Mar 9

Mar 9 Davidson County Civitan Club honors clergy

Ministers honored at the Davidson County Civitan Club annual Clergy Appreciation Observance were (seated from left) Jayne Radinov, Rev. Ed Armfield, Elder Ivory Roseboro and Pastor Donna Smith. Standing from left is Pastor Warren W. Miller, Major Ray Morton, Rev. Gavin A. Pratt, Rev. Carroll L. Pusey and Pastor Tim Starbuck.{Contributed photo/Gary Arnold}

The Davidson County Civitan Club honored nine local ministers with the club’s 20th Clergy Appreciation Observance. The event was held in the fellowship hall of Hedrick's Grove Reformed United Church of Christ on February 28.

Among the honorees were Rev. Ed Armfield, and his wife Cindy, of the Burnett's Chapel United Methodist Church; Pastor Warren W. Miller (retired) and his wife, Patti; Major Ray Morton of The Salvation Army; Rev. Gavin A. Pratt of North Lexington Baptist Church; and Rev. Carroll L. Pusey and his wife, Tammy.

Other honorees attending were Jayne Radionov of Genisis Kardia in Winston-Salem, Elder Ivory Roseboro of Saints Delights Holiness Church, Pastor Donna Smith of Mount Olivet United Methodist Church and Pastor Tim Starbuck of Mount Pleasant Church of Thomasville.

The featured speaker was Lori Knox Essick who spoke about serving arm-in-arm to help others. Essick is a pediatric nurse with Brenner’s Hospital at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem.

Entertainment was provided by The Knox Family singers. They include Jim and Kathy Knox, Wendy Knox, and Ronnie and Lori Essick.

The attending pastors received gifts from the club in recognition of their service to the community.

Hundreds of Civitan clubs in North America participate annually in International Clergy Appreciation Observances honoring ministers of all faiths and denominations. The events are generally in February each year in remembrance of The Four Chaplains.

Eight decades ago during World War II, on February 3, 1943, only 230 survived out of around 902 men and two women on board the U.S.A.T. DORCHESTER when it was hit by a torpedo and sunk off the coast of Greenland. Among those lost were four clergymen--a Catholic Priest, a Rabbi and two Protestant ministers, who went down with their troop transport ship after giving up their life jackets to soldiers who had left their vests below deck in the scramble to evacuate.

Survivors witnessing the event stated that the chaplains stood with arms linked together, braced against the railing offering courage, reciting "The Lord's Prayer" and singing as the ship sank.

The Ladies and Men’s Fellowship of Hedrick's Grove Reformed United Church of Christ provided and served the meal for an eighth year.

Civitan President Shirley Link presided over the event attended by 85 people. Civitan Chaplain David Bovender gave the invocation with Jonathan Owens leading the Pledge of Allegiance to United States Flag. Link closed the meeting with the reading of The Civitan Creed.

Civitan is a worldwide service organization dedicated to community service with an emphasis on assisting people with disabilities. The Davidson County Civitan Club typically meets the 4th Tuesday of each month and at Venue 23 at Abbott’s Creek in Lexington. The club currently has 56 members.