PHOTOS- Tour of the Holy Sites

     Holmes County/Lexington, Mississippi & Memphis, Tennessee

               Society for Pentecostal Scholars

                                                                   Wednesday, March 9, 2011

   A "Good Morning" greets us from our driver Mr. Louis Horton 

    as we board our Luxury Crown Coach bus to start our tour.

Scholars from Society for Pentecostal Studies aboard our

bus ready to begin the day

Mayor Robin McCrory of Lexington, MS gives the scholars a
warm welcome upon our arrival.

Dr. Percy Washington, Pastor of Sweet Canaan Church of
God in Christ (the 2nd oldest church of  COGIC in Lexington, MS)
served as our tour guide for the day.

Our first stop was to Asia Missionary Baptist Church where
our welcome came from Mr. Cobbins, Chairman of the Board
of Supervisors, Holmes County/Lexington, MS.

Reverend A.G. Williams, Jr., pastor of Asia MB Church
talks with the tour host - Mother Mary P. Patterson

Scholars listen as Dr. Elton H. Weaver III, Ph. D.,
Assistant Professor of History at LeMoyne-Owen College
and who also did his dissertation from the
University of Memphis on the life of Bishop C. H. Mason,
speaks about how Bishop Mason arrived at Asia MB Church
back in 1897.

Dr. Washington gives us a little history on Holmes County/
Lexington, Mississippi

Asia Missionary Baptist Church

Our delicious lunch was hosted at the poplar
Lexington, Mississippi spot Gladys' Restaurant.
PHOTO: Ms. Gladys & Dr. Darrin Rodgers of
Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center in Springfield, Missouri

_________

Our next tour stop was to Saints Academy (formerly known
as Saints Industrial and Literary School) where
Dr. Arenia C. Mallory was founder & president
of the school from 1926 - 1983. 

Dr. Anjulet Tucker, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Sociology of Religion at Boston University tells the story of
Dr. Arenia C. Mallory inside the Debra Mason Patterson
(daughter of Bishop C. H. Mason) Building 

SPS Scholars listening to Dr. Anjulet Tucker

To our amazement, Mr. Coleman Patton, Jr.(on the right),
a 1966 alumni of Saints Academy greeted us and
also listened as Dr. Tucker told the story of Dr. Mallory and
the school, and with his acknowledgement he confirmed the story true. 

Mr. Patton - Maintenance Supervisor,  has been working
at Saints Academy since he graduated in 1966.
He told us his parents & grand-parents are alumni as well.

Middle PHOTO- Mr. Coleman Patton, Jr.
Class of 1966/Saints Industrial and Literary School
(this photo is mounted on the hallway wall
as you enter Faith Hall)

Mother Mary P. Patterson inside Faith Hall with
Dr. Percy Washington & Dr. Darrin Rodgers in the background.

Dr. Martin Mittelstadt, Associate Professor of New Testament,
Evangel University, Springfield, MO  and Mother Patterson
take a photo inside Faith Hall

 The SPS Scholars in front of the 
Debra Mason Patterson Building

______________

Our next stop was to St Paul Church of God In Christ
(The Mother Church) which is the 1st organized church by Bishop C.H. Mason.

Dr. Annette Newberry,Visiting Professor of Church History
and Mission, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary
 Springfield, Missouri talks to us on the bus while other
SPS scholars tour St Paul Church of God in Christ

_________________

As our Lexington, Mississippi portion of the tour
comes to an end and we ride back to Memphis, TN we are told the history of
Mason Temple (the Headquarters of the Church of God in Christ) by:


Dr. Elton H. Weaver III

Dr. Anjulet Tucker

               



Reverend & Mrs. H. Larry Jones, Pastor of St. Paul

International Pentecostal Holiness Church in

Swansea, South Carolina

Dr. Darrin Rodgers and Seth Zielicke, University of Birmingham

by way of Los Angeles, California

Standing: Dr. Darrin Rodgers &
Dr. Warren Newberry, Associate Professor of Missions,
Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Springfield, MO
Seated in 1st Row (l to r): Dr. David Michel, Chicago Theological
Seminary, Chicago, IL & Rev. Matthew Paugh,
United Methodist Church, Elk Garden, WV
3rd Row (l tor): Rev. David A. Reed, Professor
Emeritus Pastoral Theology, Wycliffe College, Toronto, Canada
& Dr. David Faupel, Library Director,
Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington DC
4th Row: Dr. Glen Menzies, Professor of New Testament, 
North Central University, Minneapolis, MN



Standing: Dr. Darrin Rodgers
Seated on left: Dr. Nancy Gower, Archivist,
Fuller Theological Seminary,
Pasadena, CA & Dr. David Bundy, Associate Provost,
Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA
Seated on right: Dr. David Michel, Chicago
Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL



Dr. Elton H. Weaver III and Dr. Derrick Rosenior,
Associate Professor of Communication Studies, Vanguard
University, Costa Mesa, CA talk as we take a break at a rest
stop on the way to Memphis, TN. 

Thank God for our videographer/photographer

Efra who capture the entire tour for Heritage Connection

Back in Memphis, TN at the conference host hotel

Memphis Marriott - Downtown, Mother Mary P. Patterson

and Dr. Elton H. Weaver III say "good-bye" and speak

about the success of the tour.

___________________________

___________________________

Our tour concluded on Thursday, March 10, 2011

at Mason Temple, Memphis, TN

(l to r): Dr. Warren Newberry, Tour Guide-Dr. Eric Williams,
Faculty Fellow in Theology and Homiletics, Western Theological
Seminary, Holland, MI; Catherine McGee, Archives Specialist,
Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center, Springfield, MO