Page 9 - Florida Sentinel 3-22-16 Edition

Local
City Of Tampa To Celebrate
Elder Speaks Out Against Same Sex Adoptions
Women’s History Month
Josephine Howard Stafford Memorial Award to be presented at celebration
The City of Tampa will hold its 20th Annual Women’s History Month Cel- ebration on Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at 10:30 a. m. The event will be held in the Tampa Convention Cen- ter, 333 S. Franklin Street, Tampa. The celebration is free and open to the public. The event will also feature a display focusing on the na- tional Women’s History Month theme, “Working to Form a More Perfect Union.”
Mayor Bob Buckhorn will present Jeanette LaRussa Fenton with the 2016 Josephine Howard Stafford Memorial Award. As a fourth generation Tampa native, she has over 40 years of public service to our com- munity working with resi- dents, businesses, public and private sector organizations, and potential investors to maximize the quality, pace
SONYA LITTLE ...City of Tampa CFO, Mistress of Ceremonies
and positive economic im- pact of community revitaliza- tion initiatives.
The award was created to honor a current or former City of Tampa female em- ployee who demonstrates outstanding commitment to her position and the commu- nity. The award is presented in memory of Josephine Howard Stafford, who served as an Assistant City Attorney for 24 years. Ms. Stafford was the first fe-
male judge in Hillsborough County and a pioneer for women’s issues, both profes- sionally and in the commu- nity.
As part of the event,
Colonel William M. Stowe, 6th Air Mobility Op- erations Group Commander, MacDill Air Force Base, will present the 2016 MacDill Air Force Base Women’s Appre- ciation Award, honoring an outstanding female member of the military at MacDill AFB.
The keynote speaker will be the Founder and Presi- dent of the non-profit Fulfill Your Destiny, Inc., retired Lt. Col. Karen Mertes.
Sonya Little, City of Tampa Chief Financial Offi- cer, will serve as the Mistress of Ceremonies. The celebra- tion will be cablecast live on City of Tampa Television, Verizon Fios Channel 15 and Bright House Networks Channel 640. The program will be replayed during the month of March.
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
One member of the reli- gious community blames the leadership of the country for some current events. He feels that some of the things tak- ing place in the world today are in direct violation of God’s law.
Recently, Elder Kennedy Watson visited the Sentinel to share his opinion about same sex cou- ples adopting children. He said, “My heart is hurting. My heart has been broken because man is doing what God said not to do.
“We have all told God to ‘shut up.’ It’s sinful that ho- mosexuals are behind the pulpit in the churches and no one is speaking out. Now, they are saying that it is okay for two men or two women who are having unnatural sex to adopt children. To raise up a child in a situation like that is hell bound and ungoldly. We need someone in the reli- gious community to speak
out. No one is speaking out for the children and that is sinful,” he said.
Elder Watson feels that if the religious community, especially the mega churches, had come together as a force, then the adoption of children by same sex couples could have been prevented. He refers to the silence as, “the silence of the lambs.”
He feels that by not teach- ing the Word, then members of the clergy are in open defi- ance of God.
“Jesus said, ‘go teach’ and this is what we have not done. And by not teaching, we are condoning homosexu- ality in the church. It must stop. We must repent and re- pent means to stop because all who don’t repent is going to have to deal with God.”
Elder Watson has served as a member of the clergy since 1975. He also said he feels that politicians have some responsibility and said, “I’m a Democrat, but I won’t vote for anyone who supports homosexuality.”
Rev. Jeremiah Wright Revivalist At Bible-Based Temple Terrace
The Reverend Dr. Jeremiah Wright was the guest revivalist last month for Bible-Based Fellowship Church of Temple Terrace. (Photos by Julia Jackson)
Guest revivalist Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright.
Guest soloist, Janice Nunn-Nelson.
Host pastor Rev. Dr. Earl B. Mason.
Attending the revival at Bible-Based Temple Ter- race were: Rev. Dr. Delores Cain, former State Rep- resentative Betty Reed and Rev. Dr. Pat Hauser.
TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 9