL SESSION NEWS
APRIL 16, 2015
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ. I pray God's blessings to all of you servants of the Lord.
As we all know, the annual session will be convening in Dallas Texas August 2-7 2015.
The host Pastor & church is Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III and the Friendship West Baptist Church.
With the help and coordination from Rev. James Fitzgerald who serves as liaison for Friendship and Deacon Melvin Smith Jr., our program committee chair, the Laymen's Department has planned a week of Christ centered activities and projects of outreach ministry. The activities include street witnessing, homeless shelter visitation, "The Silver Lining of Hope" project to stop violence in our communities lead by California State President Rev. Winford Bell, and a joint jail visitation with the Social Justice and Prison Commission of PNBC.
As it relates to our departmental financial commitment for this session, I'm prayerfully asking all of us to contribute $125 as all inclusive or itemize giving according to your ability. Sister Patricia Diggs in membership services will have this information available online as she did last year. The breakdown of your contribution includes your individual registration, sacrificial offering, polo shirt purchase, honorarium, deficit reduction, and fellowship meal. I know that some of you will not be able to attend. Please do your level best to support the department with any financial gift that God has provided you the opportunity to give.
One of the exciting events that will take place will be on Sunday afternoon August 2nd at our annual Laymen's Evangelistic Outreach service. Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III the host pastor and prophetic voice for social justice has confirmed to be our speaker for this service. If it is at all possible in your travel plans, please plan to fly in on Sunday. We need a good turn out from our department members.
Through our liaison Rev. James Fitzgerald, an invitation has been extended and is being coordinated for some of our National Baptist brothers to come and worship with us on that evening. We are trusting God almighty to pour His Divine Holy Spirit upon all that we do throughout this session.
I solicit your continued prayers throughout this process. Look for more information in the department E-blast in May. Remember it is not so much about equal giving but more importantly equal sacrifice.
Saved to Serve,
Deacon Michael A. Johnson
Vice-President at Large Laymen