Sons of the King!

BY Dexter L. McCree, Feature Writer

ST. PETERSBURG — Approximately 200 people showed up in support of “Sons of the King” youth worship service held Sunday, March 18 at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church. Sponsored by the Naomi and Titus 2 Covenant Alliance Ministries (NT2CA), Reginald Roundtree from WTSP-Channel 10 News served as the Master of Ceremony.

“You can’t be as good as your competition and excel, you have to be three times as good just to be equal,” said Roundtree. “You all are on the cutting edge with your faith, family and faith in God. There’s no dream that you can’t achieve.”

With that challenge, the youth exploded into action. The St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church Youth Choir sang from the choir stand “We Worship You.” Trinity Adams, New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church, bowed in prayer as she asked for supreme favor and grace for the participates and their families.

Naomi Shirley Terrell welcomed the well-dressed crowd made up mostly of proud parents and supportive church members. Naomi Diane Speights set the occasion as an opportunity for young men to demonstrate their purpose in the community.

Naomi means teachers of good things. The concept for the NT2CA started in 2006 with the inception of Just For You Day at the Word of Life Fellowship Church. Just For You Day blossomed into a separate organization in 2009 when the first Naomi Red Carpet Recognition Brunch honoring local community women of faith and fortitude was held.

Continuing the vision set by Naomi Teralyn Hodge, founder and president of NT2CA, the organization is now a recognized 501(c) (3) nonprofit that provides program services that assist women and youth.

The youth featured on this day are “Sons of the King” and they have come to deliver powerful messages to the community based on biblical principles from the book of Ephesians 6.

“Obeying is easy to do with the right intentions,” said Caleb Davis, the first speaker who is a 15-year-old freshman at Boca Ciega High School. “I want to share a personal testimony. My mom said to put my cell phone in my backpack. I instead put it in my pocket and lost it. Now, I have to buy a new phone with my own money since I didn’t follow my mom’s directions.”

Just call them life lessons, but they still make parents proud.

Daniel E. Sanders was born 11 weeks premature weighing 2 lbs., 13 oz., but he demonstrated that he had grown and matured into a responsible young man.

“What does it mean to honor your parents?  It’s simple! Do what’s right at home,” spoke Sanders, much to the verbal agreement of his mother. “Take out the trash, sweep up the leaves, wash the dishes without being asked. It’s easier to just do what is right.”

You won’t get any parents disagreeing with that.

Also featured as a speaker was Anquante Allen, a 17-year-old junior at Boca Ciega who plays several different instruments. He added that God is pleased when we honor and glorify him.

Leonte “Rashard” Tukes, a junior at St. Petersburg High, brought the crowd to their feet with a thunderous, preaching tone.

“This ain’t Burger King and you can’t have it your own way. Give it up and let it go. Obey them that have rule over you.”

J.C. Pritchett III, a junior at St. Petersburg High School, is a very gifted speaker, which serves as the reason for him wrapping up all of the messages into one. Pritchett III is junior class president, a member of the Interact Service Club and National Thespian Society.

What an evening and what a display of youthful leaders. These “Sons of the King” are on the cutting edge with their faith, family and faith in God. They’ve already begun to achieve their dreams.