Photo provided by Dr. Elton Amos

Dr. Elton Amos and his medical staff are currently seeking medical professionals who are willing to go to Haiti on rotated shifts to assist in the Haiti Relief effort.  Doctors, nurses, certified nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses and other health care workers key to this operation.  The next departure date for Haiti is March 7, 2010.  However, this departure dates is subject to change in accordance with the airline’s schedule.

If you or someone you know is interested, please contact Dr. Elton Amos’ assistant, Elder Fenner via email at marcusfenner@gmail.com.

Lady Joy Helena Hamilton was born on February 16, 1933 in Saint Rose, Louisiana.  She moved to New York early in life but at the age of 17 she moved to the Golden State.  It is in California that Lady Joy found her destiny. 

Lady Joy was the loving wife of Bishop Wilburn Wyatt Hamilton for 45 years.  She supported him and was fiercely loyal to him, his secular career and his ministry.  He was often heard singing “I still have Joy,” a special song for the two of them.  She also loved her children dearly and she lived in a way that set a high standard for her children to reach for. Lady Joy had four children, four grandchildren and one great grandson. 

First and foremost, Lady Joy, was a great woman of God.  She spent 35 years proclaiming and teaching the Word of God, counseling the broken and hurting, and ministering healing to the sick and afflicted.  As the first lady of the Greater Victory Church Of God In Christ, she affectionately became known as the Queen of Hearts.  Lady Joy birthed many spiritual sons and she was also a strong advocate for women in the ministry-by precept and example, so she also birthed many spiritual daughters.  She had a special gift for ministering to women who had suffered abuse and she pioneered workshops in this sensitive area at the national Women’s Convention.

In 1993 Lady Joy was afflicted with Sarcoidosis, a potentially fatal disease.  Throughout her illness she never lost her assurance that God would bring her through victoriously.  In spite of her debilitating pain, she never missed or canceled one ministry appointment.  At the end of a year, God miraculously healed her of the illness and she used her triumphant testimony to minister to Christian women living with illnesses such as cancer and lupus.

On January 29, 2009, Lady Joy was diagnosed with inoperable cancer.  During the months that followed, she endured the pain of her illness, several rounds of chemotherapy and radiation therapy with tremendous grace and courage, serving as a powerful example of faith and trust in God during difficult times.  On January 15, 2010, Lady Joy departed the earthly tabernacle of her body and entered the presence of the Lord.

Only in heaven will the full impact of her life be known, but thousands can testify that their lives were permanently impacted by her anointed ministry.

On behalf of COGIC Charities, I would like to thank you for your heartfelt donation to the Haiti Relief Fund.  We are so grateful that you went through our website to designate funds for the monumental crisis in Haiti.

We want to assure you that the monies given are being used to improve the situation in Haiti.  Your contributions make it possible for us to purchase tents for temporary housing, establishing triage areas for those in need of medical attention, pay for the shipping of medical, food, water, hygiene, and shelter building supplies; as well as passage for personnel who will make a “hands-on” contribution because of your gift. 

Please continue to go to the website for any update on the progress in Haiti. Also remember that this effort will require continuous support. Therefore, consider a monthly donation via our website (www.COGIC.org or www.COGICCharities.org

Pray for God’s guidance and wisdom as we all reach out to help our brothers and sisters with some hope in this time of tragedy.  Thank you again for your loving generosity, which will make these efforts possible. 

Sincerely,

Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr.

The officials from St. Louis’ America’s Center made a special trip to Memphis during the 2010 Leadership Conference to speak with Convocation coordinators about their space and amenities.  Over 100 people from various departments and ministries attended the event that was held at the Cook Convention Center. 

The hour long meeting consisted of an explanation of Bishop Blake’s vision for the 103^rd Convocation, answering questions about registration and housing and distributing forms to each department to fill out regarding their needs in the convention center.  Overall, the information session was a very empowering tool to kick off the New Year and to help everyone prepare for this exciting and historic event.

This year’s theme for the 103^rd Convocation is Great God, Great Vision, Great Accomplishments. 

Unlike the arrangements in Memphis, convention events in St. Louis will all be housed in one central location with over 500,000 sq. ft. of continuous exhibit space. 

For more information visit COGIC.com to register or call COGIC Convention Services at 1-866-522-1335.

photos taken by Pastor Pritchett

While there has been an outpour of help globally for Haiti, there still is so much more to be done.  As aid workers flood into the city, many native Haitians are flooding out.    

At least 482,000 people have left Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince since the Jan 12 earthquake. Many people have gone to their relatives or friends for shelter in nearby towns which are not affected by the earthquake.  Haitian authorities have helped 235,000 people leave Port-au-Prince, most of whom were taken to nearby villages with temporary shelter.

However, COGIC is coming into Haiti everyday.  Medical missionaries, pastors, doctors, and other skilled Saints have given of their time by taking off of work, leaving the comforts of their homes and their communities stateside to go into devastated areas like Port-au-Prince and Leogrande.

Sister Dollie Milfort is an evangelist, who works with the education department for Mother Rivers, on a national level.  In her jurisdiction she works as mission president for Bishop John Sheard, and locally, she devotes her time to Christ as a Sunday school teacher at Bailey Temple COGIC, Detroit, Michigan.

 When the earthquake hit Haiti, the Michigan jurisdiction of COGIC sent Sister Milfort as a licensed medical missionary back to Haiti, a place that she had lived on and off as a missionary for 12 years.  Sister Milfort was in a Army Nurse Corps reserve unit for 22 years and used her many years of experience to assist as many people as possible.  Currently, she is a clinical nurse for the Visiting Nurses Association based out of Detriot.  She said that there was a calling many years ago on her life to go to Haiti, and she has done so ever since for up to 10 months at a time each year. 

Picture courtesy of Pastor Pritchett

After a six-hour bus ride from the Dominican Republic, where the terrain went from lush green hues to dismal dusty landscape, Sister Milfort set up camp and stayed with a missionary friend to begin work.  During her 11 days there in the devastated city of rubble and death, she gave almost 300 men, women and children medial care in the city of Leogrande. 

 “The most disturbing thing to see was the destruction,” Milfort said.  “I was riding in a car and saw people lying on the hard cement streets at night with a bundle under their heads to sleep.  They had no blankets or sheets.  They put rocks around them to keep cars from hitting them.  I had never in all my days of going there seen that before.  Then it was horrible just to know that people were dead in those crumbled building.”

When asked about the most inspiring thing Sister Milfort lit up.  “The strength of the people after losing all that they had, sweeping their own streets and still laughing among all the devastation, still selling food, joking, children playing, was truly motivational.  I always knew that they were a strong people.  They withstood the sadness and prevailed.”

 Sister Milfort plans to go back to Haiti to resume relief efforts in the summer.

Sister Dollie Milfort

About Sister Dollie Milfort:

Missionary Dollie graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, with a BSN in Nursing.  She works at Visiting Nurses Association as a Clinical Nurse Manager. She is a member of the Work Shop Committee for the International Women’s Department of the C.O.G.I.C.  She retired from the Army Nurse Corp, U.S. Army Reserves as a Major.

Missionary Dollie is saved; sanctified Holy Ghost filled and has been saved for many years. She is a wife, Mother of three adult children, grandmother of twelve and great grandmother of five.  She is a member of Bailey Temple C.O.G.I.C., under the Pastorate of Elder James Johnson.  Her Bishop is John Sheard, Supervisor Mother Regina Edwards.

She has been a Medical Missionary to Haiti for 26 years; she knows the culture and speaks the language. Many souls have been healed both physically and spiritual.

She has been also going to South Africa doing Crusades for the last five years with the Pastors of our church in Cape Town.

When not in Haiti or South Africa, Sister Dollie expresses her love to the people State side by visiting them in the Nursing Homes and Hospital.  She is a Sunday School Teacher and helps with the Prayer and Bible Band.

Sister Dollie truly loves the Lord, enjoys working for Him and walks daily by faith and her favorite scripture is:  Philippians 4:13—“ I can do all things through Christ which strength me”.

After Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. and the General Board approved the concept of having an international Walk-A-Thon, First Assistant Presiding Bishop P.A. Brooks,  the Michigan/Ontario Council of Bishops and their jurisdictions immediately began planning their events. Therefore, Michigan will be the first state to kick-off the Church Of God In Christ World Mission’s Walk-a-thon on Saturday, September 12, 2009. This will be the prelude to the international Walk-A-Thon event on Saturday, October 10, 2009.

Bishop Brooks and the event coordinators in Michigan have been organizing in Detroit, Lansing, Saginaw/Flint and Grand Rapids, obtaining media partners and signing-up walkers to participate in the walk-a-thon. “I am very excited about this event and pleased with the way our state has embraced the World Missions Walk-A-Thon because of its focus on health,” said Brooks. “Because this is the first year, our goal is to have at least 25,000 people participate in our events across the state. There has been a lot of hard work from many people including Jackie Day who has contacted many professional athletes and has been instrumental in a few celebrities and organizations who have signed on including the NBA Mother’s organization,” said Brooks.  Magic Johnson’s mother Christine Johnson and Judge Greg Mathis have already committed.  Bishop Marvin Pryor and administrative assistant Superintendant Hurley Coleman have been very active in the Flint-Saginaw area. Mother Mary Jane Walton, the Supervisor of Southwest Michigan Fourth Jurisdiction, and Alternate Area Supervisor has really aided the Detroit and Lansing Walk-a-Thon processes to move swiftly. Some sponsors include Detroit radio stations WMUZ and WEXL, part of the Crawford Broadcasting Company.

The World Mission’s Walk-a-thon in Michigan will be the day before the National Loyalty Day on Sunday, September 13th. Bishop Brooks has requested that the Michigan jurisdictions lift-up and remember Church Of God In Christ founder Bishop Charles Mason and contribute on that Sunday in Mason’s honor to support the Global missions and education programs.

Second Assistant Presiding Bishop Jerry Macklin and General Board Member, Bishop Frank White are the national coordinators of the Loyalty events.

For more information on how to participate in the Michigan Walk-A-Thons contact 313-835-5329.

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Fayetteville, NC – April 7, 2009 – Bishop Larry L. Shaw has served active duty in the US Army for more than 23 years.  He has continued his service to his country as a Military Chaplain in the Army Reserve for the last 5 plus years.  In January 2007, Bishop Shaw answered the call to serve alongside his fellow servicemen in Afghanistan.  It was during this tour in Afghanistan, that Bishop Shaw sustained injuries from an IED Taliban Attack.  He served as a Chaplain, Mentor and Pastor of Camp EERGS in Afghanistan.  It is with great humility and honor that on May 5, 2009, Bishop Shaw will be awarded 4 awards with the highest being the Purple Heart.  The Purple Heart is a badge of Military Merit, awarded in the name of the President to those that have given of their blood in the defense of the homeland.  The other three awards are the Combat Action Badge and 2 Joint Meritorious Service Medals: Joint Service and Branch Service.

Bishop Shaw is not only a soldier on the battlefield but he is a soldier in the Lords army.  He is the Jurisdictional Prelate for the Historic First Jurisdiction of Southern Georgia, Church of God in Christ.  He also serves as the Executive Secretary to the Board of Bishops and is the founder of many churches throughout Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Virginia and Korea.  Bishop Shaw is the proud father of two lovely children.  His son Elder A.D. Shaw is the pastor of Full Gospel Tabernacle, Church of God in Christ in Hinesville, GA which serves as the headquarters for Historic First Jurisdiction of Southern Georgia.  His daughter Monica Shaw is active in the ministry and will receive her MBA from Georgia State University in May 2009.  Bishop Shaw is the first Church of God in Christ Bishop to receive this honor while being dually active in the church and military.

Bishop Shaw will be presented this award, in front of more than 1,000 (one thousand) fellow service men and women, by the Post Commander of Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, NC.  Joining in the ceremony will be a representative from the

Church of God in Christ, the Board of Bishops and the Historic First Jurisdiction of Southern Georgia.  A host of family and friends will be present to encourage this great man of God and distinguished military hero.

The ceremony will take place on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, NC. For more information, call 912.368.3044, email fgt@clds.net.

We enter a new century, a new millennium, and a new era in which the church must launch a new paradigm of ministry to illustrate, as well as, execute the Great Commission from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  The collective membership of the Church of God in Christ will, once again, lead the world in advancing Pentecostal faith and social justice around the world.

Finally, we have the means of reaching hundreds of thousands, and soon, millions, of COGIC members, friends, and partners as a collective mission to transform the world.

By dismantling the “top-down” approach to executing ministry, the Church, is devising the means by which central operations in Memphis and other auxiliary operations around the nation will serve the local church with a rich treasure of resources that will strengthen the work and organization of the congregation, and with it, the edification of the membership.

The Church of God in Christ is going digital!  Imagine every pastor having an online library of resources at their disposal?  Imagine each congregation having the capacity to communicate with members by text messaging, email, and  video?  Imagine the capacity of communicating local, district, jurisdictional, and national events and news?  Imagine being unable to attend national events, but still experiencing the events through webcasting?  Imagine registering for any of the Church’s conventions and securing first come-first served hotel reservation  with immediate confirmation notices?

For every disaster that occurs in the nation and around the world, the Church of God in Christ can be there and launch a video mail sharing our efforts to relieve pain, suffering, and catastrophe.  The Church can quickly solicit your gifts and abilities to alleviate a crisis and provide you with the “road map” to your personal involvement.

In a matter of months, education will become a matter of a home computer and a registration to one of the Church’s many online avenues to career and professional development, a college education, and biblical and theological studies.

Local churches will have the capacity to join the Church’s online community, as well as, districts, and jurisdictions.  Each will have the capacity to advertise events to local communities, area-wide, jurisdiction, regions of the country, and around the world.  Your conference, convention, and other events will reach thousands, replacing fliers, expensive TV and magazine ads, while offering online registration by credit card and check processing from your pages of the Church.  Members from the local church, who can’t return home can view worship and give their offerings DIRECTLY and SECURELY to the account, you authorize.

Now, jurisdictional events, conferences and district meetings can offer from their own web pages, news, announcements, invitations, and registrations with online payment methods restricted to their exclusive and private use.

To serve the credential holders of the Church and at the discretion of the jurisdictional prelate and supervisor, the new COGIC.com will offer voluntary jurisdictional online financial reporting to receive district, state, and national obligations.

*It is the vision of our Presiding Bishop to utilize technology to unite the Church in ministry.  We are closing the digital divide by creating a COGIC network online.

Introducing the new COGIC.com! Join your friends and family online, and get access to unique features:

In early 2009, we will introduce to you a faith based online community that works seamlessly with COGIC.com.

Imagine a site that allows you to connect with the global COGIC community to:

Most importantly, you can engage and share your knowledge with others. Communicate and collaborate with other members of COGIC and create your own online community.

So what can you do…?

With so much excitement around the new COGIC.com, how can you learn more and get involved?

Simple! If you’re and individual user, go to www.cogic.com, register and see for yourself! While you’re there click on the COGICCIRCLE logo to find out more about what’s coming in this interactive COGIC community!

If you’re a church leader and you want to learn more about getting your own customized church website, please go to the new www.cogic.com site and complete the online form.

Remember to tell your family and friends about the new site.  Ultimately, everything you do on the new COGIC.com will contribute to the growth of the Church of God in Christ and help continue our long tradition of support and service.