The AMB Association’s Youth Department will meet at 6 p.m. Friday at Pilgrim Baptist Church for the spring session.

In this session, the focus will be in the areas of education, proper conduct and health and wellness, which are all basic concerns that affect young people today. These are serious issues that children and parents both have to deal with that have always been there but have now come to focus, and we as a community of churches have a responsibility to assist in these needs.

There are always discussions about how Mississippi is on the bottom in the areas of education and on the top in regard to obesity. We hope to provide useful information that can be used as effective tools to help deal with these issues. Every child needs the chance to become a well-rounded individual by receiving knowledge of how to maintain proper nutrition balanced with exercise, as well as the importance of receiving a good education, which goes hand in hand with learning proper conduct and how to address another, how to dress in the church, how to dress in school and how to dress at leisure as a Christian.

In dealing with these issues, the AMB Association Youth Department has invited three presenters: Dr. Kelvin Gilbert, president of the Mississippi Association of Educators who will share with us how important it is to receive a good education. Mrs. Terri McGruder, an educator at Ferriday Junior High and a candidate for a doctoral degree in educational leadership, will share with us the importance of Christian principles. Mr. Sam West, the former head basketball coach of Alcorn State University, who will share with us the importance of good health and nutrition. Each of these presenters will provide a 15-minute presentation, thereafter allowing a five-minute question and answer period.

The Rev. Edward Brown, the executive director of the youth department for the AMB Association, invites all young people come out.

Also, parents, youth leaders and school administrators and educators are asked to come out as an encouragement for the young people. We hope to continue finding workable solutions addressing these issues. After all, children are our futures.

The spring session of the Antioch Missionary Baptist Association of Adams County will be from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday morning at Pilgrim Baptist Church, located on 117 Pilgrim Blvd., Melvin White serves as pastor.

The parent body will convene at 8:30 a.m., beginning with devotion and registration, followed by a class period conducted by the Rev. Kenneth E. Stanton, congress president and members of the congress cabinet.

Four classes will be offered this session: (1) Organizing a Laymen Ministry (2) An Effective Youth Ministry (3) Women’s Auxiliary Workshop and (4) Preparing Your Church for Ministry.

There is no cost for AMB members for classes or workshops.

Each church is being asked to choose a young man to represent as a participant in the Bible Bowl through the local association.

There are three groups based on grades. Group No. 1 is second through sixth graders. Group No. 2 is seventh through ninth graders. Group No. 3 is 10th through 12th graders.

These individuals will compete locally with an overall winner being chosen to represent the association at the men’s Super-Conference in Madison on March 24.

You will be contacted with a date and time of when the local competition will take place.

The General Missionary Baptist State Convention will meet in Natchez at Pilgrim Baptist Church and Christian Hope Baptist Church on March 12-14.

Please make plans to attend these events. For further information, please call 601-445-5995.

“Where there is unity there is strength.”

 

Dr. John W. Scott Jr. is the AMB moderator and pastor at Christian Hope Baptist Church.