St. John's Day Service

On Sunday July 20, 2008 District Eleven of The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas held a St. John’s Day Service at New Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, District Deputy Gary G. Connor, Jr. presiding. This service is a celebration and remembrance of St. John The Baptist and St. John The Evangelist.

Introductions, prayers and some congregational hymns preceded Pastor Bruce Fortner’s sermon. Pastor Fortner told us he could talk about St. John The Evangelist but he wasn’t going to. He then proceeded to tell us all the things about St. John The Evangelist he wasn’t going to talk about. But that was short lived. What he really wanted to concentrate on today, he said, was St. John The Baptist. His message centered on “crying in the wilderness” and what that really meant. He told us that we needed more crying in the wilderness today, right here in 2008. As he delivered a rousing sermon he kiddingly told us that if after every crucial point he could hear an amen then we would all be out of there in fifteen minutes but if not he would have to further elaborate to make sure the point was understood. It being a typical Texas summer day with the temperature hovering around the 100 degree mark, the Pastor got his amens loud and clear.

One of the features to note about Prince Hall and all the events that are held is that the entire Prince Hall Family participates. That means that The Heroines of Jericho and The Order of Eastern Star were right there with us. The men were all dressed in full Masonic dress and the Ladies in their best Lodge attire also.

It was a day of bringing people together not only to remind them that it is from God from whom all blessings flow and the grace and peace of our Father that is the most important thing in our lives but also for those present to bond and unite as a family in worship, prayer and fellowship.