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CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY SYMPOSIUM.AND IT'S, THIS THEME IS PRESERVING THE LEGACY OF BLUFFS, HISTORIC AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCHES.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE AND A LOT OF NEW FACES AND A LOT OF OLD FACES.
MISS ALENE, UM, SHE'S NOT OLD.
SHE'S, SHE USED TO SIT RIGHT BACK HERE.
UM, FOR ALL OF YOU WHO TAKE SUCH DEEP PRIDE FOR OUR TOWN AND, AND FOR ALL OF OUR EFFORTS TO PRESERVE IT.
AND THAT IS A BATTLE FOR ALL OF US EVERY DAY TO KEEP THAT FOCUS ON PRESERVING OUR CULTURE.
UM, AND WE ALL PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE.
EVERY ONE OF US IN THIS ROOM PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN PRESERVING OUR HISTORY AND OUR SHARED CULTURE.
I'VE OFTEN SAID THE MORE WE CHANGE, THE MORE WE STAY THE SAME.
AND I THINK FOR MANY OF YOU WHO'VE GROWN UP AND RAISED CHILDREN HERE LONG BEFORE A LOT OF US FOUND IT, YOU KIND OF SEE THAT WE'RE CHANGING, BUT WE ALL STILL STAY THE SAME.
I HOPE YOU'LL ENJOY TONIGHT'S PROGRAM AND I'M GONNA DO A COUPLE OF QUICK SHOUT OUTS BEFORE WE GET STARTED, CUZ YOU DID NOT COME HERE TO LISTEN TO ME.
UM, BUT I DO WANNA THANK SOME PEOPLE AND IT'S WORTH MENTIONING.
UM, AND I WANNA READ IT SO I GET IT.
CAMPBELL CHAPEL AME CHURCH FOR THEIR ONGOING STEWARDSHIP OF THIS IMPORTANT HISTORIC RESOURCE.
AND A SPECIAL NOTE, RECOGNIZING THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW SOUTH CAROLINA HISTORIC MARKER.
LATE LAST YEAR, THE CONGREGATION IS PLANNING FOR THE BUILDING'S FUTURE RESTORATION.
UM, HISTORIC BLUFFTON FOUNDATION, AND I THINK THE BOARD IS HERE.
QUITE A LOT OF YOU, UM, FOR YOUR RESTORATION EFFORTS AT THE HAYWARD HOUSE, WHICH WAS AWARDED THE TOWN'S FIRST HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANT IN DECEMBER.
ADDITIONAL WORK TO RESTORE AND MAINTAIN.
ONE OF THE BLUFFTON MOST PROMINENT HISTORIC RESOURCES IS, IS CONTINUING.
AND DURING TONIGHT'S RECEPTION, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE ONE OF THE FREE TOURS OF THE HOUSE.
UM, AND LET ME BACK UP ON THE CAMPBELL CHAPEL AME GROUP.
I KNOW WE HAVE SOME DESCENDANTS OF THAT I WENT TO COLUMBIA WITH, BUT LET'S RAISE OUR HANDS OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED WITH THE CAMPBELL CHAPEL.
UH, RUSTY PISTACHIO AND DEBBIE WONDER.
SO WE'LL GET MORE OUT ON THAT.
THEY HAVE REHABIL REHABILITATED, THE OLD POST OFFICE BUILDING ON BRIDGE STREET.
YOU MAY HAVE GONE THERE TO PICK UP YOUR MAIL BACK IN THE DAY.
AND AILEEN AND YEAH, RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU PICKED YOUR MAIL UP BACK IN THE DAY.
UM, BUT NOW IT'S BEING CONVERTED INTO A PRIVATE RESIDENCE.
WHILE IT MIGHT BE A TINY STRUCTURE, IT HAS A BIG STORY TO TELL.
AND LAST YEAR WE DESIGNATED IT, DESIGNATED IT AS A NEW CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE TO THE OLD TOWN BLUFFTON HISTORIC DISTRICT.
WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO ITS NEXT CHAPTER.
AND THEY ALSO DID WHAT WE LEARNED LAST YEAR WAS NEVER CALLED THE RATE, IT WAS CALLED THE CUT RATE, BUT THEY RESTORED THE BUILDING ON THE CORNER OF WATER IN BRIDGE STREET AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR LOVING BLUFFTON.
REPRESENTATIVE BILL HERB KURTZMAN IS IN COLUMBIA TO HELP ALL OF US PUT BLUFFTON.
UM, MAYBE NOT ON THE MAP VISIBLY, BUT HE'S GONNA GET US SOME MONEY AND BRING IT BACK HOME WHENEVER HE CAN.
HE LOVES BLUFFTON AND HE ALWAYS SUPPORTS US.
HE'S AN ADVOCATE FOR US AT THE STATE HOUSE.
HE'S BEEN A LEADER OF OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S BACK FROM COLUMBIA, BUT HE'LL PROBABLY BE AT THE RECEPTION.
MEMBERS OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION.
RAISE YOUR HANDS IF YOU'RE HERE.
THEY'RE TIRED BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE WORKING A LOT.
UM, THIS IS FOR THEIR DEDICATION.
IT'S A VOLUNTEER GROUP FOR THE TOWN, BUT TO DEDICATE, UH, TO THE STANDARDS OF HISTORIC INTEGRITY.
THIS COMMISSION BEARS THE HEAVY BURDEN OF PROTECTING OUR HISTORIC RESOURCES.
THEY MEET MORE THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER TOWN BOARD IN COMMITTEE AND THEY REVIEW COUNTLESS APPLICATIONS.
SO THEY DESERVE A, A LOT OF SUPPORT AND A LOT OF THINGS, TOWN STAFF, THEY COME AND SHOW UP TO EVERYTHING.
CAN YOU RAISE YOUR HANDS IF WE CAN SEE STAFF? THANK Y'ALL.
WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF THINGS TODAY,
AND I DON'T THINK YOU GET THANKED ENOUGH.
WE WOULDN'T BE HERE EIGHT YEARS LATER WITHOUT JONI HAYWARD.
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YOU MAY STAND NOT RAISE YOUR HAND, JONI.SO WAS JOANIE'S BRAINCHILD? YES.
AND SHE CAME, YOU KNOW, SHE'S ONE OF THOSE.
AND THERE ARE A FEW OF Y'ALL IN HERE I CAN SEE WHEN THEY CALL.
AND SHE JUST PUSHED AND WE WELCOMED IT.
AND YOU STARTED THE FIRST ONE.
AND YOU'VE BEEN VERY DEDICATED.
AND WE ALL APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH, JONI.
UM, AND FINALLY, I WANNA THANK ALL THE LOCAL PRESERVATION ORGANIZATIONS WHO PARTICIPATED IN TONIGHT'S MEET AND GREET, WHICH WAS FABULOUS OUT FRONT.
THEY PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE IN MAKING OUR HISTORY COME ALIVE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE.
PLEASE, PLEASE SUPPORT THEM ANY WAY YOU CAN.
SO I AM GONNA TRANSITION THIS OVER TO THE REASON WE'RE HERE.
GLENN UMBERGER, WHO IS OUR TOWN'S HISTORIC PRESERVATIONIST, IS TAKING THIS OVER AND STARTING THE PROGRAM.
MAYOR, FOR THOSE OF YOU DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS GLENN.
I'M THE TOWN HISTORIC PRESERVATIONIST.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT.
UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE A PANEL DISCUSSION.
UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING SOMETHING AND I HOPE YOU ALL TOO.
UM, SO, UM, THE PANELISTS TONIGHT ARE FROM MY, SEE, I DON'T KNOW, RIGHT FROM LEFT
UM, WE HAVE, UM, THE REVEREND DR.
JOHN R. BLACK FROM CAMPBELL AME CHURCH.
UH, NEXT TO HIM WE HAVE PASTOR BENNY L JENKINS JR.
AND DEACON OLIVER BROWN, UM, FROM VER SIEN, UM, THE REVEREND GWENDOLYN GREEN FROM ACROSS THE STREET AT ST.
AND THEN LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, THE REVEREND PAUL HAMILTON JR.
FROM THE BIBLE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, UM, OUT ON BUCK ISLAND ROAD.
SO TONIGHT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS JUST HAVE THEM TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT THEIR CHURCHES.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE SOME TIME FOR QUESTION AND ANSWER AFTERWARDS.
SO TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA START WITH CAMPBELL CHAPEL, AMY CHURCH, AND, UH, REVEREND BLACK, UM,
I'M JOHN BLACK, THE PASTOR OF CAMPBELL CHAPEL.
THE BUILDING LOCATED AT 23 BLA STREET, UH, WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1853 BY THE ST.
LUKE PARISH IN THE, OF THE BLUFFTON METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
SOUTH ENSLAVED LABOR WAS USED TO CONSTRUCT THE BUILDING, AND ALL LIKELIHOOD, ENSLAVED PEOPLE, AS WELL AS PLANTAIN OWNER PLANTATION OWNERS, WORSHIPED IN THAT BUILDING.
THE STRUCTURE, WHICH WE NOW CALL OUR HISTORIC CHAPEL, SURVIVED THE BURNING OF BLUFFTON IN 1863.
IT IS ONE OF TWO CHURCHES, TWO CHURCH HOUSES THAT SURVIVED THE BURNING OF BLUFFTON.
WE HAVE LEGENDARY STORIES THAT WE HAVEN'T VALIDATED, BUT ONE OF THOSE STORIES SAY THAT THE CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS FOR THE REASON THAT BUILDING STILL EXISTS TODAY, THAT THEY LITERALLY PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO PROTECT THAT SITE.
UH, THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION WAS ISSUED ON JANUARY 1ST, 1863.
UH, YOU KNOW, ABRAHAM LINCOLN DID THAT.
AND IT ABOLISHED SLAVERY 11 YEARS LATER, 11 YEARS AFTER SLAVERY, 18 74, 9 PREVIOUSLY ENSLAVED MEN PURCHASED A HISTORIC CHAPEL FOR $500 IN CASH.
THAT WAS A PHENOMENAL TASK AT THAT POINT IN HISTORY.
THOSE MEN ARE SO VALUABLE TO US.
AT ANY CHANCE WE HAVE, WE CALL THEIR NAMES.
WE CALL THEM THE CAMPBELL CHAPEL NINE.
THEY WERE JACOB CHISHOLM, RENTY FIELDS, WILLIAM FERGUSON, JEFFREY BUMPKIN, WILLIAM SMILEY, DAVID HAYWARD, THEODORE WILSON, CHRISTOPHER BRYANT, OR CHRISTOPHER BRYANT AND WILLIAM LIGHT BIRD.
THE CHURCH WAS NAMED CAMPBELL CHAPEL IN HONOR OF THE EIGHTH BISHOP OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
AND HIS NAME WAS JAB P CAMPBELL.
UH, BISHOP CAMPBELL HAS A WONDERFUL HISTORY.
AND SO, AS A LITTLE SIDE NOTE, WE NEED TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BISHOP CAMPBELL.
UH, HE WAS BORN A FREE MAN IN 1815, BUT HIS FAMILY WAS VERY POOR AND HIS FATHER USED HIM AS COLLATERAL FOR A LOAN.
AND SO, OF COURSE, WHEN DAD WAS NOT ABLE TO PAY THE LOAN, JABEZ WAS SOLD INTO SLAVERY.
HE LATER PURCHASED HIS OWN FREEDOM AND BECAME A BISHOP OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
I THINK THAT ZEAL THAT HE HAD AND THAT PURSUIT OF FREEDOM IS A PART OF WHO OUR CONGREGATION IS TODAY.
THE DEED FOR HISTORIC CAMPBELL CHAPEL WAS RECORDED IN THE COURTHOUSE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY ON DECEMBER 4TH, 1874.
AND THE CORNERSTONE WAS LAID IN 1891 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF REVEREND HOLMAN.
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THE NEW CONGREGATION WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 20 OH IN 2004.AND AT THAT TIME, UH, WE MOVED FROM THAT OLD HISTORIC BUILDING INTO THE NEW CONGO.
IN THE NEW SITE, THE NEW SANCTUARY, UH, THERE ARE MANY STORIES ABOUT THE OLD BUILDING.
UH, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THE CONGREGATION DID WHEN THEY PURCHASED THE BUILDING WAS INSTALL A BELL, VERY HISTORIC BELL.
AND THAT BELL WAS USED, UH, TO ALERT THE COMMUNITY TO DISASTERS OR FIRES.
IT WAS USED TO BRING IN THE NEW YEAR.
AND AT ONE POINT IN HISTORY, THERE WAS A WONDERFUL, UH, YOUNG LADY WHO MASTERED THE RINGING OF THE BELL.
AND SO THEY NICKNAMED HER LILY BELL WHEN WE RESTORE THAT CHAPEL.
AND I'M GONNA STOP AT THIS POINT CAUSE I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES NEED TO SPEAK.
UH, WHEN WE RESTORE THE CHAPEL, THERE WILL BE SOME PLACE IN THERE TO HONOR LILY BELL
NEXT UP WE HAVE FIRST LINE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
I'M OLIVER OLIVER BROWN, UH, FIRST LINE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
UH, THIS IS MY PASTOR, UH, LIVING BENNY JENKINS JUNIOR.
UH, FIRST I WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1862.
AND, UM, DURING THAT, AND INTERESTING HISTORY BEHIND THAT IS THAT FIRST ISLAND WAS ESTABLISHED BY, UH, UNION SOLDIER, UH, UH, A BLACK REGIMENT, WHICH IS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND, UM, HE WAS ORIGINALLY FROM SAVANNAH, UH, OR IN THE GEORGIA AREA.
AND, UH, HE SERVED ON HILTON HEAD FOLLOWING.
UM, AND BEFORE THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION, HE WAS A FREE MAN, AND HE STARTED TO DIRECT CHURCHES.
SO BUILD CHURCHES AND, UH, ION IN BLUFFTON, WHICH THEN WAS KNOWN AS FIRST AFRICAN BAPTIST CHURCH AS THE ORIGINAL NAME, AND THE FIRST AFRICAN BAPTIST CHURCH IN HILTON HEAD.
BOTH OF THEM WERE ESTABLISHED BY, UM, BY REVEREND ABRAHAM S AND, UH, AND THE FORMER SLAVE, UM, AND, UH, UNION ARMY SOLDIER.
AND HE ALSO WAS, UM, HE ESTABLISHED, HELPED ESTABLISHED, UH, MITCHELLVILLE COMMUNITY.
OUR HERE, UH, WHICH IS NOW BEING TITLED, YOU KNOW, AS THE FIRST, UM, AFRICAN AMERICAN ORGANIZED TOWN.
NOW, RENON ESTABLISHED IN, UH, FOR ZION IN 1862, AS WELL AS, UM, FIRST AFRICAN ON HILTON DAY.
AND, UH, WITH HIM, HE LEADERS, UM, CHANCE MITCHELL DEA, JACOB MCKENZIE, ANTHONY SMALLS, GABRIEL JENKINS, JACKIE RILEY, PRINCE FULLER, ADAM BREWING, JACK BUSH, AND SAMMY SAM FRAZIER.
AND THESE WERE MEN, UM, OF OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS CHURCH AND, UH, THE BETH CHURCH, UH, DIFFERENT FROM THE AME CHURCH AND THAT THE, WE ARE INDEPENDENT.
AND, UM, AND, UH, DURING THAT TIME IN OUR EARLY HISTORY, MOST OF OUR PASTORS WERE AT TENOR.
MEANING THEY COME, THEY PREACHED, AND THEY, THEY GO SOMEPLACE ELSE, YOU KNOW? AND THEY, AND THEY CONTINUE TO CIRCUIT, IF YOU WILL, OR CIRCUIT PREACHES, LIKE.
AND SO, UM, DURING, UH, WHILE THE PASTORS WERE AWAY, THE CHURCH WAS STILL CARRIED ON.
UM, RELIGIOUS SERVICES WERE LED BY THE DEACONS.
AND THE DEACONS WERE LOCAL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO WERE, UH, A PART OF THAT CHURCH.
AND, UH, AND THEY, UM, THEY WERE STRONG LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY KEPT OUR CHURCHES FIRST.
UM, THE MEANING OF OUR CHURCH HAS CHANGED, UH, I THINK FROM FIRST AFRICAN TO,
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UH, FOR ZION IN THE THIRTIES OR FORTIES.WE AREN'T SURE WHEN, WHEN THAT TRANSPIRED.
INITIALLY, A TWO-STORY WOODEN BUILDING WAS A BALCONY, I THINK, UM, IT WAS, UH, IN SIMILAR CHURCH WAS, UH, ST.
JOHN, WHICH WAS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
ALL THE CONGREGATION, UM, CONGREGATION CONSISTS OF PEOPLE FROM THE GENERAL BLUFFTON AREA.
AND, UH, IN EACH AREA WE HAD, UH, PRAISE HOUSES.
AND, UH, AND I KNOW IF YOU'VE HEARD OF THE PRAISE HOUSES, THIS IS WHERE MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL AREAS WOULD COME AND GATHER AND GIVE TESTIMONY AND GIVE, PRAISE THEM TO THE LORD AND PRAY.
AND THIS IS WHAT KEPT THE CONGREGATION TOGETHER.
AND, UH, ONCE, AND WE ONLY HAD SERVICES ABOUT ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH, WHEN THE CIRCUIT CREATURE WOULD, UH, WOULD COME AND WE WOULD ALL GATHER AT THE CHURCH.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THESE SERVICES TOOK PLACE.
THEY HAD ONE OR TWO SERVICES DURING A SUNDAY, WHICH, UM, WHICH FOLKS WERE EXCITED, THEY'D EAT RIGHT AT THE CHURCH CAMPUS AND, UH, AND, AND, UH, ENJOY THE FELLOWSHIP.
BEYOND THAT, FOR ZION HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, FOR ZION WAS THE FIRST PLACE THAT, UH, UH, THAT, UH, DAYCARE WAS ESTABLISHED FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN.
AND SO, UH, UNTIL THEY BUILT THE, THE DAYCARE ON, UH, ON GROCERY ROAD FIRST CONTINUED TO SUPPORT EDUCATION AND THE GROWTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THROUGH THE ENHANCEMENT OF WE, WE DEVELOPED A SCHOLARSHIP FUND WITHIN THE CHURCH, WHICH CONTINUES TO ENCOURAGE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES AND TO BE BETTER CITIZENS.
RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED ON, ON OUR SITE, WE HAVE, UH, OUR CHURCH HAS BEEN REBUILT IN 1959.
AND, UH, AND IT'S BEEN ADDED ON.
AND, UH, AND FROM THAT POINT, UH, NOW WE HAVE JUST, AND YEAH, 2019, WE'VE COMPLETED A NEW LIFE CENTER, WHICH WE ARE, ARE REAL PROUD OF AND EXPECT TO, UH, TO HAVE A LOT OF, UH, EDUCATIONAL, UH, TRAINING, UM, AND COMMUNITY STRENGTHENING PROGRAMS TO COME THROUGH OUR CHURCH.
WE WERE ESTABLISHED AS A CHURCH.
IT WAS BUILT UPON A ROCK AND THE GATES OF PREVAIL AGAINST YOU.
AND THIS WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT.
NOW WE HAVE, UH, REVEREND GREEN FROM ST.
UM, MY SPORTS PERSON THAT, UH, SUPPOSED TO BE HERE TONIGHT, UM, NONE OF THEM PEARL MITCHELL.
BUT, UH, SHE WAS JUST RELEASED YESTERDAY FROM M U S C.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY SHE'S NOT HERE TODAY.
BUT, UH, I DO HAVE MY SECOND HAND RIGHT THERE THAT COULD HELP ME OUT, HAMILTON.
BUT FIRST I WANT TO, UM, GIVE THANKS AND SHOW YOU SOMETHING, UH, BECAUSE HE'S HERE TONIGHT.
MR. DOUG CAULKIN DID, UH, JOIN OF OUR CHURCH AND HE DID AN AWESOME, AWESOME JOB.
UM, WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO GET IT PUT UP, BUT I WILL MAKE SURE.
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YOU.YOU WANT ME TO DO JUST PASS? YEAH, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT THREE OR FOUR, ABOUT THE SAME THING.
CAUSE I NEED MY HAND, HAND TO, UH, READ SOME OF MY PAPERS.
UM, WELL, MR. CLARK, WE GONNA TELL YOU, THANK YOU FOR DRAWING.
WHEN YOU SEE THE CHURCH, THE CHURCH BUILDING PICTURE, I THINK ONE IS THAT THE LIBRARY ALSO THE, UM, ROTARY AND I, I SAW ONE, A COUPLE OTHER PLACES.
THAT PICTURE THAT'S UP THERE WITH THE PEOPLE STANDING AROUND IT.
UM, THE ORIGINAL PICTURE IN, THAT'S ST.
JOHN BAPTIST CHURCH IS THE OLDEST, OLDEST ESTABLISHED CHURCH IN BLUFFTON.
IT WAS CALLED THE COLORED CHURCH, UM, ST.
BUT THERE'S ALSO KNOWN BY THREE OTHER NAMES.
SOMEONE JUST TEXT ME AND SAY, DO YOU KNOW THE STORY BEHIND ST.
JOHN OF THE WILDERNESS? AND, UH, I WAS LIKE, YES, I DO KNOW.
UH, BUT WE ONLY GET FURTHER DOWN TO THAT.
UH, THIS CHURCH HERE, THESE PEOPLE THAT STAND IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH WAS A COMMUNITY CHOIR THAT WAS STARTED IN, IN, BACK IN LIKE 19, 20, 26.
UM, AND THERE WAS LOCAL, SOME CAMPBELL AND SOME ALSO ST.
AND THIS CHOIR WAS LED BY MR. LUKE PEES.
AND IT SAYS THE MAY RIVER SINGERS WAS A COMMUNITY GOSPEL CHOIR WHO USED ST.
JOHN BAPTIST CHURCH REGULARLY FOR REHEARSAL.
SOME OF THE MEMBERS BELONGS TO CAMPBELL ST.
UH, FIRST SONYA, KATIE FOSTER, PAULINE LEWIS, RUBEN GASSON, BERDA BROWN.
AND IF YOU ALL FOLLOWED, UH, MICHAELS, SHE WAS ONE THAT, THEY JUST BROUGHT UP A PICTURE OF HER TRYING TO SEE WHO SHE WAS.
BUT, UM, BERTA BROWN, UH, MAYA COXWELL, JACK, JACK JENKINS, AND A FEW MORE NOT SHOWING WERE MEMBERS OF ST.
RILEY WILLIAMS USED TO PLAY THE PIANO FOR THE CHOIR.
AND MR. LUKE PEOPLE WAS THE ONE THAT TAUGHT THEM AND ENGAGED IN A LOT OF SPIRITUAL, UH, SPIRITUAL SONGS.
UH, OTHER PEOPLE, MATTER FACT, WE PROBABLY GONNA GIVE IT TO YOU LATER, TO MR. TOO, UM, PUT IT UP.
BUT ALSO IT SAYS, SOME OF THE HISTORY OF ST.
YOU, MY PREACHER VOICE, IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1848.
UH, FEW DEVOTED CHRISTIANS SAW A VISION AND HEARD THE CALL.
THE MEN AND WOMEN HAD JESUS IN THEIR HEART AND WANTED TO PLAY, WANTED A PLACE TO WORSHIP AND TO LIFT HIM UP SO THAT ALL MEN COULD BE DRAWN UNTO HIM.
THE RESULTS OF THIS VISION AND NOBLE ADVENTURE WAS A BIRTH OF ST.
THE CHURCH WERE ORGANIZED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF, UH, REVEREND AND A GROUP OF COMMITTED DEACONS.
THE DEACONS WERE DEACON PROCTOR, DEACON CLARENCE, AND DICK FIELDS.
AFTER REVEREND A'S DEATH, WE WERE BLESSED WITH ANOTHER
HE CONTINUED THE WORK OF THE CHURCH UNTIL HIS DEATH.
REVEREND PRAYER, REVEREND PERRY BECAME OUR NEXT MINISTER.
HE WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH THE MEMBERS TO HELP THE CHURCH GROWTH.
REVEREND JJ JENKINS WAS THE NEXT MINISTER, AND HE ALSO PASTORED ST.
SO HE PASTORED THREE CHURCHES IN THIS AREA.
LIKE, UM,
THAT'S WHY, UH, FIRST SUNDAY WAS CAMPBELL'S.
CAUSE THEY MOSTLY HAD THE SAME PASTOR, LIKE HE SAID, WHEN THEY WASN'T THERE.
THEN THE DEACONS, UM, LED UH, ONE OTHER FACT THAT I, I WANNA SHARE TONIGHT, THAT JUST CAME TO MY MIND.
UH, AND MOST OF THE CHURCHES, ESPECIALLY BAPTIST CHURCHES, THEY HAVE LINING OF HIM.
YOU EVER BEEN TO A CHURCH? AND THEY, UH, THE DEACON CALLED OUT THE, THE, THE FIRST LINE OF THE HYMN
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AND THEN EVERYBODY ELSE SINGING THAT.CAUSE BACK IN THE DAY, UH, A LOT OF 'EM COULDN'T READ.
BUT MOST OF THE DEACONS WAS THE ONES THAT COULD READ.
SO THEY WERE READING, AND THEN THE CONGREGATION WAS SINGING.
SO THAT'S WHAT THEY CALLED LINING OF THE HYMN.
SO, UM, ALSO IT SAYS, WHEN REVEREND JENKINS BECAME ILL, HE CALLED ON THE OLD ASHLEY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION, UM, TO ASSIST HIM IN THE ASSOCIATION, SENT REVEREND W WILLIAMS. SCHALL, UH, WAS JUST, AS A MATTER OF FACT, REVEREND SHE'S SON IS THE PASTOR ST.
SO, UM, SO JASON SENT REVEREND W SHE DO, UM, WHO PASSED AWAY IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN LIKE 1969.
UM, AND THEN IT, IT WAS SENT AND SAID, JUST LIKE THEY SENT MOSES, HE LED THE PEOPLE.
THEN REVEREND JENKINS WAS SUMMER'S HOME BY THE LORD AND CHEF DO CONTINUED TO CARRY THE WORK IN JESUS' NAME UNTIL HIS UNTIMELY DEATH.
HERE IN EARLY 1969, SISTER LI LILLIAN BROWN SERVED AS MOTHER OF THE CHURCH.
AT THAT TIME, IN 1976 TO 1989, REVEREND W J HILLS BECAME OUR MINISTER.
HE ALSO PASTORED PROCTOR HILL ST.
OKAY, SO NOW YOU ALL GET THE PICTURE.
UM, IT SAYS THAT THE CHURCH ALSO BECAME A MEMBER OF THE MOUNT ASSOCIATION, WHICH THEY STILL IS PART OF DEACON CLIFFORD CARSWELL.
DEACON WILLIAM HOOKS THAT SARAH HOOKS HUSBAND, THE ONE THEY BOUGHT THE HOUSE THAT THE TOWN, UH, HAS DOWN.
UM, SO CLIFF CARDWELL, DEACON WILLIAM HOOKS IN 1976 WAS LOST.
WE LOST OUR MUSICIAN, MISS VIVIAN MALONE IN 1980, SISTER CHRISTINA BROWN BECAME THE MOTHER OF THE CHURCH.
AND SOME OF HER, UM, DESCENDANTS ARE HERE NOW.
MS. CARRIE WILLIAMS BECAME OUR MUSICIAN UNTIL 1990.
THE NEXT MUSICIAN TO SERVE US BELIEVE WAS DEACON CHARLES HAMILTON, WHICH WAS ALSO THE MUSICIAN FOR FIRST ZION.
JAMES ON HILTON HEAD, REVEREND HILLS MINISTERED UNTIL HE BECAME ILL.
IN 1985, THE MOUNT ASSOCIATION SENT THE ASSISTANT OF REVEREND VS.
WHICH IS REVEREND BENJAMIN S. GREEN WAS INSTALLED AS PASTOR IN APRIL 7TH, 1985, SERVING UNDER THE LEADERSHIP WITH DEACON AB DEACON WILLIAM HOOKS, DEACON DEACON PAUL HAMILTON AT THAT TIME.
UM, AND ALSO DEACON OSCAR FRAZIER.
AND, UM, REVEREND DIXON, REVEREND GREEN PROVED TO BE STRONG AND HE HELPED, UH, THE PEOPLE TO SERVE GOD.
AND DEKA PAUL HAMILTON WAS, WAS ORDAINED AS A MINISTER ON JANUARY THE 32,000.
REVEREND GREEN APPOINTED HIM AS HIS ASSISTANT ON APRIL 20TH, 2001.
WAS INSTALLED AS THE PASTOR OF ST.
SERVING ON THE HILL WAS DEA AND DEA, OSCAR FRAZIER.
IN MAY, 2002, REVEREND HARVEY, UH, WALTER BECAME THE PASTOR OF ST.
JOHN, SERVING UNDER, UH, WITH DEACON MITCHELL, DEACON PEARL, DEACON HERMAN MITCHELL.
AND ON OCTOBER THE SECOND, 2002, UM, REVEREND SISTER, SISTER PA GRANT, WHO'S ON THE WALL OUT THERE AS THE FIRST EVANGELIST OF ST.
JOHN ON JUNE 6TH, 2004, GOD SAID, EVANGELIST LA GREEN TO REUNITE WITH THE SAINT JOHN FAMILY AND HELP AND BECAME A BLESSING TO THE MINISTER OF STAFF.
I CAN JUST SAY THIS, IN TWO FOUR, I BECAME THE INTERIM PASTOR.
IN 2005, IN JULY, I BECAME THE PASTOR, THE FIRST WOMAN PASTOR AT JOHN BAPTIST CHURCH SINCE 1848.
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HER.SHE'S THE WOMAN, SHE'S A WOMAN, UH, MAYOR HERE.
AND I'M A WOMAN PASTOR OVER THERE ALSO.
UM, THERE WAS MANY THAT HELPED IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, OFF MY HEAD, TALKING WITH PEARL, LEMME BRING OUT SOMETHING.
THE, AT 1848, THE CHURCH WAS ESTABLISHED, UM, TWO TIMES THE REASON WHY ST.
JOHN IN THE WILDERNESS, BECAUSE WE WAS TOLD THAT THE CHURCH WAS A LITTLE SMALL CHURCH.
AND, UM, IN, UH, UH, THAT WAS COLLAPSED.
IT, IT GOT ALL AND FELL DOWN, THEY SAID OR SOMETHING.
UH, AND THEN THEY MOVED TO, UM, SHELL ROAD.
THERE WAS A ROAD CALLED SHELL ROAD.
AND IT WAS A LITTLE SMALL BUILDING BY THE SIZE OF, OF THE HOUSE.
YOU KNOW, ENOUGH, MAYBE ABOUT 20 PEOPLE, 25 PEOPLE THAT BEEN IN.
AND IT WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS BURNED IN THE 1863.
THEN THEY, UH, ONE OF THE DEACONS WAY BACK USED TO WORK FOR DR.
PRI AND HE GAVE THEM THE RIGHT TO START SERVING GOD.
AND THAT'S HOW WE UP ON PRI STREET.
THEY BOUGHT THE LAND, THE, UH, ALMOST TWO ACRES OF LAND IN 19 SEVEN IN 1878.
AND THEY BUILT THE, THE CHURCH, THE CHURCH THAT YOU SEE THAT THE TWO STORY CHURCH.
UM, THEY HAD FUNDRAISING CAUSE THE TOP OF THE BUILDING, UM, JUST COULDN'T HOLD UP.
UH, I FOUND AN ARTICLE OR SOME OF THE COMMUNITY HELP OUT.
BUT EVENTUALLY, THAT TOP TO LAST.
AND, UH, IN ABOUT 18, UH, NOT 18, ABOUT 1920, THEY REMODELED TO THE, UM, UH, THE SMALL LOCK BUILDING THAT WAS THERE.
AND WHILE, UM, PAAL HAMILTON WAS THE PASTOR, THEY ADDED ON THAT KITCHEN POT AND THE OVERFLOW.
AND THAT'S THE BUILDING THERE.
BUT FURTHER COLLAPSE, THEY WERE ABLE TO SAVE THE BELL TOWEL.
UH, AND THEY DOING THE HISTORY ON THAT BELL NOW, WHICH WAS, UH, MADE AT 1852.
SO WE ARE COMING OUT WITH THE STORY OF THAT BELL.
SO THAT E FRAME IS STILL PART OF THE ORIGINAL BUILDING THE FLOOR, EVEN THOUGH WE PUT DIFFERENT WOOD FLOORS ON.
AND THE A-FRAME PART IS THE SAME, UM, WOOD FROM BACK IN THAT 1926.
UM, NOW ON THAT LAND, UM, THE LORD IS LEADING US TO, UH, CONVERT OUR CHURCH OVER TO A YOUTH LIFE CENTER.
WE WANT TO HELP THE YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY.
THERE'S A LOT OF CHURCHES THAT HERE NOW.
SO WE DARE TO BE DIFFERENT AND FOLLOW GOD.
SO WE ARE ASKING ALL OF YOU TO HELP FOR THAT YOUTH LIFE.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
UM, THE BIBLE OF MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH IS, UM, IN ITS INFANCY COMPARED TO THE OTHER CHURCHES.
UM, IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE THE, UH, THEME FOR THIS SYMPOSIUM.
PRESERVING THE LEGACY OF BLUFFTON HISTORIC AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCHES AS BACK IN 2008, MY DOCTORAL THESIS, UM, I DID A BOOK CALLED, CALLED, THE TITLE OF IT IS A SYSTEMATIC PROGRESSION OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN RELIGION.
SO A LOT OF INVESTIGATING, A LOT OF RESEARCH WENT INTO THIS.
I'VE HEARD MY NAME SEVERAL TIMES.
I AM THE S YEAH, BORN AND RAISED.
A FEW YEARS THAT I SPENT AWAY WERE
[00:35:01]
NONE OF THE BEST THAT SHE IS OF MY LIFE.WERE SPENT HERE IN BLUFFTON BIBLE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH IS VERY MUCH A PART OF ME.
I THINK FROM THE BEGINNING, UH, GOD HAD IT IN ME SOMEWHERE.
AND, UM, HE JUST HAD TO, UH, WORK WITH ME UNTIL HE WAS READY TO PULL IT OUT.
SO, UH, AS I GO, SO GOES THE BIBLE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
AS I WENT, IT CAME ALONG WITH ME.
SO, FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES, I'M GONNA READ MY, UH, BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH AND THE FORWARD FROM THIS BOOK.
AND THAT'LL TELL YOU ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW.
MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH PAUL.
I WAS RAISED IN AN AME CHURCH.
I WAS 10 BEFORE I REALIZED THAT THAT MEANT AFRICAN METHOD.
EPISCOPAL STILL YEARS PASS BEFORE I GAINED UNDERSTANDING METHOD.
AND EPISCOPAL, MY MATERNAL GRANDFATHER, REVEREND JAMES BUNKUM, WAS THE PASTOR OFME CHURCH WHERE MY MOTHER, REBECCA B. HAMILTON, AND FIVE CHILDREN, MYSELF INCLUDED, MEANT EVERY SUNDAY MORNING FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL AND WORSHIP SERVICE.
MY FATHER, PAUL HAMILTON, SENIOR, WOULD COME TO CHRIST SOMETIMES LATER THROUGH ST.
I MUST ADMIT THAT THROUGHOUT MY CHILDHOOD, ADOLESCENCE, TEEN YEARS, THE WHOLE THING WAS NOTHING MORE THAN TRADITIONAL RITUALISM.
BY THE TIME I WAS 18 AND GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS MORE THAN READY TO GET OUTTA THERE.
I APPLIED AND WAS ACCEPTED TO SOUTH CAROLINA STATE COLLEGE.
NOW UNIVERSITY, NOT NECESSARILY CAUSE IT WAS WHAT I WANTED, BUT IT WAS WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF ME.
YOU SEE, FROM EARLY IN LIFE, IT WAS NOTICED THAT I WAS BLESSED WITH NATURAL LEADERSHIP ABILITIES.
NOT BY ME, OF COURSE, BY SO MANY PEOPLE KEPT COMING UP, BOY, YOU, UH, ANYWAY, AFTER SEMESTER, I QUIT FOR, I JOINED THE ARMY IN 1972.
GOT INTO THE WAR, WANTED TO GO TO BATTLE.
IT WAS NOT A, I WAS MARRIED IN 1980 AND HAD A TOWN, PAULA, 1983, THAT I FELT A REAL SPIRITUAL VOID IN MY LIFE.
NATURALLY, AS IS THE RULE, RATHER THAN THE EXCEPTION.
I TRIED TO FILL THAT VOID WITH EVERYTHING BUT THE RIGHT THING.
THAT BEAT WENT ON FOR EIGHT YEARS.
IT TOOK A DRASTIC TURN FOR THE WORST.
WHEN MY FATHER DIED RATHER SUDDENLY OF A HEART ATTACK AT THE AGE OF 62.
FINALLY BEING SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED, I CALLED ON GOD, WHOM I HAD HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT MANY YEARS PAST.
SURPRISED WAS SWIFTLY REPLACEMENT JOY.
WHEN THAT SWEET, HOLY SPIRIT ANSWERS THROUGH THE SACRED SCRIPTURES THAT I HAVE BEEN LEADING, COME ON TO ME AND LA AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.
AND THE REST IS GLORIOUS SPIRITUAL HISTORY.
SO HERE I AM, AFTER 16 YEARS OF ONE DAY AT A TIME, STUDYING TO SHOW MYSELF APPROVED, ATTEMPTING TO WRITE MY THESIS FOR DEGREE OF DOCTORATE OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.
THE LORD HAD EMPLOYED ME AS A PASTOR TO AT THE SPIRIT, THE BIBLE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
THERE'S A SONG THAT SAYS, WASN'T EASY, BUT IT WAS WORTH IT.
NOW THE PROGRESS OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH HAS TROUBLED ME.
IT WAS AS IF A BLESSING OF FAITH CAME ALONG WHEN IN THIS EDUCATIONAL PROCESS, I FOUND THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESEARCH AND MENTALLY RELIVE THE PORTION THAT I HAD EXPERIENCED FOR MYSELF.
ALONG THIS ROAD, I HAVE DISCOVERED THE GREAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RELIGION AND CHRISTIANITY.
THAT IS WHY I HAVE CHOSEN TO LOOK AT BLACK RELIGIOSITY FROM
[00:40:01]
A SYSTEMATIC PERSPECTIVE CONTAINED HERE, AND AS SOME WELL KNOWN, BUT TOTALLY UNDOCUMENTED FACTS ABOUT THE BLACK CHURCHES THROUGH HISTORY.I IN NO WAY INTENDED TO BE CONTROVERSIAL OR NEGATIVE IN THIS WORK.
I ONLY INTEND TO BE AS TRUTHFUL AS I KNOW HOW I HAVE ENDEAVORED TO MAKE MY RESEARCH IN DEPTH AND AS COMPLETE AS NECESSARY TO BRING HOME THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE.
MY ULTIMATE EFFORT IS TO INSPIRE ALL PEOPLE, BUT ESPECIALLY BLACK PEOPLE, TO TAKE A CANDID LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE IN RELATION TO THE INHERENT WORD OF GOD'S SACRED SCRIPTURES.
I TRUST THAT SOMETHING HERE AND CAUSE A POINTED LOOK INWARD AND INSPIRE A POSITIVE LOOK UPWARD TO ULTIMATELY TO THE BLESS.
SO, QUESTIONS? I'M SURE THERE MIGHT BE SOME OUT THERE.
SO, UM, FEEL FREE TO ASK YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE DO HAVE A MICROPHONE THAT WE CAN BRING AROUND SO THAT PEOPLE CAN HEAR YOU.
SO, IN A TOWN WHEN THESE CHURCHES WERE HERE LONG BEFORE, NOT A LOT OF US, CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE GREW UP HERE, WHAT FAMILIES, LIKE YOU HAVE THREE BAPTIST CHURCHES, YOU HAVE AN AME CHURCH, AND I'VE HEARD NAMES THAT HAVE BEEN AT SEVERAL OF THESE CHURCHES WHILE I'VE LIVED HERE.
HOW DID, WHAT WAS THE, THE DRAW TO GO TO ONE OF YOUR CHURCHES OVER ANOTHER? YOU, YOU, YOU'RE TALKING TO ME,
YOU AND OSCAR, YOU KNOW, HAVE SEEN Y'ALL EVERYWHERE.
SO, BUT WHAT WAS THE DRAW WITH THE FAMILY? UM, THAT JUST, THAT FAMILY, UM, QUITE FRANKLY, UH, JUST LIKE FAMILY, CHURCH, FAMILIES, THAT THERE COME TIMES OF CONTENTION, TIMES OF DISAGREEMENT, TIMES OF, UH, OUR ELDERS USED TO SAY, UH, HAVE A SAYING FATHER IS BETTER THAN BEING IMPORTANT.
SO, UH, SOMETIMES THE SENTI DISAGREEMENTS CAME UP.
SOMEBODY WOULD SAY, WELL, I THINK IT'LL BE BETTER IF WE WERE SEPARATE, JUST LIKE FAMILY, YOU KNOW? UH, THERE'S STILL THAT CHRISTIAN LOVE.
BUT, UM, AND IN MANY WAYS, DON HAD EVERYTHING TO DO WITH IT.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD SAY A LOT, BUT EVERYTHING, BECAUSE HE DOES MOVE IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS.
UM, MUCH LIKE IN THE STORY IN THE BOOK OF PHILLIP WAS IN SYRIA AND HE WAS, UM, EVANGELIZED THESE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
ALL OF A SUDDEN GOD SNATCHED HIM AND TOLD HIM, COME ON.
I WANT YOU TO GO OVER HERE ON THIS ROAD TO THE MUNICH, AND I WANT YOU TO TEACH HIM.
SO HE TOOK HIM FROM A CROWD OF PEOPLE AND PUT HIM WITH ONE PERSON.
AND BASICALLY IT WAS JUST FACT THAT, LIKE I SAID, CHURCHES ARE MUCH LIKE FAMILIES.
MY CO UH, IN THE MINISTRY, AFTER I, I WAS RAISED IN THE AU CHURCH, VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE DOCTRINE AND, AND, UH, THE THINGS OF GOD INSTRUCTED BY MY MOTHER AND MY GRANDFATHER, AND THEN MY FATHER.
UM, I NEVER KNEW EXACTLY WHY HE WENT TO ST.
UM, I THINK CAUSE POLLY WAS, WAS HIS MENTOR.
AND, UM, WHEN HE DECIDED THAT HE WAS GOING GIVE HIS LIFE TO CHRIST, UH, SHE WAS THE ONE THAT DREW HIM IN.
JOHN BECAUSE, CAUSE MY FATHER AND MY SISTER WERE THERE, BUT WHEN GOD CALLED INTO THE MINISTRY, IT WAS A DIFFERENT STYLE.
IT WAS A DIFFERENT CALLING BECAUSE IT WAS, I WAS NEVER AND NEVER WILL BE A PREACH I PASTOR TEACHER.
AND SO TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE DESCRIPTORS NOT, THAT IS NOT TAUGHT ANY PLACE ELSE, BUT JUST TO ANSWER GOD'S CALLING AND TO BE LED GUIDED BY HIM, THE BUILDING, THE PROPERTY, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT CAME TOGETHER TO MAKE THE BIBLE MR. BAPTIST CHURCH, WERE MIRACULOUS THINGS DONE BY GOD.
WE DIDN'T HAVE NO MONEY TO JUST FOLLOW PROPERTY.
WELL, I WANNA, UM, TAKE BACK ON THAT.
I, I I KNOW OUR STARTING AS BEING THE OLDEST CHURCH IN THE 1848,
[00:45:01]
UH, SPLIT OFF.UH, SOME OF THE AME AFTER AME PASTOR CAME, THEY WANTED TO BE AME, SO THEY FOLLOWED THE AME PASTOR.
THAT'S HOW CAMPBELL, UM, GOT STARTED.
MATTHEWS WITH SOME OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS TRAVELING, UH, BACK TO FOURTH TO ST.
THEY WANTED TO BUILD CLOSER TO THE PICTURE PRI AREA AND, UM, BAPTIST ALSO, UM, PART OF ST.
HI, Y'ALL DOING GLEN, YOU LOOK SO NICE.
WHAT IS THE, UH, FUTURE PLAN FOR THE OLD SANCTUARY? OH, TO THE, THE PERIOD AROUND 1874, BUT NOT EXACTLY 1874.
AND SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? UM, WE ARE GOING TO EXPOSE AS MUCH OF THE HISTORIC FABRIC AS WE CAN, UH, REVEALING THE ORIGINAL CEILINGS, FLOORS, AND WALLS, REPLACING AND REPLICATING AS NEEDED.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO REPLICATE THE ORIGINAL WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, PORCH TIRES, ROOF AND PEWS.
UH, REPLACE THE, UH, CURRENT BELL TOWER WITH A REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL BELL TOWER.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO UPDATE THE BUILDING WITH HVAC SYSTEMS ART, UH, SAY OF THE ART, AUDIO VISUALS, MULTIMEDIA SYSTEMS, AND ADD MODERN RESTROOMS. UH, ONCE THE UH, FACILITY IS COMPLETED, IT WILL HAVE DAILY TOURS.
UM, NOT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM SAY THE HAYWARD HOUSE OR THE, UH, BARBER PARKING HOUSE.
THERE WILL BE A RENTAL SITE AND WE SEE THINGS AS, UM, DESTINATION WEDDINGS.
UH, EVEN NOW WE ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO FINISHING THE PROJECT AND PEOPLE ARE REQUESTING A SMALL INTIMATE DESTINATION WEDDING SITE.
AND, AND OF COURSE OUR PRICE RANGE IS GOING TO BE VERY COMPETITIVE WITH THE OTHER PRICES OUT THERE.
SO WE DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH RENTING IT OUT.
UM, WE, THERE'LL BE CONCERTS THERE AND SMALL GATHERINGS AND MEETINGS.
UM, IT, AT THE TIMES OF THE YEAR WHEN WE HAVE OUR, UH, BLUFFTON FESTIVALS IS GOING TO TAKE ON A NEW, UH, SIGNIFICANCE, THINGS LIKE THE, UH, GULLAH, UH, VILLAGE, WHICH IS WHEN WE OPEN THE GROUNDS TO TOURISTS SO THAT THEY CAN ENJOY THE ART AND CULTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY, UH, IN FRONT OF THE HISTORIC CHAPEL.
WE SEE IT THOUGH THE MOST, IS THAT BECAUSE THREE DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS WORSHIPED IN THAT CHAPEL.
IT IS THE PLACE WHERE THE COMMUNITY CROSSES, AND WE SEE THAT AS THE PLACE WHERE WE CAN HAVE WONDERFUL DIALOGUE AND FIND UNITY IN THE MIDST OF OUR DIVERSITY.
UM, SO THAT'S THE, UM, GOALS FOR OUR HISTORIC CHAPEL.
DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MS. SHARON? I HAVE A QUESTION.
I'VE BEEN TO REVERENDS JENKINS CHURCH MANY A TIMES, AND I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE KILLING HIM.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, WHEN DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU WANTED TO BECOME A MINISTER? WHAT LED YOU THERE? WELL, UM, IT GOT STARTED AS MATTER.
MY JOURNEY REALLY STARTED, UM, I GOT MARRIED TO A BLUFF, YOUNG LADY FROM BLUFFTON, UH, MY WIFE FROM AND, UM, BACK IN TWO ONE.
AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY OF COURSE, IN THE SECULAR WORLD OF, UM, IT JUST BECOME, YOU KNOW, BRANCH MANAGER OVER AT, UH, WHAT USED TO BE HUGHES SUPPLY, UM, NOW USED TO SUPPLYING.
AND, UM, AND I WAS REALLY JUST KINDA SEARCHING.
SO NOT THAT I DIDN'T GROW UP IN CHURCH, I DIDN'T GROW UP IN CHURCH SOMEWHAT, YOU KNOW, I, I WAS IN CHURCH, BUT, UM, HAD CROSS MY LIFE.
UM, IT WAS BECAUSE OF HER AND HER, HER COMMITMENT TO HER CHURCH.
AND I STARTED GOING TO CHURCH INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF LIVING THE, THE REBEL LIFE STARTED GOING TO CHURCH.
YOU WAS REALLY SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING UNTIL
[00:50:01]
IT FINALLY HIT ME.EVERYTHING THAT I WAS ACTUALLY DOING IN LIFE, I'M TRYING TO DO.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT ASHAMED TO SAY WE LIVED TOGETHER THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, UM, CONTRARY DESCRIPTION, LIVING IN FORNICATION AND, YOU KNOW, AFTER THREE AND A HALF OF TRYING TO BE A FAMILY MAN, TRYING TO, UH, TO PROSPER IN, UH, THREE AND A HALF YEARS OF BEING WITH A WOMAN AND NOT HAVING ANY CHILDREN UNTIL REALIZED WHAT BIBLE SAID ABOUT ME MARRIED, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHEN I MADE THAT COMMITMENT.
AND AFTER THAT COMMITMENT AND GETTING MARRIED IN 2001, OUR FIRST CHILD WAS BORN IN TWO, TWO.
SO THAT'S WHEN GOD STARTED SPEAKING.
BUT PRIOR TO MARRIAGE, UM, WE MADE A COMMITMENT TO GOD AND, AND, AND I FIRST MADE THAT COMMITMENT.
UM, AND THIS, THERE A SERIES OF MONTHS OF GOING INTO BIBLE STUDY.
THEY RUN ONE OF THE, THE FAMILIAR FACES THAT I ALWAYS SAW BIBLE.
I WAS JUST IT UP UNTIL I FINALLY MADE THE DECISION.
SHE, I WAS JOKING, SHE FOR, BUT, UM, I GOT UP UNDER SOME GOOD TEACHING AND I WAS VERY ATTENTIVE TO WHAT, WHAT I WAS HEARING.
AND DON STARTED REALLY WORK IN MY LIFE.
SO, UM, WE GOT MARRIED THE FIRST TIME, UH, IN 2001 AND, AND HAD OUR SERVICE, UH, THERE WHEN IT WAS UNDER RENOVATION.
AND, UM, THEY FORGOT THIS DEACON BROWN CAME BACK TO CLOSE THE CHURCH.
AND THAT NIGHT FOR ME AND MY WIFE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A NIGHT WHERE WE HAD ALREADY HAD A, A NICE LUXURIOUS ROOM OVER AT MARRIOTT HIP HEAD.
AND WE DIDN'T GO OVER THERE AFTER, YOU KNOW, THE RECEPTION TIME, BUT WE FOUND OURSELVES BACK OVER AT THE CHURCH RIGHT ABOUT 10, 11 O'CLOCK.
AND WHEN HE WALKED IN THE DOOR, WE WERE, WE WERE ACTUALLY IN THE CHURCH CLEANING, YOU KNOW, CLEANING CHURCH AND, UM, WHICH HE'S CRYING, NOT OVER HERE.
SO, SO, SO FOR SOME REASON GOD REALLY JUST HAD MY HEART AND I, THIS PLACE IN ZION, I, I GET, I CAN NEVER THINK THAT OUT.
I WAS JUST A YOUNG MAN GROWING SPIRITUALLY AND, AND REALLY FINDING, YOU KNOW, THAT GOD IS TRUE IN MY COMMITMENT TO THE CHURCH AND THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD.
UH, THROUGH SOME YEARS I BECAME, I THINK IN 2008, ORDAINED, UM, THE YOUNGEST DEACON IN THE CHURCH, OF COURSE, UM, OPERATING IN ABOUT A YEAR UNDER THE DIVISION OF THE OLDER DEACONS.
THE LATE DEACON LEON SENIOR WAS THE CHAIRMAN DEACON AT PARTICULAR TIME WHEN I WAS ORDAINED THAT FOLLOWING YEAR, UM, AS THE YOUNGEST DEACON IN THE CHURCH, I BECAME INTERIOR OF DEACON BOY.
UM, AGAIN, GROWING, VERY HUMBLE.
AND UM, IT JUST KIND OF TOOK OFF FROM THERE.
UM, GOD REALLY OPENED UP SOME MY LEADERSHIP CHURCH THAT I HAD ALREADY GOTTEN IN THE SECULAR WORLD, YOU KNOW, MANAGEMENT STUFF.
BUT FROM A SPIRITUAL STANDPOINT, HE REALLY SHOWED ME WHERE MY NICHE WAS.
AND IT WAS IN THE WORLD, GOD DEALING WITH PEOPLE THAT A HEART BE PURSUED, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE YEARS, UM, WHILE I WAS STILL WORKING IN THE SECULAR WORLD, STILL DOING FAIRLY WELL, UM, I HAD A DREAM.
I WORKED ON A DREAM TONIGHT, BUT THAT'S WHEN I KNEW THAT, YEAH, THIS IS WHERE GOD WAS.
I HAVE MANY OF THEM, THIS IS WHAT I KNEW.
AND, UM, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP FOR PASTOR AND BECKETT, UM, MY DAMON SHARED HIM THAT DREAM.
AND, UM, HE SAID HE WAS JUST WAITING TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS GOING TO SAY THE, SO, SO YEAH, I, I WAS, I WAS LICENSED, UM, IN, UH, FIRST TIME, I THINK IN 2012.
UM, 2014 I BECAME INTERIM PASTOR AND UM, A YEAR I BECAME A PASTOR.
I'VE BEEN THE PASTOR SINCE THEN.
BUT, UM, I CAN TRUTHFULLY SAY SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, I KNEW I NEVER KNEW.
CAUSE IF YOU WOULD'VE TOLD ME THAT BACK IN MY EARLY YEARS, I WOULD'VE DONE PAUL.
BUT AGAIN, SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THAT IN A NUTSHELL.
THAT'S KINDA, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW I MOVE GOD, GOD UP.
IT TOOK SOME TIME FOR ME TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, FIND MY, MY MINISTRY.
WELL, IF THERE'S NOT ANY MORE QUESTIONS, MORE QUESTIONS? YES MA'AM.
SO I YOU, WHEN THERE IS RACIAL DISTURBANCE IN OUR COUNTRY, DO YOU FORECASTERS EVER COLLABORATE TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR TOWN AND PUT ON SOMETHING TO, FOR ALL THE PEOPLE? CAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE GOD, THERE'S ONLY ONE GOD.
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS, DO YOU GUYS EVER COLLABORATE TOGETHER TO SEE HOW WE CAN BRING OUR PEOPLE TOGETHER UNDER
[00:55:01]
UNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON RACIALLY, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUNG PEOPLE? I HEARD SOMEBODY TALK ABOUT AND GETTING READY TO DO SOME, UH, YOUNG LIFE, SO, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE KIDS IN THE COMMUNITY, IT'S SO DIVERSE.DO YOU GUYS EVER COLLABORATE TOGETHER TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD TACKLE AS THE FOUR CHURCHES, BLACK AFRICAN CHURCHES, AND TALK ABOUT IT IN OUR COMMUNITY? WILL THERE EVER BE SOMETHING LIKE THAT? WELL, LET ME JUST SAY WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THINGS, NOT NECESSARILY AS FOUR CHURCHES.
UM, UM, PASTOR JENKINS AND I AND CORNERSTONE, UM, SPOKE TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, BISHOP DIXON, RABBI AND SOME OTHERS.
WE SPOKE TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND SEVERAL TIMES, UH, WITH DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT WERE GOING ON AND DIFFERENT TIMES.
UM, WHEN THERE WAS SOME REAL, UH, HARSH POLITICAL THINGS, WE SPOKE TO
UM, SO I THINK WE COME TOGETHER AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
UM, BUT THERE'S ALSO A WHAT TO BRING, WHAT I THINK YOU ARE POINTING AT A COALITION TOGETHER, UH, UH, TO HAVE A MINISTERIAL, A BLUFF, MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE.
UM, MY, UH, APPROACH TO THINGS LIKE THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO BE PROACTIVE.
UM, I SPONSOR CHRISTIAN MEN'S MEETING EVERY FRIDAY MORNING AT THE CHURCH, UH, 15 TO 20 MEN BUSINESSMEN IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, DOCTORS, FIREMEN, POLICE, POLICE CHIEF.
UH, AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSS ON A PROACTIVE BASIS.
AND YES, WHEN THERE'S SOMETHING THAT GOES ON THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, WE ADDRESS HIM.
UM, PASTOR BENNY AND I, MUCH LIKE HE AND PASTOR BLACK, WE GET TOGETHER, HE'S AT THE MEETINGS.
UM, WE ALWAYS TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THROUGH CHRIST AND SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP WE STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME.
AND, UM, I WOULD ATTRIBUTE THAT TO BE ONE OF THE REASONS THAT, UM, OUT OF HAND AROUND HERE AS THEY DO ELSEWHERE, BECAUSE WE ARE ADDRESSING PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE ADDRESSING YOUNG MEN, YOUNG MEN TO MEETINGS IN THE MORNINGS.
UM, BUT JUST TO STAY PRAYED UP TO STAY WHERE GOD CAN LEAD US AND GOD US SO THAT WE CAN LEAD AND GUIDE OTHERS IS, IS WHAT WE TRY TO, TO DO.
AND TO, TO YOUR POINT, BUSINESS REAL QUICK.
UM, A LOT OF COLLABORATIVE, UM, COMING TOGETHER AND MENDING AND, AND COMING UP WITH BETTER SOLUTIONS TO, TO, TO BRIDGE A GAP IN THE COMMUNITY.
OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, UM, PARTICULARLY FIRST TIME WE, WE FELLOWSHIP EVERY YEAR WITH, UH, WITH UM, AND UM, PREDOMINANT WHITE CONGREGATION, PREDOMINANTLY BLACK CONGREGATION.
BUT WE'VE, THIS WAS NEVER REALLY BEHIND THE SCENES.
CAUSE WE REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THIS ABOUT NOW PAUL TALKING MORNING, YOU SAID DIVERS GROUP OF I DON'T WANNA SIGN, JUST GIMME A QUESTION.
THIS PARTICULAR FRIDAY MEETING WITH NO AGENDA, AND I'M SURE ANYBODY THAT HAVE DIFFERENT POLITICAL VIEWS, DIFFERENT RACES, BUT WHAT ALL THE COMMONALITY IS, IS THAT WE'RE ALL, IF YOU HEAR SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS AND WHATEVER FLOWS IN THAT ROOM, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT GROUP, IF, IF THAT GROUP WERE TO TIE INTO THE COMMUNITY, WHAT WE DO SHOULD BE THE EXPRESSION OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY DOES.
CAUSE I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING HAPPEN BEFORE.
SO, SO, UH, TO YOUR POINT, HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET OUT, YOU KNOW, THE SPACE THAT WE'RE IN AND IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT IT THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO THAT'S A GREAT THING YOU SAID PASTOR, AND IT NEEDS TO BE COMING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.
AND WHY ASK THAT QUESTION IS CAUSE I'M IN A SCHOOL, I'M IN A
[01:00:01]
SCHOOL THAT I, THE PASTORS, YOU SIT UP HERE AND THAT'S WONDERFUL.AND THIS IS LEARNING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE BLACK CHURCHES.
AND ONCE UPON A TIME, THAT'S ALL THEY DID.
ALL BLACK CHURCHES, OUR PASTORS, WE WERE FOR ONE ANOTHER.
SO MY OPINION IS I WANT TO SEE YOU GUYS OUT TO, TO MINISTER TO OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES WHO ARE LOST.
OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN YOUNG LADIES WHO THEY CAN'T SEE US.
WE DO GOOD IN THESE FOUR WALKS.
AND OVER THESE FOUR CHURCHES, AND NOT ONLY THE, THE FOUR BLACK JUDGES, ALL OF THE MINISTERIAL PEOPLE, EVERYBODY SHOULD BE A PARENT TO EVERYBODY'S CHILD.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE, BUT WE ARE LOSING THEM.
IT'S GOOD TO KNOW WHAT THE BLACK CHURCHES ARE DOING, BUT, BUT I WANT TO HEAR THE BLACK CHURCHES ARE DOING, REACHING OUT TO OUR YOUTH, NOT JUST IN CONVERSATION.
AND IT POWER IS THAT THE POWER OUTSIDE WALLS OUT THAT OUTTA WE HAVE STARTED THREE VERY SUCCESSFUL MENTORING GROUPS SUPPORT HEROES OF THE COUNTRY.
UH, BRAND NEW MENTORING GROUP OF BEING, UM, AIDED BY THE UNITED WAY, UM, LOW COUNTRY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION FOR MENTORING YOUNG MEN.
YES, YOU HEAR MEN, UM, IF IT OFFENDS SOMEBODY, I'M SORRY, BUT GOD SAID THAT MEN ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE LEADERS IN THEIR HOUSEHOLDS.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE HAVEN'T TURMOIL IS BECAUSE ARE NOT IN THE POSITION.
WHEN YOU HERE SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLD, YOU CAN GUARANTEE THAT 90% OF THOSE ARE MOTHER AND CHILDREN.
I DO BELIEVE THAT IF WE CAN GET MEN TO GET WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AND DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, THEN AS NOT INTENDED, EVERYBODY ELSE CAN GET IN LINE AND, AND EVERYBODY ELSE WILL BE FINE.
THANK GO DO I REALLY DO HOPE Y'ALL LEARN SOMETHING.
UM, JUST HOW THINGS WERE BEFORE WE FOUND THIS WONDERFUL PLACE THAT I THINK WE ALL CALLED HOME.
UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU SUPPORT THE GROUPS OUT IN THE HALLWAY.
UM, THEY COULD TAKE VOLUNTEERS, THEY COULD TAKE TERMINATIONS.
BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS GROUP.
I COULD TELL A LITTLE STORY ABOUT BECK.
REVEREND I WAS GONNA RECOGNIZE YOU AND MAYOR MCCRACKEN JUST STOOD UP.
SO MAYOR MCCRACKEN, Y'ALL NOT RECOGNIZING THIS WONDERFUL CHAMBERS' NAME FOR THANK YOU THINK THEY HAVE SO MUCH TO DAN IS ON OUR COUNCIL.
DAN WOOD, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
COUNCILMAN OLIVER BROWN SERVED COUNSEL AND MITCHELL COUNSEL WHERE ANN COOK, WHO TOLD ME SHE WAS THE FIRST FEMALE MALE.
UM, PASTOR MR. IS ONE OF OUR CHAPLAINS.
LOOKED AROUND PRETTY GOOD, BUT IT'S A LOT OF HER SERVICE AND THE TOWN.
THANK THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DID.
HE WAS THE CHAIRMAN DEACON FOR THE BIBLE MISSIONARY BAPTIST
[01:05:01]
CHURCH FROM ITS INCEPTION UNTIL HIS DEATH.HE, HE WAS THE ONE THAT WENT OUT AND COLLECTED THE, THE MONIES THAT WE WORKED TIRELESSLY.
WE WERE IN PLANNING SESSIONS TWO AND THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE, WITHOUT LETTING YOU KNOW, AND BEING ASSURED THAT WITHOUT HIM WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE.
WELL, WE TRULY MENTIONED HIM CAUSE HE STARTED APPRECIATION.
AND WE WANT TO INVITE ALL OF YOU TO THE HAYWARD HOUSE WHERE THE STAFF LED BY ROBERT JONES, WHO'S PROBABLY BOLTED OVER THERE, IS, UM, HOSTING A RECEPTION FOR ALL OF US.
IT'S JUST A SHORT WALK ON OUR BRAND NEW BRIDGE STREET.
SO Y'ALL WALK, THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND.
GO TO BEAUFORT COUNTY SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS, CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM THE LIST CALL MEETING TO, UH, ORDER.
IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
UM, GUEST AND MOST IMPORTANTLY OUR TENNIS PLAYERS.
WELCOME TO THE NEWLY RENOVATED BEAUFORT TENNIS COURT.
UM, THIS ROUGHLY $700,000 INVESTMENT WILL SERVE TENNIS LOVERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTY.
THE RENOVATION STARTED LAST APRIL WITH THEM, UH, DEMOLISHING OF THE EXISTING COATS AND INSTALLING ALL NEW COATS, NETS, FENCES, AND GATES ALONG WITH ADA COMPLIANCE SIDEWALKS.
THE EXISTING COURT LIGHTING WAS UPGRADED AND RAIN GARDENS AND RUNOFF CONTROLS WERE ADDED TO ADDRESS THE STORM WATER ISSUES THERE.
THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED THROUGH A VERY STORMY WET SUMMER.
THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY INVESTING IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORT, SPENDING AROUND $2 MILLION IN PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES.
THE CHARLES LYNN BROWN CENTER CONTINUES TO BE UPGRADED AND THE COUNTY WILL ADD MORE PICKLE BALLS AND BASKETBALL COURT TO THE SOUTH SIDE PARK WITH MUCH MORE TO COME.
ALTHOUGH TENNIS IS THOUGHT TO BE A, PREDOMINANTLY A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE SPORT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT IN 2022, MANY AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE PLAYING TENNIS.
AND THERE IS ACTUALLY A LONG, RICH HISTORY BEYOND ARTHUR ASH AND THE WILLIAMS SISTERS TUSKE INSTITUTE, FOUNDED BY BOOKER T WASHINGTON ADDED TENNIS COURTS AND THE TENNIS TEAM IN THE 1890S.
NOT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HEARD THE STORY OF AHA GIBSON.
SHE WAS BORN IN A TOWN OF SILVER IN CLARATON COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA AND MOVE TO THE, IN 1930S TO HARLEM GIBSON WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO COMPLETE, TO COMPETE INTERNATIONALLY IN TENNIS, WINNING FIVE GRAND SLAM SINGLE TWO, UH, TITLES BETWEEN 1956 AND 1958.
IF THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH TO THE, UH, IN THE 1960S,
[01:10:01]
SHE ALSO BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN PLAYER TO COMPETE ON THE WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL GOLF TOUR.SO AS YOU CAN SEE, AMERICAN, BOTH BLACK AND WHITE HAVE BEEN, HAVE ENJOYING TENNIS FOR A LONG TIME.
AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I LEARNED TENNIS OR HOW THEY HIT THE BALL, UH, ON THAT COURT RIGHT THERE BACK IN THE 19 EARLY 1960.
I NEVER KNEW THE GAME OF TENNIS UNTIL I GOT TO COLLEGE AND I FIRST LEARNED WHAT, UH, 15 LOVE WAS.
UM, SO WE JUST PLAYED TENNIS, UH, ON THIS COURT RIGHT HERE.
I HOPE THAT THIS STORY AND THESE COURTS INSPIRE ALL THE YOUTH IN BEAUFORD COUNTY TO EXCEL IN THEIR INTERESTS AND TALENT.
AND MAYBE, YES, MAYBE A TENNIS STAR WILL START THE JOURNEY RIGHT HERE.
YEAH, I KNOW THAT THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT, UH, THE BEAUFORT AREA WILL ENJOY THIS BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.
I GREW UP RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
SO THIS IS THE HOOD, THIS IS HOME.
MY GRANDBABIES, UH, ALL FOUR OF 'EM PLAYED, UH, NATIONAL TENNIS BECAUSE OF, UM, LARRY DWAYNE, WE JUST LOVE YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND JUST A LITTLE SIDE NOTE BEFORE I PRAY, UH, LARRY'S UH, I GREW UP ON THIS CORNER AND HE GREW UP RIGHT ON THE CORNER.
HIS OLDEST SISTER WAS MY BEST FRIEND.
AND WE COULD TALK FROM THE STEPS.
AND I REMEMBER WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE, LITTLE, HE WAS, HE WASN'T EVEN WALKING, HE WAS CRAWLING AND HE HAD A TENNIS BALL IN HIS HANDS.
AND I TOLD MY JULIE, HIS MOTHER AT THE TIME, I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER HE'S GONNA BE IN LIFE IS GONNA BE WITH THE BALL.
AND NOT ONLY DOES HE PLAY TENNIS WELL, HE PLAYED EXCELLENT BASKETBALL, BASEBALL AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT HE HAS EXCELLED IN TENNIS AND HAS GIVEN THAT GIFT BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY.
HE'S SUCH A JEWEL AND A TREASURE.
AND I THANK GOD FOR HIM, FATHER GOD, WE THANK YOU, HALLELUJAH.
SWEET HOLY SPIRIT FOR YOUR PRESENCE IN THIS PLACE.
FATHER GOD, WE ANOINT THESE GROUNDS AS HOLY AND HOLO GROUND FOR YOUR SERVICE, FOR YOUR SPIRIT TO DWELL GOD.
WE SAID, NONE OF US, BUT ALL OF YOU.
AND WE SAID, NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST WHAT YOU HAVE STARTED HERE SHALL BE ABLE TO PROSPER.
FATHER GOD, AS WE WALK THESE COURTS AND OUR YOUNG PEOPLE COME, FATHER GOD, THEY WILL FIND A PLACE OF SAFETY, A PLACE WHERE LOVE ABIDES IN THIS PLACE AND WHERE SOMEBODY CAN SPEAK A POSITIVE WORD INTO THEIR LIVES.
AND GOD, THOSE THAT HAVE HAD A HAND IN THIS MOMENT, GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS THEM WITH A DOUBLE PORTION OF A PROPHETS REWARD.
AND GOD, ORDER OUR STEPS IN YOUR WORD.
HELP US TO TRU TRULY BE KEEPERS AND STEWARD OF THE GIFT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US AND NOT TO TAKE THIS DAY FOR GRANTED.
LORD, THIS IS THE DAY THAT YOU HAVE MADE AND WE'VE MADE A CHOICE TO COME TOGETHER TODAY AND TO BE A CHOICE.
AND BE GLADED IN IT IS IN YOUR NAME.
NOW ONE OF THE GULLAH TRADITIONS IS ONCE YOU GET THE WORDS YOU HAVE TO JOIN IN, THIS IS NOT A SOLO.
OH, Y'ALL GONNA DO THE PLEDGE.
THEY GONNA DO THE PLEDGE FIRST.
OH, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
HOLY SPIRIT, KUMBAYA, HOLY SPIRIT, KUMBAYA, HOLY SPIRIT, KUMBAYA SAID WHISTLE, LONG FIRE.
HOLY SPIRIT, KUMBA, HOLY SPIRIT, KUMBAYA, HOLY SPIRIT, KUBA SAID WE.
HOLY SPIRIT, KU, HOLY SPIRIT, KUMBAYA, HOLY SPIRIT, KUMBAYA SAID, WE CAN PRAY.
[01:15:01]
CAN LOVE.RIGHT? HOLY SPIRIT, KU, HOLY SPIRIT, KUMBAYA, HOLY SPIRIT.
KUMBAYA SAID, WE SAW LONG FIRE.
THE MANDATE IS THAT WE LOVE BETTER AND IF WE LOVE BETTER, WE'LL DO BETTER.
MY NAME IS MARSHALL WILLIAMS AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE NEW BEAUFORT TENNIS CLUB.
THE CLUB HAS BEEN ORGANIZING OVER THE SUMMER TO BE READY TO BRING THESE BEAUTIFUL TENNIS COURTS TO LIFE WITH CHILDREN AND ADULTS FROM THIS HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD, THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT OF BEAUFORT, AND FROM THE WIDER AREA NORTH OF THE BROAD, AND EVEN FROM SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
IF YOU CAN BRAVE THE TRAFFIC
I THINK ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE BEAUFORT TENNIS CLUB STEERING COMMITTEE ARE HERE THIS MORNING.
AND I'LL JUST ASK THEM TO STEP FORWARD OR WAVE SO WE CAN SEE EVERYONE.
JANICE JOHNSON, MARY N. WRIGHT, CHRIS PETERSON, ROB HILTON, JAN HORAN, VICKY HKI, SALLY HENDRIX, SUE RAINEY.
IT'S BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH YOU ALL.
IF YOU WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CLUB, PLEASE SPEAK TO ANY OF US AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU VOLUNTEER ALONG WITH US.
WE'LL HAVE INFORMATION AND AN EMAIL SIGN UP SHEET FOR YOU AFTER THE CEREMONIES.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE ON OUR LIST ALREADY.
IT'S ALSO A REAL PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE HERE TO INTRODUCE AND RECOGNIZE LARRY SHEPHERD.
HE REALLY DOESN'T NEED AN INTRODUCTION.
LARRY HAS BEEN LEADING FREE PUBLIC CLINICS FOR CHILDREN AT THESE COURTS, AND HE'S TAUGHT LEGIONS OF YOUNG AND OLDER TENNIS PLAYERS THROUGH THE YEARS, YEARS.
HE'S HERE WITH HIS ASSISTANT, DONNA WINLAND.
GREW UP COMING HERE TO PLAY TENNIS.
HE WAS BORN AND RAISED RIGHT IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND CHARLES LIND BROWN WAS A MENTOR TO LARRY AS HE WAS TO SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE GROWING UP HERE.
LARRY AND HIS CREW WORK HARD TO CONTINUE THAT TRADITION.
HIS FREE CLASS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AGE TWO TO 18 WILL START ON SATURDAY AT NOON AND HIS CLINICS AND LESSONS BEGIN TOMORROW.
LARRY, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH ALL OF US SOON, AS SOON AS WE'RE DONE HERE, BUT PLEASE JUST TO HAVE A WORD FOR US.
OH, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO PARKS AND RECREATION FOR GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO GIVE OUR SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
UH, THANK YOU TO MY COUSIN, UH, PEARL SUE.
I'VE SAYING THOSE KIND OF THINGS ABOUT ME.
UH, THANK YOU TO, UH, MY ASSISTANT, MS. WINLAND, AND TO ALSO MS. JANICE JOHNSON, JAN, AND ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE HELPED ME THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU GUYS.
AND ALSO, I KNOW MR. LYNN BROWN'S LOOKING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, FOR YOU ALL, FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY.
THIS LAND WAS GIVEN MANY YEARS AGO TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE RECREATION OF ITS YOUNG PEOPLE.
OUR GOAL AND PURPOSE IS TO SEE THESE COURTS FILL UP WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS PLAYING TENNIS AT ALL LEVELS.
AND OUR CLUB WILL BE MADE UP OF VOLUNTEERS HELPING TO ORGANIZE ROUND ROBINS SPECIAL EVENTS, MEN'S AND WOMEN'S MIXED DOUBLES, TENNIS UNDER THE STARS, U S T A C C T A, AND OTHER TOURNAMENTS.
WE CAN USE EVERYONE'S HELP AND IDEAS.
THE U S T A AND COASTAL CAROLINA TENNIS ASSOCIATION HAVE BOTH SENT THEIR BEST WISHES AS WE OPEN UP.
AND I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE PATTY LADA, WHO IS THE C C T A LEAD COORDINATOR WHO IS JOINING US TODAY.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT TO THANKS TO SHANNON LOPER FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY PARKS AND REC FOR GETTING US HERE TODAY TO THEIR MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR, JACK FRIPP, WHO MADE THE PARK BEAUTIFUL AND USER FRIENDLY.
AND THEIR STAFF, JEREMY AND HEATHER ARE ALSO HERE.
THANKS, MR. GLOVER, AUNT PEARL, SUE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
BLESS YOU FOR LAUNCHING THE NEW TENNIS COURTS, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
[01:20:02]
WELL, IN CLOSING, EVERYBODY'S KIND OF BEEN THANKED, BUT I'D STILL LIKE TO THANK A FEW MORE.UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT HERE TODAY.
WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO OPEN UP THE COURTS.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING AND I THINK EVERYBODY CAN AGREE WITH THAT.
UM, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED WITH AT PARKS AND REC TO HAVE, UM, LARRY SHEPHERD AS, UM, PART OF OUR STAFF NOW, UM, TO BE WORKING WITH US, BUT ALSO TO BE WORKING AND DOING CLINICS OUT HERE.
UM, WE FEEL LIKE THAT IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP BY HAVING HIM ON BOARD TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY MONITOR THE COURTS, BUT TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MORE PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS, FREE PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS, AND TO BE ABLE TO OFFER LESSONS WITH THE KIDS.
UM, WE STILL HAVE A FEW THINGS TO FINISH UP, SO IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT WE'VE COME A LONG WAY WITH IT.
UM, AS WE, UM, PROGRESS OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, YOU'LL SEE SOME ADDITIONAL LIGHTING, UM, THAT'LL BE DONE.
UM, SOME WATER FOUNTAIN CHANGE OUTS, UM, MESSAGE BOARDS ADDED, AND, UM, JUST ODDS AND ENDS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
WE'LL HAVE THE COURTS NUMBERED.
UM, BUT WE WANTED TO GET EVERYBODY OUT HERE AND, AND START PLAYING TENNIS WITHOUT ANY MORE HOLD UP.
UM, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR OVERSEEING THE PROJECT.
UM, I REALLY THANK ERIC LARSON FOR COMING OUT HERE ON THURSDAY WHEN I WAS IN A HUGE PANIC OF HOW, HOW ARE WE GONNA GET THIS RIGHT AND HAVE HIM CALL EVERYBODY THAT HE CALLED OUT TO, UM, GET THE, UM, EVERYTHING COMPLETE AND LOOKING GOOD.
THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR BRINGING ALL THEIR CREWS OUT.
MY MAINTENANCE CREW WHO'S BEEN OUT HERE SINCE THURSDAY, UM, CHUCK, UM, ATKINSON, WHO SUPPORTS ME IN MY ROLE AS THE PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR, AND ALSO WHAT I CALL OUR DYNAMIC DUO, ERIC AND WHITNEY, FOR BRINGING, UM, THE OLD PARKS AND REC BACK TO LIFE AND REALLY SUPPORTING US, UM, IN THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.
SO, UM, IF EVERYBODY IS READY, WE'RE GONNA CUT THE RIBBON AND, UM, EVERYBODY CAN SERVE UP, START SOME MATCHES AND HIT THE BALLS.
HE'S 23 YEARS OLD, WELL RESPECTED YOUNG MAN, HARD WORKER, COURTEOUS, WELL-MANNERED ALL AROUND, LOVELY KID.
ON OCTOBER 15TH, 2021, SHORTLY AFTER 11:00 PM MARLON LYONS, JR.
WAS RETURNING A MOVING TRUCK TO ALL MY SONS MOVING IN STORAGE ON BLUFFTON ROAD.
MARLON WORKED THERE AND HAD JUST FINISHED A JOB BEFORE HE COULD LEAVE WORK FOR THE NIGHT.
HE WAS GUNNED DOWN IN THE PARKING LOT.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS HAPPENED TO SOMEBODY I THOUGHT MINDED.
HIS OWN BUSINESS WASN'T OUT LOOKING FOR TROUBLE.
THE GUNFIRE WAS HEARD AND REPORTED TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE COMMUNICATION CENTER.
DEPUTIES RESPONDED TO THE AREA AND LOCATED MARLON.
HE WOULD LATER DIE EN ROUTE TO THE HOSPITAL.
YOU CAN'T PUT IT INTO WORDS WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS TO YOUR CHILD.
A PARENT SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO BURY THEIR CHILD.
SINCE THE INITIAL CALL, INVESTIGATORS HAVE COMBED THROUGH EVIDENCE AND FOLLOWED UP ON NUMEROUS LEADS.
AT THIS TIME, A SUSPECT HAS NOT BEEN NAMED IN THE MURDER OF MARLON LYONS, JR.
YOU NEVER EXPECTED TO HAPPEN TO YOUR CHILD.
AND IF, AND ANYBODY KNOWS ANYTHING, YOU WOULD WANT THEM TO COME FORWARD.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS THE, THE STREETS, SO TO SAY, WHERE THEY THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE A SNITCH OR THE PEOPLE ARE GONNA RETALIATE AGAINST YOU.
BUT UNTIL IT HAPPENS TO YOU, YOU WILL NEVER KNOW THAT FEELING.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING OR KNOWS ANYTHING, SEEN ANYTHING, HEARD, ANYTHING, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
ANYONE WITH INFORMATION REGARDING THE MURDER OF MARLON LYONS, JR.
IS ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT CORPORAL CALORE.
YOU CAN DO SO AT 8 4 3 2 5 5 3 4 1 1, OR CRIME STOPPERS OF THE LOW COUNTRY AT 8 4 3 5 5 4 1 1 1 1.
IF WISHING TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS,
[01:25:03]
BUFORD COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA HAS SEVERAL JOB OPENINGS, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, IT SPECIALISTS, LIBRARY ASSISTANTS, BUS DRIVERS APPLY TODAY@BUFORDCOUNTYSE.GOV.HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
YEAH, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITY TO DO AN OPEN HOUSE OUT HERE AT A R W AND, UM, YOU KNOW, DEAL WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
THE FIRST, FIRST YEAR, YOU REALLY NEVER KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE TO EXPECT, BUT THE WEATHER COOPERATED ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS OUT HERE.
AND WE HAD HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, I WOULD SAY OUT HERE, JUST A FANTASTIC TURNOUT.
UM, AND THEY GOT TO WATCH SOME, UH, VINTAGE AIRCRAFT AND SOME BRAND NEW AIRCRAFT WITH THE GULF STREAM DOING A LITTLE BIT OF A FLYOVER.
EACH YEAR SOUTH, UH, AVIATION ASSOCIATION DOES DESIGNATES A WEEK TO PROMOTE AVIATION, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE, UH, TO THE ECONOMY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO THEY ENCOURAGED ALL EACH OF THE 50 SOME AIRPORTS IN THE STATE TO PUT ON SOME KIND OF EVENT DURING THAT WEEK.
AND WE PICKED THE 15TH, UH, BECAUSE IT WAS PICKED OVER JAPAN.
SO WE GOT JOHN BOL AND THE AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD TO JOIN US AND TO ENTHUSI.
SO, UM, I, UH, SCHEDULED, YOU KNOW, FRIENDS WHO'VE GOT 11 FLYBYS GULF STREAM AND, UH, ALL DIFFERENT AIRPLANES.
WE WERE ABLE TO STRUCTURE IT WITH THESE STATIC DISPLAY AIRPLANES.
AND THERE'S 10 OF THOSE ALL UNIQUE, SOME HIGH WING, SOME LOW, SOME UH, UH, GRASS, AIRPLANES, SEA PLANES, TWO SEA PLANES.
UH, AND WE SHOW THE DIVERSITY OF, UH, AIRPLANES AT OUR AIRPORT HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY.
WELL, FIRST WE'RE VERY HONORED THAT BU COUNTY AIRPORT INVITED US AND FOR THIS HONOR, I MEAN, IT WAS JUST SPECIAL.
SO THE, THE COUNTY, I MEAN, THE AIRMEN, OUR CHAPTER, ARMY BAND CHAPEL WANTED TO DO SOMETHING IN RETURN.
WE WERE RECOGNIZED THAT WE WERE PUT OUT FRONT HONORED GUESTS OF THIS ANNUAL EVENT, 75 YEARS SINCE END OF WORLD WAR II DOESN'T GET MORE SPECIAL THAN THAT.
SO WE WANTED TO LEAVE A TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION IN BU COUNTY AND BU COUNTY AIRPORT FOR RECOGNIZING CUSTOMER, YOU KNOW, WE JUST FIGURED, LET'S OPEN UP THE GATES, LET'S LET PEOPLE LEARN ABOUT THE AIRPORT, TAKE SOME OF THE MYSTERY OUT OF THINGS, AND SHOW THEM THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST FOR THE RICH PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, AVIATION CAN BE FUN FOR EVERYBODY.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S JOBS IN ALL DIFFERENT PARTS OF AVIATION.
SO WE JUST WANNA OPEN PEOPLE'S EYES, GIVE 'EM SOMETHING FUN TO DO.
AND, AND WE DID THAT 5K THIS MORNING TOO, AND HOW OFTEN YOU GET TO RUN A 5K IN A, AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BUFORD COUNTY.