Pastor Rod Johnson and Memorial Temple Missionary Baptist Church
“Serving the Least the Last and the Lost”
Faith, Health and Wellness
JANUARY 2024
Sandy Walker
My Father, My Lord,
2024 is here and I am thankful You saw fit to allow me to experience the unfolding of a New Year! I do not take this blessing for granted. You are an awesome, loving and ever present God. Father I know that there is nothing special about me. I am but flesh and bone that You breathed life into. I am here because You deemed it so. Thank You Father. Thank You Lord.
With this New Year comes the uncertainty of each day but I will rejoice and be glad in it. Our days may be uncertain but our destiny is not. Father I trust, I believe and I know that You are the Master of the Universe. You are the Super Hero in my life. You are there when all is said and done! My heart is full with anticipation of the days, weeks and months ahead.
Today and everyday I praise You, I thank You and I love You. To God be the Glory! -AMEN
Rev. And Mrs. Howard Siplin Longevity In Marriage and In Service
Rev. Dr. Howard Siplin and his beautiful wife Zelma are a force to be reckoned with. Last year at the beautiful Miami Shores Country Club, with the love and support of family and friends they celebrated 50 years of marriage. Their daughter Patricia, who was blessed to grow up in a home where her parents never argued, acknowledges God as the strength of their marriage. Thoughtful communication has been key to their 50 year union. Howard and Zelma Siplin are evenly yoked and God did it all.
As Pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in Coconut Grove Dr. Siplin has been able to use his former law enforcement experience to help forge and strengthen bonds and understanding between the police and the community. He is thoughtful and considerate in all he does. Mrs. Siplin, whose father previously pastored at Beulah, knows all too well what service to others means. With a heart of gold she loves and cares deeply for her family and others.
Rev. Dr. Howard Siplin, at the invi tation of Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, previously had the honor of serving as Guest Chaplain for the United States Congress. In her introduction Wilson described a lifelong friendship with Dr. Siplin that began in first grade. Dr. And Mrs. Siplin continue to support and love their family and the community they were called to serve.
We salute and honor them as God continues to bless their work and their commitment to service.
Pastor Rod Johnson and Memorial Temple
Missionary Baptist Church
“Serving the Least the Last and the Lost”
By: Jamil Rivers
In January of 2023, God elevated Interim Pastor Rod Johnson to serve as Senior Pastor of Memorial Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Miami Gardens, FL. His tenure follows the retirement of Rev. Dr. Ellise Cox. Johnson served as Assistant Pastor to Rev. Cox until he retired. “Pastor Cox was a very sound leader, a very consistent leader,” said Johnson. “I took some of those leadership principals from him in that regard. A good man to walk with.”
Under the leadership of the Florida East Coast Baptist Association and Moderator Toby T. Philpart, Pastor
Rod Johnson believes that through the church, people can experience the life-changing presence of God, connect with encouraging people, and leave ready to have influence in the world.
Today, Pastor Johnson is called to serve the members of his congregation and make a positive impact in the surrounding community, an approach referred to by the church as Intentional Outreach. “We try to be a church that is community connected with our local schools and community organizations, said Johnson. “We
want to be engaged. The church is not an entity unto itself. It is connected to other organizations in the community. We have a great relationship with institutions like Florida Memorial University and look forward to supporting Donation Day activities at the University each year.”
Building on the principle of intentional outreach, Memorial Temple is in the initial stages of establishing affordable housing for seniors. “As we began to look our current membership we had conversations with them about their needs,” said John-
son. “Many of our church members are seniors and challenged by the expense of rising insurance costs. God gave us the vision to go forward to look at creating affordable housing with some of the extended pieces of land we have on church grounds. God put it in our heart that we need to take the church to meet the needs of the current membership as well as the needs of the larger community.” In keeping with that mission, last year Memorial Temple developed a partnership with Churches Chicken to bring about 500 meals to feed individuals who lost their apartment to a fire that displaced residents to the Betty T. Ferguson Community Center for shelter. “We are extending that support in the community,” said Johnson. “Now every year we support those in need who are hungry as well as support those families that are in crisis. We go out to our local schools to support families who have a greater need during Thanksgiving, and we fed those families to make sure that they have a wonderful holiday.” “Let’s love the Lord and make sure we serve the Least the Last and the Lost,” said Johnson. “That’s what God called us to do.”
Rev. Johnson has served as a 1st lieutenant in the military and is member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He has
dedicated his life to uplifting his fellow man. Johnson is a Preacher, and Educator, who graduated Florida International University and started his teaching career in Miami Dade County Public Schools. Rev. Johnson received his ministerial license in 1992 and served as Youth Pastor of First Baptist of Brownsville Church under Pastor John Sales. He went on to attend Seminary school at Morehouse College, and was ordained by Pastor Arthur Jackson Sr., at Shiloh Baptist Church under the Florida East Coast Baptist Association. In 2002, he founded Ambassadors for Christ Baptist Church, which served the Greater Metro Area of Atlanta Ga. In 2009, God made a way for him and his family to relocate back to South Florida.
In 2013, he joined Broward County Public Schools as an Administrator and currently serves as a Homeless Coordinator for the Homeless Education Department where he helps homeless students and their families to obtain resources.
“I was raised in the Church,” said Johnson. “Two of my grand fathers were both pastors. I come from a family of believers. I always sung in the choir and served in the church.
My father was a musician, a trumpeter and my mother was a jazz singer. They met during the Free Jazz movement in 1960s. Additionally, my wife Celeste Johnson is also an accomplished singer and musician who graduated New World School of the Arts in Miami Dade County Public Schools and a graduated Florida State University. Additionally, she is a proud member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.”
Pastor Johnson has been married to his devoted wife Celeste Johnson for 25 years and is the father to Genesis Johnson.
Recently Pastor Johnson and his wife renewed their vows at Memorial Temple Baptist Church and enjoyed the reception at Florida Memorial University before 150 well-wishers. “We had a great time in the Lord,” said Johnson. “The ceremony was officiated by Pastor Carl Johnson of 93rd Street Baptist Church and President of The Florida General Baptist Convention. For couples looking to reach this milestone, Pastor Rod Johnson shares this advice, Matthew 6:33 But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto to you. There is no secret other than putting God first.”
Leading
More than 100 years ago, Jackson Health System made a promise to provide quality
We take pride in the numerous milestones we’ve reached, from spearheading groundbreaking research to offering cutting-edge services and expanding facilities across the county. In the new year, we are excited to continue leading innovative ways to enhance and extend these impactful initiatives to our community.
Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-yearold daughter Savannah, prepare for a new sibling. They find out that the new baby is going to be a boy, and day after day, night after night, Savannah sings to her brother in Mommy’s tummy.
The pregnancy progresses normally for Karen, then the labor pains come. Every five minutes ... every minute. But Complications arise during delivery. Finally, Savannah’s little brother is born. But he has a serious condition. The pediatric specialist tells the parents, “There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst.”
Karen and her husband contact a local cemetery about a burial plot. They have fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby - now they plan a funeral. Week two in intensive care. It looks as if a funeral will come before the week is over. Savannah keeps nagging about singing to her brother, but kids are never allowed in Intensive Care. If she doesn’t see her brother now, she may never see him alive.
Karen dresses her in an oversized scrub suit and marches her into ICU. She looks like a walking laundry basket, but the head nurse recognizes her as a child and bellows, “Get that kid out of here now! No children are allowed.” Karen takes Savannah to her brother’s bedside. She gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. And she begins to sing the song she sang to him when he was in her mommies tummy: “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray --- “ Instantly the baby responds. The pulse rate becomes calm and steady. Keep on singing, sweet Savannah.... “You never know, dear, how much I love you, Please don’t take my sunshine away---” The baby’s strained breathing becomes as smooth as a kitten’s purr. Keep on singing, Savannah.... “The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms...” Savannah’s little brother relaxes as rest, healing rest, seems to sweep over him.
“Keep on singing.” Tears flow from the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glows. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don’t, take my sunshine away.”
Funeral plans are scrapped and soon the little boy is well enough to go home!
Woman’s Day magazine called it “the miracle of a sister’s song.” The medical staff just called it a miracle. Karen called it a miracle of God’s love!
Never give up on the people you love.
“There are some things so dear, some things so precious, some things so eternally true, that they are worth dying for. And I submit to you that if a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.”
Speech in Detroit on June 23, 1963
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”
Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, December 10, 1964
“When our days become dreary with low-hovering clouds of despair, and when our nights become darker than a thousand midnights, let us remember that there is a creative force in this universe, working to pull down the gigantic mountains of evil, a power that is able to make a way out of no way and transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows. Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.”
Address to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference on August 16, 1967
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige, and even his life for the welfare of others.”
From his 1963 book, Strength to Love
“We are not wrong, we are not wrong in what we are doing. If we are wrong, the Supreme Court of this nation is wrong. If we are wrong, the Constitution of the United States is wrong. And if we are wrong, God Almighty is wrong. If we are wrong, Jesus of Nazareth was merely a utopian dreamer that never came down to Earth. If we are wrong, justice is a lie, love has no meaning. And we are determined here in Montgomery to work and fight until justice runs down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Address at Holt Street Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama, 1955
“We all have the drum major instinct. We all want to be important, to surpass others, to achieve distinction, to lead the parade. … And the great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct. It is a good instinct if you don’t distort it and pervert it. Don’t give it up. Keep feeling the need for being important. Keep feeling the need for being first. But I want you to be the first in love. I want you to be the first in moral excellence. I want you to be the first in generosity.”
Sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on February 2, 1968
“Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like any man, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”
Speech at Bishop Charles Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 3, 1968
Martin Luther King, Jr., (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968) was born Michael Luther King, Jr., but later had his name changed to Martin. His grandfather began the family’s long tenure as pastors of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, serving from 1914 to 1931; his father has served from then until the present, and from 1960 until his death Martin Luther acted as co-pastor. Martin Luther attended segregated public schools in Georgia, graduating from high school at the age of fifteen; he received the B. A. degree in 1948 from Morehouse College, a distinguished Negro institution of Atlanta from which both his father and grandfather had graduated. After three years of theological study at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania where he was elected president of a predominantly white senior class, he was awarded the B.D. in 1951. With a fellowship won at Crozer, he enrolled in graduate studies at Boston University, completing his residence for the doctorate in 1953 and receiving the degree in 1955. In Boston he met and married Coretta Scott, a young woman of uncommon intellectual and artistic attainments. Two sons and two daughters were born into the family.
In 1954, Martin Luther King became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Always a strong worker for civil rights for members of his race, King
was, by this time, a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the leading organization of its kind in the nation. He was ready, then, early in December, 1955, to accept the leadership of the first great Negro nonviolent demonstration of contemporary times in the United States, the bus boycott described by Gunnar Jahn in his presentation speech in honor of the laureate. The boycott lasted 382 days. On December 21, 1956, after the Supreme Court of the United States had declared unconstitutional the laws requiring segregation on buses, Negroes and whites rode the buses as equals. During these days of boycott, King was arrested, his home was bombed, he was subjected to personal abuse, but at the same time he emerged as a Negro leader of the first rank.
In 1957 he was elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization formed to provide new leadership for the now burgeoning civil rights movement. The ideals for this organization he took from Christianity; its operational techniques from Gandhi. In the eleven-year period between 1957 and 1968, King traveled over six million miles and spoke over twenty-five hundred times, appearing wherever there was injustice, protest, and action; and meanwhile he wrote five books as well as
numerous articles. In these years, he led a massive protest in Birmingham, Alabama, that caught the attention of the entire world, providing what he called a coalition of conscience. and inspiring his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”, a manifesto of the Negro revolution; he planned the drives in Alabama for the registration of Negroes as voters; he directed the peaceful march on Washington, D.C., of 250,000 people to whom he delivered his address, “l Have a Dream”, he conferred with President John F. Kennedy and campaigned for President Lyndon B. Johnson; he was arrested upwards of twenty times and assaulted at least four times; he was awarded five honorary degrees; was named Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1963; and became not only the symbolic leader of American blacks but also a world figure.
At the age of thirty-five, Martin Luther King, Jr., was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize. When notified of his selection, he announced that he would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the civil rights movement.
On the evening of April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of his motel room in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was to lead a protest march in sympathy with striking garbage workers of that city, he was assassinated.
Dr. King is remembered around this country and around the world as a man of commitment and sacrifice. Streets and monuments have been designated in his honor. A national holiday recognizes his contributions to the peace movement. His legacy lives on in the many accomplishments of Black people nationally and internationally. His living was not in vain.
WORDS OF WISDOM DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
A pastor, scholar, and activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered as one of the most influential leaders in history, thanks to his lifelong dedication to fighting racial prejudice and advancing the rights of Black Americans.
Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, King rose from a Baptist minister to a prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and ‘60s, playing a pivotal role in ending racial segregation in the United States. He worked closely with political leaders to pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, or ethnicity, as well as the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which outlawed long-held discriminatory voting practices. King achieved these milestones and more by preaching nonviolent protest and peaceful civil disobedience, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
When King was tragically assassinated on April 4, 1968, he left the mourning nation with a great deal of wisdom to remember him by. Dr, King’s powerful speeches, books, sermons, and letters are full of words and messages that continue to inspire generations of people. Here are some of his most famous quotes about love, hope, peace, and above all, justice.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
— Letter from Birmingham Jail, 1963
Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.
— “I Have A Dream” speech, 1963
True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.
— “Stride Toward Freedom,’ 1958
Men often hate each other because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they can not communicate; they can not communicate because they are separated.
— “Stride Toward Freedom,” 1958 Keep moving. Let nothing slow you up. Move on with dignity and honor and respectability.
— “Give Us the Ballot” address, 1957
Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’
— “Conquering Self-Centeredness” sermon, 1957
The time is always right to do what’s right.
— Address to Cornell College, 1962
We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.
— Letter from a Birmingham Jail, 1963
I submit to you that if a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.
— Speech during the Great March on Detroit, 1963
There is another side called justice. And justice is really love in calculation. Justice is love correcting that which revolts against love.
— Montgomery Bus Boycott speech, 1955
We must meet hate with love. We must meet physical force with soul force.
— “Give Us the Ballot” address, 1957
I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality.
— Nobel Prize acceptance speech, 1964
Our feet are tired, but our souls are rested.
— “How Long, Not Long” speech, 1965
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.
— “I Have A Dream” speech, 1963
On Saturday, February 10, 2024, in celebration of Reggae Month, the story of the Caribbean’s most prolific music genre will be presented to South Florida in a bold new way. The inaugural historical retrospective and concert event “Reggae GenealogyThe Origins, Evolution and Influence of Jamaican Music,” produced by Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, will be presented in the city of Plantation, Florida. A blend of entertainment and education, this event will showcase live performances including music and dance, archival video elements and contemporary narratives for a fully immersive experience. Reggae Genealogy will take place in the northeast parking lot of the Broward Mall.
The entire history of Jamaican music will find representation. Beloved icons who are no longer with us, such as Harry Belafonte, the first recording artist to sell a million records in the U.S., will speak to the audience in recorded video. Living legends like Mykal Rose of Black Uhuru, the first reggae band to win a Grammy, will make special guest appearances.
Reggae Genealogy event is presented in partnership with Broward Mall and the City of Plantation, and made possible in part by the support of the
State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Broward County Cultural Division, Grace Foods, Jamaica Tourist Board, Blue Mahoe Capital, the Beach Channel, Visit Lauderdale, Only the Best Printing and the following funds at the Community Foundation of Broward: Judith Cornfeld Fund for the Arts, Helen and Frank Stoykov Charitable Endowment Fund and The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation Broward Community Fund.
The three-hour showcase will trace the early beginnings of popular Jamaican music, prior to Jamaican independence from Britain in 1962, to the present, touching on mento, ska, Nyabinghi, rocksteady, lover’s rock, dub, reggae and dancehall. The showcase will also highlight the influence of Jamaican music on genres such as hip hop, reggaeton, EDM and Afrobeats.
To execute the inaugural staging of Reggae Genealogy, Island SPACE has assembled an experienced team of experts in reggae music history, event production and business. The team includes Lloyd Stanbury - one of the founders of Reggae Month and of the first Jamaican all-reggae radio station,
Inaugural Reggae Genealogy Concert Event Comes to Plantation, Florida for Reggae Month
IRIE FM, and Calibe Thompson and David I. Muir - the former producers of The Taste the Islands Experience culinary festival, and co-founders of Island SPACE. Other team members include authors, documentarians, television and video producers, radio personalities and choreographers.
The gates open at 3 p.m. with showtime at 6 p.m. Pre-sold tickets are $20 or $25 at the gate. Afternoon attendees can enjoy restaurant and artisan vendors and tours of Island SPACE Caribbean Museum inside the Broward Mall. Find tickets, general, sponsorship, vendor and volunteer information at www.reggaegenealogy. org
Island Society for the Promotion of Artistic and Cultural Education (Island SPACE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of arts, culture, history, and educational initiatives that represent the Caribbean region, in South Florida and the broader diaspora. The public is invited to visit the Caribbean museum Thursdays through Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m. and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. General museum entry is $10 per adult and $5 per child. Visit www.islandspacefl.org to learn more.
Jamaican musical icons, living and gone, will find representation in the narrative story of the Reggae Genealogy outdoor concert and musical showcase. (Left: Mykal Rose of Black Uhuru, who will make an appearance at the show. Right: Dennis Brown (deceased.))
Meet the 8 Week Fitness Challenge That Will Turn Your Winter Weight Gain Around
It’s official. 2022 is here! This means it’s the perfect time to start an 8-week fitness challenge that will turn your winter weight gain around. That may not sound like a whole lot of time, but like our favorite awkward girl from Insecure taught us, a lot can change in just 2 months. The same is true when it comes to your health. If you set out to lose some pounds, or simply be more consistent with your workouts, you can make it all happen, with SWEAT Season, the 8 Week Fitness Series from Get Fit Like That.
The SWEAT Season Fitness Series makes sticking to a routine easier than ever with 8 weeks of expertly-designed workouts you can do in 30 minutes or less.
You’ll get to sweat off those holiday treats and get strong enough to power through winter blues and anything else that comes up this season.
With short workouts that you can join from pretty much anywhere and get done with minimal equipment, there’s no excuse to miss a day during SWEAT Season.
So how does it work? When you start SWEAT Season, you’ll follow along with your coach and BlackDoctor. org contributor, Sharita Jennings for a mix of strength and HIIT workout videos that will keep you guessing and pushing yourself to be stronger than the week before.
A Peek into Your First Week of SWEAT Season
On Day 1 of SWEAT Season, your first email will be waiting with the week’s SWEAT Schedule so you can
plan out your week. You can instantly access the workouts from your email and stream them on your favorite device on your own time.
First up, you’ll be tuning in to the “Shoulders & Core” session, where Coach Sharita will show you how to seriously sculpt your arms with just a mat and a set of 5lb dumbbells (or heavier if you want!).
You’ll quickly see how effective a few sets of shoulder presses, flys, and rows can be after the first 15 minutes of the workout.
You’ll wrap up your first session with a fun core routine that will challenge your balance and leave your abs wanting to come out of hibernation.
Take the next day off to recover and then jump back into your first cardio and leg day workouts later in the week.
Every week of SWEAT Season, your workouts will progress to make sure you don’t get bored, and you can keep your results coming throughout the season.
How to Join SWEAT Season
You can start SWEAT Season to turn your focus on your health goals all the way up by following these 3 steps:
1. Head to the SWEAT Season page to sign up and download your workouts.
2. Share your progress and workouts using the #GFLTSweatSzn hashtag.
3. Get more inspiration and motivation by following @GetFitLikeThat on Instagram.
Sharita Jennings is a fitness and travel enthusiast and creator of Get Fit Like That, LLC. She is a health policy attorney and ACE certified group fitness instructor and fitness nutrition specialist. She provides online fitness plans and leads group fitness classes in Washington DC. Check out her fitness tips and workouts at GetFitLikeThat.com.
Saturday, January 27, 2024
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
In the United States, 70 percent of Americans either don’t know how to administer CPR or have limited training.* We are determined to change that. In anticipation of American Heart Month in February, we would like you to join us on Saturday, January 27, to learn how you can save a life with CPR. We will be offering 30-minute, hands-only CPR training sessions at 10 locations across Miami-Dade County, with multiple time slots available throughout the morning. Sign up in advance to guarantee your spot.
Register for your FREE training** at www.CPRDayMiami.org . #CPRDayMiami
