Davidson County Civitan Club honors local clergy
The Davidson County Civitan Club honored nine local pastors and three spouses with the club’s 22nd Clergy Appreciation Observance. The event was held in the fellowship hall of Hedrick and Grove Reformed United Church of Christ on February 25.
The featured speaker was Sheriff Richie Simmons introduced by Civitan Stephanie Wilkerson. Among the honorees were Rev. Ed Armfield, and his wife Cindy, of the Burnett's Chapel United Methodist Church; Lt. Alison Hamilton of The Salvation Army of Davidson County; Rev. Danny B. Leonard of Memorial United Methodist Church of Thomasville; and Rev. Rick LeBaube and wife, Dianna of Mount Olivet United Methodist Church.
Other honorees attending were Pastor Warren W. Miller (retired from the Methodist Church) and his wife, Patti, Rev. Gavin A. Pratt of North Lexington Baptist Church,
Jayne Radionov of Genisis Kardia at Mount Olivet UMC, Pastor Ivory B. Roseboro of Saints Delights Holiness Church, and Pastor Tim Starbuck of Mt. Pleasant Church of Thomasville.
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. Civitan Gary Arnold presented a brief history of The Four Chaplains.
Eighty-two ago during World War II, on February 3, 1943, only 230 survived out ofaround 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 a decade. The Civitan Club presented them with a plaque of appreciation for their ten years of service.
Civitan President Tevin Barnes presided over the event attended by 81 people. Civitan Chaplain Jonathan Owens gave the invocation with Sergeant-At-Arms David Bovender leading the Pledge of Allegiance to United States Flag. Shirley 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 4 th Tuesday of each month. The club currently has 47 members.
