SEPTEMBER, 2008 August 2008 Was A Time For Revival At …images.acswebnetworks.com/1/1134/September08_Echo.pdf · in God™s Word, in Prayer and in Faith! When we do this, God is

Powerful, Spirit-filled devotional services were provided by the Deacons� Ministry, every evening, as minds, spirit and souls were prepared for the evening worship services.

Witnessing the songs of praise, testimonies and prayers celebrating the movement of God in the lives of so many was a revival within itself! As the spirit moved throughout the sanctuary, I was reminded of the devotional services of �Olden Days�! Oh, what a blessing it was to witness God�s presence in the lives of our sisters and brothers in Christ. To share in �Making a joyful noise unto The Lord� is the reward for being obe-dient unto Him and His Word.

As we share out thankfulness for what God Has Done, Is Doing and Will Do in our lives, it is our acknowledgement of being in A Special Place. We are in A Special Place be-cause of the spiritual growth in our lives.

As we anticipated the spiritual journey on which God would take us, the first lesson revealed was �Always Be Prepared�. After the singing of �Jesus, What A Wonder You Are�, led by Minister Pearl Williams, and �I Prayed About It�, led by Donnie Brown, Pastor Eddie Davis brought God�s Word. Joshua 1:5 � 7, with special empha-sis on vs. 5, supported his subject, �Spiritual Warfare�.

Pastor Davis reminded the attendees that it is importance to be assured of God�s presence in our lives, at all times. We were reminded of how past battles strengthen us for future battles. Rev. Davis also reminded us of the need to be strong in God�s Word, in Prayer and in Faith! When we do this, God is only setting us up for �Victory�. God�s message to each of us is that He will not fail us; He may not come when we want Him, but He will not fail us!

Tuesday evening, Rev. Rodney James deliv-ered God�s Word from Luke 7: 36-48, with special

emphasis on vs. 38. His subject was, �Winning From Behind�. He reminded us that �A fair share of victories in our life must be won from be-hind�. He also reminded us to �Hang-in� when others are out front. �Hang in and dig deeper� be-cause with God�s help, you will eventually move from last to first. Rev. James told us, if we give ourselves to God in service and substance, God will take care of us!

Wednesday evening, Pastor Eddie Davis returned and continued God�s Word from Joshua 5:13-15. He continued the subject, �Spiritual Warfare�. He reminded us that worship is a life style which we must exercise daily. We were told victory will come, if we continue to grow in God�s Word. Pastor Davis closed the revival by leading us in a spirit-filled rendition of, �Thank You Lord�! Surely, we have a lot for which to be thankful!

Special thanks to Rev. Davis, Rev. James and the many family and friends who celebrated with us during Revival 2008! Hopefully, everyone is better prepared spiritually, as a result of having been blessed with these three nights of spirit-filled services!! Our prayer is, �May each of you be filled with Joy and Peace�.

SEPTEMBER, 2008

August 2008 Was A Time For Revival At Savannah Grove Baptist Church!!

Tomiah Michelle Jones is the daughter of Mr. Tyron & Mrs. Hope Jones of Florence, South Carolina. She is the grand-daughter of Mrs. Barbara Crenshaw and Mrs. Gladys Ethridge of Greenwood, South Carolina. Tomiah competed in the South Carolina State AAU Gymnastics Meet, April 2008 in Columbia, SC. For the 6-7 year olds, Tomiah placed 1st in the state. Tomiah qualified for the nationals, so she competed in Orlando, Florida in her 2008 AAU Age Group Gymnastics National Championships. Tomiah placed 4th on the Beam, 5th on the floor and 1st on the vault! She placed 4th all around in the national competition held at the Wide World of Sports! Tomiah is a 3rd grader at North Vista Elementary School in Florence, South Carolina. Tomiah, SGBC Family

are extremely proud of you.

~ Scriptures of the Month ~ Chosen by Him...Walk in Love

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Colossians 3:12,13 NASB I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fasting; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love. 2 Corinthians 6:4-6 NKJV Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

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Third Grader, Tomiah Jones Competes In The South Carolina State AAU Gymnastics Meet

TOMIAH MICHELLE JONES

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Volunteers are needed for

The Grief Ministry. Interested Persons,

Please Contact Deaconess

Blanchie J. James

It May Not Be What It Seems I am reminded of the story of how David was called to be-come the greatest king Israel had ever had. David�s anointing was upon him well before he took the throne. His appoint-ment to be king starts in chapter 16 of I Samuel, but he does not actually take the throne until II Samuel, chapter 2. When he is anointed, in this chapter, it is not over the entire Israel kingdom; it is over only a part of it. In chapter 17 of I Samuel, we have one of the greatest memories of David that every Christian should know. We have the story of how God uses David to save the children of Israel from the Philistines. Saul and the children of Israel are gathered together to fight the Philistines, however the Philis-tines have a massive champion on their side called Goliath. The Bible talks of the height and the size of this champion. He was �six cubits and a span,� meaning he was 9 feet 8 inches tall. The Bible makes certain we know how big and how tall Goliath was, but it does not mention the height of David.

David was considerably smaller than his enemy, because the Bible says he was a �youth�. However, he was not deterred from what he had to do. Sometimes things may not be what they seem. David turned out to be the champion of the day. He killed the most hated enemy of Israel, and he helped the men regain faith in themselves. How many times have we been faced with a situation that seemed to be one thing, but it turned out to be another? How many times have we placed out respect in a person who has let us down? How many times do we overlook people because �we� think they are not good enough, or we have a question about their ability to handle the job? Maybe it is time for us to look at our situation the way David looked at the situation with Goliath. I am cer-tain he was scared, but he did not allow his fear to deter him from what he had to do. He stepped out on faith. He de-pended on God for help. Let me encourage you while I encourage myself. Sometimes we miss our blessings because we think they should look a certain way or come from a certain avenue. The children of Israel waited for the Messiah to come; when he did they re-jected Him because they thought he was too common to be the person they had been told about and for whom they were praying for. How many of us are praying that the Messiah (Jesus) will come into our lives? How many of us are praying for a messianic experience which will defy all understanding and knowledge. Be careful not to miss your blessing because you don�t know for what you are looking. Take your time, go down on your knees and pray that God will open your eyes to His blessing for your life.

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Why The NAACP? The problem of race continues to plague the United

States. Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the U. S. Constitu-tion, excluded Indians and noted the value of African Ameri-cans as being three-fifths of a person. The U. S. Supreme Court, in the 1857 Dred Scott vs. Sanford case concluded, �The word �citizen� does not embrace one of the Negro race�. The rights and privileges conferred by the Constitu-tion upon �citizens� do not apply to the Negro race.

Moorfield Storey, a lawyer and an author, was born in Massachusetts in 1945. He was a strong supporter of civil rights and one of the sixty prominent Americans who

responded to the call of Mary White Ovington, to meet in February 1909. Mr. Storey became the first National Presi-dent of the NAACP.

Mary White Ovington, a white woman, was born in Brooklyn in 1865. She saw her 1909 meeting evolve into the National Association For The Advancement of Colored People. For more than forty years, she served as a board member, executive secretary, chairman and conciliator.

Today, it would be nice to say that we have achieved a race-neutral-society. Regrettably, the news reports and other data, national, state and local, confirms the fact that the problem of racism still exists.

The NAACP continues the fight to fulfill its vision for: equal rights and to eliminate racial hatred, racial discrimina-tion and racial profiling, etc.

There are those who dismiss the need for the NAACP. Sadly, they also fail to offer any real solutions to the long-standing problems of racism and discrimination in America.

Father God, we come with thanksgiving in our heart. As we gather, Father of abundant life, as your grateful chil-dren, we are delighted and humbled by Your bounty. We celebrate the gifts of food, shelter and the persons and things You have placed in our lives. We marvel at the gifts of Your hand, seen and unseen. From the awaking from a wonderful night�s rest, to the partaking of a tasteful meal, we are energized and eager to go into the world to share the goodness of our blessings and the receiving of the good fortunes from You.

We pray for the lives of our children. May we lead them in a life rich in the teachings of the Bible. We pray that they grow into adulthood with a strong sense of spiritu-ality and grace. We pray that our children will always call

on Christ in prayers of thanks and for peace. We pray that their growth will be of such that they will always enrich the lives of those in their presence, may they never leave any-one sad. We pray for our children.

Father God, Father of all mercies and giver of all comfort, deal graciously, we pray, with those who mourn and are dealing with difficulties of any form, Cast every care on them that they will know the consolation of Your love, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Father God, where there are communities experienc-ing crime, grant them deliverance from fear and the hope of renewal. Where there are families divided with hate, grant them the unity and the blessing of love. Father God, grant us Your peace, a peace which knows no end.

Father God, we pray for Pastor Canty and his family, our church family, the ministries through out this congre-gation and this Communications Ministry. Let us continue to be the ministry that will spread Your Word, helping oth-ers to realize Your power and the gift of Your love.

Amen. Amen. Amen

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Our Prayer

In Memory of Mrs. Janie Mae Myers Cooper

Sunrise, February 7, 1923 ~ Sunset, September 5, 2007

Mrs. Janie Mae Cooper, a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend, slipped away from us late in the night on September 5, 2007.

On that day, our lives changed forever because we were left without a loving mother and a devoted wife. Oh, the many tears we have shared, the many sleepless nights we have had and the many days our hearts have ached hoping that she were still here with us. Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, but God gives us the precious gift of memories that cannot be taken away.

Mother, many times we took for granted that you would be with us for many years, but God had other plans for you.

We watched you hurt in pain, unable to eat or take your medication. We did not understand, at the time, that you were doing exactly what God wanted you to do. He was preparing you to come to your heavenly home. All we could do was to encourage you to pray and have faith. Your favorite line was, �God will make a way somehow�. Well, on September 5, 2007, He made a way. He made a way for you to stop hurting, to stop crying late in the night, to stop being unable to sleep, and to stop worrying about your family.

God quietly slipped you away from us. We felt so

alone. How we long to have your arms around us, to hear you complain about something and even to break out into one of your gospel songs which always caught us all off guard. At the time, we did not understand why God took you from us, but to-day we realize that He received you into His lov-ing arms, a place where there will be no more cry-ing and suffering.

Mother, a year has passed. If you were here, you would be so proud of us. We are still taking care of your husband, �Daddy�; we are even closer than before because of your loving memories.

A day does not pass without us thinking of you. Be-cause of your love and because God keeps us in His arms, we know we will continue to make it.

Thanks for being my wife; thanks mom for being our mother.

Love always, Your husband, Henry, Sr. and children: Henry, Jr.,

Thomasena, Dena, Diane, Claudia, Camelia and Jackie

MRS. MAE M. COOPER

The Matter of Grief Most people, at some point in life, have experienced grief. It

is a natural and healthy response to life changes and circum-stances. Grief is the suffering associated with loss. People typi-cally think of grief as intense feelings of sadness and sorrow. However, the experience of grief can also include bodily changes (such as fatigue and difficulty concentrating and sleeping). There may also be behavioral changes including: keeping busy, with-drawing from social activities, using drugs to escape the pain, or even excessive shopping.

Mourning is the process by which we explore, experience, express and integrate our grief; it is the way we adjust to a world with loss. Mourning is derived from the Indo-European base mer, meaning �to remember or think of�. Mourning and grieving are often used interchangeably.

Grief is often associated with death, but there are many other facets that negatively and significantly affect one�s ability to cope. Grief may encompass loss of: independence, pets, divorce, friendship, spiritual connection, reputation, job, social status, home and finance. It may include declining health and family separation� The list goes on and on.

No two individuals may grieve alike. Some people may resolve their feelings within a few weeks or a couple of months. Others may take a year or longer to come to term with their emo-tions. There is no research to support any specific timeline for grief resolution. However, Schiraldi indicates some of the myths that complicate the process of mourning; these are some of the misconceptions:

Grief is a weakness � Grief is a normal, understandable human experience that happens because we deeply valued what has been lost. Grief is part of what makes us human; like guilt, it is not meant to last forever, at an intensely painful level. The grieving process allows us to feel the pain, express it, and move on with fewer long-term negative effects.

If I recover and feel joy, this will show that I don�t care � Some individuals believe if one shows these feelings, others may think they did not really love their deceased loved one. Some may feel disloyal if they stop feeling intense pain. We might ask,�Are there better memorials to the deceased than prolonged pain? Are there better ways to stay close to them? Do they want us to go on grieving? Might they prefer that we memorialize them with happy memories and a fruitful life?� What are your responses to these questions?

If I stop grieving, I will forget the loss. � When memories are no longer numb, we remember the loss more completely, but with more peace and less pain.

Grief shows a lack of spiritual faith. � Faith may help people keep going, but it does not insulate one from human sad-ness. Certainly, Job was no stranger to grief; remember, Jesus wept.

How does one move on and cope with loss? Go as slowly as needed when resolving grief; it is a process. Be willing to give up guilt, shame, the desire to judge or punish yourself and the hope to change the past. Sometimes, while grieving, one may reflect and see only the negative effect of the loss. Yes, there are positive aspects of grief. For example, consider how the loss might lead to gains. Ask, �What will I miss about the loss? What have I gained? What have I learned from this experience? What can I still enjoy?� Other benefits may include: • Increased empathy and the capacity to help others • Clearer, greater wisdom and understanding of what really

matters • The knowledge and recognition of your inner strength • Gratitude and appreciation for what you still have • The deceased person made peace with GOD and went to

be with HIM What one does about the pain of grief and loss is a personal choice. This may be easy for some; for others, it may be a seri-ous, complicated struggle. One can move on and lead a produc-tive, enriched life. Remember, �There is no sorrow that heaven cannot heal�. Decide whether you want to push beyond the grief and live the life God has planned for you.

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~ Thoughts For September ~ When you carry out acts of kindness, you get a wonderful feeling inside! It feels as though some-

thing inside your body responds by saying, �Yes, this is how it ought to feel!�

!!!!!!!""""""

Each day comes bearing its gift. Untie the ribbon and celebrate God�s Blessings.

(The Spiritual Cultivator) Submitted By: Minister Sudie Bradley

This article is based on Elmer Towns� book, Fasting For

Spiritual Breakthrough, and my personal views on Fasting. During this time of Fasting and Prayer (31 days in Au-

gust) it has come to my attention that the body of Christ at Savannah Grove Baptist Church does not fully understand the concept of Fasting.

I have been told of a very active member of the church who responded in the affirmative when Pastor Canty asked the church, several years ago, to FAST. Immediately after service, she asked the usher, �What does Fasting mean?�

While most of us know what is meant by Fasting, I want to review with you some scriptures and the history of �The Fast�.

For me, Fasting is the best way to help meet the conditions of Humility in seeking God�s face as set forth in 2 Chronicles 7:14. �If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land�.

I truly believe that our church really wants to hear from Heaven and to receive a healing, but we �Perish for Lack of Knowledge�. (Hosea 4:6)

I was led into Fasting by the power of the Holy Spirit. I did not know what was happening then, but I realize now that God was up to something. He had a plan for my life, and Fasting would be an integral part of it.

If you want to operate in the gifts of the Spirit, you must Fast. Persons who especially want to develop their Spiritual gifts should see Matthew 9:15, 17:21 and Mark 9:28 and 29.

In Matthew 9, Jesus was asked by the religious leaders about Fasting. He explained to them that as long as He was with His disciples, there was no need for them to Fast. How-ever, when He was no longer with them, they would need to Fast. He is no longer with us, so we need to Fast to receive Spiritual strength and spiritual breakthrough.

In Matthew 17, Jesus healed a demon-possessed boy whom His disciples were unable to heal. The disciples asked Him privately after the event, �Why couldn�t we drive it out?� Jesus answered, �Because you have so little faith�. This was a gift of the Spirit. I tell you the truth, �If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to the mountain, �Move from here to there� and it will move�. Nothing will be impossi-ble for you. We need that kind of faith for these times today.

In Mark 9:28-29, the story is the same as Matthew, ex-cept Jesus� response is �Some (this kind) come out only with praying and fasting�. You�ve got to be prayed up and must have fasted to operate fully in the gifts of the Spirit. In that instance, it was the gift of working the miracles or healing. The two are so closely related that it�s often hard to tell which

gift is used, because Satan inflicts disease and demonic in-festation.

Matthew 6:16-18 is worth quoting for you. �When you Fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they dis-figure their faces to show men they are Fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you Fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are Fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you�.

Isaiah 58 talks about the kinds of Fasting that God is not pleased with and the kind of Fasting with which He is pleased. Fasting is a time to humble yourself before God by giving up something that you really love. This shows God that He is first in your life. When we humble ourselves, pray and turn from our sins, God has promised that He will heal our land.

Are you sick? Do you need healing? Does someone in your life need deliverance? Do you? Do you need to reces-sion proof your life? Whatever you need, God�s got it; you stand a better chance of getting it if you humble yourself, pray, seek His face and turn from your wicked ways.

Fasting has nothing to do with losing weight. When you abstain from eating in order to lose weight, that is behav-ior modification, not Fasting. One has nothing to do with the other. One is selfish, the other is selfless.

THERE ARE FOUR TYPES OF FASTS. (1.) THE NORMAL FAST� Going without food for a definite period of time, when you only drink water. (2.) THE ABSOLUTE FAST� Ingesting no food nor water. (3.) THE PARTIAL FAST� Omitting certain foods on a schedule that includes limited eating. An example is Savannah Groves� 40 Days Fast. (4.) A ROTATIONAL FAST� consists of eating or omitting certain families of food for designated periods of time.

Our bodies are designed to rest; the cells of our bodies need a rest, at times, from food. (Dr. Rex Russell�s book WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT HEALTHY LIVING.) One of the main benefits of a night�s sleep includes rest for our digestive system; we appropriately call the first meal of the day breakfast (break the fast).

Dr. Russell notes that our bodies were designed to re-spond to sickness by resting, fasting and fever. All three things play an important part in the healing process: Resting gives our cells time to replenish (heal) themselves. Fever seeks to kill the intruder virus/bacteria and fasting allows the heart, digestive system and other systems time to heal/rest.

Let me now give a little history on The Fast. Many great events were preceded by fasting and prayer. Let me name a few: (1) Esther, her maidens, Mordecai and all of the Jews in Susa fasted for three days in preparation for her visit to see the king. (2) Daniel and his fellow Hebrew captives

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Fasting For Spiritual Breakthrough

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fasted from the king�s wine and rich food. (3) When Elijah fled from Jezzebel, he fasted for forty days. (4) In preparing the way for Jesus, John the Baptist fasted often (with the Disciples). (5) Jesus fasted for 40 days before He began His earthly ministry. (6) Paul had no food or drink for three days after his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road. (7) The early church fast the fourth and sixth days of the week (Wednesday and Friday). (8) Fasting is said to have ushered in the Azuza Street Revival. (9) Billy Graham fasted before his great British Crusades in the 1950�s. (10) The Pilgrims fasted the day before they disembarked from the Mayflower. (11) Abraham Lincoln called for a National Day of Prayer and Fasting during the Civil War. Was it de-vine intervention? Could the South have won? (12) Today we often fast during lent.

In short, Fasting has a long and impressive history as a discipline adopted by believers for many reasons. All of the reasons are connected to the principle of self-denial. Put God first. Is He really the head of your life?

WHY FAST? We are in bondage to the demonic power of disease and Satan-like actions. We are full of the acts of the flesh rather than the fruit of the spirit. We also have for-gotten about winning souls in our quest to �get ours�. Our children are being lost to the powers of the air. Cell phones, computer games and the internet sites (that make them vul-nerable to sexual predators) are consuming almost all of their time. Television and the fashion industry are leading them in the paths of the �flesh/foolishness�.

Even though we have plenty of food and medical tech-nology is quite advanced, most of us are unable to fast, be-

cause of our health. Maybe, just maybe, we should be teaching our children about healthy lifestyles and the art of fasting.

Related Scriptures are: Isaiah 58:6-8, Matthew 6:17-18 / 9:15 / 17:21-23, Mark 2: 9-10, 5:34-45, 9:29, 2 Chroni-cles 20: 3-4, Joel 1:14, 2 Samuel 12:15-17 / 12:21-23. 1 Co-rinthians 7:5, Zachariah 7:5-6, Psalms 35:13 / 69:10, Ezra 8:21-23, 1 King 21: 27, Jonah 3:4-5 and 1 Samuel 7:6

PRAYER: �One may pray without Fasting, but one can-not fast without praying� is a statement I�ve heard many times. That statement is so true. We must pray without ceasing when we fast. We must not fast and pray in an un-planned way.

We should have a spiritual goal for Fasting. A goal could be for a closer walk with Him. Another goal could be for the winning of many souls. Either goal is Okay.

We should schedule times during the Fast for praying. One should also try to fast on a day where there are few dis-tractions so that dedicated time can be given to humbling self before God and praying.

Finally, I suggest that you keep a journal and indicate why you are fasting and what the results are. I urge you to begin fasting God�s way. (Isaiah 58)

We are overdue for a spiritual revival. The Azuza Street Revival was around the the 1900�s. The great healing revival began in the 1950�s. We are past due for the soul winning revival of the twenty-first century.

CONGRATULATIONS! The Francis Marion

University�s annual staff luncheon was held July 30, 2008. Our very own Ms. Jo Retha L. Evans was presented a State of South Carolina Cer-tificate of Service and a pin. These were pre-sented in recognition and appreciation for her 20 years of loyal, faith-ful service to the citizens of the State of South Carolina.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!

MS. JO RETHA L. EVANS

You�re Invited to share in our Wednesday,

Mid-day Bible Study�

Our Weekly Study includes Experienc-ing God and an over-view of the Weekly Sunday School Lesson.

We�ll Be LOOking For

YOU!!!

The Voice A man was walking in the street when he heard a

voice. "Stop! Stand still! If you take one more step, a brick will fall on your head and kill you." The man stopped and a big brick fell right in front of him. The man was astonished!

He traveled on; after awhile, he was going to cross the road. Once again the voice shouted, "Stop! Stand still! If you take one more step, a car will run over you and you will die." The man did as he was instructed. Just then a car came around the corner, barely missing him.

"Where are you?" the man asked. "Who are you?" "I am your guardian angel," the voice answered. The man asked, "Where the heck were you when I got

married?" A Plausible Explanation

Adam sat outside the Garden of Eden shortly after eat-ing the apple, and wondered about men and women. Look-ing up to the heavens he said, "Excuse me God, can I ask you a few questions?"

God replied, "Go on Adam, but be quick. I have a world to create."

Adam said, "When you created Eve, why did you make her body so curved and tender, unlike mine?"

"I did that, Adam, so that you could love her." "Oh, well then, why did you give her long, shiny, beauti-

ful hair, and not me?" "I did that Adam, so that you could love her." "Oh, then, why did you make her so stupid? Certainly

not so that I could love her?" "Well, Adam, no. I did that so that she could love you."

Ten Years Without Parole A convicted felon was given ten years without parole

for his latest crime. After two years in jail, he managed to escape. His escape was the lead item on the six o'clock news.

Because he had to be careful, he worked his way home taking little traveled routes. He ran across deserted fields and took every precaution he could think of.

Eventually he arrived at his house and rang the bell. His wife opened the door and bellowed at him, "You

good-for-nothing bum! Where the heck have ya been? You escaped over six hours ago."

Lessons in Life DAD - Son, come in here, we need to talk. SON - What's up, Dad? DAD - There's a scratch down the side of the car. Did you do it? SON - I don't believe; if I understand the definition of "scratch the car"; that I can say, truthfully, that I scratched the car. DAD - Well, it wasn't there yesterday, and you drove the car last night; no one else has driven it since. How can you ex-plain the scratch? SON - Well, as I've said before, I have no recollection of scratching the car. While it is true that I did take the car out last night, I did not scratch it. DAD - Your sister has told me she saw you back the car against the mailbox at the end of the driveway. She heard a loud scraping sound; she saw you get out to examine the car, and then drive away. So again I ask, �Yes or no, did you scratch the car?� SON - Oh, you think you have evidence to prove I scratched it. Well, I understood you to ask did "I" scratch the car? I stand by my earlier statement that I did not scratch the car. DAD - Are you trying to tell me you didn't drive the car into the mailbox? SON - Well, you see sir, I was trying to drive the car into the street. I mishandled the steering of the car, and it resulted in direct contact with the mailbox, though that clearly was not my intent. DAD - Are you saying that you did hit the mailbox? SON - No sir, that's not my statement. I'll refer you to my original statement that I did not scratch the car. DAD - The car hit the mailbox, and did the car get scratched as a result of this contact? SON - Well, yes, I suppose you could look at it that way. DAD - So, you lied to me when you said you did not scratch the car? SON - No. No. That's not correct. Your question was, "Did I scratch the car?" From a strict legal definition, as I under-stood the meaning of that sentence, I did not scratch the car... The mailbox did... I was merely present when the scratching occurred. So my answer of "No", when you asked, "Did I scratch the car" was legally correct, although I did not volunteer information. DAD - Where in the heck did you learn to be such a liar? SON - From The President of the United States.

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Stories To Warm Your Heart We are so involved in our personal, daily endeavors that we fail to recognize that we are blessed beyond our

imagination...We fail to realize that there are many who are not as fortunate as we are. God�s blessings in our daily lives are great, but we are so busy complaining of our short comings, we can�t receive the blessing in store for us. Take a moment, read the inspirational messages below and thank God for your blessings of today.

~9~

Depression is not simply an "emotional problem" that people can overcome on their own. Depression is a real medical illness � one that needs to be diagnosed and prop-erly treated. It is not a sign of weakness, nor is it something of which to be ashamed. People with depression cannot "Just snap-out-of-it"�any more than it would be possible for a person with diabetes or heart disease to "Just snap-out-of-it." The good news, is with proper diagnosis and medical attention, depression can be treated effectively.

It's important to remember, depression is more than just feeling sad. People who have depression are not �Just moody or feeling- low� for a few days. They experience long periods of feeling very sad. In some cases, they feel very nervous or tired for several weeks or months. The symptoms of depression may differ from person to person. It may in-clude: a lack of pleasure in activities that were once enjoy-able, a change in sleeping or eating habits and feelings of worthlessness. Chronic pain that does not respond to treat-ment may also be a sign of depression. Because Depression can change the way a person feels, thinks and behaves, it can therefore, have negative effects on all aspects of a per-son's life. This may also include their family life.

What Causes Depression?

Reasons why a person might become depressed in-clude: the death of a loved one, living with disease, medica-tions with unpleasant side-effects, substance abuse, hormo-nal changes or a family history of depression. Sometimes the cause of depression is unknown.

Whatever the circumstances, depression is caused by an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain. Normally, these "chemical messengers" help nerve cells communicate with one another by sending and receiving messages; they may also influence a person's mood. During depression, the available supply of the chemical messengers is low, so the nerve cells can't communicate effectively.

Fast Facts

One of every six people will suffer from major depres-sion at some point in their life.

Experts predict that by the year 2020, major depression will be the second most important cause of disability through-out the world.

Even though depression is highly treatable, only about one-third of depressed people receive the proper treatment.

Depression is often goes overlooked by primary health-care providers.

People with diabetes may be at a greater risk for de-pression�and vice-versa.

Depression is an important risk factor for heart disease. If left untreated, depression can last months or (in some

cases) years. 90% of people who've been diagnosed with depression

also have symptoms of anxiety. People diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder

(GAD) may also receive a diagnosis of depression. Depression and anxiety can be lifelong medical condi-

tions that may require continuous long-term treatment. 85% of the people (who suffer from depression and

recover) will eventually experience a recurrence. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Syracuse & Harvard University

Scholarship Information Please pass on th is in formation . Thank you.

To f ind out fami l i es making less than $60,00 0 a ye ar visi t H a r v a r d ' s f i n a n c i a l a i d w e b s i t e a t : h t t p : / /w w w . f a o . f a s . h a r v a r d . e d u / h t t p : / / w w w . o r c a l l t h e sch ool 's f inancial a id of fi ce at ( 61 7) 49 5-1 58 1. Also, i f you would l i ke to speak w ith a Harvar d counselor t he number i s 61 7-3 84- 82 13. Syr acuse Un iver si t y has 10 Ful l Rides for Afr ican Amer ican Men and Woman interested in Study ing Architecture. Mark Robbins, Dean, Schoo l of Ar ch it ectur e i s desperate ly seek ing young men and women of color in terested in pursuing a f i ve year pr ofes-sional degr ee in Ar chi tecture. He says he's deeply com-mit ted t o br ing ing d iversi t y to h is f i e ld and has scho lar-sh ip money se t as ide to fu l l y cover educat ion cost f or 10 students. He says that Hispan ic enr ol lment in t he school has increased substan t ia l l y, bu t i t 's been har der t o a t t ract B lacks. Syracuse Unive rs i ty ' s School of Archit ectur e has a gr eat r eputat ion and th is seems l i ke a terr i f ic oppor tu-n it y, so p lease pass th is a long to eve ryone you know. Harvard Univer si ty announced over t he weekend t hat f rom now on; undergr adua te studen ts f r om low- income famil ies wi l l pay no tu i t i on. I n; making the announcement, Harvard 's president Lawrence H. Sum mers said; 'When only 10 pe rcent of the studen ts in E l i te h igher educat ion come ; f rom fami l ies in lowe r hal f of the income distr ibu-t ion, we are not do ing; enough. We ar e not doing enough in b r inging e l i te h igher educat ion to the lower ha lf of t he income distr ibut ion . ' I f you know o f a fami l y earn ing less than $60,0 00 a ye ar wi th an honor ; s tudent g raduat ing f rom high school soon, Har vard Univers i t y wants to; pay the tu i t i on . The prest ig ious un iver si t y r ecent l y announced tha t; f rom now on undergradua te s tudents f r om low-income fami l ies can go to ; Har vard for f ree. . . no tu i t i on and no s tudent loans! To f ind out mo re about Ha rvard of fer ing f ree tu i t ion for fami l ies mak ing less than $6 0,000 a year , v is i t Harvar d 's f inancia l a id website at : h t t p : w w w . f a o . f a s . h a r v a r d . e d u / ; h t t p : / /w w w. fao. fas.har vard .ed u/ or cal l the s cho ol 's f inancial a id of f i ce at (61 7) 4 95- 15 81. Also, i f you wou ld l i ke to speak wi th a Har va rd counselor ; the number i s 617-384-8213.

Depression Is Not Simply An "Emotional Problem"

Written By: Sister Paula Moses Submitted By; Sister Jo Retha Evans

�Grove�s Fitness For Christ� Ministry, is one of the newest ministries at Savannah Grove Baptist Church. The Apostle Paul states, �Do you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit received from God?� in I Corin-thians 9:19-20. One of the ways we can honor God with our body is by eating right and exercising. When our bodies are well cared for and treated with respect, it is easier for us to be spiritually disciplined. We can lead and maintain a posi-tive, spiritual and healthier lifestyle. �Grove�s Fitness�, as it is affectionately called, is more than just about exercising. The mission for our fitness min-istry is three-fold: (1) To provide participants an opportunity to enhance physical stewardship of their bodies by improving health through exercise; (2) To heighten Christian fellowship and build relationships through contact in an informal setting; (3) To provide an opportunity through which the unchurched members of the community can experience Christian faith in a personal way. �Grove�s Fitness� Classes are held on Tuesday and Thursday nights. The classes consist of basic low impact aerobics to improve the cardiovascular system; mat-based activities include strength and flexibility training. A walking club is also available; attendees will participate in area 5K walks. A circuit training room will be available in the near

future. The goal of the ministry is to provide the highest qual-ity and most innovative activities, while taking every precau-tion to insure safety. The fitness activities are designed to challenge each individual�s exercise needs, regardless of his or her fitness level. We attempt to make exercising fun! �The Grove�s Fitness� Ministry leaders are: Paula Moses, Von Kennedy, Janet Coles-James, Barbara Willoughby, Tonya Gregg, and Greg Sims. �Grove�s Fitness� will bring faith and fitness together; it will promote healthier lifestyles for all participants through education, self awareness, and the encouragement to live transformed and renewed lives which will bring others into the Kingdom of God.

~10~

Living A God-Directed, Healthier Lifestyle

God's Pharmacy It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish... all before making a human. He made and provided what we'd need before we were born. These are best and more powerful when eaten raw. We're such slow learners� God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body! A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes. A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four cham-bers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food. Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food. A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function. Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys. Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% so-

dium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body. Avocados, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and pre-vents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them). Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs in-crease the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility. Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics. Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts. Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even pro-duce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and danger-ous free radicals from the body.

IDENTITY THEFT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU

Submitted by: Iris S Gladden These are tips on how to protect your personal informa-tion.

Monitor Credit Card Activity Get a credit report at least once a year from at least one of the three major credit bureaus: Equi-fax, Experian or TransUnion. Review the informa-tion provided to determine if there are unusual or fraudulent activities.

Do not Provide Personal Information via Non-solicited Direct Contact by Telephone Calls or Online Con-

tacts by legitimate companies will not send unso-licited requests for personal information, exam-ples: addresses, account numbers, passwords or social security numbers.

Do Not Respond to Unsolicited E-Mails, Instant Messages, or Profiles on Bulletin Boards nor in Chat rooms.

Con artists are able to intercept personal informa-tion sent electronically over the Internet and steal a victim�s identity.

Use a Firewall to Protect Your Computer from Intrusions

Firewalls offer extra layers of protection against hacks gaining access to your computer and the information stored within.

Shred Documents that are Considered Trash

These documents include: bank statements, pre-approved credit card offers, utility bills and any documents containing social security or account numbers.

Protect and Store Personal Information in Your Home

Ensure that your files and documents are safely stored and inaccessible to visitors in your home.

Place a Fraud Alert on Your Credit

This is a first line of defense if you have lost your wallet, purse, social security card, passport or if you think you may be a victim of identity theft. Contact each of the three credit bureaus cited earlier for assistance.

Do Not Carry Social Security Card (Unless Absolutely Necessary)

Any item containing a social security number, makes you a target for identity thieves. Do not carry your card unless you must fill out paper-work for a specific reason and you must present the card for verification of your number.

Take Outgoing Mail to the U.S. Local Post Office

Send bills, checks or other personal correspon-dence from a secure location. Residential mail-boxes, without locks, are open targets for identity thieves.

Install a Locking Mailbox at Your Residence

Criminals often obtain the information they need by intercepting mail in unlocked mailboxes.

~11~

2620 Alligator Road Effingham, South Carolina 29541

Church 843.662-7851 - FAX 843.662.3140 E-Mail: savannahecho@sc. rr. Com

THE ECHO STAFF Daniel A. Lane, III, Editor

Martha R. Miller & Iris S. Gladden Co-Chairpersons

Jo Retha L. Evans, Secretary

MEMBERS Minister Marecia Hall Minister Iona Crews Marion Walker Donald Edwards Monica Davis Emma B. Woods Alexis Williams Bonita F. McCray Judy Johnson Toni Muldrow Phyllis Jackson Amelia Johnson Dorothy Lane Palmer Allen James B. Wilson

~ September Birthdays ~

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR

September 2008

01��..Judith Johnson 02��..Cornelius Goston 02��.Stacey N. Davis 03��.Christopher Myers 03��..Margaret S. Perkins 05��...Brittany R. Stevens 06��.��...Nicecy Abraham 07��.Ali Johnson 07��.Roland A. Poole 07��Shurika Brunson 08��...Sylvia Ciera Muldrow 09��Daymon Daniels

09��...Shajuanique A. Dubose 09��..Tanisha Ingram 11��.Gloria G. Wright 11��...Mildred Hamlin 14��..Charles Walker 14��...Christal McCormick 14��..Makeida Williams 15��.Margarie Smoot 16��.Rosa Thomas 16��..Trent Legette 17��.Yolanda Brooks

21��...James McCullum 21��Karen M. Aikens 21��.Kendrich Muldrow 22��.Eulia Thompson 22��.Maria Allen 23��.Evelyn D. Oliver 23��Ivory Nowlin 26��.Bernard McDaniel 27��.Crrol P. Bonner 27��.Helen Cockfield 30��...Cleveland Johnson

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fr i Sat 1

*7:00 PM - Men�s Choir Rehearsal

2 11:00 AM Mid-Day Prayer *6:30 PM Sanctuary

Choir Rehearsal

3 *12:00 Seniors� Arts, Crafts & Bible Study *7:00 PM-Prayer Service *7:00 PM Youth Meetings

4 5 6

7 Weekly Devotional Reading Psalm 119:74

8 *7:00 PM - Men�s Choir Rehearsal


Choir Rehearsal


11 12 13




Choir Rehearsal


18 19 20




Choir Rehearsal


25 7:00 PM - Leadership Meeting

26

27




Choir Rehearsal