11th Anniversary of Pastor J. Holley
Creator: Little Rock Baptist Church
Subjects: Reverend James Holley
Description: Program of the 11th anniversary of Rev. Jim Holley
Date: 1983
Format: Text/jpg
Original Format: Special Event Program
Language: English
Contributor: Carlton Rolle
Pages: |  |  |
Transcript: REV. JIM HOLLEY IN PORTRAIT
Love is the filling of one's own Another's cup;
Love is the daily lying down And taking up;
A choosing of the stony path Through each new day;
That other feet may tread with ease
A smoother way;
Love is not blind, but looks abroad
Through other eyes;
And ask not "Must I Give?" but "May I Sacrifice?"
Shakespeare once wrote,
"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind."
An unknown poet once wrote,
"My eyes make pictures when they are shut."
Today, we shut our eyes, and with our eyes, make three pictures:
• First, there is the picture of "FAITH".
Faith in God, the Father of all who come to Him in truth and commitment. Faith in the principles of righteousness.
• Second, there is the picture of "HOPE".
Hope which transforms sighs into songs. Hope which dispels darkness as it dispenses light. Hope which turns tragedy into triumph. Hope which provides means to see a silver lining behind every dark cloud.
• Third, there is a picture of "LOVE".
Love which in life's busy span is as warm as the racing, sun. Love which at the eventide of life is as ripened fruit at the harvest. Love, the abiding state of absolute loyalty to the object of its devotion.
As we open our eyes, we behold pictures of the greatest, most elegant, charismatic individual we've ever known. Representing our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Teaching at its best education, culture, and fresh maturity. Adults, as well as youth, being inspired as they drink from his fountain of knowledge and spring of wisdom.
We hang this picture in the gallery of our hearts, as we unveil the portrait that this magnificent individual has painted with his life. A portrait that will not fade with time or become blemished with age. A portrait that brings grand memories of heroic virtues. Proud memories of great success. Sweet memories of friendship. Tender memories of fallen brothers and sisters, and thankful memories for the righteous cause He represents.
"WE REMEMBER
Rev. Holley was serving with devotion to duty, ardent love for the church and high esteem for the obligations placed upon him at the Greater New Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, (under the pastorate of Rev. Benjamin L. Hooks), when the Macedonian call from the Little Rock Baptist Church was extended to him. He accepted the call, and in the month of June, 1972, began painting the beautiful portrait of himself. The portrait reveals the fortitude of his character, the faith in his heart, the friendliness of his smile, the firmness of his guiding hand and the fidelity of his spirit.
If we liken the many accomplishments and achievements, accompanying each year for ten years to the metamorphosis or three stages of a butterfly, we consider the month of June, 1972 through 1974, as the first stage, which is the larva of the butterfly that hatches from the egg. It later becomes the pupa and is called the caterpillar.
Accomplishments during this period:
•Church membership grew from less than one hundred to over 900 members.
•Weekly offering grew from the hundreds, to over $3,000.00 income weekly.
•Baptismal pool installed.
•Purchase of house, three other pieces of property, a bus, and a van.
•Remodeled the church. Paid_. off mortgage of church. Borrowed $96,000.00 to make addition to church. Paid off loan of $96,000.00.
•Added new pews.
The second stage of the butterfly is known as the stage of development. It is called the Pupa. Considering the years, 1975 through 1981, we arrived at the negotiation for the present location of Little Rock Baptist Church, 9000 Woodward Avenue.
Accomplishments during this period:
•Obtained church for $350,000.00, as a $1.2 million building.
•Obtained another $75,000.00 of furnishings for $1.00.
•A $2,500.00 note, at $75,00d.00 down.
•A Federal, program to pay $1,300.00 to support the $2,500.00 note.
•$60,000.00 renovation prior to moving in church.
•New pulpit furnishings.
•Orphanage in Haiti.
•Patent for Little Rock Baptist Church.
We are now in the year 1982. The third stage of the butterfly is called the Cocoon. It is the silky case that caterpillars spin to shelter themselves while they are changing into butterflies. We refer to it as a protective cover, as it relates to Rev. Holley, for truly; like the metamorphosis of a butterfly, he has bloomed and taken flight on the journey of progression, leaving old plateaus of mediocrity behind him to find ever-widening horizons before him.
Accomplishments for "Ten Years":
•Church Membership. grown to 2,389 members.
•Parsonage — $150,000.00 fully furnished.
•Raised $2.4 million in ten years.
To describe the degrees and credentials Rev. Holley holds, we borrow words from a noted historian who wrote “It is not titles that reflect honor on men, but the man on their titles.”
Degrees:
•B.S. — Pre-Law - (Tennessee State)
•M.S. — International Relations
•B.D. — Old Testament - (Tennessee State)
•M.D. — New Testament - (University of Chicago)
•Ph.D. — Higher Education - (Wayne State University)
Enters Law School in September.
We honor Rev. Holley today because he has brought honor to the name.
"We remember", and acknowledge the trying times painted in the portrait. Through it all Rev. Holley kept preaching and teaching that affirmation comes by way of affliction,: that the best is bought only at the price of great pain. Hallelujah is on the side of hardship. Festival follows funeral, and resurrection is the postlude of crucifixions.
In the portrait Rev. Jim Holley has painted with his life, we see the blessings of God upon him, flows from the living fountain of his abiding labor of love.
The chimes of time rings out the news, "Another Day is Done".
The day is now, June, 1982 The day to pay tribute to a beautiful butterfly with wings of many colors.
The day to rejoice in celebration with Rev. Holley — "Ten Years" of dedicated, consecrated service to God and humanity.
The day to say...
"WE, REMEMBER" "CONGRATULATIONS"
"BEST WISHES", and a "HEARTY THANK YOU"
Again, thank you Rev. Holley for the love shown in the portrait you've painted with your life.
THE LITTLE ROCK FAMILY
Love is the filling of one's own Another's cup;
Love is the daily lying down And taking up;
A choosing of the stony path Through each new day;
That other feet may tread with ease
A smoother way;
Love is not blind, but looks abroad
Through other eyes;
And ask not "Must I Give?" but "May I Sacrifice?"
Shakespeare once wrote,
"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind."
An unknown poet once wrote,
"My eyes make pictures when they are shut."
Today, we shut our eyes, and with our eyes, make three pictures:
• First, there is the picture of "FAITH".
Faith in God, the Father of all who come to Him in truth and commitment. Faith in the principles of righteousness.
• Second, there is the picture of "HOPE".
Hope which transforms sighs into songs. Hope which dispels darkness as it dispenses light. Hope which turns tragedy into triumph. Hope which provides means to see a silver lining behind every dark cloud.
• Third, there is a picture of "LOVE".
Love which in life's busy span is as warm as the racing, sun. Love which at the eventide of life is as ripened fruit at the harvest. Love, the abiding state of absolute loyalty to the object of its devotion.
As we open our eyes, we behold pictures of the greatest, most elegant, charismatic individual we've ever known. Representing our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Teaching at its best education, culture, and fresh maturity. Adults, as well as youth, being inspired as they drink from his fountain of knowledge and spring of wisdom.
We hang this picture in the gallery of our hearts, as we unveil the portrait that this magnificent individual has painted with his life. A portrait that will not fade with time or become blemished with age. A portrait that brings grand memories of heroic virtues. Proud memories of great success. Sweet memories of friendship. Tender memories of fallen brothers and sisters, and thankful memories for the righteous cause He represents.
"WE REMEMBER
Rev. Holley was serving with devotion to duty, ardent love for the church and high esteem for the obligations placed upon him at the Greater New Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, (under the pastorate of Rev. Benjamin L. Hooks), when the Macedonian call from the Little Rock Baptist Church was extended to him. He accepted the call, and in the month of June, 1972, began painting the beautiful portrait of himself. The portrait reveals the fortitude of his character, the faith in his heart, the friendliness of his smile, the firmness of his guiding hand and the fidelity of his spirit.
If we liken the many accomplishments and achievements, accompanying each year for ten years to the metamorphosis or three stages of a butterfly, we consider the month of June, 1972 through 1974, as the first stage, which is the larva of the butterfly that hatches from the egg. It later becomes the pupa and is called the caterpillar.
Accomplishments during this period:
•Church membership grew from less than one hundred to over 900 members.
•Weekly offering grew from the hundreds, to over $3,000.00 income weekly.
•Baptismal pool installed.
•Purchase of house, three other pieces of property, a bus, and a van.
•Remodeled the church. Paid_. off mortgage of church. Borrowed $96,000.00 to make addition to church. Paid off loan of $96,000.00.
•Added new pews.
The second stage of the butterfly is known as the stage of development. It is called the Pupa. Considering the years, 1975 through 1981, we arrived at the negotiation for the present location of Little Rock Baptist Church, 9000 Woodward Avenue.
Accomplishments during this period:
•Obtained church for $350,000.00, as a $1.2 million building.
•Obtained another $75,000.00 of furnishings for $1.00.
•A $2,500.00 note, at $75,00d.00 down.
•A Federal, program to pay $1,300.00 to support the $2,500.00 note.
•$60,000.00 renovation prior to moving in church.
•New pulpit furnishings.
•Orphanage in Haiti.
•Patent for Little Rock Baptist Church.
We are now in the year 1982. The third stage of the butterfly is called the Cocoon. It is the silky case that caterpillars spin to shelter themselves while they are changing into butterflies. We refer to it as a protective cover, as it relates to Rev. Holley, for truly; like the metamorphosis of a butterfly, he has bloomed and taken flight on the journey of progression, leaving old plateaus of mediocrity behind him to find ever-widening horizons before him.
Accomplishments for "Ten Years":
•Church Membership. grown to 2,389 members.
•Parsonage — $150,000.00 fully furnished.
•Raised $2.4 million in ten years.
To describe the degrees and credentials Rev. Holley holds, we borrow words from a noted historian who wrote “It is not titles that reflect honor on men, but the man on their titles.”
Degrees:
•B.S. — Pre-Law - (Tennessee State)
•M.S. — International Relations
•B.D. — Old Testament - (Tennessee State)
•M.D. — New Testament - (University of Chicago)
•Ph.D. — Higher Education - (Wayne State University)
Enters Law School in September.
We honor Rev. Holley today because he has brought honor to the name.
"We remember", and acknowledge the trying times painted in the portrait. Through it all Rev. Holley kept preaching and teaching that affirmation comes by way of affliction,: that the best is bought only at the price of great pain. Hallelujah is on the side of hardship. Festival follows funeral, and resurrection is the postlude of crucifixions.
In the portrait Rev. Jim Holley has painted with his life, we see the blessings of God upon him, flows from the living fountain of his abiding labor of love.
The chimes of time rings out the news, "Another Day is Done".
The day is now, June, 1982 The day to pay tribute to a beautiful butterfly with wings of many colors.
The day to rejoice in celebration with Rev. Holley — "Ten Years" of dedicated, consecrated service to God and humanity.
The day to say...
"WE, REMEMBER" "CONGRATULATIONS"
"BEST WISHES", and a "HEARTY THANK YOU"
Again, thank you Rev. Holley for the love shown in the portrait you've painted with your life.
THE LITTLE ROCK FAMILY
