By Caitlyn Parrish
BPC Staff Writer
MOUNT VERNON— Brewton-Parker’s November 1 chapel was a special faculty-led service with the theme, “Celebrating Freedom in Christ.” The service began with an instrumental of “Amazing Grace” played by Assistant Professor of Music Dr. Matt Haley on the trumpet and Professor of English Dr. Grant Lilford on the bagpipes. Worship was then led by Director of Residence Life Mrs. Tyra Haley, Director of Library Services Daryl Fletcher, Campus Pastor and Head Women’s Basketball Coach Steve Edwards, with the song “Break Every Chain.”
Photo above: Samuel Lee Fudge, Savannah College of Art and Design graduate, performs a monologue during Brewton-Parker Chapel Tuesday, November 1.
Following worship, Samuel Lee Fudge, a graduate student at the Savannah College of Art and Design, performed a monologue written by Brewton-Parker English Instructor Dr. A’ndrea Wilson. In the performance, Fudge portrayed a man who had grown up surrounded by people who didn’t believe he would succeed. The man’s father had left his family at a young age and everyone assumed the man would grow up to be just like his father. The young man however, had dreams that one day he would succeed. The monologue concluded with the man making the decision to start community college the following Monday, thus taking steps to success.
After the performance of the monologue, Dr. Matt Haley and Mrs. Tyra Haley spoke about their time spent working in the Denton Freedom House, a ministry in Denton, Texas that provides addicts, homeless, and ex-convicts with housing, food, and spiritual healing. While working there, the Haleys founded the Freedom Song School of Worship and Music. At the school, “worship is the center of everything,” says Tyra Haley. The school offers a six month program where you receive four years of college accreditation for music. Everything they needed for the school they prayed for and the Lord provided. While working with the men they witnessed many success stories, but also some failures. The Haleys do not measure their success based off of numbers, but rather define it as “being obedient to the Lord.” The main point the Haleys wanted the congregation to take away from their story was, “When the Lord wants you to do something you should just do it,” Tyra Haley said. “Don’t hesitate, just take action.”
For the final portion of the chapel service, Dr. Billy Puckett, Assistant Professor of Theology and Director of Community and Church Relations, shared about his experiences in New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina. Puckett and his wife had felt God’s calling for them to move to New Orleans in 2003. After the Hurricane hit, they moved to North Carolina for a bit before being called to Texas. While in Texas, Puckett worked for Habitat for Humanity and helped rebuild many homes that had been destroyed by Katrina. Although he faced devastation when all of his belongings were destroyed, he does not see himself as a victim. “Mine is one story of many of those who have committed their lives to Christ,” he said. “The real story is the victory that has come out of the devastation. Jesus Christ gives us freedom from destitution,” Puckett pointed out. “Commit your life to pursuing Christ,” he urged, “and make your story a story of resurrection and victory.”