EDITORIAL The inevitable happened last year when I lost my mom. She was 90 at the time of her death and the week before, she gave me plenty of signs that she was ready to catch that glory train. She always taught us that everybody has to die and there’s no need to cry. I had the opportunity to care for her for almost two years and I still feel her presence every day. I dedicate this issue of TCP Magazine to Rosie Lee Newton Carr as we celebrate 12 Women of Triumph. Their stories will inspire you and leave you in a better place. Dr. Leonard Scott a pioneer in gospel music, dentist, pastor, recording artist and good citizen joins us on our Anniversary this year as a speaker and also shares the story of his daughter Melanie and her triumph over leukemia. Please refer to the back of the magazine for TCP Magazine upcoming events. If you would like to be a part of Women of Triumph, Female Pastors Fellowship or our Hometown Hero Tour, give me a call. We are open to volunteers, sponsorships and partnerships. Thank you for helping us celebrate our 13th Anniversary and thanks to my husband Ted Tatum, Denver Wright and others who have stood by my side during this incredible journey. A special thank you to Dr. Sharon Edmond for her sponsorship of the VIP Luncheon. Let’s talk soon. Peggy Tatum, Publisher CONTENTS Contents P 5 Editorial P 9 Tyscot Records Celebrates 40 Years P 12-23 Women of Triumph P 27 Jacquelin Thomas Publishes 75th Book P 27 Wedding Tribute P 31 A Salute to the Maestro Ivan Powell Contributing Writers Women of Triumph Dr. Leonard Scott Jacquelin Thomas Denver Wright, WIZPRO Imagineering Rick Crank Photography Joe Yancey, Ozion Media Katie Gailes, Accountability Partner Terry Spicer, Epiphany Public Relations TCP Magazine 181-104 Wind Chime Court Raleigh, NC 27615 tcpmagazine@gmail.com www.tcpmagazineusa.com 919 796-4724 TCP 13th Anniversary Issue - Page: 5
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TYSCOT RECORDS CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF LIFE CHANGING MUSIC During Four Decades of Music With A Message Tyscot’s gospel sounds inspire many. Gospel hymns greet patients at the Indianapolis dental office of Dr. Leonard Scott, who likes to sing as he works on teeth. But many are unaware that four decades ago, after he opened his practice, Scott became a recording artist and is the founder and CEO of one of gospel music’s most successful record labels, as well as a church leader with a national following. Tyscot Music & Entertainment, the nation’s oldest blackowned and operated gospel record company, celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2016, and Scott continues to enjoy his multiple roles in music, ministry, and dentistry. “A lot of people are afraid of the dentist, and I found that singing to them was helpful in alleviating some of the fear,” he says. “There’s a power in music that can actually change our emotions.” The emotional power of gospel has given Tyscot’s current acts success well beyond the dental office. Casey J hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart in May 2015 with The Truth, followed by Anthony Brown & Group Therapy at No. 1 in August 2015 with Everyday Jesus. Then Bri (Briana Babineaux) reached the top of the Gospel Albums in April with her debut album, Keys to My Heart. “Tyscot has discovered many exceptionally talented artists over the years,” says Jackie Patillo, president of the Gospel Music Association, the 4,000 member organization that promotes the genre. Dr. Scott and his wife Christine are the parents of seven, their son Bryant Scott serving as president and COO of Tyscot. In 1976, Dr. Scott teamed with his nephew and church organist, the late L. Craig Tyson, to record performances by their home church choir, the Christ Church Apostolic Choir. The recording included the company’s first single, Feel Good. While Scott continued to practice dentistry and Tyson worked as a bank teller, their label largely remained a side project, until Tyscot found gospel stars with a national following, like Reverend Bill Sawyer & the Christian Tabernacle Concert Choir of Cleveland, who released Something Old Something New on the label in 1983, and John P. Kee & the New Life Community Choir, whose 1992 album We Walk By Faith was the label’s first No. 1 recording on the Top Gospel Albums chart. With this success, Tyscot struck a deal with Spectra Distribution, then watched in 1993 as that independent distributor went bankrupt, nearly taking the gospel label down with it. But Kee and the other artists pledged loyalty to Tyscot. “Right down the line people worked with us,” said Scott. “It seemed like it was going to be a death blow, but it turned out to be a blessing.” Reflecting on the company’s turbulent times, Scott notes, “One thing that we say is that Jesus is the Chairman of the board. When we can’t figure something out, we go to our knees and get in touch with the Chairman.” Tyscot has grown since then, and today the company has publishing interests, the hip hop imprint TyscotLOUD, and a film division. To mark its anniversary the company has released FEEL GOOD! 40 Years of Life Changing Music, a compilation that traces its history. In October 2016, a number of Tyscot artists past and present came together at a concert in Indianapolis to celebrate. Those participating included ten time Stellar Award winner Anthony Brown and Group Therapy, Stellar Award Winner The Rance Allen Group, new artist to the label Ruth La’Ontra, artists from the past The Pentecostal Ambassadors and Deliverance, two of the labels first artists, as well as Dr. Leonard Scott. Along with his recordings, Dr. Scott has had two books published, and is in the process of writing his third. Because of the poor health of so many of God’s people, many of them in ministry, Dr. Scott addresses this issue in his upcoming book, The Ultimate Boost From Within, 31 Days to Health, Wealth, Wholeness and Happiness. You can find out more about this and other resources at his website, bishoplscott.com. To receive a free download of the song, Feel Good, text the word, bishoplscott to 22828 on your cell phone and follow the directions. And be sure to subscribe to his YouTube, Face Book, Twitter and Instagram pages. TCP 13th Anniversary Issue - Page: 9
FROM BROKEN PIECES - A VESSEL OF HONOR Genesis 50:20 - But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. “Jesus picked up the pieces of my broken heart, my broken heart that day…. Then He made me a new vessel and revived my soul again.” Recorded by O’Neill Twins and Dorothy Norwood What is the measure of a life? Nay Landra Malloy Howell, native of Durham, North Carolina, fourth of seven children is a pioneer in many areas of life. At Jordan High School, she and Anita Scott Neville were the first African American cheerleaders; Student Government officer, Black female to be inducted into the National Honor Society, Most Outstanding Female Athlete, Balfour Scholar voted by faculty, and selected for the All State Choir. At Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida she was the first Black Student Body President, started the cheerleading squad, and was a soloist in the Gospel Choir; first Black student on UNC Law School’s National Mock Trial Team; named to Who’s Who Among American Women, Charlotte Mayor’s International Cabinet, Leadership Charlotte, and many more honors. These achievements resulted from the Hand and Will of God shaping the broken pieces, causing her to overcome/triumph DESPITE brokenness. • Age 5 – Product of a Broken home when her mother left her adulterous, alcoholic father. • Age 9 – Broken innocence when she was molested by a close family member. • Age 12 – Broken self-image when Nay and her three, younger sisters desegregated an all White elementary school. • Age 29 – Broken bones – suffered a broken neck and the threat of paralysis. • Ages 31, 34, and 37 – Broken health – Twice diagnosed with beginning stages of cervical cancer, osteoarthritis, fibroid tumors. Accumulated 14 surgeries. But God ----- Just as God has a marvelous plan for our lives, the enemy has a plan to stop God’s Plan. God uses Nay to save, exhort, and encourage people. So many have been healed, taught, and delivered through her life and ministry that the devil tries to destroy her. Physical attacks continued in Nay’s life, but these make her more determined to worship and obey God. Three years ago, while facilitating a workshop, a blinding pain slammed into her head like a lightning bolt…. she couldn’t speak. Diagnosis: subarachnoid hemorrhage; a brain bleed. While in ICU, hooked up to the best medical equipment, her heart stopped beating twice and she died - twice. God brought her back telling her that she knew what to do: “Fight!” The Holy Spirit told her, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty….” Hospital staff marveled about what they saw God doing in and for Nay. Certain that she would die, the staff called the hospital chaplain. Nay encouraged and prayed for him instead.
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MELISSA WADE My mom always said, “Once a man twice a child”. So much so that my kids even remember her stating that. I believe this was her way of letting us know that she knew that dementia would soon have her in that predicament. My mom worked as a nurse for over 35 years so she totally understood the effects of dementia. However, by no means were we prepared for what was about to come. She was a strong woman who was a star basketball player in high school, a highly intelligent young lady who earned her nursing degree while married with three kids and another coming later in life. This woman who always made biscuits and cakes from scratch, to the point that I never knew you could actually buy a cake in a box. This woman who made my senior prom dress from a picture that I had drawn on a piece of paper (because I didn’t want to look like anyone else). This woman who loved hard, and was so proud of her children and grands and would do anything for anyone. This woman who taught me by example and in her way how to be the woman I am today. Who could really understand that she would soon lose all recollection of her vibrant life. Slowly but surely little by little the most recent memories began to slip and the mood swings began to dip. Soon I was no longer her daughter, but maybe her sister (even though she still remembers having a daughter by my name but I was way too old to be her). Then when I was no longer her sister I was just a lady who seems to love her so she loves me back. For me and my family, this dementia journey has been extremely tough on challenging days, but remarkably joyful on her good days. To see someone you love slowly fade away from who you once knew is painful but to be able to see that smile and hear that laugh that has never changed is priceless. As a family embedded in Christ, we understand that we all have a journey. Through the good and bad we must look to see what God has for us inside the journey and thank him for who he is making us through it all.... an even closer family. No, my mother doesn’t recognize me any longer and when I visit she may not even know that I’ve been there; but it doesn’t matter. I know I’m there and that she was always there for me. Remember what she always told us, “Once a man, twice a child.” Thank you Lord for allowing us this extended time to be with her. Melissa Wade-Cutler Wade In The Water, LLC wadeinthewaterproductions.com
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EVANGELIST COMILLIA THOMPSON Comillia Thompson is a native of Lumberton, North Carolina and now resides in Raleigh. She attended St. Augustine’s University in 1998 where she majored in Elementary Education. Comillia has dealt with many hardships in life including years of childhood molestation and rape between the age of 9-13. She was placed in foster care due to the spirit of addiction that plagued her family. While attending college, Comillia was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease which is a very painful and chronic condition. In the process of dealing with Crohn’s disease, she has maintained a positive outlook on life, even after having a “Lazarus” experience in January of 2016! Due to the nature of Crohn’s Disease and the havoc it reeks on the body, Comillia went in for ileostomy surgery on January 12, 2016. She did not awaken until almost two months later! She was made aware that every organ in her body had seemingly forgotten how to function and started the process of shutting down! Comillia was then placed on life support and during that time, flat lined but God gave her a glimpse of Heaven and a Natural miracle! In spite of it all, Ms. Thompson has continued to be an asset to her family and community. Not only is Comillia an award-winning author of “Excuse Me, Did I Tell You Who I Am?”, she is a Survivor, an Entrepreneur and she is also one of God’s mouthpieces. Missionary Thompson is an anointed & gifted Minister who has served as an active leader in her local church, Abundant Life Christian Center COGIC, under the leadership of Bishop Stenneth Powell, Sr. and Lady Beverly Powell. Missionary Thompson may be considered a Woman of Triumph because she did not allow life’s circumstances to dictate the woman she has become nor the Preacher she was Predestined to be! Missionary Thompson is inspired to inspire and is currently doing so as she completes her second book entitled, “From Life Support to Praise!”
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EVANGELIST PATRICE RICE A year and a half ago I survived my fifth brain surgery. Trust me, your reaction is probably a lot similar to mine when that statement comes out of my mouth. The first two surgeries were brain tumors. The second was larger than the first. So large that it left me completely paralyzed on my left side. The doctors looked my husband in the eyes and said, “We have no idea what happened, how to fix it, or if she will ever regain movement”. Eight hours later I was bending my knees, waving my hands and giving God the Praise! While teaching class one day, a student noticed blood dripping down my neck. It was then that I found out the doctors neglected to inform us that they had placed mesh wires, metal plates, and screws in my head from the second surgery and now a screw had worked itself out of place which led to surgery number three. Exactly two weeks later, I was back at the hospital burning up with fever. I had a post-op infection that was so bad the doctor looked at me and said if I had stayed home 24 more hours, I would have died on my couch. So back in they went. After cleaning out my entire skull, they inserted a drain into my brain to remove extra fluid. They also sent me home with an antibiotic line running from my arm straight into my heart for fear of the infection returning. Surgeries 2-4 were all in a nine month time frame. Just when I thought it was over, I found out that the four surgeries I survived caused the greatest complication of all which led to surgery number five. My body had literally started going haywire and I had no idea why. Doctors then told me that my brain had fallen 15mm deep into my spine which was cutting off the flow of spinal fluid. They had to cut open the entire back of my head from near the top all the way down to my shoulders. They widened my neck, removed the first 3 bones of my spine, removed the bottom portion of my skull, and dissected the portion of my brain that was blocking the flow of spinal fluid. This also involved them removing and replacing all the hardware for the third time. Twenty four hours after surgery, I was in severe pain. I was squeezing my husband’s hand and begging God for some relief. The next thing I remember hearing was the voice of God in my right ear saying “FIGHT”. Little did I know that my brain began to swell and I flatlined. All I remember is waking up four days later at home ALIVE and THANKFUL! Between surgery one and two, I had a car accident in which my car hit a patch of ice, went airborne, cut a light-pole completely in half, landed in a river and was under water for 48 minutes. Got to the hospital only to find out I had lost the child I had been carrying for almost three months and YES I still have my right mind. No broken bones or internal injuries. Nothing But God! Victory is always possible for a person who refuses to stop fighting. It’s not “what” you go through, its “how” you go through. It’s called the “spirit of FIGHT BACK”. I had to learn how to walk again, talk again, even how to hold a cup again, but I never quit. Whatever happens, know that it’s by His Permissive Will, so you will always win. FIGHT BACK!!! TCP 13th Anniversary Issue - Page: 15
GENISE BARBER It’s hard to see the pain of a person whose smile is as bright as the midday sun. Being the third child of six, I somehow took on the responsibility of trying to help my parents forget or at least lessen the overwhelming pain of losing their only son. I was too young to understand the devastation that it had on them until I lost three of my own in miscarriages. My parents didn’t talk about my brother, but the void of him spoke loudly. Even though five girls are a blessing, I chose to act like a boy as much as I could; sports, fishing, farming and anything my father enjoyed. The struggle with that was I tried to be everything I thought he wanted and neglected to be myself. This has shaped my life and made me who I am today; a woman who cares more for others than I do for myself. My passion was formed out of my insecurities. I struggled with not being enough and not being accepted by other women. Being in an unhealthy marriage for 15 years and having health issues really took a major toll on me, mentally and physically. Being the First Lady of a church and having no one to talk to concerning things that were going on in my life as a young woman, was more than hell on earth to me. One day in August of 2005, I was teaching at a preparatory college in Cincinnati, Ohio when I suddenly fell to the ground in great agony and pain. I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) at the age of 29, which sent me deeper into my depression. I was away from all my family and felt as if I had no one for support. Within a month’s time I lost my very first home and car and was homeless with two small children. The stress was overbearing but I somehow managed to pull strength from within and continued to fight. I secured a job at a call center and went to medical school. Two years later, I became a LPN. Soon after graduation, I had saved enough money to move my family to Atlanta, Georgia where I worked as a private nurse. I loved the fact that even though I had my challenges, I was helping someone who was in worse shape than me. I then felt like I had worth. I felt like our pain, handicaps, deformities, and tragic experiences connected us. In January 2010, I was hospitalized with blood clots in my lungs. They said if I had gotten to the hospital twenty minutes later, I would have died. Being impaired from the severe RA and now blood clots, made the tasks of bathing, feeding, dressing, etc. impossible for me to do on my own. At this point of my life, my depressive state was at an all-time low which made committing suicide seem like a valid option. After I learned of my husband’s infidelity, I decided to let go of everything except my children. I saw life in them and the love I needed to survive. It took three months to regain strength to get out of the wheelchair and walk with the aid of a cane. I returned to North Carolina, into the open, warm arms of my parents and began my recovery. Within a month, I was restored and independent again. Through it all, I still have purpose and God is evident in my life. I have been restored and I gladly embrace the opportunities to help others who face seemingly impossible situations. I am a living witness, it doesn’t matter how it may look. WE WIN! TCP 13th Anniversary Issue - Page: 16
KIM BURKE Kim L. Burke can’t imagine a state of hopelessness, so she exudes hope. And because she knows how vital it is to a life well-lived and time well-spent, she freely shares the notion of hope and merely asks that other women do the same. As a mother, daughter, business owner, mentor, author, and friend, Kim has committed her life’s work to sharing her light—unfiltered and unadulterated—wherever she can. Through motivational speeches, a book, ownership of her education company, and a successful professional women’s group, Kim’s obedience to God’s calling has opened doors for her that she, in turn, has walked through and held open for others. Kim was raised by her mother Debra C. Burke. Kim saw her mother as her everything because she was her compass for her life. When Kim had her daughter at 16 her mother stated that she had to stop raising her daughter to raise her granddaughter’s mother. Debra was determined to raise Kim to be a good mother and she did. Every step of Kim’s life was based on her mother’s watchful eye, but, what happened to Kim just Kim…After losing her mother, whom she considered the foundation of her life, Kim was forced to find herself, and it has been during this journey that she found that her faith in God is actually what grounds and drives her every day which she shares in her book “Walking In Your Own LIGHT’. Kim had to find herself through the loss of her mother, which is hard to do when you have lived your life with the security of a person and not GOD. Through her loss, GOD stepped in and on came her LIGHT. God used the love that Kim has for her children Day’Shawna & Antonio (who she has named her HEART & it’s BEAT) to place the vision of a professional tutoring center in her heart, so through it all birthed The Burke Learning Center. As the CEO and Founder of The Burke Learning Centers, a professional K-12 tutoring company based in North Carolina, Kim is committed to personalized service that not only yields results but builds confidence in her students. While raising her two children single-handedly, she kept her business running, moved to North Carolina, started an African-American Chamber of Commerce, expanded her business, and founded Classy & Fabulous Professional Women’s Networking Group to educate, motivate, and inspire female entrepreneurs. Classy & Fabulous has grown to more than 2,000 members, whom Kim admonishes to support each other wholeheartedly. She is ever passionate about helping others to break through their own barriers. After all, she has broken through her own. Kim L. Burke has followed the light and found her own in the process. She wants women across the globe to do the same, despite the trials of life, and to celebrate the experiences life brings. Says Kim, “Life happens honey, SHOOT, but really try to give it to God, let Him fix it and enjoy your life!” Such nuggets of wisdom can be found in her book, Walking in Your Own Light, published by Pendium Publishing, in August 2016. ~Mountaintop Public Relations
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LADY APOSTLE DR. JOYCE DORSEY & Lady Bug Prophetic Ministries
“Yet I Stand” I was sitting at home unwinding when I felt an unusual sensation in my stomach. It appeared that I had contracted a stomach virus. As each day passed, I became weaker. Feeling totally exhausted, I was sleeping around the clock. Finally I went to the ER and was told that I had an abscess that had erupted in my colon. I was admitted, placed on intravenous antibiotics and meds for hypertension. I lay there watching the monitor show my systolic pressure reaching 300. My husband was informed that it didn’t look good and the next 48 hours would prove whether I would make it or not. Two days later the doctor informed me that I was out of immediate crisis, but my entire body was septic from the toxins that were released when the abscess erupted. I was kept in the hospital for three weeks. During my hospital stay, tubes were inserted in both of my buttocks with drainage bags for the toxins to come out of my abdomen. I also had a PICC line on my upper chest for direct IV fluids to go into my body. During the 48 hour period, as I got up to go to the rest room my whole right side was paralyzed. A heart monitor was placed on me because this indicated a stroke. I was discharged from the hospital, but I had been informed that I needed to have colon resection surgery for Diverticulitis. I couldn’t walk or stand unassisted. For 30 days I had to go daily for a 30 minute IV antibiotic treatment. I also had to see an Infectious Disease physician. I needed assistance to do everything. I remember attending church service after the first bout of illness and I had to be rolled into the sanctuary in a wheelchair. I distinctly remember the Spirit of the Lord giving me an exhortation for the people of God. I remember saying to the Lord, “I can’t stand without help, I can’t walk without help, my husband has the microphone, let him do it”. And the Spirit of the Lord said, “Don’t wait for things to be like they were before you obey me because they may never be as they were. I left enough of you to use”. I gave the word of the Lord in the midst of my multitude of challenges. At this point, I had very little use of my hands, very little feeling in my hands, feet and legs. I was sent to a Neurologist and I was diagnosed with Guillain Barre disease. I had colon resection surgery where a tube was inserted, replacing my damaged colon. I was in surgery for 8 hours. I coded three times in surgery , three times in recovery and I had a Pulmonary Embolism, a collapsed lung, and a blood clot in my leg, which ultimately caused my five toes on my left foot to become gangrened and I had to have stints put in my leg for circulation in my artery. Eventually my toes had to be amputated in July 2011. Originally, the doctor thought he would have to amputate my leg. The doctor told me that an average doctor would have done a colostomy because it was the easiest way, but he wanted me to have quality of life. After another 3 week bout in the hospital, I was sent to rehab for an additional 3 weeks. And yet I stand. Circling the Globe with Five-Fold Deliverance TCP 13th Anniversary Issue - Page: 18
MELANIE SCOTT BENNETT On January 10, 2013, Dr. Leonard Scott and his wife Christine got an interesting call from their daughter, Melanie, who lived in Orlando Florida. The call was heart wrenching. She informed her parents that she had been diagnosed with leukemia. They had just been with her at Christmas leaving cold Indianapolis to head for sunny Orlando, Florida. They had such a wonderful time. It was amazing since she had a physical checkup six months before and they told her everything was fine. She was in perfect health. Then she started to feel winded and blotches were coming on her body. She never had these symptoms before. She thought she was getting a cold but her fiancé told her that she needed to get it checked out. She went on her lunch hour to the doctor and they asked what were her symptoms. They examined her and took some blood. She never went back to the workplace that day. They immediately sent her to the hospital. The doctor said if she had waited a couple of days she would have been dead. Melanie stayed in the hospital for over six months as they did transfusions. She didn’t have family in Florida and different family members would fly down to be with her. It changed their whole lives. They sought the Lord and credits TBN with their inspirational programming with helping them while they were going through this ordeal. Eventually Melanie was moved back to Indianapolis so they could take better care of her. She had the type of leukemia that there was no cure. She went into remission using chemotherapy but they let them know that it would come back. The only cure except a miracle from God would be a bone marrow transplant. In order to get a bone marrow transplant, there had to be a perfect match or else the body would reject it and there was no perfect match for her. She got hooked in with the IU Hospital Cancer Center. They found a match for her but it wasn’t from a donor, it was from an umbilical cord -- something normally thrown away. By using the stem cells from the umbilical cord, they found a match. Melanie was able to get a bone marrow transplant to eradicate the leukemia. During the time she was in the hospital, she couldn’t do anything. Once you get the transplant, that is only the beginning. Instead of getting better you get worse. Her kidneys were shutting down and she went into a depression. At one point she told her dad that if she had known it was going to be like that, she wish that God would have taken her. But she persevered. Melanie is now CANCER-FREE, married to Dr. Duane Bennett, II and living in Seattle, Washington. You can follow her blog and her journey at www.mel-strong.com.
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SHELIA COVINGTON RAINES Shelia Covington Raines was born to the late Reverend Robert L. Covington and his wife Elsie Covington. She was born the middle child of their five children to an extensive lineage of preachers, pastors and evangelists. In 1977, Shelia’s youngest sister, Maggie Denise, was tragically wounded in a home grease fire at a neighbor’s home and succumbed to her injuries a few days later. This premature death dealt a devastating blow causing overwhelming grief. With great faith, the family continued to press on only to lose Reverend Covington months later. Shelia’s father, Reverend Covington, pastored Williams Chapel in Spring Lake NC until his untimely death in 1978 while preaching a revival at a local church. Mother Elsie Covington continued to raise her children in the fear and admonition of God, continuing his legacy until she transitioned in 2009. One day in her private studies, God directed Shelia to read Isaiah 57:1. “The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart: and godly men are taken away, while no one understands”. While practicing football at the local high school, Shelia’s oldest son, Evan Sherod passed due to over exertion. Evan was a striking young 16 year old in perfect health. He was well liked by all and desired to be a professional football player and a pediatrician because of his love for children. He accepted Christ as His Saviour and witnessed and taught the Word of God in his youth group and at school. The loss of a child for Shelia and Rodney was devastating, even crippling, leaving them both in despair and disbelief. They were raising their sons, Evan Sherod and Reid Tyler in the fear and admonition of God and both were actively involved in church ministry and the community. The passage from Isaiah 57 would prove to strengthen and rebuild Shelia’s faith. Along with her husband and son Reid Tyler, she decided to turn the misery into ministry (Isaiah 61:3 Beauty for ashes). In April of 2014, Shelia and Rodney began the Evan Raines Dream Foundation to honor their son and keep his memory alive. The foundation is geared to helping other Cumberland County and surrounding area youths to succeed in life and pursue their dreams. A scholarship is awarded each year to a rising graduate and paid to the college that they will attend. The foundation has been effective in causing the local school board system to place and enforce stricter health requirements and safety measures for student athletes involved in high school sports. #DoIt4Evan is the catch phrase that is used by youth, student and even adults to encourage them to pursue their dreams with passion. Evan’s passing and his life’s testimony brought many youth and adults to Christ and strengthened many people in their walks with God. At least two health episodes were prevented and have been documented due to the stricter guidelines resulting from Evan’s passing and the creation of the foundation. Shelia accepted her calling to the ministry and serves faithfully along with her husband Elder Rodney Raines as ministers at True Vine Ministries in Fayetteville NC. Shelia has been called upon by local churches to teach congregants, women’s departments and children’s ministry and with a similar ministerial presentation as her father with fire and conviction. She is known for teaching holiness, biblical living and serving God wholeheartedly. Through tragedy, her pain and loss, Minister Shelia Covington Raines says “Greater ministry has been birthed in her life. She continues to share her testimony and is known for this phrase – I TRUST GOD WITH MY LIFE!. TCP 13th Anniversary Issue - Page: 20
MOTHER THEDESSA WEAVER At 98 years old, Thedessa Weaver, says, “Life Is Worth Living!”. Even though she is limited to small steps when maneuvering in her wheel chair and dependent upon others at her home at the assisted living center, Mother Weaver’s mind is still sharp. Imagine recalling that span of time. We started with the untimely death of her mother who appeared to her at the age of 7 and told her to take care of her brother. Basically, a child raised a child. Mom died leaving her alone with 4 brothers. These were the days when you had to work or get out. Her father remarried when she was 17 and eventually came six more children. At 18 Thedessa was ready to leave home and marriage seemed to be the way out. Thedessa had a son, Melvin Lindsey who went to live with his father in New York. After graduation, Melvin joined the military against his mother’s wishes. It was the late summer of 1956. The Korean War was over but the Cold War was in full swing. The Soviet Union and United States were locked in a nuclear chess game, each trying to checkmate the other without turning the world into an orbiting cinder. On August 31, 1956, “The Golden Heart,” a WB-50D weather reconnaissance plane, actually a modified World War II B29, took off from Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. An hour into the flight it crashed killing all 11 on board which included 20-year-old Airman Melvin O. Lindsey who was the radio operator. 50 years later in 2006, Mother Thedessa Weaver with her walker in tow did not let the rain deter her from attending the Golden Heart Memorial Ceremony for her only child. Prior to Melvin’s death, Thedessa owned Weaver’s Beauty Nook. Her husband was a shoemaker/ cobbler. She told me how he made spats. That was new to me so I encourage you to look it up and you will know what Michael Jackson was wearing with those loafers. Mother Weaver’s earliest recollection of church was being baptized at 9 years old at Emanuel Baptist Church in Thomasville. They would block off a stream of water for a certain number of days until it formed a pool. Her father was a coal miner. She recalls that all of her brothers were successful and had their own businesses that served needs in their neighborhoods. When asked about Hoover Times, she says they were hard times but they survived and it made them stronger. At one point, she mentions that her grandfather had 500 acres of land. When she was in the 11th grade they extended school to one more year and she graduated from the 12th grade. Thedessa loved to travel and she boast of how she carefully planned her trips. Her husband traveled too but many times they would go in different directions. She says that she would have a friend in every location that she traveled -- female of course. I think her favorite spot was Honduras. When she looks out the window of her room on a sunny day she can reminisce of those days when she was foot loose and fancy free and chuckle at the joy she had what seems ages ago. These days she enjoys reading and has held a lifelong love of the Bible. She invited us to come back and take her to Red Lobster. Oh how her face brightens with the thought of getting out and going to Red Lobster. This is but a tiny glimpse of a woman who is 20 months shy of 100 years old. It is only fair that we revisit Mother Weaver and hear more of her story. Stay tuned. Peggy Tatum TCP 13th Anniversary Issue - Page: 21
PROPHETESS DANETTE CUNNINGHAM I am the wife of Elder Leslie Cunningham and we have a blended family of five children. I am the Pastor of Divine Turnaround Ministries, Waldorf, MD and we serve under the leadership of Ambassador Dr. Sharon Edmond and Bishop George Edmond, Sr., True Churches of Deliverance International Inc. located in Raleigh, NC. I’m a survivor of domestic violence, rape, mental and physical abuse. I utilize my powerful testimony to bring forth deliverance in the lives of women, men, youth and families overall. I’ve been ordained to save the lost, feed the Word of God, and assist in the transformation of the mind into freedom in Christ Jesus.... through preaching, teaching, performing deliverance and prophesying the Word of God. I now set the captive free! I was born into rejection when my grandmother told my mom to give me up for adoption once she found out mom was pregnant. My mom said no she would be keeping her baby. When I was born, only the nurses were by her side. My father was not present. I was further rejected when my paternal grandmother told my father not to sign my birth certificate once I was born. It all began there. Throughout my childhood, I experienced various incidents which included unwanted sexual advances as a young child, having sex at an early age, being a rebellious youth running the streets, fighting and stealing. I was raped as a teenager by someone I thought was a friend. I had low self-esteem and didn’t recognize my self-worth. There were times I thought of committing suicide as a young girl. At the age of 19 after giving birth to my son, I attempted to do so by taking several pills from a prescription bottle. Oh, But God! I married my first husband at a young age. Due to much physical abuse, I separated from him and later filed for divorce. I then met a man who was a drug dealer. He treated me like a Queen, showering me with all sorts of gifts. I became a wife of a drug dealer and even began selling drugs myself. I would later find myself in another cycle of abuse in my marriage. Numerous abusive events occurred in which there was a record of domestic related issues with the local police department and court systems. This marriage ended in tragedy. I had a near death experience as my husband at the wheel, while wanting to kill me along with himself decided instead to shoot himself in the head. He committed suicide right in front of me! After continually choosing the wrong men in my life I knew I needed God to take over. Even after giving my life to Christ, I couldn’t get the area of relationship together. I realized it was because it was un-submitted to God. I was choosing outside of Him. I needed Him to fix me and fix it. In 2011, I asked God to take over and He blessed my life with my wonderful husband, Elder Leslie Cunningham and in June of 2012 we became husband and wife. I’m on a mission to share my testimony and to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the nations. The mission is to let others know that “With God, all things are possible!” My heart goes out to those in various forms of bondage, whether mental, spiritual or physical. I believe the transformation begins with the mindset (Romans 12:2). My declaration is: ‘Change your mind and you will change your circumstance! You are one decision away from your destiny!’ TCP 13th Anniversary Issue - Page: 22
WANDRETTA KIMBER When I think about Triumph, I embrace the triumphant ride of Christ through Jerusalem on a donkey, knowing that His crucifixion was on the horizon. But He sat high and with fortitude and strength he rode on because he knew that a little girl named Wandretta was going to need Him in her life a few thousand years later. I gave birth to six beautiful children who are my life. Karla, Charlotte, Africa, Artemus, Monte and Shontain. I watched them grow and provided for them as any mother would. However, in the midst of my nurturing, a culture was emerging in some of our African American communities that derailed families. Drugs had been systematically incorporated into the lives of our young people at a time when our government had declared a “war on drugs.” How do you fight for souls of your children when you have on one hand a system that is wooing them into drug experimentation and on the other hand punishing them for every violation they have set-up? My children and so many others would be trapped in the revolving door of our Nation’s criminal justice system. This is when I knew I had to turn to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and the words of the song, “Because He Lives, I Can Face Tomorrow” welled up in my spirit. I knew I would have to move through this situation with the strength and fortitude that Christ exhibited on what we now call, Palm Sunday. There are three ways that I made it through these tough and uncertain years. First, I prayed and maintained a close relationship with my church. Being able to cast my cares on the Lord made those rough paths a little smoother. Most importantly, I prayed for my sons’ salvation and protection. Surrounding myself with those who knew the words of prayer also strengthen me during this journey. I became active with my church’s Corner 2 Corner Drug Dealers Conference as a way to support other families experiencing a similar ordeal. Second, I consistently visited my children over the past 27 years while they were incarcerated. I stayed positive and poured myself into their lives as I crisscrossed the state with God as my co-pilot sometimes up to four hours one way. I knew it was important to sustain those family connections and show uncompromising, nonjudgmental love, just as Christ shows me. Third, I released the situation to God. I decided that their decisions would not kill me but I would work through this knowing that all power was in God’s hands. I would give Him the little that I had, knowing that it would become much when it’s in his hands. Now it is coming back and turned around for God’s good. My children are now worshiping God and have their own relationship with Him. They are raising their children in the church and teaching them to obey the Word of God. But most of all they are giving back to the Kingdom in ways that I didn’t know possible. PRAISE GOD! Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9 (ASB) TCP 13th Anniversary Issue - Page: 23
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JACQUELIN THOMAS CELEBRATES 20 YEARS/75 BOOKS National Bestselling and Award-winning author, Jacquelin Thomas celebrated 20 years in the publishing industry and the release of her 75th novel, Legacy in February. Her books have garnered several awards, including two EMMA awards, the Romance in Color Reviewers Award, Readers’ Choice Award and the Atlanta Choice Award in the Religious & Spiritual category. Jacquelin was a 2005 honoree at the Houston Black Film Festival for the movie adaptation of her novel, Hidden Blessings. She was the first recipient to receive the Writers Achievement Award at the North Carolina Book Festival in Winston-Salem. She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times Magazine. Jacquelin is published in the romance, women’s fiction, inspirational and young adult genres. Her second book in the young adult series, Divine Confidential was nominated for a 2008 NAACP Image Award for outstanding fiction. In her newest release, Eleanor Toussaint Blakemore makes a decision she believes will ensure the kind of life she wants for herself and offers no apologies for the choices she’s made. However, a car accident places Eleanor in a comatose state where she comes face-to-face with the past. Despite her blond hair and blue eyes, Myra Toussaint Madison embraces her blackness. She accuses her sister of being a traitor to her race when she decides to disconnect from the African American community. When Eleanor comes out of her coma, will she and Myra finally be able to come together in unity and love? For more information and a full media kit, go to: http://www.jacquelinthomas.com/
BELINDA JO BROWN & CLARENCE DUNSTON EXCHANGE NUPTIALS Belinda Jo Brown and Clarence Dunston exchanged nuptials on October 15 at New Providence Baptist Church in Fuquay-Varina, N.C. Service was officiated by Dr. Nathaniel J. Wood. Their marriage is a testament that you can find true love if you wait on the Lord. Belinda had been single for 27 years and Clarence had been widowed for nine years. Their blended family brings together two daughters from Belinda and two sons from Clarence. They now each have the sons and daughters they always wanted with a new granddaughter on the way. The wedding reception was held at the Renaissance at North Hills. Guests were treated to a reception and a four-course meal. The couple’s honey moon included an 8 day Caribbean Cruise. While Belinda still enjoys her 9-5, Clarence is enjoying retirement from the military. Clarence states that he has lucked out twice with perfect wives. Reflecting back on their wedding invitation that stated, “Through marriage we are given the gift of a new beginning, a new family and a new life,” it is apparent that this is a happily ever after. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Clarence Dunston. TCP 13th Anniversary Issue - Page: 27
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Ivan Powell was raised in the church under the leadership of Bishop I. L. Jefferson, Bishop of the Jurisdiction of Connecticut, COGIC and has spent the past 15 years as a Minister of Music. The baby boy of the family received a basketball scholarship to the University of Maryland following the season of Len Bias’ untimely death. His first year with the absence of Coach Lefty Driesell and amongst all the turbulence surrounding the NBA’s #1 draft pick, Ivan transferred to the University of Connecticut. Unfortunately, a torn ligament in the knee and ankle sidelined him and his days of basketball were over. To take his mind off basketball, Ivan tinkered with the piano. That tinkering led to a recording with his brother Hubert, of a John P. Kee remake of Just When I Need Him Most. That song introduced Ivan to Pastor Kee which prompted a five year relationship from 1993-1998 with the New Life Fellowship where he served as Music Director on the road and Minister of Music at the church. Following Ivan’s tenure with Pastor Kee, he joined Karen Clark Sheard as Music Director as she embarked on her solo career with her first release, “Finally Karen”. After another six years, Ivan joined his brother Superintendent Stenneth Powell at Abundant Life COGIC in Raleigh, North Carolina. At Abundant Life, he was successful in guiding The Abundant Voices of Abundant Life to their vision of their first recording in 2004. This project was awarded Choir of the Year by the North Carolina Gospel Announcers Guild.
tract, Ivan returned to Abundant Life.
In 2006 by recommendation of the pastor, Ivan fulfilled a one ½-year contract to revamp the Music Department for Dr. Bernard Grant at Showers of Blessings in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. After fulfilling the con-
Ivan Powell has produced a number of CDs and played accompaniment on even more. He is best known for the vocals on John P. Kee’s “Stand” where many identified his vocals as those of Aaron Neville. His recording career also includes accompaniment on Vanessa Bell Armstrong’s album “The Secret Is Out” and he was honored to produce the final recording of Ron Winans. Relative to Ivan’s skills, Karen Clark Sheard offered the following quote: “His organ arrangements are so phenomenal. I was so attracted to his playing when I first heard him. He just has a phenomenal and different chord progression, which really brings out a different vocal ability in me. I like that because it’s a challenge as opposed to me doing the regular (presentation) the way that everyone expects for me to do a hymn. That’s what I wanted to bring out.” This was the official bio from my friend and musical brother, Ivan “I.P.” Powell. God promoted him from labor to reward on January 18th of this year. I was introduced to him by Pastor John P. Kee in Charlotte while Ivan was Pastor Kee’s music director. I was amazed by his use of chord structures far beyond that of mere mortal keyboardists. His voice was unusual and versatile. But his greatest gift was his ATTITUDE! We worked together, worshiped together, produced wonderful music together. Artists like Rodney Raines, Tony Terry and his nephew, Doobie are just a few of the gifted artists I.P. and I worked on together. Only a few knew that he was planning to answer God’s call to preach the Holy Word and was preparing his initial sermon at Union Baptist Church in Durham where he served as assistant minister of music to Minister Ray Watkins. But most have not heard the last work he gave me the privileged to work on with him. Ivan Powell and Garment of Praise recorded a live project featuring some of Ivan’s most stirring songs and arrangements. In fact, during the last conversation he and I shared, I told him, “You better hurry up and get well so we can get back in this studio to finish this album..We don’t want this to become a “memorial project”. We both laughed as he promised to make it back to finish it. That was not to be. I will miss my friend greatly. I’m sure his two boys and beautiful daughter will miss him more. But if it is God’s will, the world will get to hear the amazing last musical masterpieces from my friend, I.P. Take your rest my brother. Denver A. Wright
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