Sunday, June 25, 2023, was a memorable day for Greater Mt. Nebo (GMN) congregants. The weather was beautiful but hot, making it a perfect day for members to indulge a cold scoop of ice cream and delectable cookies after a spirit-filled worship service and formidable word from our newly assigned Pastor, Rev. Dr. Gerald Folsom.

Members of Goalkeepers 1 of the Women of Worth Women’s Ministry, the Steward Board, and Men’s Ministry planned and conducted a remarkably successful New Member Ice Cream Social and Fellowship to provide an opportunity for new members that joined the church during 2022 and 2023 to join in fellowship with members of their GMN Church Family.

The new members in attendance were introduced to the Church Family during the worship service by Pastor Folsom, and he invited them and members of the congregation to gather under the tents on the church grounds for an ice cream fellowship after the service. There were many smiling faces, and everyone was in a joyful mood as they ate their ice cream and spent a great deal of time in fellowship and conversations: new members and other church members connected with some people they had not seen since the pandemic. Despite the heat, no one was in a hurry to go home.

The following new members joined GMN from 2022 through June 2023:

In 2022 - Mary Ferguson, Devin West, Tamara West, Khalia West, Gwendolyn Belle, Delores Anderson, Rev. Abraham Smith, Dexter Smith, Alicia Smith, Jasmin, Myla, and Anya Smith, and Monica Best-James.

In 2023 - Saniya Anderson, Angela Lyons, Stephen Hinds, LaToya Clark, Susan Polite, and First Lady Joyce Folsom.

Since the June fellowship was so successful, many members of the church family have requested that similar fellowships be held in the future. We have heard your request and will endeavor to do so! May God continue to pour His mighty blessings upon each member of the Greater Mt Nebo Church Family.

Pastor Folsom and First Lady Folsom with members of the Greater Mt. Nebo Family

Goalkeepers 2 continue to work diligently to enhance communications between and among the Greater Mt. Nebo Women of Worth (W.O.W.) and women in the local and international communities. We accomplish this by assisting other Goalkeepers teams in advertising their activities through fliers, social media, email blasts, video announcements, sharing data, and photographing activities. This year, in addition to publishing this newsletter, we have produced a video presentation of highlights from Women’s Day, a graph that shows the status and progress of the Cycle With Grace Initiative, and sent out several email blast messages.

Our team is dedicated to keeping the W.O.W. informed of changes in church administration/procedures and incorporating the changes into the objectives and goals of the strategic plan and our daily operations.

With change comes innovative technology that can be utilized to enhance communication, inform members of resources and activities, and, most importantly, spread the Gospel. We are excited and delighted to collaborate with Sister Liletha Davidson to increase the presence of the W.O.W. ministry on social media, enabling us to communicate with more women. We will also keep W.O.W. abreast of the latest technology platforms and terminology being used to share the Gospel.

Did You Know?

In the past few months, you may have heard the following terms/platforms talked about in the news: Artificial intelligence AI, Chat GPT, and Threads. While there are many platforms, this article will highlight a few things about AI. AI is defined in Wikipedia as the ability of a computer program or machine to think and learn. AI leverages computers and machines to mimic the problem-solving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind. Like all inventions, depending on who is using the platform, AI can be used to accomplish good things and not-so-good things. The use of AI is already very prevalent in our daily living activities and society. Examples include the use of facial recognition to access computers, electronic banking, self-driving smart cars and other modes of transportation, digital assistants like Siri and Alexa, Google searches, and social media apps.

AI is being used increasingly by churches and ministries to enhance stewardship and outreach. It is not a replacement for strategies and tools we are currently using, however, if used effectively, AI can increase and enhance our efforts to follow and obey the Great Commission. Some Pastors are using AI to help prepare for and write sermons. AI can be used to translate text into over 5,500 languages. Think about how many people all over the world could be introduced to the Bible. AI is used to create artwork and visual media for church bulletins, posters, programs, etc. It is important to reiterate that AI must be used with caution and should be thoroughly researched before integrating into use. It is not a substitute for Bible study, personal understanding of the Word, reading Bible commentaries, or in-person worshipping and fellowshipping, but when used correctly, it can help churches to help people in need and spread the Gospel.

 In March of this year, we shared our goals to increase the number of women participating in our Women’s Ministry activities from an average of 50 in 2019 to an average of 60 in 2020-2022 and to 70 in 2023. We reached our goal of 60 women participating in our Women’s Ministry activities in 2022 and are on track to exceed our goal of 70 women participating in our activities in 2023. Remember, as a woman of Greater Mt. Nebo, we are all Women of Worth (W.O.W.). However, our responsibility is to get busy and do purposeful work.

We have the goal to increase the number of women participating in Bible Study from 40 in 2022 to 50 in 2023. We nearly reached our goal of women participating in Bible Study in 2023. We have an average of 45 women participating weekly. But we will continue to strive to reach our goal of 50 before the end of the year. As Disciples, we are called to read, study, live, and share the Gospel. To increase the number of women participating in “Sisters Linked in Prayer” and a “Christian Book Talk” from an average of 45 in 2019-2022 to 65 in 2023. We are exceedingly joyful to share that we reached our goal of 45 attendees for our last “Sisters Linked in Prayer” and “Christian Book Talk” in 2022. And we are on track to exceed our goal of having 65 women attend both our “Sisters Linked in Prayer” and “Christian Book Talk” in 2023. We look forward to connecting with you at the retreat.

In addition, it is a blessing to collaborate with all of the goalkeepers, other ministries within the church, as well as the local community on various drive-thru drop-offs to donate personal hygiene items, clothing, and household cleaning items to local shelters, food to a local university and local pantries; provide financial support to local scholarships and graduating gifts; school supplies for the teachers within our church family; as well as financial support for other global missions around the world.

Finally, to enhance discipleship, we have implemented “Encouraging Doorkeepers.” It is our way to reach out to our church family and friends six to twelve months after they have lost an immediate loved one. We were blessed to visit nine households in 2022 to provide spiritual literature, a meal, and a plant, as well as enjoy an opportunity to share in a conversation and pray with them. We are available to visit with grieving families as needed in 2023. “Encouraging Doorkeepers” was established to let additional grieving members of our church family know that we are here to provide spiritual support and love them through their challenging times; they have not been forgotten.

We are pleased to announce that our fourth “Sisters Linked in Prayer” and our third “Christian Book Talk” will be events at our annual retreat on the 28^th of October, 2023. Mark your calendars. We look forward to seeing you there.

For more information, contact Alzenia Hamlin at MinnowH3@aol.com or Victoria Prince at Princevv1@yahoo.com

The 3^rd annual “Walk ‘N’ Love Spiritual Walk” was held on Saturday morning, June 10, 2023, at Allen Pond Park in Bowie, MD. Sponsored by Goalkeepers 4 of the Women of Worth (W.O.W.) Women’s Ministry, a wonderful time of fellowship and fitness, was shared among the sisters.

God cleared the skies and blessed them with a beautiful morning to either walk around Allen Pond, do chair exercises, or both! The goal of the annual Walk is to support the Goalkeepers 4 Hospitality Initiative, whose activities include mailing cards to the sisters (birthday, sympathy, get well, thinking of you, etc.) and supporting them with meals when experiencing loss in their immediate families. Since January 2023, 95 cards have been mailed, and bereavement meals were provided to 3 households; an additional two households will be blessed with meals in the coming weeks. In all, 18 women came out to exercise and fellowship, and a total of $300 was donated to the Hospitality Initiative. Praise God for His abundant blessings!

Goalkeepers 5 may be better known as the Leadership Council for the Women of Worth Ministry. The Leadership Council serves as the think tank for the ministry and oversees the implementation of the ministry’s strategic plan. We collaborate closely with Pastor Folsom and First Lady Folsom to assist in conducting Rev. Folsom’s vision for our church.

2023 has been a very productive and fruitful year. On March 25^th, we held a virtual Women’s Launch 2023, Part 1. The theme was “The Year of Expansion…See It and Believe It” based on 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. The Women’s Launch provides an opportunity for the Goalkeepers teams to meet and revisit the strategic plan, review action plans for the upcoming year, and plan activities for the year. The morning also consisted of presentations from each Goalkeeper Lead on what their team has been up to, updated reports on the results of the survey conducted by Goalkeepers 1, the financial status of the ministry, a presentation from Dr. Tracy Garrett on the Water is Life Initiative and a spiritual vitamin from Rev. Peggy—the morning concluded with an uplifting prayer.

The (virtual) Women’s Launch Part 2 took place on July 15^th. The theme was “Where Do We Go From Here?” Again, we had a spirit-filled and productive morning. Rev. Peggy began with a message based on Jeremiah 29:11, reminding us that God has a plan for each of us and we should stay focused, embrace change, keep working together, pray, and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and BELIEVE. Rev. Peggy encouraged us to focus on Evangelism as we plan our ministry activities.

First Lady Joyce Folsom attended and gave words of encouragement and support. She emphasized that she genuinely cares about every woman in the church and promised to pray for each woman and the W.O.W. ministry. Sister Freida Wray informed participants about the upcoming nomination process for the 2023 Women of the Year and encouraged participants to nominate deserving candidates. Sister Mary Johnson provided a financial update, and Goalkeepers' teams met in small breakout groups to review progress and plan activities for the balance of 2023. A moving video presentation of highlights from Women’s Day 2023 was shown.

Women's Day 2023 was held on April 30^th and was a powerful morning of worship. The theme was “Women: Expanding their Territory through Study, Prayer, and the Work.” The scriptural foundation was 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. The musical presentations were awesome. The Women of Praise team sang the opening selection, the Men’s choir sang several songs, and the prayer response chant was a moving cello solo of Amazing Grace, performed by a young high school student Kenji Yokote. The guest preacher was Rev. Dr. Starlette Thomas from Shiloh Baptist Church, Washington, DC. The title of her message was “If You Don’t Mind Me Asking.” A recording of the service can be found on the Greater Mt. Nebo website. In July, we had a special Bible study facilitated by Sister Jacqueline Woody that shared highlights and reflections from a pilgrimage to Greece and Rome. If you have not already done so, be sure to read the featured article in the Summer newsletter. The Leadership Council is now in the process of planning our one-day in-person retreat, which will take place on October 28^th. Stay tuned for more information.

As Goalkeepers 6 strives to become more involved in Evangelism, we have embarked upon more innovative ways to Evangelize. On April 9, Easter Sunday, we distributed Communion packets (including ‘the Lord’s Supper’ narrative with scriptures, the General Confession, and information about the W.O.W. Ministry and Greater Mt. Nebo) to the GMN congregation and the residents of Largo Landing.

On April 30 (Women’s Day), during Church School, we held an interactive game, ‘Who is this Evangelist?’ where the names of various Evangelists from the Bible were distributed beforehand, and we were asked to guess the Evangelist after several clues were given. On May 9, Rev. Dawn Lockett-Hobson conducted an Evangelism Workshop during Women’s Bible Study, where various scriptures, techniques, and ideas about Evangelism were shared. 

We invite you to join us for our Upcoming Outreach events as we touch the lives of those in need:

Local Outreach Events

• September 16, 2023 – (A drive-thru drop-off donation event at GMN) for St. Ann’s Center for Children, Youth, and Families. St. Ann’s is an organization committed to lifting vulnerable children, mothers, and families out of poverty and homelessness using innovative housing and support programs that provide the tools for life-long independence and self-sufficiency. Articles needed include liquid laundry detergent, Dove Body Wash, bars of soap, liquid dish detergent, toothpaste, baby wipes, twin-sized sheets, and gift cards (Target, Walmart).
• October 14, 2023 - (A drive-thru drop-off donation event at GMN) - The Gabriel Network The Gabriel Network is a Maternity Home Program that offers rent-free transitional community housing for women who are pregnant and looking for a safe and nurturing place to live during and after pregnancy by offering individual and group case management, assistance with setting up social services, group devotional time, and classes offered by Gabriel Network Staff or trusted partners. Household items needed include paper towels, clear plastic cutlery, liquid hand soap, Kaboom bathroom cleaner, 13-gallon kitchen trash bags, Carpet Fresh, Lysol spray, etc.                                    

Global Outreach Events

• Phase 2 - The Cycle of Grace Initiative provided 400 feminine hygiene kits to the women and girls of the Goma Community and the Enaim A.M.E. Church in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, to address the lack of much-needed feminine hygiene products that these beautiful girls and women so desperately need.
• Phase 3 began in April and will continue through December 2023. The goal is to raise $6000.00 to purchase and provide feminine hygiene products to the girls of the Orphans and Vulnerable Children’s Center of Bakokeng, South Africa.
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• Additionally, we continue to support the “Water is Life” project which raises funds to build water wells to supply water to the children of the Bogyawe village in Ghana, West Africa. To date, eight wells have been built, while the 9th is in progress!

Thank you, Greater Mt. Nebo family and friends, for your generosity and love as we continue to make a difference in the lives of others at home and abroad!

For more information contact: Roslyn Pendleton roslynpendleton@comcast.net

Walking Praying Thinking

Meditating Sitting Standing

Learning Teaching Reflecting

Believing Rejoicing Growing

Traveling in the footsteps of Paul the Apostle

In the ancient lands of Greece and Rome

At some point, all these experiences were part of my recent pilgrimage journey, traveling with a diverse group of more than 30 individuals, including two long-time friends, a few acquaintances, and many I had yet to meet and know.

As part of this shared journey, each of us had our own personal, professional, or spiritual reasons for choosing to take this pilgrimage. For me, it was my long-lasting appreciation for Paul’s passionate and enduring writings and teachings of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, my desire to be part of another spiritual growth opportunity (my previous pilgrimage was to the Holy Land), along with my desire to share the pilgrimage experience with sisters in Christ who are also personal friends.

We traveled the journey, The Way of Christ with Paul the Apostle, in the ancient lands of Greece and Rome, following the route of what is referred to as his Secondary Journey (Acts 15:36 and Acts 18:22) along the Egnatian Road. Beginning in Thessaloniki in the northern part of Greece, the largest city in the Macedonia region, we embarked on our daily bus travel with a knowledgeable tour guide to visit several sites in Philippi, Berea, Athens, Corinth, and along the way, we view magnificent coastlines, mountains, and bountiful olive trees! In Phillipi, we saw the lovely and serene site of Lydia’s baptism (Read Acts 16:14-15) and the ancient ruins of the first European church established by Paul. The small town of Berea is where Paul’s teaching was well received; over 50 churches are now in existence (Read Acts17:10-14). Athens is one of Greece’s oldest and largest cities, and as the center of culture, knowledge, and home of Greek thought, it was familiar to Paul, though he was not well received (Read Acts 17:15-34). In ancient Corinth, the final site in Greece, Paul lived and worked as a tentmaker alongside Aquila and Priscilla while preaching and establishing a congregation of believers (Read Acts 18; 1 Corinthians 16:5-21).

From Greece, we traveled to Rome, Italy, and spent several days visiting the beautiful Catholic basilicas and other churches, including the Vatican and the site where Paul is believed to be buried. The ancient Roman cultural, architectural, and historical sites were part of our explorations as well.

The pilgrimage, a journey of thousands of miles, was a witness to history for healing, restoration, and spiritual growth. In pilgrimage, there is a purpose, prayer, and shifting perspectives. Among the ancient stones and pathways, in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, by exploring his life and legacy, I gained encouragement to keep moving forward in my faith and discipleship and to walk in the spirit of my gift of encouraging others.

“People are changed through the simple act of walking.” (Father Richard Rohr on the contemplative tradition of pilgrimage), and as Paul wrote in the letter to the church at Philippi, “Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me, everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:9)

Lydia's Baptismal Site Near Philippi, Greece

Overlooking Athens, Greece

9/16-Drive-thru donation drop-off for St. Ann’s Center for Children

10/14-Drive thru donation for Gabriel’s Network

^{10/27-Pre-Retreat Activity}

^{10/28- W.O.W. Fall Retreat 2023}

^{12/16-Silver Bells Christmas Bowling Fellowship @1:00 PM-3:00 PM}