As the saints were pouring into the city for the Church of God In Christ’s 110th Holy Convocation on Tuesday, November 7, one of St. Louis’ own received a blessing for his decades of service to COGIC.
Williams Temple Senior Pastor Bishop Lawrence Wooten and his wife Lady Shirley A. Wooten were given a royal welcome as they entered the Crystal Ballroom of the Grand Marriott.
Dressed to the nines in typical COGIC fashion, everyone in the room rose to their feet to welcome the Wootens for the celebration Banquet which honored the pastor for his work in the church, particularly for being elected as a general board member for a second term.
“This is historic for the region,” said First Lady Evelyn Givens of Last Days Power Ministries. “With his spiritual foresight and insight, our bishop propels leaders from all walks of life to become the change agents to the glory of God.”
The banquet was one of the opening ceremonies of the 110th Holy Convocation, which continues through November 14 at America’s Center. The annual gathering brings together the masses of the denomination’s 6.5 million-plus members from 84 countries. More than 25,000 people are expected to attend the festivities. The robust programming includes job and health fairs, worship, praise, music and other forms of ministry that carry on from early morning to midnight.
COGIC’s Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake made an appearance to personally express his gratitude to Wooten.
“Bishop Lawrence Wooten is incredible. There is nobody like him,” Blake said. “It’s only right that we pause and celebrate him and his lovely wife for the service that they have rendered and the service that they will render. We honor you. You honor me by allowing me to be here with you today.”
Nearly 20 people stood before guests to speak and sing the praises of Wooten, including his son, Elder Lawrence M. Wooten Jr.
“I thank God for my father,” the younger Wooten said on behalf of the family. “He has done so much in our home, for our church and in the community.
“I thank God I had my own superman living right next to me at home. I was able to turn to a man who was not only my father, but a man of God – a man of profound wisdom and understanding.”
Others offered expressions of gratitude from the local, state and national level of the church.
“Bishop Wooten is a man that makes serving easy,” said Auxiliary Bishop Marvin Sanders of the Eastern Missouri Western Illinois COGIC Executive Board. “If your actions inspire others, then you are truly a leader.”
Wooten was also given a resolution from Alderman Sam Moore, who is also a COGIC elder.
Wooten himself was a man of few words when it was his turn to speak. He thanked his wife, his family, his church, Blake and COGIC.
“I thank God for the opportunity to serve this great church,” Wooten said. “We are allowing the world to come together in service. These are some of the greatest people on earth.”
Praise in the midnight hour
Convocation festivities continued late into the night thanks to the Preacherama Triple Threat experience. Speakers included Bishop J. Drew Sheard, pastor of Greater Emmanuel Institutional COGIC (and a member of the denomination’s national governing body); his wife, Grammy Award-winning Evangelist Karen Clark Sheard; and her sister, fellow Clark Sisters member Dorinda Clark Cole.
“With our world being so divided at this time, there must be a mandate for every saint to identify themselves,” Pastor Sheard said. “Circumstances have made it impossible for us to hide. We the church need to know who is on our side. The old saints weren’t as timid as we are. They used to say emphatically, ‘I’m on the Lord’s side, and I’m feeling mighty happy.’”
It was approaching midnight, but the hundreds who filled the hall in America’s Center shouted as if they were in their home sanctuary at high noon on Sunday when he asked them, “Whose side are you on?”
“My brothers and sisters, we – like Israel – have become naked,” Pastor Sheard said. “We’ve got our clothes on. We wear the finest attire. We have stripped ourselves of our most precious thing. We are naked because we have lost our conviction. We have lost our integrity. We are standing for nothing – and falling for anything.”
Bishop Sheard then got political.
“We are naked because we have drifted into spiritual neglect. We elected a racist in disguise,” Bishop Sheard said. “Our country elected him president. He claimed he was going to make America great again. Yet it’s getting worse. We’re naked because we’ve lost hope in our country. He’s trying to take us back to the ‘50s and ‘60s. Grab your neighbor by the hand and say, ‘I ain’t going back!’”
The Church of God In Christ 110th Holy Convocation continues through November 14 at America’s Center. For more information, visit http://www.cogic.org/blog/110th-holy-convocation/.
