Consecration Services for Metropolitan CME, Houston, TX
Houston, TX—Family and friends are invited to share with the pastor, officers, and members of the Metropolitan CME Church as Consecration Services are observed on Sunday, August 9, 2009. The sprawling campus is located at 8955 South Freeway (288) between Bellfort Blvd. and Reed Road. Included during the 3 PM, celebration will be tributes and special recognitions to those who made contributions toward the church’s rebuilding efforts. For more information, please contact Pastor Dr. W. Edward Lockett at 713-748-6242 or metrocme@aol.com. You can read more about Metropolitan’s restoration in an upcoming issue of The Christian Index.

Rev. Rodney Geyen Re-Elected to a 4th term to the Lake Charles City Council

City Councilman Rev. Rodney Geyen was re-elected on April 4, 2009, to a fourth term as City Councilman of District C in the city of Lake Charles, LA.
Rev. Geyen has served for 12 years on the Council and has served as President of the Council twice. Rev. Geyen served as mayor for a period of four and one half months, becoming the first African American to serve as mayor in the City of Lake Charles.
Rev. Geyen is responsible for securing over $25 million for the reconstruction of 34 streets, sidewalks, and drainages that greatly improved the district in which he serves. Several recreation centers have been built, with state-of-the-art exercise equipment and indoor/outdoor walk tracks. He is an advocate of having a safe community to live in and has worked hard to rid his district of various kinds of crime and drug activities.
Rev. Geyen has served the school system for 42-plus years as teacher, coach, assistant principal and principal. He also served as a deputy sheriff for 21 years.
Rev. Geyen is a graduate of W. O. Boston High School, Grambling St. University, McNeese State University and earned a Masters-plus-30 Degree in the field of Education.
Rev. Geyen is a member of Reeves Temple CME Church in Lake Charles, LA, under the guidance of Rev. Dr. H. Leon Williams, pastor.

St. James CME, LaGrange, GA, 

Gets Eagle Scout      

On Sunday March 29, 2009 Walter Solomon Whitfield became the first member of St James CME Church, LaGrange Georgia to earn the Eagle Scout Rank. His Court of Honor was conducted at the church and the St. James family congratulated Solomon on this outstanding achievement. The Eagle rank is the highest rank that a scout can earn. Solomon began his scouting career in 1998 as a Cub Scout in the church’s first Cub Scout Pack, founded by Miss Carol Lewis. The Charter Partner Representative was Mr. L.L. Banks and Mr. Joan Debnam served on the Pack Committee. Both have served the pack and troop faithfully ensuring that the scouting programs succeed. In 2001 Solomon received the Arrow of Light, the highest rank a Cub Scout receives. He then crossed over into the Boy Scout Troop and for the next 8 years earned more than 44 merit badges on the way to Eagle.
As a boy scout Solomon participated in many campouts and other scout events including the annual Freeze-O-Ree at Camp Gallant, Fall Family Campouts, Religious Encampments at both Andersonville and Tuskegee Institute and hiking the Little Grand Canyon in Lumpkin Georgia. He worked at the Camp Lumpkin Summer Camp for the past four years assisting other scouts in earning merit badges. The highlight of his camping experiences was his attendance at the National Boy Scout Jamboree in 2005 at Fort AP Hill, Virginia. For twelve days, along with 80 other scouters from the Chattahoochee Council, he toured Washington DC and camped at Fort AP Hill with 40,000 other Boys Scouts and Scout Leaders. One of the most memorial moments of the Jamboree was the assembly which President George Bush addressed.
He graduated from LaGrange High School in June of 2009 and will attend Columbus State University in the fall. His plans are to become an accountant and continue to work within the Scouting program. 

Photo: Right to left - Rev. Jesse Everett, Presiding Elder, North Columbus-LaGrange District, West Georgia Region; Rev. LK Allen, pastor of St. James CME Church, LaGrange GA., Rev. Morrissey Whitfield, mother, pastor of Trinity in Durand, GA., father, Gary Whitfield, Scout Master Troop 305; new Eagle Scout Walter Solomon Whitfield, brother, Life Scout Christopher Isaiah Whitfield.