Month: January 2020

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.”
Galatians 5:22 {KJV}

Happy New Year Fellow Doorkeepers!

It is my prayer that all of the members of the Interdenominational Church Ushers’ Association {ICUA} of Washington, DC & Vicinity, Inc. had a blessed and safe Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

We ended 2019 on a high note with the celebration of the Annual Randy L. Perrin Men’s Day Committee and Christine M. Green Women’s Day Committee Program at Maple Springs Baptist Church. Rev. Dr. Jerome Tarver was the Host Pastor, and he delivered a powerful message from the Lord. His message subject was “It’s Your Season – It’s Your Time.” The scriptural reference was Isaiah 43:18-19. Dr. Linda A. Smallwood from First Baptist Church- Randolph was presented the Alma Cooper Hawkins Woman of the Year Award. Ronald L Jones from Brown Memorial A.M.E. Church was presented the Archie A. Anderson Man of the Year Award.

Kudos to the Randy L. Perrin Men’s Day Committee and the Christine M. Green Women’s Day Committee for planning a wonderful spirit-filled celebration.

On December 16, 2019, the ICUA served for The Missionary Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Washington, DC & Vicinity for the closing message of the 53rd President – Reverend K. L. Floyd. Reverend Floyd presented the ICUA with a plaque for partnering with The Missionary Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Washington, DC & Vicinity under his leadership. I would like to extend a special thank you to the following members of the ICUA for taking the time out of their busy schedules to serve at this event:

Onetia J. Evans – Johnson Memorial Baptist
Church
Eric J. Kirby – First Baptist Church-Randolph
Dr. Patricia McCrimmon – Mt. Bethel Baptist
Church
Betsy H. Parrish – New Redeemer Baptist Church
Frances S. Penn – Faith Shepherd Baptist
Church
Marion S. Solomon – First Baptist Church-
Highland Park
Nelcina B. Wiggins – Emmanuel Baptist Church

In addition, on Monday – December 16, 2019, the Young Adult Department held their last ICUA Prayer Call for the year. We were blessed by our Junior and Young People’s Department for volunteering to be the Worship Leaders for December’s Prayer Call. Junior Ushers Setota Johnson and Michael Robinson are to be commended for doing an excellent job with leading the Prayer Call. As Ushers Setota and Michael were leading the Prayer Call, Proverbs 22:6 came to my mind “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Thanks to the Parents of Ushers Setota and Michael, and all Parents and Guardians of our Junior Ushers for all that you do training your child/children about our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ!

We had a very successful 2019-calendar year “Stretching,” and I would like to take this opportunity to highlight several key events and activities:

1. The Alumni Working Unit of the Education and Scholarship Department is to be commended for their continued Outreach Service feeding the Homeless at Franklin Park in NW, Washington, DC. They fed the Homeless three times in 2019 – April, September, and November. They delivered 330 lunches consisting of hot dogs with roll or bologna sandwiches – bottled water – assorted chips – sip ups – cheese and crackers – and packs of cookies. Lunches also contained a combination of pudding, applesauce, diced peaches or fruit cup – spoons, napkins, mustard, ketchup, and hand sanitizers.
2. The Esther W. Johnson Community Concerns Working Unit provided packages of toiletries and socks. The packages also contained washcloths and soap.
3. Thanks to the Membership Services and Outreach Department for spearheading one of the largest Family and Friends’ Day celebrations that we have had in quite some time!
4. The Membership Services and Outreach Department – 120 New Winter Coats were delivered to six area schools for students in need of a Winter Coat. The coats were delivered just in time for the colder weather that we are having.
5. We celebrated the ICUA’s 107th Anniversary with a fundraising drive to raise funds for the upkeep and maintenance of the ICUA Headquarters. The theme was “200 Ushers in White.” We raised over $9,000.
6. We donated $550.00 to the Hurricane Dorian Relief Fund spearheaded by the Eastern Region Church Ushers Association.
7. We continue to serve when called upon. This year, we served for The Baptist Convention of the District of Columbia and Vicinity City-Wide Revival and 147th Annual Session, and the Missionary Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Washington, DC & Vicinity’s Closing Session and Scholarship Service.
8. We held an “Open House” to share information with non-member churches and individuals about our Organization. The event was well attended. This was an effort to increase our membership.
9. We honored 12 deserving members {age 60+} at the Alberta T. Leonard Golden Age Luncheon held at Martin’s Crosswinds in Greenbelt, Maryland.
10. We awarded $1,000 Scholarships to two deserving High-School Seniors who were winners of the Alfred E. Smith Essay Contest sponsored by the Alfred E. Smith Scholarship Working Unit.
11. London A. Lampkin, a Junior Usher, was the recipient of the 2019 $500.00 Matching Grant Scholarship.
12. We had a three-way tie for the Catherine E. Mills School of Ushering Valedictorian – 2 Juniors and 1 Senior.
13. The Randy L. Perrin Men’s Day Committee spearheaded the Thanksgiving Basket Project. A total of 90 Baskets were donated to families in need.
14. NUCUAA celebrated its Centennial National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in July 2019. The District of Columbia had the largest Delegation at the Convention with 137 Seniors, 2 Young Adults, and 15 Juniors for a total of 154 Delegates.

Congratulations, again, to our winners competing at the National Convention:

Sister Cynthia L. Green – 1st Place Queen – George T. Grier School of Ushering Department

President Karisse A. Carmack – 2nd Place Queen – Young Adult Department

Sister Setota Johnson – 1st Place Queen
Junior and Young People’s Department Vicie Juran Pageant

Senior Floor Demonstration Team – 1st Place

Senior Drill Team – 1st Place

Education Department Penny Bucket – 2nd Place

The Board of Trustees and the Budget and Finance Department are to be commended for their oversight and monitoring of the finances of the Organization. We ended 2019 in the BLACK.

My sincere thanks to the members for your generous donations – commitment – dedication and support throughout 2019.

On December 1, 2019, we kicked off our “Warm Nights New Blanket Project” for the Homeless. This project will run through Monday – January 13, 2020. Blankets must be new! Blankets will be delivered to designated Homeless Shelters and the Homeless living on the streets in the District of Columbia. Our goal is to collect 100 Blankets.

I would like to take this opportunity to say “Thank You” to the members of the greatest Ushering Organization, the ICUA, for your confidence in me to elect me as your President for my final year. I still remain very humble, dedicated, and committed to the position as I continue fulfilling the Mission and Purpose of the ICUA.

I encourage all members to attend the Business Meeting on Monday, January 13, 2020, at Peace Baptist Church, 712 – 18th Street, NE, Washington, DC. I will deliver my final President’s Address along with the Young Adult Department and Junior and Young People’s Department Presidents. We are preparing and looking forward to this opportunity to share with the membership our accomplishments and our vision for 2020.

Congratulations to the following Elected Officers that were installed on Monday – December 9, 2019, by Reverend Charles B. Carroll, Jr. – Associate Pastor, Macedonia Community Church – and a member of the ICUA:

Pansy Bradley-Cooper – President
Miles Memorial C.M.E. Church

Brenda Gilliam – Vice President
Hemingway Memorial A.M.E. Church

Rita P. Nelson – Recording Secretary
Peace Baptist Church

Nelcina B. Wiggins – Assistant Recording
Secretary – Emmanuel Baptist Church

Frances L. Outland – Financial Secretary
First Baptist Church Ken-Gar

Jacquelyn D. Kinney – Assistant Financial
Secretary – First Rock Baptist Church

Stacey A. Reaves – Treasurer
Unity Baptist Church

Milton J. Griggs – Sergeant-At-Arms
Beulah Baptist Church

Linwood Q. Ham, Sr. – Assistant Sergeant-At-
Arms – Reid Temple A.M.E. Church

BOARD OF TRUSTEES:
Cynthia C. Archie – Zion Baptist Church
Erma J. McCray – Vermont Avenue Baptist
Church
Dr. Patricia McCrimmon – Mt. Bethel
Baptist Church
Sylvia McGill-Jones – Mount Sinai Baptist
Church
Marie C. Thomas – Macedonia Community
Church

NOMINATING COMMITTEE:
Roland L. Jones – Brown Memorial
A.M.E. Church
Gwendolyn T. Newton – Matthews
Memorial Baptist Church
Mary C. Samuel – First Rising Mt. Zion
Baptist Church
Christine Deloris Stewart – Mount Moriah
Baptist Church

A list of the 2020 Elected and Appointed Officers for the Senior, Young Adult, and Junior and Young People’s Departments will be published in the February issue of the ICUA Church News Bulletin.

Upcoming ICUA Events and Activities:

The 2020 Vision Planning Meeting will be held on Saturday – January 25, 2020, at Macedonia Community Church, 1026 – 46th Street, NE, Washington, DC. Breakfast will be served at 8:30 AM, and the meeting will start promptly at 9:00 AM. ALL ICUA MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE MEETING. All Elected and Appointed Officers are required to attend the meeting, and all members are encouraged to attend the meeting. Contact Sister Nelcina B. Wiggins to pre-register for the meeting. The fee is $20.00 for Seniors and Young Adults. There is no cost for Juniors to attend the meeting. Breakfast and lunch will be served.

Our Re-Dedication Service will be held on Sunday – January 20, 2020, at Galilee Baptist Church, 7101 Shadyside Avenue, Suitland, Maryland at 3:00 PM. No food will be served. Rev. Dr. Lloyd T. McGriff is the Host Pastor and will deliver the Re-Dedication Service Message.

63rd Annual Eastern Region Conference

1. The deadline to make your lodging reservations for the 63rd Annual Eastern Region Conference is Thursday – February 9, 2020.
2. The deadline to Pre-Register for the Conference is Monday – January 13, 2020. Contact Sister Corinne M. Mungo to Pre-Register for the Conference. Pre-Registration Fees are as follows: Seniors: $25.00
   Young Adults: $25.00
   Visitors: $25.00
   Juniors: $20.00
   Extra copies of Souvenir Journal: $3.00
3. The Johnnie F. Knighton Prayer Breakfast Tickets are available through January 13, 2020. The donation is $30.00. Contact Sister Corinne Mungo to purchase your Prayer Breakfast Ticket. We have two honorees: Eunice B. Wise and Dolores R. Wallace.
4. The due date for all Souvenir Journal Ads and Patrons is January 13, 2020. Submit information and funds to Sister Juanita Prophet.
5. If you are interested in applying for an Eastern Region Position, you can contact me for a Position Description, Nominee Consent Form, and a Resume Template.
6. If you are interested in applying for a National position, please contact me for the Application / Resume Package.

Let us all continue to work together in “Love and Unity” – always striving to do our best for the Lord.

Happy Birthday to all celebrating a birthday during the month of January!

Please keep Mother Elaine S. Flanagan and Father Roy L. Kelly in prayer, as well as all sick, shut-in, and bereaved families.

Yours in Christian Service,

Pansy Bradley-Cooper
President

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 {NIV}

Greetings Fellow Doorkeepers!

It is hard to believe that we are in the last month of 2019. All praises to our Heavenly Father for his Grace and Mercy – for always keeping the ICUA in His favor.

During this Holiday Season, I encourage each of you to be a blessing to someone less fortunate than you. God blesses each of us to be a blessing to others. Use this Season to “Be A Blessing To Someone Else.”

Thanks, again, to everyone that attended the Annual “Everyone’s Birthday” Celebration! Special thanks to the following Pastors for taking the time out of their schedule to celebrate with us – Rev. Dr. Robin A. Toogood, II – Purity Baptist Church, and Rev. Dr. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. – Zion Baptist Church! Kudos to the entire Christine M. Green Women’s Day Committee on a Job Well Done!

Our appreciation to the Randy L. Perrin Men’s Day Committee on spearheading the Annual “Thanksgiving Basket Project.” To the recipients of the Thanksgiving Baskets, it is our prayer that we were in some way able to help make your Thanksgiving a happy and blessed one.

To the Membership Services and Outreach Department – under the leadership of Director Frances S. Penn – thank you for spearheading the Annual “Arlene L. Robinson Coat Drive!” The coats were donated to Elementary Schools in Washington, DC and Prince George’s County Areas.

Please join us on Sunday – December 1st for our Annual Men’s and Women’s Day Celebration {Randy L. Perrin Men’s Day Committee and the Christine M. Green Women’s Day Committee} at Maple Springs Baptist Church, 4131 Belt Road, Capital Heights, Maryland, at 3:00 PM. The Alma Cooper Hawkins “Woman of the Year,” and the Archie A. Anderson “Man of the Year” Awards will be presented at the program.

The December Business Meeting and Election of Officers will be held at Friendship Baptist Church, 900 Delaware Avenue, SW, Washington, DC.

The Election will be held for the Officers listed below from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM.

The following names will be on the Ballot:

Assistant Sergeant-At-Arms – 1 Vacancy
Linwood Q. Ham, Sr. – Reid Temple A.M.E.
Church
Renard L. Bythewood-Huckaby – Galilee
Baptist Church
Delores Y. O’Bryant – Liberty Baptist Church

Board of Trustees – 5 Vacancies
Cynthia C. Archie – Zion Baptist Church
Marie C. Thomas – Macedonia Community
Church
Ulysses Sherman Price – Mt. Calvary
Missionary Baptist Church
Patricia Cassell McCrimmon – Mt. Bethel
Baptist Church
Erma J. McCray – Vermont Avenue Baptist
Church
Sylvia McGill-Jones – Mt. Sinai Baptist
Church

Nominating Committee – 4 Vacancies
Mary C. Samuel – First Rising Mt. Zion
Baptist Church
Gwendolyn T. Newton – Matthews Memorial
Baptist Church
Christine Deloris Stewart – Mt. Moriah Baptist
Church
Frieda Y. Alston – Church of the Holy Trinity
International
Ronald L. Jones – Brown Memorial A.M.E
Church

The 2020 Elected Officers will be installed at the Business Meeting. The Appointed Officers will be installed at the Business Meeting in January 2020.

The 2020 Vision Planning Meeting will be held on Saturday – January 25, 2020, at Macedonia Community Church. Breakfast will be served at 8:30 AM, and the meeting will start promptly at 9:00 AM. ALL ICUA MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE MEETING. All Elected and Appointed Officers are required to attend the meeting, and all members are encouraged to attend. We need your input to help plan 2020 events and activities. Registration Forms are available. Contact Sister Nelcina Wiggins to pre-register for the Meeting. The donation is $20.00 for Seniors and Young Adults. There is no cost for Juniors to attend. Breakfast and lunch will be served.

ICUA Outreach Project: We will be collecting new Blankets for the Homeless in Washington, DC. The title of the Outreach Project is “Warm Nights.” This Outreach Project will commence on December 1st and end at the Business Meeting on January 13, 2020. Blankets are to be delivered to the Homeless by the end of January. You can bring your blankets to the Business Meeting on December 9th at Friendship Baptist Church; leave blankets at the ICUA Headquarters; or bring the blankets to the ICUA Business Meeting on January 13, 2020. We are asking each member of the ICUA to donate at least one blanket.

Reminders and Updates:

1. Please make your lodging reservations for the 63rd Annual Eastern Region Conference. The deadline for reservations is Thursday – March 9, 2019.
2. The deadline to Pre-Register for the Eastern Region Conference is Monday – January 13, 2020. Contact Sister Corinne Mungo to pre-register for the Conference. Pre-Registration Fees are as follows:
   Seniors: $25.00
   Young Adults: $25.00
   Visitors: $25.00
   Juniors: $20.00
   Extra copies of Souvenir Journal: $3.00
3. The Johnnie F. Knighton Prayer Breakfast Tickets are $30.00. Tickets for children 12 and under are $20.00. The deadline to purchase tickets is January 3, 2020. See Sister Corinne Mungo or our Prayer Breakfast Honorees Trustee Dolores R. Wallace and Events Director Eunice B. Wise to purchase your Prayer Breakfast Ticket.
4. The due date for all Souvenir Journal Ads and Patrons is January 13, 2020. Submit information and funds to Sister Quintina Brown. For additional information, contact Quintina Brown.
5. If you are interested in applying for an Eastern Region Position, you can contact me for a Position Description, Nominee Consent Form, and a Resume Template. Positions available are as follows:

Assistant Region Director
Recording Secretary
Assistant Recording Secretary
Financial Secretary
Treasurer
Chaplain
Sergeant-At-Arms
Assistant Sergeant-At-Arms

I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the ICUA Family for electing me to continue to serve as your President for the year 2020! I do not take this position lightly. I am faithful, dedicated, and committed to the Mission and Purpose of the ICUA. You all have been excellent and very supportive members of the ICUA and this President. In my President’s Address for 2019, I asked each of you to “stretch” a little more. You all did just that! We were able to accomplish a lot in 2019, and I have the ICUA Membership to thank for that.

As I prepare to serve 1 more year, I wait on directions from the One that orders my steps and directs my path, my Lord and Savior, as to what we will do as an Organization in 2020.

Please continue to support all ICUA events and activities.

Let us all continue to work together in “Love and Unity.”

Happy Birthday to all celebrating a birthday during the month of December!

Please keep Mother Elaine S. Flanagan and Father Roy L. Kelly in prayer, as well as all sick, shut-in, and bereaved families.

Yours in Christian Service,

Pansy Bradley-Cooper
President

Remember that Jesus is the reason for the Season!!

Merry Christmas – Happy New Year!

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15 {NIV}

Greetings Fellow Doorkeepers!

Every day is a day of thanksgiving unto the Lord for His many blessings. As we prepare to celebrate “Thanksgiving Day” with family and friends, let us remember those who are less fortunate than we are. We all can assist in some way to help those in need of a meal on “Thanksgiving Day.” There are numerous Soup Kitchens, Shelters, and Non-Profit Organizations that will be serving Thanksgiving Day meals to those in need. Maybe you can volunteer your time at one of the aforementioned Organizations. Remember to whom much is given, much is required. God blesses all of us to be a blessing to others.

Thank you in advance to the Randy L. Perrin Men’s Day Committee for spearheading the ICUA Thanksgiving Basket Project! This year, we hope to distribute 100 Thanksgiving Baskets to families in need. This is a 50% increase from the number of Thanksgiving Baskets that were donated last year.

A great big Thank You to all of the members who served for The Baptist Convention of the District of Columbia and Vicinity’s 147th Annual Session at Mount Moriah Baptist Church from October 15th through October 17th! Your service was greatly appreciated.

The Presidents’ Council / Guardians’ Meeting held on October 19th was truly a success. There were over 40 ICUA Officers / Ushers’ Ministry Presidents, and ICUA Guardians in attendance at the meeting. The Church Guardian serves as a Liaison between the ICUA and the Church Ushers’ Ministry and maintains direct contact with the Ushers’ Ministry President on a regular basis. The Guardians were encouraged to keep in touch with their churches by sending a card or E-Mail; keeping them abreast of the ICUA Calendar of Events; supplying the Church with a copy of the ICUA At-A-Glance, the ICUA Bulletin, a current copy of the ICUA Workbook; and inviting the churches to attend Business Meetings and other ICUA Activities and Events. When possible, attend your Guardian Church’s Anniversary, a special activity, or a Sunday Service – especially the Ritualistic Service. Presidents’ were reminded to invite their Guardian to Annual Anniversaries, special activities that you would like for your Guardian to attend and participate, and to include your Guardian on the Anniversary Program, or to respond to the Welcome, or give remarks.

Copies of the “ICUA Code of Conduct” dated March 2009 were distributed and discussed at the meeting. The “Code of Conduct” explains how members of the ICUA should conduct themselves at all times. Ushers’ Ministry Presidents were asked to share the “ICUA Code of Conduct” with the members of their Ushers’ Ministry. The “ICUA Code of Conduct” is published in this issue of the ICUA Bulletin.

Thanks to the Board of Trustees; Alma Cooper Hawkins Public Relations Department; Thelma D. Goodwin Policy and Rules Department; and the Christine M. Green Women’s Day Committee for preparing the breakfast for the meeting.

If you were not in attendance at the Annual “Everyone’s Birthday” Celebration, you missed an awesome event. This year’s theme was “Everyone’s Birthday – We Want You!” The attire was “Camouflage.” The variety of foods representing the 12 months of the year were in abundance and delicious. Thanks to the Christine M. Green Women’s Day Committee on another marvelous Annual “Everyone’s Birthday Celebration!”

I solicit your support for the Membership Services and Outreach Department {MSOD} with collecting new coats for the Arlene L. Robinson Coat Drive. The coats will be donated to Elementary Schools in Washington, DC and Prince George’s County. The goal this year is to donate 200 coats to five schools. This is an increase of 100 coats from the initial donation of 100 coats.

Please keep our Delegation in prayer as we travel to the State of New York for their 99th Memorial Weekend, and the Eastern Region Mid-Year Meeting on Saturday, November 9th and returning on Sunday, November 10th.

Congratulations to the 2020 duly Elected Officers:

Pansy Bradley-Cooper – President
Miles Memorial C.M.E. Church
Brenda Gilliam – Vice President
Hemingway Memorial A.M.E. Church

Rita R. Nelson – Recording Secretary
Peace Baptist Church

Nelcina B. Wiggins – Assistant Recording Secretary
Emmanuel Baptist Church

Frances L. Outland – Financial Secretary
First Baptist Church of Ken-Gar

Jacquelyn D. Kinney– Assistant Financial
Secretary
First Rock Baptist Church

Stacey A. Reaves – Treasurer
Unity Baptist Church

Milton J. Griggs – Sergeant-At-Arms
Beulah Baptist Church

An Election will be held for the following positions:

Assistant-Sergeant-At-Arms – 1 Vacancy

Linwood Q Ham, Sr. – Reid Temple A.M.E
Church
Renard L. Bythewood-Huckaby – Galilee
Baptist Church

Delores Y. O’Bryant – Liberty Baptist Church

Board of Trustees – 5 Vacancies

Cynthia C. Archie – Zion Baptist Church

Marie C. Thomas – Macedonia Community
Church

Ulysses Sherman Price – Mt. Calvary
Missionary Baptist Church

Patricia Cassell McCrimmon – Mt. Bethel
Baptist Church

Erma J. McCray – Vermont Avenue Baptist
Church

Sylvia McGill-Jones – Mt. Sinai Baptist
Church

Nominating Committee – 4 Vacancies

Mary C. Samuel – First Rising Mt. Zion
Baptist Church

Gwendolyn T. Newton – Matthews Memorial
Baptist Church

Christine Deloris Stewart – Mt. Moriah Baptist
Church

Frieda Y. Alston – Church of the Holy Trinity
International

Ronald L. Jones – Brown Memorial A.M.E
Church

Alice Yates – Friendship Baptist Church

Please make plans to come out and vote for the candidates of your choice. The Election will take place on December 9th at Friendship Baptist Church, 900 Delaware Avenue, SW, Washington, DC, starting at 4:00 PM.

On Sunday – December 1st, we will celebrate our Annual Men’s and Women’s Day Celebration {Randy L. Perrin Men’s Day Committee and the Christine M. Green Women’s Day Committee} at Maple Springs Baptist Church at 3:00 PM. The Alma Cooper Hawkins Woman of the Year and the Archie A. Anderson Man of the Year Awards will be presented at the program. The attire is Christmas colors.

Reminders:

1. The 2020 Vision Planning Meeting will be held on January 25, 2020, at Macedonia Community Church. The registration fee is $20.00 for Seniors and Young Adults. There is no cost for the Juniors. The meeting will start at 8:30 AM with a full breakfast. Contact Sister Nelcina Wiggins to register for the meeting.
2. Make your lodging reservations for the 63rd Annual Eastern Region Conference at the Doubletree Hotel Downtown, Wilmington, Delaware – 800-737-7181. Room Rates – $109.00 plus tax {currently 10%} per room, per night, subject to change. The deadline for reservations is Thursday – February 20, 2020.
3. The deadline to Pre-Register for the 63rd Annual Eastern Region Conference is Monday – January 13, 2020. See Sister Corinne Mungo to pre-register for the Conference. Pre-Registration Fees are as follows: Seniors: $25.00
   Young Adults: $25.00
   Visitors: $25.00
   Juniors: $20.00
4. Trustee Dolores R. Wallace and Events Director Eunice B. Wise will be honored at the Eastern Region Johnnie F. Knighton Prayer Breakfast on Saturday – March 14, 2020. The tickets are $30.00. The deadline to purchase tickets is January 13, 2020. See Sister Quintina Kornegay Brown to purchase your Prayer Breakfast Ticket.

I solicit your attendance and support of all ICUA events and activities.

Let us all continue to work together in “Love and Unity.”

Happy Birthday to all celebrating a birthday during the month of November!

Please keep Mother Elaine S. Flanagan and Father Roy L. Kelly in prayer, and all sick, shut-in, and bereaved families.

Yours in Christian Service,

Pansy Bradley-Cooper
President

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father, which is in Heaven.” Matthew 5.16 {KJV}

Greetings Fellow Doorkeepers!

Our accomplishments for the first 9 months of the year have been outstanding. I am very proud of each of you for “stretching” a little more than we did in 2018. We still have 3 months left in 2019. I encourage each of you to continue to stretch and keep up the enthusiasm as we go through the rest of the year to successfully accomplish our goals for 2019.

Thanks to the Allan A. C. Griffith Alumni Working Unit of the Education and Scholarship Department for their “Feed the Homeless Project Ministry!” On Saturday, September 7th, they distributed 100 Brown Bag Lunches, along with socks, washcloths, and toiletries to the Homeless at Franklin Park in Washington, DC.

At the Business Meeting on Monday, September 9th – held at Southeast Tabernacle Baptist Church – a special offering was collected for the Hurricane Dorian Relief Fund. A total of $550.00 was collected. The funds will be combined with contributions from other Eastern Region States and donated directly to the Embassy of the Bahamas by Director Charles J. Brown. Thank you for your generous donation for such a worthy cause!

With a grateful heart, I would like to extend my gratitude of thanks to all of the members who attended and served at Tenth Street Baptist Church on Wednesday, September 11th for the church’s 136th Pre-Anniversary Celebration! Elder Alfred H. McCain, Sr., Pastor of Macedonia Community Church, was the Guest Preacher. The ICUA certainly supported Elder McCain, and he thanked the ICUA for their support.

On Sunday, September 15th, we celebrated the ICUA’s 107th Anniversary, the Young Adult Department’s 51st Anniversary, and the 93rd Anniversary of the Junior and Young People’s Department at Mount Moriah Baptist Church. The theme for the occasion was “200 Ushers in White.” The scriptural reference from Acts 5:14 {NLT} was “Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women.”

The purpose of this year’s Anniversary was to raise funds for the ICUA Building Maintenance Fund. The Building Maintenance Fund was established for the purpose of having funds available for repairs, upkeep, and emergencies at the ICUA Headquarters. The ICUA Headquarters is in need of some major repairs. The membership was asked to give a sacrificial donation of $50.00 {Seniors and Young Adults}, and Juniors were asked for $10.00 to help offset some of the funds needed for repairs. To God be the Glory for the great things that He has done and is still doing for the ICUA! The goal was to raise $10,000 for the Anniversary. Thus far, after expenses, we have raised $9,142.47. We are still accepting donations to reach our goal.

Many thanks to the ICUA 107th Anniversary Committee for your dedicated and committed service rendered during the planning and implementation of the Anniversary Program! Your service was outstanding! Special thanks to all of the program participants, and everyone that attended the Anniversary! The following Ushers from the State of Virginia attended our Anniversary Celebration:

Sister Jerdleen Boffman – Virginia State President

Sister Cheryl Allen – Chairman, Eastern Region School of Ushering

Brother Phil Chambers – Immediate Past Vice Chairman, National Nominating Committee

Sister Diane Reid – Virginia Kensey M. Lewis School of Ushering State Chairman

The following ICUA members received 2019 Presidential Awards for their dedicated and committed service to the ICUA at the Anniversary:

Young Adult Department
President Karisse A. Carmack
Christina Jones
Christie C. Savage
Summer K. L. Gray
Rinita Hutchinson
Roslyn Moore – Counselor
Angela Walker-Suttles – Co-Counselor

Board of Trustees – Technical Print Team
Alphonso Bell
Beverly N. Buggs
Sandi Dotson
Eric J. Kirby
Erma J. McCray
Courtenaye R. Nelson
Frances S. Penn
Juanita Prophet
Marion Solomon
Betsy H. Parrish
Geraldine V. Washington
Melinda H. Wilkins

Special Recognition Presidential Award
Clarice T. Allen
Quintina Kornegay Brown
Corinne M. Mungo
Nelcina B. Wiggins

Congratulations to all of the recipients!

Please support the service of the installation of Pastor- Elect Reverend Carlos A. Younger, M.Div. – Freedom Baptist Church, 1519 “U” Street, NW, Washington, DC on Sunday, October 6th at 3:30 PM.

The ICUA will be serving for The Baptist Convention of the District of Columbia and Vicinity’s 147th Annual Session. The Session will be held at Mount Moriah Baptist Church, 1636 East Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC. The dates are Tuesday – October 15th, Wednesday – October 16th, and Thursday – October 17th. The daily serving schedule is as follows:

10:00 AM
2:00 PM
7:00 PM

The attire is the National Uniform.

The “Presidents’ Council and ICUA Guardians’ Meeting” will be held on Saturday – October 19th at the ICUA Headquarters. Breakfast will be served at 8:30 AM, and the meeting will begin at 9:00 AM. All Ushers’ Ministry Presidents are encouraged to attend the meeting.

The Eastern Region Awards and Recognition Committee has made its selections for the 2020 Eastern Region Conference Honorees. We have two members who will be honored at the 2020 Johnnie F. Knighton Prayer Breakfast in Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday morning, March 14, 2020. Join me in congratulating –

Sister Dolores R. Wallace – Peace Baptist Church
Sister Eunice B. Wise – Saint Teresa of Avila Catholic Church

The Eastern Region Mid-Year Meeting in conjunction with the State of New York 99th Memorial Weekend will be held November 9 – 10, 2019, in Brooklyn, New York. October 1st is the deadline to make your hotel reservations. The roundtrip bus transportation to New York is $125.00. The final payment is due Monday, October 14th at the Business Meeting. Contact Sister Druscilla J. Smalls to reserve your seat on the bus. She can be reached at 202/678-2180 {home}, or 301/567-5231 {cell}.

Information on the 63rd Annual Eastern Region Conference:

Conference Hotel: Doubletree Hotel Downtown
700 N. King Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Telephone Number: 800-737-7181
The Online Booking Link is https://group.doubletree.com/ERRegChurchUshersAssn
Room Rates – Across the board $109.00 plus tax – currently 10% per room, per night, subject to change. Rates are available 3 days prior, and 3 days after the Conference.
The deadline for reservations is Thursday, February 20, 2020

If you or someone you know is interested in being a Vendor at the 2020 Eastern Region Conference, you can contact Cathy Crittendon, Assistant Conference Planner, for an application.

It is time to make your reservations for the 101st National Convention. The 2020 National Convention will be held in Orlando, Florida. The dates of the Convention are July 27th through August 1, 2020. The Host Hotel is the Rosen Centre Hotel – 9840 International Drive – Orlando, Florida 32819. Hotel rate: $139.00 per night across the board. Plus 13.63% tax, subject to change. The total for one room night plus tax is $157.94.
Reservations: Call 1-800-204-7234 or www.nationalchurchushers.org – click on Convention Conference – select 101st National Convention – click on NUCUAA for online Reservations.
NOTE: A 1-night’s room deposit and tax are required at the time of making your reservation.
Reservation refundable deadline: June 1, 2020
Reservation deadline: July 6, 2020

ICUA Prayer Call – 3rd Monday of each month –
Dial-in-Number: 1-605-475-5950
Access Code: 6419564#

Please follow the ICUA on the social media accounts below:

The ICUA has a Twitter and an Instagram account.
https://www.instagram.com/dc_ushers/
https://twitter.com/dc_ushers

Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/ICUAofDC/
Website: www.icuaofdc.org

NUCUAA Centennial Celebration pictures are on the ICUA Website – icuaofdc.org (https://icuaofdc.org/?page_id=296)

I solicit your support of the following upcoming ICUA events/activities:

Christine M. Green Women’s Day Committee, Everyone’s Birthday – Mt. Ephraim Baptist Church – Saturday, October 26th – 1:00 PM

Sermon – Mount Moriah Baptist Church
1636 East Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC – 3:00 PM – November 17th

Randy L. Perrin Men’s Day Committee and Christine M. Green Women’s Day Committee Program – Sunday, December 1st – 3:00 PM

Happy Birthday to all celebrating a birthday during the month of October!

Please keep Mother Elaine S. Flanagan and Father Roy L. Kelly in prayer, and all sick, shut-in, and bereaved families.

Yours in Christian Service,

Pansy Bradley-Cooper
President