New Pilgrim Baptist Church “A Multicultural Christian Fellowship” Wings 2008 Pictorial Year in Review Photo Courtesy Yong, Mt. Olympus Presbyterian Church Mt. Olympus Presbyterian Senior Pastor Phil Hughes, hosted New Pilgrim in a joint service in October. NPBC dancers, praise team and choir led the service and Hodges delivered the message. The two congregation partook of the Lord Supper after the service. Photo Courtesy Mr. Vics Senior Pastor Corey J. Hodges converses with Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Christine Durham, during the pastor’s anniversary celebration banquet. The banquet began a weekend of events commemorating Hodges’ tenth year as pastor of New Pilgrim. Hodges and Durham serve together on the board of the Initiative of Utah Children in Foster Care. Hodges was invited to give the opening prayer at both the Salt Lake County Republican Photo Courtesy Salt Lake Tribune Hodges was featured on the front-page of the Oct. 27 Salt Lake Tribune, with an article titled “Utah blacks energized by Obama” ; the piece angered some readers. The Tribune published a letter to the editor from a reader in Sandy, Utah who said, “I take issue with the article...Much of its tone was purposely inflammatory and geared to pander to the fears of some white voters. For example, the photo of Pastor Corey Hodges, apparently with his fist raised, might look to some like an image from the turbulent 1960s.” Many NPBC members were concerned the picture gave the false impression that Hodges was supporting Obama from the pulpit. “There was no mention of then-Senator Obama’s name at all that Sunday,” Hodges said. “I never among those present at the state convention. Hatch, a 2000 presidential candidate, visited NPBC in August. that he felt some of his quotes in the article were taken out of context. UTAH REPUBL PAR Wings Staff Photo Convention and the Utah State Republican Convention. Utah Senator Orin Hatch was WINGS: VOLUME 7, NO. 1 JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2009 preach politics from the pulpit.” Hodges also commented Page 5 New Pilgrim Baptist Church Wings ‘A Multicultural Christian Fellowship” A Decade of Unity Church Calendar Pastor Gray and Pastor Hodges held the first joint MLK Southeast Baptist Church and New Pilgrim partnered their tenth annual joint unity service commemorating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year’s celebration was held at NPBC; Southeast Pastor Mike Gray was the preacher. In 1999, Hodges and Gray began the service as a way to encourage unity among the two congregations. The service is held each year on the Sunday before MLK day. The churches take turns hosting. Photo Courtesy Mr. Vics service in 1999. February marks 25 years of pastoring Southeast for Gray. Hodges wrote an opinion piece in the Salt Lake Tribune saying that Gray’s “service has helped advance the Utah evangelical community.” Gray opened his sermon with remarks on the election of the first African-American saying, “Whether or not I agree with him he is my president.” He called on Southeast Associate Pastor John Prim to close in prayer for President Obama and the country. Deacons In Training The Deacon Ministry Members Minis- ommendation to the church body to set aside Lloyd Gray and Mark Sharpe as deacons in training. | the Member of the Year award try and was the 2008 recipient of made a rec- Gray, 69, given to mem7 bers who show 7 dedication in eA Lloyd Gray is a retired fireGarden City, KS fighter from Garden City, KS. He has been a member of NPBC since 1981. Gray is a Trustee at NPBC and serves as the Director of Couple’s Ministry with his wife Dr. Joyce Gray; together they have three children and eight grandchildren. Sharpe hails from St. Katherine, Ja- maica. If ordained, the 31-year-old will be the youngest deacon ever to serve at NPBC. Sharpe is the Director of New WINGS: VOLUME 7, NO. 1 JANUARY —- FEBRUARY 2009 service. Sharpe’s y Father, Lincoln Mark Sharpe Jamaica Sharpe is the Pastor of Fulltruth Gospel Church in Jamaica. Sharpe is an Electrical Mechanic and is married to Kareem Sharpe; together they have four children. The two men will be mentored by members of the deacon ministry for a period of six months to a year. Ordination will follow successful completion of an oral examination before a council of Utah deacons and pastors. Both men’s wives are being men- tored to serve on the Deaconess Ministry. Page 6 “A Multicultural Christian Fellowship” Wings New Pilgrim Baptist Church Christian Ed. Corner - Want What God Wants Scott Warnick Pastor Christian Ed. New Pilgrim Baptist Church I would like to share some things I've learned from a prolonged meditation on a single verse. The verse is Psalm 139:19; what I've learned from it could be called “Wanting What God Wants.” Psalm 139: 19 says, “If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, ae bloodthirsty men!” The triggering event for the contemplation is that this verse doesn't seem to fit its context. If you read the entire Psalm, you will find that this verse comes immediately after David concludes a soaring hymn of praise to God's knowledge. In Psalm 139:17-18, David praises the extent of God's knowledge by saying that the number of his thoughts are infinite, looking at what he doesn't want. In the life, pure science, pure worship and pure sake. theme of the Bible by saying that God wants perfect human flourishing for all case of verse 19 we can see that he doesn't want murder and violence for its own truth. In fact, we can summarize a great We can extend our understanding of what God wants by looking at one of the few pictures we have of our world after God has ended human rebellion and restored his original design. Revelation 21:1-4 says, “Then I saw a eternity. When we see a joyful couple dancing at their wedding we are looking straight into the heart of God. God wants couples who share the joy of total new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear and that some of those infinite thoughts are always about David. ("When I awake from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Notice that our image of heaven on _ earth is stated in negative terms: there says that God is always thinking about each one of us individually. God wants by looking at what = doesn't you are still with me.") In essence, David Taken together, verses 17-19 say: _ "Your thoughts are infinite, loving, and always directed toward each one of us personally--if only you would slay the wicked." | The key is to read further. Reading the end of the Psalm allows us to build a conceptual bridge between verses 17 and 18. The bridging thought is this: Thinking about your thoughts has led me to understand the grandeur of your design for each person and the beauty of your design for our lives together. Now that I understand your design for the world, I want you to remove the murderous rebels who keep that design for being realized. You may think that I am overreaching by interpreting verse 19 as a statement about what God wants. I think the connection is subtle but real, because it is not possible to speak about wickedness (as in "if only you would slay the wicked") without talking about right- eousness. We can see what God wants by WINGS: VOLUME 7, NO. 1 will be no tears, no pain, no mourning, no crying, and no death. We learn what want. _ We can keep this up by ookne a little further down the page in Revelation 21:6 -8. “He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars— their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” These verses say that God wants to quench our thirst for life by letting us drink from the fountain that never will run dry. He wants a world without cow- ardice, vileness, murder, sexual immoral- ity, idolatry and the black arts. He wants a world where there are no lies. If we state this positively, God wants courage, intimacy and a profoundly fulfilling sexual union. God wants women to be happy mothers of children. When we are at our most joyful, our most expres- sive, our most beautiful, our most loving and our most compassionate we are doing what our Father wanted for us when he chose to adopt us into his family. God gave us the joy of good work and the joy of good prayer and the joy of sweet communion. When Ezra said, "The joy of the LORD is your strength,” | he also implied the reason why. The strength we get from God when we are joyful comes from being in his presence. He flows into us and then his strength is our strength; his joy is our joy. | What God wants for us is glorious and that soul-fulfilling human flourishing displays the splendor of his design, the _ splendor of his love and the splendorof his salvation. The splendor is worthy of the highest praise. In fact,we were all created to make God's praise glorious. In Ephesians chapter one, Paul says God created us and saved us and sealed us "for the praise of the glory of his grace." It is no secret that the world we live in now is not the world God intended. The oppressive, hateful, hate-filled, violent and unjust world we live in now is a result of human rebellion. We really need to want what God wants (which is eternal human flourishing). Further, we really understand how much damage is done by those who frustrate God's good plans for his children by acting out on their rebellious pride. If we really want what God wants then we will want him to act swiftly to purge human pride and wickedness—even when that wickedness is buried deeply in ourselves. faith and fidelity, virtue, reverence for JANUARY —- FEBRUARY 2009 Page 7 New Pilgrim Baptist Church Wings ‘A Multicultural Christian Fellowship’ Wings Online Subscribe to Wings online at: www.newpilgrimbaptist.com/wings.htm Full versions of current and past issues are available online. ~~: pn Pastor re me ne eee ee a oe James E. Lee New Pilgrim Baptist Church Publishing Association Wings Editorial Staff Publisher Senior Pastor CoreyJ. Hodges Editor/ Graphic Designer Achieng’ Reggy Assistant Editor Elizabeth Nadelman Copy Editors Benita N. Hodges Frances P. Battle Contributing Editors James Lee Assistant Pastor Bridgette Waters Executive Pastor Scott Warnick Pastor of Christian Education Alonzo Solomon Pastor Youth Ministry Lillian Montes Pastor of Multicultural Affairs Denise Elbert Pastor of Fellowship Robert Hawkins Pastor of Evangelism and Outreach Gerald Holden Pastor of Young Adults & Teens Benjamin Lightner Pastor of Stewardship Carey Drisdom Pastor of Men CoreyJ. Hodges Senior Pastor/Wings Publisher Wings: Volume 7, No. 1 Spanish Service Anniversary Jan - Feb, 2009 Corey J. Hodges Senior Pastor Photo Courtesy Mr. Vics Rebecca Mireles is the leader of the Spanish service praise team. Each week the team leads the Spanish-speaking congregation in both contemporary and traditional worship songs. “Nuevos Peregrinos,” celebrates two years e January marked two years for Iglesia Bautista Los Nuevos Peregrinos NPBC’s Spanish language service. The milestone was celebrated with a special service at 4 p.m. followed by a dinner reception. In 2006, Eliseo Murillo, senior pastor of Iglesia The service, which meets every Sunday at 4p.m., now has over 60 members and has baptized close to 30 people since its inception. In 2007, Jose Gomez and Jamie Mireles | were ordained as NPBC’s first Spanish- Spanish-language congregation merge with NPBC. The new service began on January 27, 2007. Senior Pastor Corey J. Hodges appointed Ministry’s primary liaisons to NPBC’s Spanish-speaking members. Gomez is from Puerto Rico and Mireles from Mexico. Pentecostal Siloe, asked that his 50-member Murillo and NPBC Pastor of Multicultural Af- speaking deacons and serve as the Deacon Nuevos Peregrinos has members from 8 fairs Lillian Montes to serve as associate pastors — different Spanish-speaking countries. of the congregation. Doctrinal conflicts later led All NPBC programs are now offered in Murillo to part ways with NPBC leaving the new _ both English and Spanish including Awana, congregation with under 20 members. weekly Bible Study, Sunday School and Following Murillo’s departure, Hodges apVacation Bible School. Two bi-lingual serpointed Montes as the Pastor of Spanish services. _ vices are held each year. Wings in Hebrew Scriptures Senate Opening Session / Vision 2010 _ _ oe World Missions / Christian Leadership Academy | 2. Isaiah 40:31 — But they that wait upon the re} mount run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, 2008 Pictorial Year in Review | 4 2008 Pictorial Year in Review | 5 7 Unity Service / Deacons in Training 6 Christian Education Comer 7 Editorial Staff 8 LORD shall renew their strength; they shall up with win gs as ea gles: they shall and not faint. Deuteronomy 32:11 — As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings. Utah “A Multicultural Christian Fellowship” Wings New Pilgrim Baptist Church Vision 2010 Senate Photo Courtesy UtahSenateChannel The sanctuary choir sang for the 2009 opening session of the Utah State Senate. Sanctuary choir sings for Utah Senate 2009 Opening Session NPBC’s sanctuary choir sang at the 2009 opening session of the Utah Senate held on January 26 at the Utah State Capitol. The choir opened with a rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” followed by two spirituals. Senate President Michael Waddoups invited NPBC to the session. Waddoups represents Utah’s District 6 which encompasses Taylorsville and West Jordan. The sanctuary choir is under the direction of Executive Director of Music Brian Sellmon. In 2008 the Music Ministry performed at several venues around Utah. The band added an additional saxophonists, Joe Rudd. Rudd is a music major at the University of Utah. NPBC’s music ministry includes the Eng- lish and Spanish praise teams, sanctuary choir, men’s, young adult’s and children’s choirs as well as a 9-person band. Photo Courtesy waddoups.org Senator Michael Waddoups, Utah Sen- ate President. Brazil Celebration WINGS: VOLUME 7, NO. 1 JANUARY —- FEBRUARY 2009 Page 2 New Pilgrim Baptist Church Wings “A Multicultural Christian Fellowship” Kingston, Travel Requirements Jamaica Photo Courtesy Missionaries Missionaries of the Poor monks minister to the less fortunate in Kingston, Jamaica. of the Poor NPBC to partner with Missionaries of the Poor for mission to NPBC World Missions is scheduled to travel to Kingston, Jamaica Nov. 3 - 12. The team will partner with Missionaries of the Poor an international monastic order dedicated to serving the poor. The organization was founded in 1981 by Father Richard HoLung and has six mission homes around the globe. Their primary mission is to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ through performing acts of mercy, preaching, music, teaching and sacraments. Jamaica Their corporal works include housing the homeless, feeding the hungry, taking care of street children, working with prisoners and caring for those with diseases such as AIDS and leprosy. Hodges has plans to minister in all 30 NPBC nations. “Our purpose is two fold,” he says. “We want to take the Gospel to the world, but we also want to create a connec- tion with the indigenous people of our member’s home countries.” Christian Leadership Academy NPBC Christian Education Ministry launched the Christian Leadership Academy in January. The Bible learning school holds classes every Wednesday from 7 - 9 p.m. Classes are free and open to NPBC members. On completion of the courses, students will have the equivalent of a seminary degree. This quarter’s offerings include: “The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus,” “Foundations of our Faith,” and “Hermeneutics 101” taught by Senior Pastor Corey J. Hodges. Future offerings include WINGS: VOLUME 7, NO. 1 JANUARY —- FEBRUARY 2009 Systematic Theology, Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, World Missions and other spiritual growth and maturity courses. Enrollment is mandatory for NPBC leaders. Each quarter at least one beginner, intermediate and advanced level course is offered concurrently. Students are required to complete all prerequisites before registering for intermediate and advanced courses. Enroll- ment is ongoing. Scott Warnick is the Director of Christian Education. Retired educator, Dr. Joyce Gray, is dean of the academy. Page 3 New Pilgrim Baptist Church “A Multicultural Christian Fellowship” Wings 2008 Pictorial Year in Review fers liarnd Cristiana? Wings Staff Photo Ekanem Effiong (left) and Elaine Skinner-Ntiri man NPBC’s booth at Taylorsville Dayzz. The church evangelized to park residence and handed out tracks and Bibles. The church also participated in the parade. Wings Staff Photo New Pilgrim World Missions sent a team of twenty missionaries to the Navajo Reservation in Dilkon, Arizona. The group evangelized on the reservation, conducted a weeklong Vacation Bible School for children and adults and performed infrastructure repairs at the Dilkon Bible Church building and pastor’s residence. Senior Pastor Hodges delivered the Sunday morning message with the help of a Navajo translator. Mission video and additional pictures may be viewed at youtube.com and facebook.com. Wings Staff Photo Children wearing leis make picture frames at Vacation Bible School. The island-themed Christian Education Ministry event was held in July. The Christian Education team is led by Pastor Scott Warnick. The team won the “2008 Ministry of the Year Award” given to NPBC ministries that met or exceed their annual goals. Wings Staff Photo Deacon Ancel Davis II serves communion to a resident of the Legacy House Assisted Living community in Taylorsville. New Pilgrim holds services at the center every Sunday at 3p.m. The Evangelism and Outreach ministry, led by Pastor Robert Hawkins, also con- ducts weekly Sunday services and midweek Bible Studies at several Utah correctional facilities and juvenile detention homes. WINGS: VOLUME 7, NO. 1 JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2009 Photo Courtesy Nikia Bradford Ja’Tavia Smith models an El Salvadorian dress during the South and Central American celebration. Page 4 Wings: Volume 6, No. 5 Mission Edition September - October 2008 Corey J. Hodges Senior Pastor Pictured are 16 =e Nation in Dilkon, Arizona. Wings Staff Photo of New Pilgrim’s World Mission Team to the Navajo Members return from mission to the Navajo Nation In August, twenty members of NPBC completed a weeklong mission trip to the Navajo Reservation in Dilkon, Arizona. Led by Senior Pastor Corey J. Hodges the team evangelized on the reservation, made infrastructure repairs to the church and pastor’s residence and conducted a Vacation Bible School for the children. Hodges preached Sunday morning at the Dilkon Bible Church which hosted the mission team. Dilkon Bible is the home church of longtime NPBC member Betty Chase. Chase was the Navajo representative on the trip. The church has not had a pastor for over two years and has seen its membership dwindle. NPBC’s VBS brought in over sixty adults and children throughout the week. A monetary donation was left to help facilitate ministry. “Our plan is to continue to support Dilkon Bible Church as they do their part to reach people on the reservation,” said Hodges. This is the world mission team’s second trip. Last year a team ministered in Puerto Rico. The next trip to Jamaica is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2009. Hodges has plans to minister in all NPBC nations. A three-part video of the Navajo mission may be viewed on www.youtube.com. Inside this issue of Wings: Wings iina Hebrew Scriptures Shepherd’s Page Christian Education Corner 2 ' 3 Navajo Reservation Pictorial Summary 4 Navajo Reservation VBS Pictorial 5 86th Church Anniversary/ U.S. Sen. Hatch’ 6 Jamaica Mission Trip / New Nation 7 South and Central America / Editorial 8 Isaiah 40:31 — But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Deuteronomy 32:11 — As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings. “A Multicultural Christian Fellowship” Wings New Pilgrim Baptist Church For Native Americans, religion and cul ture are inseparable Sioa By Pastor Corey J. Hodges In August, I and 19 members of our church returned from a weeklong mission on a Navajo Indian reservation in Dilkon, Ariz. We stayed on the reservation, and for the entire week I had no television, Internet or cell-phone service. At first I was horrified, but not having these luxuries made it easier to focus on the beauty of my surroundings. At an elevation of nearly 6,000 feet, Dilkon is laced with buttes, hills with sloping sides and flat tops that stand alone in an otherwise flat area. The reservation is expansive and encompasses a mix of modern and traditional housing. Homes are separated by miles of open land the locals use to herd sheep, goats, cows and horses. Almost every compound has a hogan, but many are used only for ceremonial purposes. According to the U.S. census, the median income on the reservation in 2000 was $16,146 compared with $41,994 nationwide. We therefore witnessed poverty first-hand. Our primary task was to partner with a local church to conduct vacation Bible school. We began each night serving dinner. Children as young as 4 walked alone to the church, many simply in WINGS: VOLUME 6, NO. 5 search of food. The stories were heart-wrenching. One 6-year-old boy told of how he lives in a home with so many people that he is forced to sleep outside. A girl, 9, spoke of raising her three younger siblings because her mother is an alcoholic. A young mother, after receiving the school supplies we brought with us, said, “You saved my life.” She has had to forgo meals to buy school materials. Another young girl had begged her mother on the last day of our stay to use some of the family’s water to take a bath. With a big smile on her face she said to us, “I wanted to be clean for my new friends from Salt Lake City.” We were also exposed to some of the cultural challenges that exist for Navajos who want to convert to Christianity. For American Indians, religion and culture are inseparable. Therefore, converting to Western religion is a difficult decision that requires converts to relinquish some of their culture. Some feel it best to completely abandon their culture once they embrace Christianity. A 72-year-old convert exclaimed, “I don’t even entertain the SEPTEMBER— OCTOBER 2008 old ways for fear that I may be pulled back in.” Thus, she does not participate in any of the Navajo ceremonies and chooses not to even wear traditional jewelry, which is usually symbolic of some Navajo customs, traditions or deities. Others have found a compromise. One Navajo woman who grew up on the reservation and is now a member of our congregation in Salt Lake City says, “I wear the jewelry because I want to identify with my people, but to me it’s just art. I don’t believe in any of the customs or deities that they may symbolize.” Our trip was a reminder of how we sometimes take things for granted. Even within our country’s borders there are many suffering immensely. | thought often of my children, who may not realize how fortunate they are to have running water, food, school supplies and a plethora of electronic games and devices. But the Navajo children we met are happy. They have simply accepted their situation for what it is and have learned to live with it. Our mission was an opportunity to minister to the Navajo people; in all honesty, the lessons from their lives have touched us probably more than our service touched them. New Pilgrim Baptist Church Wings “A Multicultural Christian Fellowship” of the Navaio children joyfullya her ing the limbo in the middle of th Jas for almost 45 minutes. like fter those two hours I didn't get Example 3: We were ‘supposed 1 iscouraged for the rest of the trip. co ae oe — wonder how many of the answers to : court prayers are simple kindnesses--a — eee an old sink the sisters at DBC 2 _ had found. We weren't sure how to _ do the job, which tends to make a : kokeeAZ. b tTam B DIssiot still = smile, a friendly hello, a joke followed _ — shopping for parts very difficult. es mn a tl e size of the tasks. bya deep belly laugh. lalsowonder = how many ttimes eac h one of us is the = When we got to the Home Depornin” e lagstaff, the associate in plumbin: Z saw our Mission Team badges. - | fact Q : on) and then at how = idid however t ast oe often. airien the full tear . 1 Tuesday : a big smile and incredible patience hem he helped us design the water a ain connections, taking specia re to point out that we woulc a way to clear out the drain asil the na to be Woe | eaeflyers for inside the pulpit. T got that jury-rigged_ae setup working in the sanctuary--but then | realized that to canee Sones x of your church how m uch we lov _ them and grateful we are for every" = thing your team has done here. _ Eventually we Gouied out 6 how to make all the changes we needed using the four buttons on the DVD. The net discouraged. I : thing would wo that the members : wanted us there. t sure that any | | — 2 oe went to the Fellowship Hall by myself and prayed that we could get more involved with the members at effect of all of that Spy — along with the movements DVD. — Another member said she was in the : : — process of writing a lettertothe team thanking them not only for all.C Savon, ad- _ of the work we did, but for all of the ae . W - joy we brought to the church and the : oa acommunity that surrounds i “She — : on the | sid she would never forget our | _ _ visit, and that she was going back to : Example 2: The Seturay Ssession i o 2 DBC with renewed energy, the VBS was an extra hour andahalf During the whole trip, as li impro- : long and we decided to have an after- iced. adapted and persisted, I also, DBC. I went back to the house and noon of games for the kids. We went laughed and sweated and danced — didn’ t say anything to my wife about into the tool shed and found a four-foot and learned that Nehemiah was S my prayer. Not more than ten min- _ utes later there was a knock on the | door of the parsonage. Two of the WINGS: VOLUME 6, NO. 5 length of pipe. The teachers used the pipe for a limbo bar and used a port- SEPTEMBER— OCTOBER 2008 tight: "The joy of the LORD i is my strength." ce Page3 New Pilgrim Baptist Church Wings “A Multicultural Christian Fellowship” Navajo Reservation - Dilkon, Arizona oward Fleming put together an outdoor sink for the Dilkon Bible n i ee mem- bers to use when slaughtering sheep. 6 Ud EAs, Pastor of Christian Education, Scott Warnick and NPBC Deacon Minis- try Chairman, George Cross, repaired the electrical outlets in the Dilkon Bible fellowship hall and sanctuary. WINGS: VOLUME 6, NO. 5 led the service. SEPTEMBER— OCTOBER Pastor Hodges multitasked during the Banda: mornin worship service. Dilkon does not have a regular pian ; 2008 Page 4 New Pilgrim Baptist Church Wings “A Multicultural Christian Fellowship” = ew ~~ Navajo Reservation Vacation Bible School Executive Pastor IBridgette va through second grade class. WINGS: VOLUME 6, NO. 5 SEPTEMBER— OCTOBER 2008 taught the kindergarte Page 5 New Pilgrim Baptist Church “A Multicultural Christian Fellowship” Wings 86th Church Anniversary BEE aotia cet ndess hiamcehbea 2” dME Honoring the Past Rebuilding the Future Rev. Romell Williams Lilydale Progressive MB Church Chicago, IL NPBC will celebrate its 86" anni- versary on October 12 at 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and in Spanish at 4p.m. The theme is “Honoring the Past — Rebuilding the Future.” Rev. Romell Williams of Lilydale Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago, IL is this year’s guest speaker for the English-language services and Jorge Torres, an associate pastor at Centro de Vida Cristiana in Salt Lake City, will deliver the message for the Spanish service. Williams has been the pastor of Lilydale since September 2004. He was licensed at age 17 and ordained at age 19. He is a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and is currently attending Trinity Evangelical University. NPBC was founded in 1922. The church which started as an AfricanAmerican congregation has grown to include members from close to 30 nations that span every continent except Antarctica. The church has relocated several times since its founding. In 1948 the church building burnt down and meetings were held in several homes until a new facility was constructed in 1952. In 1955, Pilgrim Baptist relocated due to construction of a new highway and became known as New Pilgrim Baptist Church at its new location. New Pilgrim moved to its current location in 1991. The expansion of the 6200 South and Redwood Road will lead to the demolition of the church building forcing New Pilgrim to relocate once again. Current estimates indicate that projected compensation will not garner enough profit to rebuild even the present structure. Senior Pastor Corey J. Hodges has called on his membership to pray for a favorable outcome. An anniversary reception will run from 2-3:45 p.m. in the gymnasium and will include presentations from NPBC’s Fine Arts team. The cost is $3 for adults and has limited seating. Sen. Orrin Hatch > Hodges swaps pulpit for a day Pastor Travis Mitchell and his wife Amber. Senior Pastor Corey J. Hodges swapped pulpits with Pastor Travis Mitchell of Sandy Ridge Community Church in Sandy, Utah on Sunday, August 24 at the 11 a.m. service. Mitchell preached at New Pilgrim while Hodges preached at the same time at Sandy Ridge. Hodges and Mitchell are both cohosts on the television program “This VOLUME SEPTEMBER— Photo Courtesy Sandy Ridge WINGS: 6, NO. 5 OCTOBER 2008 Week in the Word” which airs every Monday at 10a.m. and 8p.m. on Utah’s KUTV Channel 20. Hodges spoke to Sandy Ridge about forgiveness, while Mitchell gave NPBC’s congregation guidance on how to pray for the pastor. Mitchell is a native Utahan and a graduate of Denver Theological Seminary in Colorado. Page 6 New Pilgrim Baptist Church Wings “A Multicultural Christian Fellowship” Jamaica trip scheduled for 2009 Photo Courtesy Missionaries Calendar of the Poor Missionaries of the Poor monks minister through music and acts of mercy. NPBC World Missions will travel to Kingston, Jamaica in the fourth quarter of 2009. The team will partner with Missionaries of the Poor, an international monastic order dedicated to serving the poor. The organization was founded in 1981 by Father Richard HoLung and has six mission homes around the globe in India, the Philippines (Naga City & Cebu), Haiti, Uganda and Kenya. Their primary mission is to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ through performing acts of mercy, preaching, music, teaching and sacraments. Their corporal works include housing the homeless, feeding the hungry, taking care of street children, working with prisoners and caring for those with diseases such as AIDS and leprosy. NPBC mission team members will be expected to complete a cultural sensitivity class prior to the trip. A valid passport is required to re-enter the United States from Jamaica. Brazil joins NPBC Nations Brazil is the latest country added to NPBC’s league of nations. In a recent service, the Brazilian flag was erected in the sanctuary. The two new Bra- zilian families com- from 2-6 p.m. at the church. The celebration will feature dance, music and food from all NPBC nations. The suggested donation is $8 for adults and $5 for children 5-12. Pro- Taste of the World [Ri go towards OCTOBER 2008 pleted the 8-week NPBC’s World MisSaturday, Nov. 8 New Members class. sion fund. One of the new members does not The Taste of the World is organspeak English but has been able to ized by the Multicultural team led by attend NPBC’s services with the help Pastor of Multicultural Affairs, Lillian of a Portuguese translator. Montes. Montes hails from Puerto NPBC is also scheduled to celeRico. Nikia Bradford of the Native brate the annual “Taste of the American Chotwa tribe is the director. World” on Saturday, November 8 WINGS: VOLUME 6, NO. 5 SEPTEMBER— Page 7 New Pilgrim Baptist Church Wings “A Multicultural Christian F ellowship” Wings Online Subscribe to Wings online at: www.newpilgrimbaptist.com/wings.htm Full versions of current and past issues are available online. New Pilgrim Baptist Church Publishing Association Wings Editorial Staff Publisher Senior Pastor Corey J. Hodges Editor/ Graphic Designer Achieng’ Reggy Assistant Editor Elizabeth Nadelman Copy Editors Benita N. Hodges Frances P. Battle Contributing Editors Pastor James Lee Assistant Pastor Pastor Bridgette Waters Executive Pastor Pastor Lillian Montes Multicultural Affairs Pastor Scott Wamick Christian Education Pastor Denise Elbert Fellowship — eS : ft oe S a 2 __ 6196 South Redwood Road 5A ea _. Pastor Robert Hawkins Evangelism and Outreach Pastor Alonzo Solomon Youth Ministries Pastor Ben Lightner Stewardship Pastor Carey Drisdom Young Adult and Teens Pastor Gina Alfred Associate Pastor Pastor Gerald Holden Associate Pastor ein & CoreyJ. Hodges Senior Pastor/Wings Publisher