Archives for the ‘Youth’ CategoryBe Strong…Don’t be Afraid – February 2K12 Youthful Expression
Sunday, February 5th, 2012
by Eryck McCown
Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Here the Bible says you don’t have to be afraid. God is with you and will not fail you. We have to stay strong and we have to only fear God. Joshua 1:9 says, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Here God is telling Joshua to go and take the Israelites to the promise land. He tells Joshua not to be afraid because God will be with him. You must have faith to not fear. 1 Corinthians 16:13, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong”. Isaiah 41:10, the Bible says, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” In the Bible, there are many verses that talk about faith, being strong and not being afraid. Read some of these verses and apply them to your life. My Tribute To Mother Veronica Moses – January 2K12 Youthful Expressions
Saturday, January 7th, 2012
To tell you more about my grandmother, she had three children, David Moses, Venessa Alexander, and Mary King. All of them became successful in life and were very helpful to her. In the middle of 2006 and 2007, Veronica Moses lost one of her grandsons, Akim King. She was very hurt to lose her grandson who she taught and took care of when his parents went to work. One of her greatest loss was her husband, Hilary Moses around the same time her grandson died. That was a very hard time for my grandma so we helped her through it. She still stood strong. She was a very upright person. She blocked out the friends she had before she met my grandfather to take care of her family. My grandmother was born in Trinidad, a very beautiful place. She grew up there and so did her kids. She did the best for them when she could. As for her grandchildren, she loved us a lot and we knew it. She started to go to church with me, my mom and my dad in 2009, and so did the rest of her kids. She loved our pastor; he is a very nice man. She loved to give our pastor a kiss. She took him in like one of her own. Her and our pastor had very good relationship. On November 24, 2011, my grandmother, Veronica Moses, passed away. We were not going to celebrate thanksgiving, but we knew she would want us to, so we did. Veronica Moses, you will always be in our hearts no matter what. Thank you for what you have done for me. May you be in a better place.
The Part That Is Rarely Told – Christmas Play Recap
Saturday, January 7th, 2012
by Sis. Delia Pruitte
On Sunday, December 18, Holiness Tabernacle held its annual Christmas program. Although both young and old look forward to the event, no one was more excited and nervous as HTC’s youth. This was their opportunity to showcase their thespian talents, and to show their parents and the congregation how hard they had been working since October.
After warming up the congregation with a few favorite Christmas hymns, Elder and Sister Green introduced the youngest HTC’s members. The Sunshine Band (children ages 2-12) proudly displayed the Christmas artwork they created for their parents. They then allowed the congregation a peek into what their Sunday School class is like through singing and reciting songs they had learned. They finished up by presenting birthday presents to baby Jesus, such as their hearts and their praise. After a few more selections, it was time for the main play of the night, “The Part That is Rarely Told.” This year’s main play was written by one of Holiness Tabernacle’s own, Sister DeAnna Pruitte. Sister Pruitte penned the play over seven years ago at the age of 14. “I wanted highlight certain parts of the Christmas story that people present inaccurately, such as the number of wise men, or the age of Jesus when they arrived. People always assume there were 3 wise men, and that they arrived at the manger scene the same time as the shepherds. That’s not what the Bible says. Jesus was actually a young child, and not a baby by the time the wise men arrived. And the Bible never mentions exactly how many wise men there were. ” The youth performed wonderfully, providing a good mixture of humor and Bible quotation. No sooner had they sat down than a restlessness began to spread through the crowd, namely among the children and teenagers. As Pastor and First Lady Pruitte took the mic, the excitement grew tangible. “As we do every year, it’s time to pass out presents!” declared Pastor Pruitte to the joyful audience. “No one here will leave without something in their hand.” True to their word, every person in the congregation, whether they were young or old, member of the church, or member of the community, received a gift. When the benediction was given, several dozens of presents were distributed, and there was a smile on every face. Once again, HTC succeeded in being a blessing to all who walked through the door. And that is the part that is rarely told.
The Part That Is Rarely Told – 2011 Christmas Play
Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
Holiness Tabernacle Church Of God In Christ Annual Christmas Play"The Part That Is Rarely Told"December 18, 2011 ~ 6:00 PM
My Christmas Tradition – December 2K11 Youthful Expressions
Thursday, December 8th, 2011
by Deloris Pruitte
Around Christmas time we celebrate the 12 days of Christmas. This is when we do 12 activities around the last few weeks before Christmas, but we usually only end up doing one activity because we are usually busy around that time. On Christmas Eve we sing carols with our neighbors to people in our neighborhood. When we are done singing, we go over their house and have a party. On Christmas Eve, after the party, we all go downstairs to the tree and we play Secret Santa. The next day we get up early and we all make breakfast. After we’re done we go to the tree upstairs and read the Bible story of when Jesus was born and then we pray. We also tell what we are grateful for. Then we open presents. I love Christmas!
Hallowed One’s Day Offers Alternative for Youth and Adults to Enjoy!
Friday, November 11th, 2011
by Sis. Danielle Benjamin Though the unusual drop in weather, which brought early snow flurries and rain to the northern Virginia area, postponed the large-scale Saturday event, the Holiness Tabernacle COGIC Hallowed One’s Day turned out to be a great success for kids, adults and visitors alike! "It was really important to us that we have something planned for the kids, even though we weren’t able to have the moon bounces, giant slides and other big items like we have in the past," said Sister Delia Pruitte, a member of the Youth Activities Group. "At the end of the day, it’s about providing an alternative to Halloween for the kids – and they just want to eat candy and have fun!" And if the giggles and laughter which filled the evening sky was any indication, it was clear that all those who came out indeed had a great time. "It was exciting to see so many people come," said Sister Crystal McCown of this year’s event. "I really liked the face painting and popcorn!" Another bonus to this year’s event was the hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, drinks and candy – free on the menu for all who came out. "Yeah, it was pretty fun!" remarked Brother Deion Moses, one of the teenagers at the church. "I got to play basketball and everything." But it wasn’t just the youth that had a good time this year. The annual cake walk – where players walk around a giant square and hope that the numbered box they land on is called when the music stops – saw lots of youth and adult participants. In fact, a few people spent a considerable amount of time there, hoping to win one of the delicious baked goods donated by various members of the church. One of the newest members of the church, Sister Joanne Orhue was also pleased with the youth-focused activity. "Hallowed One’s Day was a real blessing. I really appreciated that the church put something together as an alternative to Halloween." When asked about her favorite part of the evening, one little girl, Sister Ziann Wheeler, put it plainly, "[I liked] popping the balloons and jumping into the balloons!" Which just goes to show that there are lots of ways to get young people involved and excited about what’s happening at their church without having to compromise to the world’s standards. Just a few balloons, some candy and lots of fun activities can demonstrate how to have fun in a God-honoring way. And that truly is the recipe for a successful Hallowed One’s Day!
Pumpkin Patch Outing
Thursday, November 10th, 2011
This year I reached a milestone in my life – I celebrated my 50th birthday. While that may be old to some, I really don’t feel as though I have lived a half a century. That’s because I spend a lot of time with the youth at Holiness Tabernacle. My wife always tells me that I am a little boy at heart. Every Sunday morning at the conclusion of Children’s Church, our youth join us in worship service. They bring their coins and drop them in a large container. By doing this, we teach them to give to the Church, and all of the proceeds remain within the Youth Department. These funds are used primarily to sponsor their monthly outings. This year we have visited the Newseum, a local senior citizen facility and Fun Land. We have gone bowling, attended the COGIC East Coast Youth Rally, and earlier this month we went to a pumpkin patch at the Burke Nursery in Burke, Virginia. It was so much fun! The weather was perfect – a brilliant autumn Saturday. We grabbed pieces of carpet, climbed several stairs and slid down giant slides. We crawled into large tubes and rolled down a steep hill (ouch!!). We loaded on a large wagon and went on a hay ride through a wooded area that was decorated with sites intended to spook us. Some of the youth dove into a large mud pile that had money buried in it – they found several coins too! Others ran and jumped on swings and ropes that were extended from tall trees and swung back and forth. Still others ran into teepees and heard sounds from Native Americans. But that wasn’t all. There were moon bounces, train rides and a petting zoo! After a couple of hours of fun and play time – we had worked up an appetite. It was time to eat! Off we were to CiCi’s for some good ole fashion pizza, soda and much more. We ate, joked and laughed. As I watched the young people laugh and play together, I felt so thankful for them. I thanked God for allowing me to play a part in their young lives. I thanked God for their energy, their sense of humor and their dry "knock – knock" jokes. I thanked God for the young lives that will carry on the work of the Lord after I have moved on. And then I thanked the Lord it was time to return them to the Church! That night as I lay in bed and reflected on the day’s events, I wondered how many ministers, missionaries, deacons and choir members were in our group. In my mind I felt like I was sixteen years old again. Then I went to roll over and I discovered a few muscles that hadn’t been used in a while. It was then I realized perhaps I was a little boy at heart, but I was a half a hundred in my body!! Be blessed! Elder Eddie B Pruitte, Jr.
Garfield MCJRO – November 2K11 Youthful Expressions
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011
Students in Gar-Field High School Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program walk past two signs in their classroom everyday, one reads “Set the Example” and the other “Do the Right Thing”. It would appear that the message was received and implemented by the JROTC as the United States Marine Corps Training and Education command named Gar-Field a “Naval Honor School” for its achievements during the 2009-2010 school years. “This honor is another example of the wonderful things our students do at Gar-Field and I am very proud of the success of our students and instructors,” said Principal Bill Bixby. “Our cadets are very active in the community and have competed very successfully in the JROTC competitions and I am happy to see an external agency recognize them.”
Gar-Field’s program was selected as a Naval Honor school from among the 50 high schools in region 1 based on five categories: extracurricular activities, scholastic achievement, cadet citizenship, unit participation and unit inspection. At the end of every school year, Senior Marine instructor Major Bill Brannen, USMC (retired), is required to submit a detailed report to the Marine Corps that summarizes our yearly activities. The supervisors look at these reports from all the high schools in our region and select the top schools to be designated as Naval Honor Schools. Major Brannen, who runs the program along with Gunnery Sergeant Lester James, said the report details the activities and accomplishments of the cadets in the JROTC program from their participation in school organizations and sports to community service, physical fitness and academic honors. “One of the key areas in the review process is always unit participation, which include cadet enrollment,” said Brannen. “We have seen significant increase in the number of cadets in our program while many other schools are struggling to meet the required number. I think our numbers attracted attention from supervisors and may have helped push us over the top to receive the Naval Honor school designation.” The program has nearly doubled in size since Brannen began his position at Gar-Field five years ago with an average of 175 cadets registered a year. The latest count of cadets for this school year is 220, which is more than double the 100 cadet requirement to maintain the program at a school of Gar-Field’s size. I think our strong focus on the cadets and their accomplishments is a large reason for the increase in enrollment, they give us the opportunity to be involved on a larger scale not only in our school, but in the community and they highlight our success. When we enjoy what they are doing, we tell our friends and that is when we start to see new faces. A personal goal for Brannen was to increase female participation, since he felt many girls may have been scared away by the perceived military component, the reality is that the program is about leadership and character development. There are just as many opportunities for female cadets as there are for male cadets in the program. Half of the staff is female compared to the 2 to 1 male to female ratio when Brennan started the program. In fact, this year the commander of the program happens to be senior cadet Natasha Patterson, a female who has participated since her freshman year. Patterson says, “I have always been treated with a lot of respect in the program even though I am a female and they accommodate us females very well. I have never had any problems here and don’t know of anyone else who has either. The camaraderie and family structure of the program makes all the difference.”
Hallowed Ones Day Carnival – 10/29/2011
Sunday, October 16th, 2011
Save the Date for Holiness Tabernacle’s Annual Hallowed One’s Day Carnival Saturday, October 29! Enjoy carnival rides, jumpers, games and many more activities! Don’t forget to fill your plate with ribs, hot dogs, popcorn, chips and of course… candy!
Bring your entire family to this fun and exciting event designed as an alternative to Halloween. Children under age 13 are not permitted to take part in any activity without their parent or guardian’s supervision. For more information, contact the church at (703) 497-7928. Don’t be late – come early!
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! The HTC Royal Court has Arrived
Monday, October 10th, 2011
Holiness Tabernacle Church Of God In Christ Youth Dept. present the 1st Annual Youth King & Queen Pageant, October 16th, 2011 at 4:30pm with our special guest speaker, Sis. Taira MacFarland of Mt. Peniel Church Of God In Christ. Come one and come all to observe the crowning of the 1st King & Queen. |
|||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Dear Holiness Tabernacle Church Of God In Christ, I am writing a tribute on Veronica Moses. I am Deion Moses. I am one out of ten of Veronica Moses’ grandchildren. My grandmother was a very nice lady, stood strong, and was a very independent person. Veronica Moses was an “on the move” person. When she was very young she could do many things and move a lot faster. Then she began to get sick and grow old. But yet her grandchildren always stood by her side no matter what. We all loved her very dearly. Whenever she needed anything, one of us was always there to help her. 
My Christmas tradition starts the day after Thanksgiving. I put up the tree and decorate it. Mom watches and my sisters and Dad decorate outside. Mom puts lights on the stair railings, and Delia makes desserts with Dad. We have two Christmas trees so you can tell we really like Christmas at our house, as all Christians should.
by Bro. Jay Norman
What: Annual Hallowed One’s Day Carnival |
 |
 |
 |
Copyright ©2012 All Rights Reserved. Holiness Tabernacle COGIC. Designed by 