Florence-Dillon District Lay Organization Culminates The 2020-2021 Conference Year With The Announcement Of The Following Three Winners

1. Marissa E. Williams is the Florence-Dillon District Lay Organization winner of the Seventh Episcopal District Lay Organization’s JTW Mims Allen Little Stars Parade of Talent. She performed a dance routine to the song, “We Fall Down” by Donnie McClurkin. Marissa is the five year old daughter of Marlon Williams and Ricca Green and granddaughter of Ms. Joyce Green and a rising kindergartener in the PYP (Primary Years International Baccalaureate Program) at North Vista Elementary School. She is also a member of St. Paul AME Church (Claussen), under the leadership of Rev. Elroy Davis, Pastor and Sister Lueberta Green, Lay Organization President. In addition to attending dance class at Driven by Dance Studio in Quinby, Marissa spends time with classmates and plays games on her kindle, and watches shows on Nick Jr. and PBS. She will be featured during the SED (Seventh Episcopal District) Lay Organization’s virtual State Convention which is scheduled to convene June 11-13, in Columbia.

2. Sister Christa Edwards, a member of Weston Chapel AME Church, under the leadership of Rev. Leonard Simmons and a member of Florence-Dillon District Lay Organization, will represent the Northeast South Carolina Conference Lay Organization in the virtual SED (Seventh Episcopal District) Madam 7th Pageant during the State Convention which is scheduled for June 11-13, in Columbia. She is actively involved in the following auxiliaries of her church: member of the Board of Trustees, Senior Choir, Head of the Stewardess Board, and Treasurer of the Women Missionary Society. She is married to Brother Alvin Edwards, who is the president of the local Lay Organization, and they are the proud parents of three children: Andria, Alex and Adria - the grandparents of eight and great-grandparents of 16.

3. Thomas Spears, the son of Mr. William and Rev. Lisa Spears, is a prospective 2021 dual honor graduate of South Florence High School and Florence-Darlington Technical College, won the District level Oratorical Contest. The contest was extended to prospective graduating high school seniors in the Florence-Dillon District which comprises thirty churches. Speaking from the topic, “Leaning on the Promises of God as You Face Uncertainty on Your Christian Journey. We are More Than Conquerors” - background reference: Romans 8:38, Thomas was pronounced the winner on May 8. Consequently, as the District winner, Thomas represented Florence-Dillon District in the Northeast Conference competition and was declared the winner on May 22. Subsequently, He will compete on the State level during the Seventh Episcopal District State Convention which convenes June 11-13, in Columbia for the $2,000.00 scholarship. Thomas is a member of Magnolia –Bingham AME Church, under the leadership of Rev. Lisa Spears and his local Lay President, Sister Mary Davis. His church activities include church musician, YPD, and Tech support; basketball, fishing and music are hobbies and he will matriculate at Coastal Carolina University in August with a major in Exercise Science and a minor in Business Administration.

The president of the Florence-Dillon District Lay Organization is Sister Francine Gasque; Rev. Joseph Postell is the Presiding Elder; Brother Ricarldo Washington is the Northeast Conference president; Keith Britton is the president of the SED (Seventh Episcopal District) Lay Organization and Bishop Samuel L. Green is the Presiding Prelate of the Seventh Episcopal District of the African Methodist Church.