b"Macedonia Celebrates 106th AnniversaryMacedoniaBaptist Church celebrated its 106th Anniversary,Sunday,May 21, 2023, with aWeve come this far by faith, leaning on theLord,andtrustingin His word. Testimonia event. Beginningwiththeopen-ingprayerbyMacedonias InterimPastorRev.Tracy Smithandcontinuingwith the anniversary mass choir singingLordhelpmeto holdout,thespiritofthe Lord was in the sanctuary. Rev.RandolphWest,Jr.,in nourishing their spirits, but also in fighting SrPastorofDenversSt.for their civil rights. In 1963, with then Pastor StephensMissionaryBaptistChurchdeliveredthe late Rev. Dr. Joseph Griffin, MBCD moved abrilliantsermonprecededbymajestymusictoitscurrentlocationat3240AdamsSt.in bySisterTaraWashingtonEverette.AnotherDenver. At the time, Rev. Dr. Joseph Griffin was programhighpointmomentsoccurredwhenthe Senior Pastor and a good friend ofRev. Dr. Rev. Dr. James Peters, Emeritus Pastor of NewMartin Luther King, Jr. Both men were passion-HopeBaptistChurchinDenver,receivedaate about the Civil Rights Movement. So, Pastor uniquelybeautifulawardandheartfelttributeGriffin and MBCD helped advance the rights of from Trustee Marc Wallace for the seven yearspeople in Denver and hosted some of the best-Dr. Peters provided guidance to Macedonia dur- known civil rights leaders in the worldinclud-ing the time ofthe death of their late Pastoring Rev. Dr. King, Jr.; Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr.; Rev.Dr.JohnMorrisandtheinstallationofMrs.RosaParks;Dr.RalphAbernathy;and SylMorgan-Smith,Communicatorandtheir new pastor, the lateRev. Dr. Paul Martin.U.S. Representative Shirley Chisholm. Over the CommunityLeader,wasoneofthefirstRev. Dr. Peters pastored Denvers historic Newyears, Macedonia has also hosted local govern-African American television news anchorwom- Hope Baptist Church for 28 years before decid- ment officials, the National Association for the en in Colorado. She was a weather forecaster,ingtoretire.HehastouchedcountlesslivesAdvancementofColoredPeople(NAACP),the sportscaster, television talk show host, news- inaministrythatcombinesfaithwithworkStudentNon-ViolentCoordinatingCommittee, papereditor,andpopularradioannouncerfor social justice. The courage and work of Dr.andtheCongressofRacialEquality(CORE). andnewscaster.In31years,shehonoredPetershelpedmakefairnessandequalrightsToday. MBDCs current location is certified and more than 450 individuals and organizationspart of shared values in Denver during his workalsolistedintheNationalRegistryofHistoric forexcellenceinChristianandcommunityin Denver including his tenure as Board Chair ofPlaces because, according to History Colorado, service, as the Founder and President of thethe Colorado Civil Rights Commission.MBDC is significant to local ethnic heritage and ColoradoGospelMusicAcademy&HallofTrustee Patricia Badger Alston gave an enlight- is also an excellent example of a church built Fame. She served on many boards of directorseningdetailedhistoryofMacedoniaChurch.duringtheModernistmovement.The106th including Children's Hospital, First InterstateMacedoniaBaptistChurchDenver(MBCD)AnniversaryCo-ChairswereDeaconEarnest Bank,andMetroDenverUrbanLeague.Atbegan in 1917, and God has blessed the churchWade and Trustee Bert Weston. Program partici-New Hope Baptist Church she serves as anto be an integral part of pivotal movements with- pants included Dr. Steve Van Ostram, Executive ordained deacon and member of the Majesticin Denver and the United States. The church haspastor, American Baptist Churches, Rocky Mtn Praise Choir. ahistoryofsupportingitsmembers,notjustRegion, and Bishop Acen Phillips, Sr.Rising Star Missionary BaptistDr. Mike Edmonds honored Church Installs New Pastor by Church CommunityTheRev.ReginaldTaylorwillpreacher of the gospel and servantties came together to honorDr. beinstalledasthesixthSeniorof God and all of the people of God.Edmondsfollowinghisrecent PastorofRisingStarMissionaryFor 36 years under the hand of GodretireasactingPresidentand BaptistChurch,1500andwithhiswifeRev.Senior Vice President of Colorado S.DaytonStreetIdaGiceSmithalwaysCollegeinColoradoSprings. inAuroraColoradoathisside,Rev.Dr.Heavenly music was presented by (80247)at3PMSmithbuilt Rising Starthe GMWA choir, Trinity Church Sunday,June11,from33memberstoCommunityChoir,FreshStart 2023.Rev.Dr.more than 2,000 mem- BaptistChurchChoir,Pastor GregoryJohnson,bers, built a $10.2 mil- DennisMose,SisterJohnnie Sr, Pastor, of Greaterlion campus that servedDotson,EmmanuelBaptist Union Baptist Church1,000internalfamilies,ChurchChoir.Rev.Michael in Denver will be theandtheexternalMetroWilliams,andMin.Nathaniel keynotespeakerforDenver community. TheBlack.LocalBishopCleveland thesadandhappychurchhasmulti-fac- Thompson stirred the hearts and occasioninvolvingetedministriestomeetmindsofthefull-houseaudi-distinguishedclergy,theneedsofallpeo- ence with his challenging words civic and political leaders. For thepleregardlessoftheirstationsinThe hills came alive with mag- of love for God and the honoree. past 36 years. the late great Rev.life.TheyhavebeenblessedtonificentworshipandmusicalDr.SylMorgan-Smith,Founder Dr. Jules Smith was Senior Pastor,implementForeignMissionsandpraise to honor the retirement of&PresidentoftheColorado andinlate2022heaskedtheEvangelismMinistriesthathaveDr. Mike Edmonds, ColoradoGospelMusicAcademy&Hall church to acceptRev. Taylor, thentouched Metro Denver,the UnitedCollegeAdministrationandofFamepresentedtheorga-anassociateministeratRisingStatesofAmerica,theBahamas,DeaconEmeritus.atTrinitynizationsLifetimeAchievement StarChurch,tobetheinterimNigeria,andBurkinaFaso,West pastor during his illness. The con- Africa. MissionaryBaptistChurchinAward to Dr. Edmonds. Business gregation agreed, andRev. TaylorRisingStarChurch,foundedColorado Springs May 19, 2023. .and political leadersalong with served as interim pastor until Godin1963,willcelebrateits60thSister P.M Wynn-Grove, prophet- afulldelegationofEdmondss called Pastor Smith to glory. Still inAnniversary in October 2023, Theic and energetic style were on fullfamily members were present. A mourning, the congregation recent- members are grateful to be knowndisplayastheeventorganizerreception was held following the ly voted to move forward and calledasaBigChurchwithaLittleand leader of the Gospel Musicconcert.Itsanunderstatement Rev. Taylor as their Senior Pastor.ChurchsHeart,astheyactivelyWorkshop of Americas(GMWA)to say Dr. Edmonds thoroughly Dr.JulesSmithwillforeverbeserve the ecumenical community ofColorado Springs Chapter Choir.enjoyed the evening, which was known as a humble and dynamicColorado. The church and civic communi- spiritually gratifying.20 JUNE 2023 BOCNEWS.com"