THE REVEREND DR. NEICHELLE GUIDRY, currently serves as Dean of Chapel and Director of WISDOM Center at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a spiritual daughter of New Creation Christian Fellowship of San Antonio, Texas, where Bishop David Michael Copeland and the Rev. Dr. Claudette Anderson Copeland are pastors, and where she was ordained to ministry in 2010.

A graduate of Clark Atlanta University (2007, BA, Lambda Pi Eta) and Yale Divinity School (2010, M.Div.), Reverend Guidry was the 2010 recipient of the Walcott Prize for Clear and Effective Public and Pulpit Speaking. She is also a graduate of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (2017), where she earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Liturgical Studies with a concentration in Homiletics. Her dissertation is entitled, "Towards a Womanist Homiletical Theology for Subverting Rape Culture."

Dr. Guidry is the creator of Shepreaches, a virtual community and professional development organization that uplifts African-American millennial women in ministry through theological reflection, fellowship, and liturgical curation.

For six years, Reverend Guidry served as Associate Pastor to Young Adults and the Liaison to Worship and Arts Ministries in the Office of the Senior Pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, where Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, III is Senior Pastor. She served as the 2016 Preacher/Pastor-In-Residence at the Black Theology and Leadership Institute at Princeton Theological Seminary, and was listed as one of “12 New Faces of Black Leadership” in TIME Magazine (January 2015). Additionally, Reverend Guidry was recognized for “quickly becoming one of her generation’s most powerful female faith leaders” on Ebony Magazine’s 2015 Power 100 list (December 2015), and one of “Ten Women of Faith Leading the Charge Ahead” by Sojourners (March 2017).

Rev. Dr. Neichelle and the work of Shepreaches have been featured in the New York Times (April 3, 2015). She is a contributor to What Would Jesus Ask?:Christian Leaders Reflect on His Questions of Faith (Time Books, 2015), and the author of Curating a World: Sermonic Words from a Young Woman Who Preaches (self-published, June 2016). Reverend Guidry is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

Worship Service Sunday, March 10, 2019Babies Blessed – 11:30 AM

66th Annual Women’s Day

“HOPE FOR OUR DAUGHTERS”

Prelude 9:00 AM 11:30 AM Ramón Bryant Braxton, Organist

Karmesha K. Peake, Director

Call to Worship 9:00 AM Ava and Amelia Brewer11:30 AM Pamela and Kennedy West

Leader: May the peace and joy of God, acknowledge, encourage and nurture our Sisters on their collective and individual Journeys.

 

People: We thank God for Our Beautifully Bold, Courageous and Fierce Women.  

Leader: We honor our Mothers and Grandmothers who moved to music not yet written providing space for our Garden, providing space for our Joy.

 

People: We are our Sisters Keeper; we share the audacious responsibility to walk strong and to walk free  

Leader: In this season of Sankofa, we remember the faith of our mothers, we stand with our daughters, and we continue the legacy for generations to come. Let our worship and fellowship strengthen the ties that bind our hearts in Christian love.

 

All:  We walk forward into the light, with Hope in our Hearts, holding on to God’s unchanging hand. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Processional “To Our God” Judith Christie McAllister | Djembe Soloist: Amanda Vasquez

Invocation and Chant9:00 AM Trustee Lamonda Williams 11:30 AM Rosalyn Davis

Gloria PatriPrayer and Choral Response “Alpha and Omega” Israel and New Breed 9:00 AM Mrs. Brittany Bachus11:30 AM Deacon Valerie Kennedy Miller

Hope Letter9:00 AM Jamila Bragg11:30 AM First Lady Mrs. Patricia R. Butts

Anthem9:00 AM 11:30 AM The Women of Worship of Abyssinian “I Am What God Says I Am” and The Abyssinian Children’s Choir Maurette Brown Clark

Pastoral EmphasisScripture 9:00 AM Danisha Edwards11:30 AM Deacon Denise Borden Miller

Introduction of Guest Presenter 9:00 AM Pat Zollar11:30 AM Tiffany Meriweather

Liturgical Dance Presentation Robert Garland, Director - Dance Theatre of Harlem School and Dance Theatre of Harlem Upper School Students

Meditation9:00 AM11:30 AM The Women of Worship of Abyssinian “Awesome God”

Brian Courtney Wilson | Soloist: L. Baritone Williams

The Women’s Day Message9:00 AM Reverend Neichelle Guidry, Ph.D.11:30 AM Congresswoman Maxine Waters

Invitational

Offertory Selections9:00 AM 11:30 AM The Women of Worship of Abyssinian “Jesus Is My Help” Hezekiah Walker

Doxology

Offertory Prayer9:00 AM Michelle Clark 11:30 AM Sydney Josephine Bowles

Remarks The Abyssinian Women’s Ministry Leadership Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III

Recessional “I Believe” Jonathan Nelson Benediction 9:00 AM Kaela and Shaya Roach11:30 AM Deacon Barbara Hines

2019 WOMEN’S DAY PRESENTERS

CONGRESSWOMAN MAXINE WATERS is considered by many to be one of the most powerful women in American politics today. She has gained a reputation as a fearless and outspoken advocate for women, children, people of color and the poor. Elected in November 2016 to her 14th term in the U.S. House of Representatives with more than 76% of the vote in the 43rd Congressional District of California, Congresswoman Waters represents a large part of South Central Los Angeles including the communities of Westchester, Playa Del Rey, and Watts and the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County comprised of Lennox, West Athens, West Carson, Harbor Gateway and El Camino Village. The 43rd District also includes the diverse cities of Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lomita and Torrance. Congresswoman Waters serves as the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Financial Services. An integral member of Congressional Democratic Leadership, Congresswoman Waters serves as a member of the Steering & Policy Committee. She is also a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and member and past chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. Throughout her 37 years of public service, Maxine Waters has been on the cutting edge, tackling difficult and often controversial issues. She has combined her strong legislative and public policy acumen and high visibility in Democratic Party activities with an unusual ability to do grassroots organizing. As a national Democratic Party leader, Congresswoman Waters has long been highly visible in Democratic Party politics and has served on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) since 1980. She was a key leader in five presidential campaigns: Sen. Edward Kennedy (1980), Rev. Jesse Jackson (1984 & 1988), and President Bill Clinton (1992 & 1996). In 2001, she was instrumental in the DNC’s creation of the National Development and Voting Rights Institute and the appointment of Mayor Maynard Jackson as its chair. Following the Los Angeles civil unrest in 1992, Congresswoman Waters faced the nation’s media and public to interpret the hopelessness and despair in cities across America. Over the years, she has brought many government officials and policy makers to her South Central L.A. district to appeal for more resources. They included President Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Secretaries of Housing & Urban Development Henry Cisneros and Andrew Cuomo, and Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve System. Following the unrest, she founded Community Build, the city’s grassroots rebuilding project. She has used her skill to shape public policy and deliver the goods: $10 billion in Section 108 loan guarantees to cities for economic and infrastructure development, housing and small business expansion; $50 million appropriation for “Youth Fair Chance” program which established an intensive job and life skills training program for unskilled, unemployed youth; expanded U.S. debt relief for Africa and other developing nations; creating a “Center for Women Veterans,” among others.Expanding access to health care services is another of Congresswoman Waters’ priorities. She spearheaded the development of the Minority AIDS Initiative in 1998 to address the alarming spread of HIV/AIDS among African Americans, Hispanics and other minorities. She is also the author of legislation to expand health services for patients with diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.Congresswoman Waters has led congressional efforts to mitigate foreclosures and keep American families in their homes during the housing and economic crises, notably through her role as Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity in the previous two Congresses. She authored the Neighborhood Stabilization Program and is lauded by African American entrepreneurs for her work to expand contracting and procurement opportunities and to strengthen businesses. Long active in the women’s movement,

Maxine Waters was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the fifth of 13 children reared by a single mother. She began working at age 13 in factories and segregated restaurants. After moving to Los Angeles, she worked in garment factories and at the telephone company. She attended California State University at Los Angeles, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. She began her career in public service as a teacher and a volunteer coordinator in the Head Start program. She is married to Sidney Williams, the former U.S. Ambassador to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. She is the mother of two adult children, Edward and Karen, and has two grandchildren.

THE REVEREND DR.

NEICHELLE

GUIDRY

CONGRESSWOMANMAXINE WATERS

The History of Women’s Day

Nannie Helen Burroughs, Corresponding Secretary of the Women's Auxiliary to The National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., founded Women's Day. Subsequently, Abyssinian observed its first Women's Day on March 22, 1953 with Uvee R. Mdondana-Arbouin, 1st National President

of the Progressive National Baptist Convention Women’s Auxiliary, as Guest Speaker.

Effie Bushell started Women's Day at Abyssinian, and she chaired the first event. Sallie Baldwin was Vice Chair, and Julia Jones was Secretary. Hazel Scott Powell served as Event Honorary Chair, and Inez Powell was the Vice Honorary Chair.  All Praises to God for these wonderful pioneers

who made the tradition of Women's Day possible!

We Remember and Give Thanks….

To God, as we remember the eleven women who were among the group of Abyssinian founding members that left First Baptist Church on Gold Street in lower Manhattan, and are listed in the 1809

demission letterCharlotte Johnson · Sally Allen · Sally Dean · Jane Jones · Pheba Green · Isabella Simmons

Freelove Slocum · Pheba Cheeseman · Hagar Treadwell · Peggy GoldmanJane Nickens

Women’s Ministry Acknowledgements Special Thanks To

Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III & First Lady, Mrs. Patricia R. Butts

Rev. Reginald Lee Bachus • Rev. Rashad Moore Rev. Itang Young • Rev. Pamela Mason

Rev. Lee Hodge

The Abyssinian Diaconate & Trustee BoardsAbyssinian Finance & Administrative Office StaffRamón Braxton and Abyssinian Music Ministry

Women of Total Praise EnsembleThe Total Praise Ensemble

The Women of Worship of Abyssinian Karmesha Peake • Aby Children’s Choir

Cody Goudeau

Michael Adams • Naomi Graham Dr. Marcella Maxwell • Tiffany Merriweather

Nan Puryear

Aby Maintenance • AbyTech • Aby Security Aby Hospitality • Aby Ushers

Aby Golden Life Ministry

Robert Garland, Director - Dance Theatre of Harlem School and Students from The Dance Theatre of Harlem Upper School

2019 Presenters Representative Maxine Waters Reverend Dr. Neichelle Guidry

Reverend Dr. Judy Fentress WilliamsReverend Dr. Dominique RobinsonReverend Courtney Clayton Jenkins

Evangelist Vandalyn KennedyReverend Pamela Mason

Greer Ellis Coleman All Participants of 2019 Worship and Revival Services

and 66th Annual Women’s Day Services

Celebrating The 66th Annual Women’s Day

Sunday, March 10, 2019THE ABYSSINIAN BAPTIST CHURCH

132 Odell Clark Place | New York, NY 10030212.862.7474 -T | 212.862.3255 - F | abyssinian.org

REVEREND DR. CALVIN O. BUTTS, III – PASTOR2019 Women’s Ministry Leaders

Deacon Adrienne McWilliams, ChairDeacon Avis P. Yeiser • Patricia J. Butts, Co-Chairs