Why We Celebrate! by Second's Gazette Staff

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1 Peter 1:3 (NKJV)

SECOND’S GAZETTE STAFF Nadine O. Harris, MBA, Founder/Publisher Ferrari Y. Green, Production and Design

Editors: Sharon Durall, Jaylyn Harris, Kathy Jackson Sherry Joiner, Operations and Distribution

Contributors Peggy LaBon, Lois Gaston, Jessie Anderson, Vanessa Jenkins, Vera Reeves, Betty Thomas, Felicia Dickson, Keith D. Holmes, Judy McCulloch, Donna Burke

Photographers: Adele Davis, Jerel McLendon

Children’s Church Consultant: Avian Westby

LILY— The lily that blooms around Easter is a symbol of Christ’s resurrection because it rises from a seemingly lifeless bulb decaying in the ground. It is also used as a symbol of Christ himself. The lily, a symbol of purity, is often used to represent the Virgin Mary.

Second’s Gazette Issue 143

esus is a redeemer, a restorer in every way. His day on the cross looked like a colossal failure, but it was his finest moment. He launched a kingdom where the least will be the greatest and the last will be first, where the poor will be comforted and the meek will inherit the earth. Jesus brought together the homeless with the privileged and said, “You’re all poor, and you’re all beautiful.” The cross leveled the playing field, and no earthly distinction is valid anymore. There is a new “us” — people rescued by the Passover Lamb, adopted into his family and transformed into saints. It is the most epic miracle in history. That is why we celebrate. —Jen Hatmaker, 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess

Fast & Pray with Our Under-Shepherd 21

Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. 22 For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” 23 So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer. The Holy Week started On Palm Sunday, March 28th. Pastor Chris had us prepare our mind, body and spirit for this day starting on March 31st with 12 hours of prayer and fasting. The process prepared us for April 4th, Resurrection Sunday. Regardless of our location our faithfulness to our Lord and Savior is evident through our obedience to fast in fellowship with our Under-shepherd.

HOW CAN YOU FAST 1. Fast from food just as Jesus did. 2. Fast from Electronics, give all your attention to God. 3. Add something to your daily plan, such as exercising or calling and checking on a different friend each day. 4. Always follow Doctor’s orders when fasting.



The Cross—Why We

Celebrate Pastor C on the Scene

The Laughing Pew



Blast from the Past



Health



Second’s Gazette - 12 Years 16



Marriage Vows



Black History Wks 1-3



Teen Summit

 

NEED PRAYER, call the church office and obtain the telephone number of the Deacon according to the first letter of your last name (See below). If your name starts with ...

A Call Robert & Jessie Anderson B Dennis & JoAnne Craig, or Betty Brown or Rodney Bough C A.G. Harrison, or Shirley Robinson, or Larry & Deborah Hayes D James Harvey or Venda Hawkins E/F Ron & La Lavonne Husband or Adrienne Hurst G Minnie Mannings or Valeria Burwell or Ellen Clark H George & Tamara Lewis or Thelma Jones I/J Ellis & Thelma Johnson or Eva McLaurin or Walter McDonald K/L/N/O/T Terrence Williams or Lonnie & Josephine Stokes M Chuck Williams or Melva Hill P/Q Carrie Walker or Nadine Harris R/S Larry Willis or Oscar Woodard U/V/W/X/Y/Z Robert Hamilton or Ron Demps or Michael Dickson

The Laughing Pew

You are Chosen to Make a Difference, Join The Zoom MEETING: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83464895984? pwd=Z0xNTUJVNGp2ZGE2bWovUTZXaFBUZz09 ID: 834 6489 5984 PASSWORD: 350497

God’s Gift to You When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and would say, “Lord, I have used everything that you blessed me with.” Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:17

id you know that you have charisma? Well now you know. As Christians we each have charisma, special gifts and talent that God has given to each one of us. Although we have them, they are all different and unique. These often are used in our careers, in the hobbies we enjoy and even in the special talents that we possess. But like every gift they come with a responsibility. As Christians, we must use our gifts to give back to the Body of Christ and use them to strengthen the church and the Christian community. We all have a ministry to which we are called to serve and use those gifts to their fullest capacity. Buttafly Burke

WELCOMES DONATIONS OF ANY SIZE Please make checks payable to

Second Baptist Church Second Baptist Church Diakona Nadine Harris John P. Harris, Sr. Lady Betty G. Dillard Mother Deloris Bridges Sherry Joiner Marcus & Ferrari Green Elder Robert Craig Dr. John & Apryl Harris Diakona Larry & Debra Hayes Ophelia M. Harris Diakona Carrie Walker Mother Mary Bourne Pastor James & Brenda Walker Mother Melva Hill

Donations can be dropped off at the SBC Bookstore.

hile scholars debate the timing of the Rapture, the world has lost why this event is prophesied to occur in the first place; knowledge that was once understood by those in the first century. Today, researchers in the MiddleEast have rediscovered ancient anthropological evidence from the time of Christ that reveals exactly how and why the Rapture must occur; unveiling new biblical insight that will reignite hope for believers and prepare the world for what's coming.

Here’s some great news: While churches were forced to close due to COVID-19, nationally, church attendance increased 43%, nationally!

11 11

Eating right is vital to each person’s physical and emotional well-being. Good nutrition maintains health and body functioning and increases the ability to fight infections. Poor nutrition causes health problems and sometimes relates to behavioral changes. Elderly people have the same nutritional needs as younger people, however, they usually need fewer calories because they are less active. Eating well-balanced meals provides the necessary nutrients for body functioning. For example, eating healthy can reduce your chances of developing heart disease and diabetes. A good diet can improve all aspects of life, from brain function to physical performance. If you participate in exercise or sports, there is no doubt that a healthy diet will help you perform better. My Plate is a general guide for maintaining a healthy diet. A wealth of information about nutrition is available on the internet at ChooseMyPlate.gov. The information is personalized, focusing on a balance between how much a person eats and how many calories a person burns. Emphasis is on healthy choices and calorie levels are based on age, gender, and physical activity. Eating a variety of healthy foods is the best way to get the nutrients you need. However, some people do not get enough vitamins and minerals from their daily diet, so their doctors may recommend a supplement. Dietary supplements may provide nutrients that might be missing from your diet. Dietary supplements are products intended to supplement the diet. Dietary supplements include such ingredients as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes. Herbal supplements (botanicals) are a dietary supplement containing one or more herbs, made from plants, algae, fungi or a combination of these. They are sold as teas, extracts or in other forms. Dietary supplements are marketed in forms such as tablets, capsules, soft gels, gel caps, gummies, powders, liquids and energy bars. Supplements are not medicines and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent or cure diseases. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is the federal agency that oversees both supplements and medicines. But the FDA regulations for dietary supplements are different from those for prescription or over-thecounter medicines. Medicines must be approved by the FDA before they can be sold or marketed. Supplements do not require this approval. Supplement companies are responsible for having evidence that their products are safe and label claims are truthful and not misleading. If the FDA finds a dietary supplement to be unsafe, it may remove the product from the marketplace or ask the manufacturer to voluntarily recall the product. Talk to your healthcare providers (doctors, registered dietitian and pharmacist) about your interest in or questions about the use of dietary supplements. Adults over age 50 may need more of some vitamins and minerals than younger adults. Talk to your doctor before taking any supplements. They can help you achieve a balance between the foods and nutrients you personally need. Get your healthcare provider’s approval before taking a dietary supplement in place of, or in combination with, prescribed medicines. Dietary supplements may interact with your medications or pose risks if you have certain medical problems or are going to have surgery. If you are taking a dietary supplement, take as recommended by your healthcare provider and follow the instructions on the label. You are most likely to have side effects from supplements if you take them at high doses or instead of prescribed medicines or if you take many different supplements.

13 Some products marketed as dietary supplements – promoted mainly for weight loss and bodybuilding – may contain prescription drugs not allowed in dietary supplements or other ingredients not listed on the label. Some of these ingredients may be unsafe. Find out about as much as you can about any dietary supplement you might take. Talk with your doctor, your pharmacist or a registered dietitian. A supplement that seemed to help your

neighbor might not work for you. Choose brands that your doctor recommends. Don’t buy dietary supplements you don’t need. It is possible to waste money on unneeded supplements. Just because something is said to be “natural” doesn’t mean it is safe or good for you. It might make a medicine your doctor prescribed for you either weaker or stronger. Learn how medications can interact with dietary supplements. For more information, visit the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Be mindful of product claims such as “works better than a prescription drug,” “totally safe,” or has “no side effects.” Some supplements can help assure that you get enough of the vital substances the body needs to function; others may help reduce the risk of disease. But supplements should not replace complete meals which are necessary for a healthful diet – so, be sure you eat a variety of foods as well. Take charge of your health – talk with healthcare providers about any complementary health approaches you use. Together, you can make shared, well-informed decisions.

Betty Thomas, RN https//www.nia.nih.gov/health/dietary-supplements https//www.nccih.nih.gov/health/using-dietary-supplements-wisely https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/what you-need-know-about-dietary-supplements

hat does home mean to you? Those of us who have a place to call home consider it our haven, the place we come to after being on a journey, long or short. We look forward to going home. Lately, we’ve been home so much until we’re planning our first get-away as soon as it is safe, and after that, we will return home. Even after being on lockdown for a year, and even after going on the best vacation you can imagine, at some point we want to go home. Home is the single most important place a person can have for security, for love and comfort, for recovery or rehabilitation. Home is where we know we belong. If you’ve had the misfortune of being without a home, you know how empty that feels. So, when you regain a home again, you tend to have even more respect and gratitude for it. The Lord would never want His children to be without a home here on earth, yet there are so many in the world that are without homes and families. Christian churches often have ministries to help those less fortunate as we believe we are our brother’s keeper. There are many circumstances why people are without homes. All the ministries can’t fix the world’s problems, and the government doesn’t want to fix them, plus the Lord said the poor will always be with us (Matt.26:11) Our saving grace (as Christians) is we have a heavenly home, not made with human hands, even though the scripture is referring to our bodies (II Cor.5:1). The Lord has a new heavenly home for our eternal dwelling, and that’s GOOD NEWS! On this subject of home, on the first Wednesday of March, during SBC zoom prayer time, I felt so much at home seeing the members of SBC and having that prayer time together (I’ll be back). I also enjoy Pastor Chris’ “Wednesday in the Word” and the whole Sunday service experience. SBC is still home to me. My prayer is everyone will have a place to call home and know that our Lord has a home waiting for us when we leave this world. In Christ, Peggy LaBon

o many times I have heard my Mom, Aunt’s, grandmother and others say “time waits for no man”. That’s true, how fast these 12 years have passed.

Second’s Gazette (SG) started by celebrating The Resurrection in 2009 and with the help of the Lord we are still going strong. Second Baptist Church is rich in activities every month. We continuously share the Word of God through teaching, preaching and serving in ministries. See if you have a copy of the issues below. Remember, the first year is 2009 thru 2010 and year 12 is April 2021.

Cover Pages, do you remember? In chronological order starting April 2009, May 2010, June 2011, July 2012, August 2013, September 2014, October 2015, November 2016, December 2017, January 2018, February 2019, March 2020 and April 2021 next page.

Why Second’s Gazette Celebrates 12 Years

t Second’s Gazette we always follow the Lord’s lead in all we do. We have maintained covering the resurrection from the first issue in 2009 (see the cover on the opposite page) to the current issue on the same page in 2021. Being a church we can identify with how the Bible points out and illustrates the importance of the number 12. Lets take a look at its importance which shows how God feels about it as well. After all, the number 12 is in the Bible 187 times. The number 12 is an indication of perfection, for example Jacob had 12 sons that formed the 12 tribes of Israel and there are 12 minor prophets. The number 12 makes a special appearance in Revelation, showing the authority and perfection of God’s kingdom at last. Let’s continue, Jesus chose 12 disciples, and the disciples later replaced Judas Iscariot with Matthias to keep the number at 12 (Acts 1)—to show the perfection and authority of those who followed Jesus. Jesus heals a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. However, 12, more often than not, tends to represent something good. The new Jerusalem, for instance, is stocked full of the number 12 (gates, angels, foundations, etc., Revelation 21). The number of saved souls in heaven will likely be more than 144,000 (Revelation 7), but merely means a 12 times the cube of ten—a quotient of perfection. A few more facts about the number 12 such as Jesus first spoke in the temple with religious leaders at the age of 12. Jacob isn’t the only descendant of Abraham to have 12 princes (tribes) come from him. Ishmael, Abraham’s son he bore through his servant Hagar, also had 12 princes come from his line (Genesis 17:20). When the Israelites wandered in the desert after they fled Egypt, they had 12 spies go and scout the Promised Land (Numbers 13). When Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that is interpreted that he will act like a wild beast for a while, the dream ends up fulfilled 12 months later (Daniel 4). When Jesus performs the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000, the disciples gather 12 baskets full of leftovers (Matthew 14). Solomon appointed 12 district governors over Israel, showing how 12 has symbolic importance in government as well (1 Kings 4:26). Elisha, a prophet, while plowing 12 oxen is called into his prophetic ministry by Elijah (1 Kings 19:19).When Israel returns after their captivity, Ezra sets apart 12 priests (Ezra 8). A tree of life will also be in the new world God brings at the end of time (Revelation 22) with 12 fruits, one for each month of the year.

Resurrection Sunday Prayer Lord God, You loved this world so much, that You gave Your one and only Son, that we might be called Your children too. Lord, help us to live in the gladness and grace of Resurrection Sunday, everyday. Let us have hearts of thankfulness for Your sacrifice. Let us have eyes that look upon Your grace and rejoice in our salvation. Help us to walk in that mighty grace and tell Your good news to the world. All for Your glory do we pray, Lord, Amen.

Change Agents

cartoon depicts a man at a podium firing up a crowd. “Who wants

change?” he shouts. You can almost hear the excitement and urgency. “We do!” the listeners cry, all raising their hands. But the next frame features a

follow-up question: “Who wants to change?” The audience is silent and somber, with their hands down. The gospel Jesus announced and lived out promises monumental change: life instead of death, healing from sickness, hope to replace despair, peace and justice instead of war and oppression. Although God could wave his hand and make the world perfect, he chooses to work through humans. That means we must be willing to change too. Change can be scary, but God’s newness will so transform the world — and us — that we’ll never miss our old, broken reality. —Heidi Mann

Of greatest worth

lthough National Volunteer Week is officially observed in April, every week thousands of volunteers help people in need. As volunteers can attest, sharing one’s time and talents leads to many intangible benefits.

Not what I get, but what I give, this be the gauge by which I live. Not merely joys that come my way, but the help I give to those astray. Not the rewards of money and fame, but the loads I lift in mankind’s name. This be the pay at the end of the day, not what I keep, but what I give away.

New research shows that volunteering and giving also provide physical and emotional advantages. Givers report an improved sense of well-being, lower stress levels, better physical health, an enriched sense of purpose in life and increased happiness. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “It is one of the beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely help another without helping himself.”

—Author unknown

“The resurrection … was only the beginning of a great, grand and vast outreach that has never ended and will not end until our Lord Jesus Christ comes back again.” -A.W. Tozer

How does AmazonSmile work?

When first visiting AmazonSmile, customers are prompted to select a charitable organization from over one million eligible organizations. In order to browse or shop at AmazonSmile, customers must first select a charitable organization. For eligible purchases at AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the customer’s selected charitable organization. https://smile.amazon.com/ch/95-6121777 Second Baptist Church of Monrovia is an eligible organization.

he guys got real on love, family, and faith, but never let things get too serious. Life, in their eyes, is complex – “sorta like a Coogie sweater.” As it turns out, infusing their rhymes with depth and humor paid off; Misfits 2 landed at No. 59 on Billboard’s Hot 200 chart.

uilding on the impact of Misfits 2 and its successor Us, Social Club Misfits inked a deal with Capitol Christian Music Group. From there, the accolades continued to roll in. 2017’s The Misad-

ventures of Fern and Marty scored a No. 80 spot on the Billboard 200; 2018’s Into the Night follow-up racked up over 25M global streams and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Top Christian/Gospel Albums chart; and their single “War Cry (Feat. Tauren Wells)” earned them a Dove Award for Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year. Reference: https://www.capitolcmglabelgroup.com/artists/social-club-misfits-0

Bibles, All Occasion Cards, Gifts, Children’s Books, Big Bible Cover Selection, Large Print and Extra Large Print Bibles, Candles, Jewelry, Purse and Credit Card Holders