By Delanda S. Johnson/HCBHC
Henderson County Black History Committee and Johnson Chapel AME Church both are looking forward to a big bang at the end of February.
On Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Malakoff Community/Senior Center, the HCBHC will host its Annual Scholarship banquet. Time for the event will be 7 p.m. and tickets are $20 each; with door prizes to be raffled off.
This year the HCBHC has a total of 17 recipients who will be honored at the scholarship banquet.
The theme for Black History month is: “Civil Rights in America” with a sub-theme: “A light in the Darkness.” The speaker for the evening is Ms. Shani Scott; Hot 107.3 Jamz Brand Manager (Home of the Steve Harvey Show) in Tyler.
Ms. Scott began her radio career in August 1994 and has also achieved becoming a published author, actress, and spokesperson for various organizations.
Shani Scott hits the air ways every Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. –2 p.m. on Hot 107.3 Jamz. She is also the host of Townsquare Media’s East Texas Today, which airs every Sunday from 7 a.m. -7:30 a.m. on Hot 107.3 Jamz, 101.5 KNUE, Mix 93-1 and Classic Rock 96.1. Shani can also be heard in the Temple/Killeen market on Townsquare Media’s B106.
On May 3, 2010, she suffered a massive stroke and had to go through extensive rehabilitation. Having to learn to walk, read and write again, Shani conquered all odds that were set against her. Shani Scott is the proud mother of two beautiful daughters and believes that with Faith ALL things are possible.
Coming of the heels of the HCBHC scholarship banquet, Johnson Chapel AME Church in Malakoff will host its Annual Lay/Men’s Day program on Sunday, Feb. 23. This event will close Black History month with a powerful message from Rev. Dr. C. Dennis Williams, Pastor of Smith Chapel AME Church in Dallas, Texas.
The program will began at 3:30 p.m.
Dr. C. Dennis Williams is from Santa Ana, California.
Rev. Dr. Williams holds degrees from the following Schools; a Bachelor of Arts in History and Religion from Paul Quinn College (Waco, TX Campus), a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Bethany Theological Seminary in Dothan Alabama. He did work towards his Master of Divinity from United Theological Seminary in Dayton Ohio, and he received his Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton Ohio.
He is an Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and was licensed to preach in 1976 by the Quarterly Conference at Johnson Chapel A.M.E. Church in Santa Ana, Calif. He was ordained as an Itinerant Deacon in 1981 in the Central Texas Conference of the 10th Episcopal District, and ordained as an Itinerant Elder in 1985 of the Southern California Conference of the 5th Episcopal District.
Dr. Williams has been preaching for 37 years and has served as a Pastor for 28 years. He has served the A.M.E. Church, both at the Local level and Connectional level, having served as a delegate to several General Conferences, a Member of the General Board, and has also led several of his local churches in debt relief, mortgage liquidation, increase in memberships, church foreclosures, and legal challenges.
He also presently serves as a Board of Trustee at Paul Quinn College in Dallas. He is a published author with his first book entitled “An Ecclesiastical Model for Hiv/Aids”, and is working on his second book which should be released in/or before 2014 entitled “Pastoring in Scandalous Pasture”.
Rev. Dr. Williams is married with three children and a grandson. He is the proud Pastor of Smith Chapel AME Church in Dallas, Texas.