Superlatives Named at Smoky Mountain Jubilee
The 27th annual Church of God National Senior Adult Retreat, the Smoky Mountain Jubilee, brought some 1,200 senior adults from at least 20 states or regions to Gatlinburg, Tennessee on April 25-27, 2017. Musical headliners were the family group of Roger, Debra, and Lauren—The Talleys, along with Willis Canada, and Larry DeLawder, a tremendous musician who also is a hilarious Barney Fife impersonator. The Wednesday night worship speaker this year was Pastor Mitchell Tolle, from Man ‘O War Church of God in Lexington, Kentucky. Soloists, ensembles, choirs, musicians, writers, artists, and those creative with their hands, competed in the National Senior Adult Talent Competition in three divisions: Music, Creative Writing, and Creative Art.
A highlight of the Smoky Mountain Jubilee is always the announcement of the Senior Superlatives winners. Church of God pastors and state leaders from across the United States and Canada are given the opportunity to nominate outstanding seniors for these awards.
The Senior Adult Lay Couple of the Year award was presented to Samuel and Vonnie Jacobs from the Saddletree Church of God in Lumberton, North Carolina (Eastern North Carolina). Nominated with a tremendous recommendation by Pastor Kenneth D. Locklear, the Jacobs have served the Lord with consistency for more than 55 years as prayer warriors, fund-raisers, Sunday school teachers, and leaders of both men’s and women’s ministries, respectively. An impressive future goal stated by Brother Jacobs is to be a role model (mentor) for younger men. Sister Jacobs’ life goal is simply to inspire others to come to Christ.
T. Raymond and Moquita McCranie from Chatsworth, Georgia (North Georgia), were recipients of the Senior Adult Ministerial Couple of the Year award. The McCranies are members of the Crosspointe Church of God in Dalton, where they direct the Senior Achievers senior adult group. Brother McCranie is a retired Church of God Military Chaplain, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and a volunteer Chaplain for the Dalton Police Department. Moquita McCranie also has served as principal of Pathway Christian Academy and teacher of several classes, including being the leader/teacher of the DivorceCare ministry. Pastor Stan Lester states that their ministry is characterized by three words: loyalty, consistency, and compassion.
The Senior Adult Single of the Year award was presented to Joyce Miles, an ordained minister from China Grove, North Carolina (Western North Carolina). For years a partner in ministry with her late husband, Doug, Joyce continued to pastor the South China Grove Church of God upon his death. When she resigned the pastorate, her successor, Pastor Michael Oney, persuaded her to stay on as his associate. Joyce holds two Master’s degrees in music and Christian education, and was a professor at East Coast Bible College and Lee University for many years. She is presently a CAMS instructor and pianist for the Western North Carolina Heritage Choir. She is also actively involved in jail and prison ministry as well as an ongoing missions ministry to Russia and the Ukraine.
The highest Superlative award at the Jubilee, the National Senior Adult of the Year award was presented to 88 year-old Lorraine Alton from Cleveland, Tennessee. A member of Westmore Church of God in Cleveland, Tennessee, and a lifelong career missionary, Lorraine and her late husband Bill, ministered together in more than 80 nations of the world. Lorraine has visited at least 150 nations, but when this was mentioned, she retorted, “Oh, but I don’t count those that I just pass through; I only count the ones that I have ministered in.”
“Sister Alton,” as she is affectionately called by most, has lived 54 years of her life overseas, and is always ready to travel again. She says she keeps her passport current and it only takes her five minutes to pack. Just last year, she made a missionary journey to Honduras. The year before she went to Guatemala, and she celebrated her 80th birthday in Africa. Lorraine continues her mission work on a weekly basis by volunteering every Thursday at The Caring Place (TCP), a faith-based benevolence ministry in Cleveland. Fluent in Spanish, Lorraine also assists TCP with translation services.
Each year, local pastors and state/regional leaders receive several email communications from the Special Projects Office in USA Missions, encouraging them to nominate individuals for these awards. Downloadable nomination forms are also posted under the Smoky Mountain Jubilee tab on the USA Missions website. The Special Projects Office will begin receiving 2018 nominees on January 2, 2018. Nominees do not have to be present at the Smoky Mountain Jubilee to be considered, but are strongly encouraged to do so. The 2018 Jubilee is scheduled for the Gatlinburg Convention Center in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, April 24-26, 2018.
For more information, contact Dr. James E. Cossey, Special Projects Coordinator, at 423-478-7103 or by email at [email protected].
(Source: USA Missions)
