Page 8 - Florida Sentinel 11-17-15 Edition

Local
Teen, 16, Prepares To Give His Initial Sermon
3rd Black Nativity Event Slated For Sunday, December 6
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
A 16-year-old junior at Tampa Bay Technical High School has announced that he has been called into the min- istry. William R. Bell will give his initial sermon on Sun- day, November 22, 2015, 3 p. m., at New Mt. Zion M. B. Church, 2511 E. Columbus Dr., where he is active in the Youth Department.
“I had known for a long time that God had a special as- signment upon my heart,” he says. He had expressed to his family on many occasions that when he prays, sings and wor- ships God, something comes over him and he knows that God is speaking to him.
Bell then expressed these feelings to his pastor, Rev- erend Larry Roundtree, II, who began spiritually men- toring him and teaching him
WILLIAM R. BELL
about the calling upon his life. William announced his calling publicly before his church family on Sunday, Oc-
tober 25, 2015.
William says his favorite
scripture is found in Isaiah 54:17: No weapon formed against thee shall pros- per. His favorite song is Glory, Glory Hallelujah Since
I Laid My Burdens Down.
At Tampa Bay Tech, William is studying in the Business Health Administra- tion Academy. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Willie (Bar- bara) Bell and the best friend of his twin brother, Willie Bell, III. He is also the grand- son of Mrs. Beverly Foot- man, all of whom are members of New Mt. Zion.
At New Mt. Zion, William is active in the Youth Choir, President of the Youth Usher Board and the Ambassadors of Jesus Christ Ministry, and the youth writer for the church’s newspaper, The Progressor.
“I’m just asking for contin- ued prayers and support as I take this journey with God,” he stated, referencing 1 Timothy 1:12, I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to this service.
The response for the previ- ous 2 Black Nativity Dance Mu- sical holiday events, hosted by Kandace Nunn Johnson and Kan Dance Studio and Art Is Movement, have been so over- whelming that Mrs. Johnson, Artistic Director and Choreogra- pher, has her students prepared for another “Soulful Celebra- tion.”
The 2015 celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ will be held on Sunday, December 6, 2015, 5 p. m. at Riverview High School, 11311 Boyette Rd., Riverview.
“We all know that dance is the hidden language of the soul, and what better way to capture the story of the birth of Jesus Christ than through movement and music,” Mrs. Johnson ex- plained. The production is filled with music and movement.
Mrs. Johnson said this year’s production “will combine the deep African roots of tradi- tional praise and the youth ex- pressing themselves through Lyrical, Modern and Hip Hop dance as a true depiction of spir- itual gratitude.”
KANDACE NUNN JOHNSON
Other than Mrs. Johnson, those who have leading roles in the production are: Tiffany Ed- wards, Director, Still Wind Productions, R. Anthony Ed- wards, Musical Director, Sea- son 5, “The Voice,” Pastor Antonio Hawkins, Narrator, Exciting Faith Alive Church; and Kingdom, the featured artist.
Tickets for the musical are already on sale for $20 on line at https//blacknativitytampa.even tbrite.com, or at the studio, 7402 N. 56th St., Suite 705, Tampa 33617.
DAACO Rep. Discusses Hepatitis C At Health Forum
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Last month, a local em- ployee, Rev. L. C. Lepard, served as the guest speaker for the monthly Men’s Health Forum. The event was held at the College Hill Church Of God In Christ, 6414 N. Diana Street, where Superin- tendent Charles Davis is the Senior Pastor.
This month, Rev. Lep- ard will continue his discus- sion on Hepatitis C. The forum takes place at 11 a.m. This month, it will be held on
REV. L. C. LEPARD
Friday, November 20th, be- cause of the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Rev. Lepard currently serves as liaison between the DACCO (Drug Abuse Com- prehensive Coordinating Of- fice) Outreach Department and the community. His role is to educate and motivate members of the community about the importance of test- ing for HIV and HCV status.
His goal is to obtain con- necting the person with the illness with obtaining the services they are in need of receiving.
DACCO is one of Florida’s largest community-based providers for Behavioral Health Services. Through its programs, DACCO addresses substance abuse and mental health issues. Their mission is to work for a drug-free community, one person, one family at a time.
A Tampa native, Rev. Lepard attended the public schools of Hillsborough County. He earned his B. A. Degree from the University of Tampa, and was awarded his Master of Theology De- gree from Christian Faith College.
The forum is free and open to the public. For addi- tional information about the forum contact, David Snow, III, at (813) 493- 5772, Coach Billy Reed, at (813) 744-4923, or Chester White, Jr., at (813) 327- 2804.
Praying Your Light Bill
Lord, I thank You that You have given me all the light I need for this day. I want to experience everything You have for me, and I am willing to pay the price of obedience for it. So if there is any area in my life where I am not walking in full obedience to Your ways, show me. If You want me to do something that I am not doing, make me understand and enable me to accomplish it. Don’t let me drift away. Pull me out of the darkness of deep waters and rescue me from all that takes me from You. I lay down my will and surrender to Yours.
Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. PSALM 112:4
PAGE 8 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2015