Page 14 - Florida Sentinel 12-2-16 Online Edition

Local
Minister Shares Journey To Becoming An Itinerant Elder
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Recently, a member of the Clergy was or- dained as Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The honor was be- stowed upon Reverend Sandra Maria Bell during the 76th Session of the West Coast Annual Conference.
Ordination as an Itinerant Elder is the highest type of ordination bestowed by the AME Church. Of her station in life at this point, Rev. Bell said, “I am extremely happy where I am in life. I am a free-spirit who allows God to lead me where
He wants me to go.”
Rev. Bell has chosen to share her journey
from the past to the present with Sentinel read- ers. Hers is a story of how she was “there” for oth- ers, but felt she had no one to turn to for herself. And that feeling had an adverse affect on her per- sonal life.
She was employed as a Registered Nurse when a series of deaths took place in her life. The deaths included her father, and a very close aunt.
With each loss, she served as a comforter to her family. It was during this phase of her life that her ministerial journey began.
But as a Registered Nurse, she was at a cross- road. She had been called to serve, but couldn’t really speak about God. This led to a life-altering decision to retire in 2008. She completed her trial sermon on Father’s Day that year and was li- censed to preach.
She began working in the ministry, offering encouragement through preaching, teaching and counseling at Allen Temple AME Church.
REV. SANDRA BELL
... Ordained during 76th Session of the West Coast Annual Conference
Then her 5-year-old nephew, who had been born with several health challenges, died. Once again, she stepped into the role of comforter, and suppressed her own feelings once again.
After some time away, she returned to the ministry. In 2011, she was ordained as an Itiner- ant Deacon. However, she still had not resolved her own grief issues.
In the time that passed, she suddenly found herself confronted with more sadness. In 2012, her 50-year-old aunt was placed on life support and she was tasked with withdrawing life sup- port. Still, she “smiled while her heart was break- ing.”
She suddenly found herself spiraling out of control. Her marriage disintegrated, she had fi- nancial problems, and slowly withdrew from everyone.
Yet, she still maintained a 3.5 grade point av- erage in the Seminary Program she was enrolled in to become a Chaplain. She was accepted into a Residency Program at the James A. Haley V. A. Hospital, where she underwent her training.
She counseled others dealing with grief while she was miserable, she said.
However, an alert supervisor suggested she seek counseling for her own grief and she did. During the spring of this year, Rev. Bell ob- served her life take a radical change for the bet- ter.
Her next step was to enroll at Ashbury Semi- nary with a Master’s in Divinity. She moved back into her home, and reunited her children, ages 14 and 16. In September, Rev. Bell graduated from the VA Chaplain Program and was immediately hired as a Chaplain by Bayfront Health.
Of her journey, Rev. Bell said, “My regrets are that I did not realize soon enough that I had unresolved grief. Had I known, I would have got- ten help sooner and possibly made fewer mis- takes, had less disappointments and would have shared my pain with others. But God was in charge then and is in charge now and I am okay with how He has taken control of my life.”
Partnership Offers No-Cost Online Coding Program For Students And Alumni
The University of South Florida has joined forces with Reva- ture, a leading technology talent development company, recently announced a strategic partnership to provide a breakthrough on- line coding program to all USF System students and alumni. The initiative also provides an opportunity to attend the company’s im- mersive coding boot camp, at no cost to individuals or the univer- sity.
As a result of this partnership, USF students and alumni are offered a no-risk pathway to a high-demand technology career and Revature gains access to a newly trained talent pool.
USF students and alumni interested in a coding career can now enroll in RevaturePro Online, the company’s online training plat- form that supports all coding experience levels, from beginner to advanced.
Its innovative courses teach front-end development languages, such as Microsoft.NET and Java, through guided projects and as- sessments. Students progress through the program at their own pace while receiving mentorship from industry leaders, continuing education, and developing a new skill set, which they can add to their resume.
RevaturePro Boot Camp, an intensive 12-week program held in Reston, Virginia at the company’s headquarters, further pre- pares individuals for a career in software development. USF Sys- tem graduates, who either complete RevaturePro Online or hold STEM degrees, are guaranteed an interview for the boot camp. If selected, the boot camp is free and includes housing and a weekly living allowance.
RevaturePro Online is now available to USF students and alumni. For more information or to enroll, visit www.revature.com/usf.
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