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THE OFFICIAL WEB SITE OF THE MADISON TIMES WEEKLY NEWSPAPER |
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FEATURES |
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Installation at Mt. Zion Baptist Church A spiritual foundation by Jonathan Gramling
On July 11, with an overflow congregation present to witness, the Rev. Richard Jones was formally installed as the new pastor at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. It had been a daylong celebration begun by the regular church services followed by a meal organized by Sis. Jewelline Wiggins and her planning committee. Then, in the late afternoon, Dr. Arlo Riechter, the head of the American Baptist Churches of Wisconsin, installed Rev. Jones. The service was filled by prayer and scripture delivered by members and ministers of Mt. Zion and St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, Rev. Jones' home church in Racine. The Mt. Zion Mass Choir delivered an uplifting musical gospel and the Bishop L.L. Kirby delivered a powerful sermon that gave sustenance to Rev. Jones as he assumes the responsibility of spiritually leading Mt. Zion. It was an uplifting time of celebration for everyone. "I'm excited, happy, feeling good," emphasized an exhausted, but cheerful Rev. Jones. "The church is growing. What we built already, we're worried it's not going to hold everyone who is coming now and we may have to go to two services. So, God is really blessing us. All my family and friends are here. I keep telling them I will be here at least 30 years. I'm elated." Now that Mt. Zion's spiritual foundation is in place, the physical house will soon be in order as well. "The church is close to being finished," Jones said. "For the most part, it will be finished in two weeks. But it depends upon the pew company. The last things to go in are the pews. They are custom pews because of the slope of the floor. After the pews go in, then the carpet will go in and then we'll get the sound system set up. You need to have everything in to get the acoustics right. I'll go in and preach to the sound system and the choir will come in and sing to the sound system. We'll get that set and we'll be done. The dedication will probably be August 22." Mt. Zion is poised to go ever upward.
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It
has been a beautiful spring at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. After
what seemed to be an eternity of transition, the church has
now established a strong foundation to guide its flock for years
to come. The long anticipated opening of its new church is drawing
near. And with the news that the church selected a young, dynamic
new pastor, the pews at Mt. Zion began to overflow.