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Church event stresses education
Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church hosted the weeklong meeting.
YOUNGSTOWN — Some 300 young people fine-tuned skills in song, dance and mime as elements of Christian education during an educational program at Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church, 1210 Himrod Ave.
The pastor, J. Dwayne Heard, said the youth will reap the benefits of “fellowship, information and inspiration” from interacting with other churches, adults and young people who attended the weeklong Eastern Ohio Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia Baptist District Association meeting.
The 50th session of the Congress of Christian Education took place from Monday through Friday and began with a musical program last Saturday.
In between, the Rev. Mr. Heard said some 350 to 400 adults and youth attended daily classes, all focusing on various aspects of Christian education. The numbers fluctuated daily as participants either stayed in hotels locally or commuted. Mr. Heard said participants came from the Youngstown and Warren areas, Cleveland, Akron, Steubenville and Farrell and New Castle, Pa.
Highlights of the week included the youth showcase Thursday when young people presented a program featuring their song, dance and mime talents and keynote address Friday by the Rev. Dr. Michael Rutledge, pastor of Mount Ararat Baptist Church in Houston.
The Rev. Dr. Rutledge spoke on Christian education with the theme “Maturity is Grace” at the Friday luncheon named for the late Perlene Bennett, an advocate of education who was a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church.
Mr. Heard said that although song, dance and mime sessions were an important element of the ministry of the district event, the emphasis was on Christian education. Sessions were for young people from 3 to 18 years old, adult men and women and pastors.
“‘We Need to Grow Up’ was the theme,” Mr. Heard said of the educational sessions intended to strengthen character. He noted the idea of “growing in grace” came from 2 Peter 1:4-18.
One of the most important sessions focused on 13- to 18-year-olds. Pastor Heard said “Stumbling Blocks” dealt with sex and dating and attracted some 70 teens. “This aimed to help young people deter the peer pressure they feel,” he said. “We talk about how they live their lives and its significance and how they can fight temptations.”
Mr. Heard said a major benefit of these educational sessions was that participants would go back to their individual churches and “share and implement ideas.”
“The exchange of ideas from different sources is beneficial,” Pastor Heard said. “Making connections with new people and sharing fellowship” also were benefits of the event.
He said this is the second year Elizabeth Baptist has hosted the Christian education congress.
The district association event concluded Friday night with speaker, Pastor C.A. Richmond, congress president, who is from Logos Baptist Assembly in Canton. Other participants were Rev. George C. Austin, congress dean, of Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Akron; Rev. Ernest Ellis, district moderator, of Antioch Baptist Church, Youngstown; and Rev. Michael Harrison, Ohio Baptist Convention president, of Union Baptist Church, Youngstown.