11/17/2020 0 Comments Doing the Work![]() Elizabeth Jordan: Registered Nurse, Teacher, unlicensed Evangelist Missionary, Church Mother, Church and District hospitality leader, Consoler to those in Mourning, Sunday School Teacher, Co-President of New Members' Committee, and Gardener. George Jordan, Sr.: Tax Law Attorney, IRS Man, Social Worker, Wesson Oil Chemist, Vietnam War Veteran, Photographer, Elder, Minister, Preacher, Sunday School Teacher, Co-President of New Members' Committee and Compass to Self-created Nature Trails. Grandma Odessa: Teacher, Chef, Sunday School Teacher, Licensed Evangelist Missionary, Church Mother, Bible Band teacher to Pastors, Bishops, and other leaders in ministry, acts of service such as cleaning the church and cooking for the local, district and state church gatherings, Assistant District Missionary and District Missionary, and Jurisdiction Chairman of the Woman's Department Advisory Board, Chairman of the Woman's Department of Finance, Chairman of the State Missionary Licensing Board, Chairman of the Executive Committee, Assistant to the Jurisdictional Supervisor, and a State Conventions Seminar Instructor. Grandpa George: Fisherman, Swineherd, Barter and Tradesman, Church Trustee and Chairman of the Deacon Board. Grandma Sally: Librarian, College Graduate at the age of 56, Guitar Player, Sister, and Collector of Sermons on Cassette Tapes. Grandpa Willie: Shipyard Worker, Construction Worker, Church Trustee Board member and Janitor. The list of those who do the work with and without “official” documents and titles are innumerable within the span of my lifetime. There are nurses who do the work of doctors, mothers who do the work of nurses, doctors who do the work of servants, students who do the work of teachers, and the beat goes on... Within the black church in which I grew up for over thirty years, there have only been two pastors for the 81 years in which it has been in place. Within this same black church, I grew up with black professionals of all vocations: doctors, lawyers, a judge, morticians, police officers and sheriffs, teachers, bus drivers, post office workers, decorated military officers, a CIA agent, a pharmacist, US Department of Treasury employees, World Bank Employees, Landlords, daycare owners and workers, beauticians, barbers, a man who went from being a regional leader to the national president of an HMO, millionaire and philanthropist, garbagemen, entrepreneurs, a dentist, surgeons, fashion models, a Broadway actress, recording artists, backup singers, principals, assistant principals, a professor of music, a Stella Award Winning Gospel Artist, an anesthesiologist, and the beat goes on... Within my black family and my black church experience, I have seen, and heard of people of all stages and ages in life doing the work: clean toilets, work the AV systems, read announcements, play the piano, play the washboard, play the flute, play spoons, testify of miracles, signs and wonders, play the drums, sing, preach, teach Sunday School, eulogize, shout, dance, pray for healing, lead devotional service, pray for deliverance, teach Young People Willing Workers, minster, evangelize, sweep the floor, Church Mother without natural children, Deacon Gorham moved the refrigerator with a bear hug when a group of younger men assaying to do so failed, and the beat goes on... The work is everything the church needs to operate and function as a religious community and a nonprofit organization with a Board of Trustees overseeing the assets: church building, residential properties, commercial property, and acres of land (paid in full). The work of church has nothing and everything to do with an individual's professional and educational background. My mother was a registered nurse. The work she did at church as a Sunday School Teacher and Co-President of the New Members Committee had nothing to do, seemingly, with her psychiatric work at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital or the substance abuse unit at D.C. General Hospital. But the work she did for the church as a Mother on the Mothers’ Board, unlicensed Evangelist Missionary, consoler of those in mourning and attendant to those who experienced a medical emergency during service had everything to do with the sum total of her life experiences. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 2 Timothy 4:5 Somethings you learn because you live it. Other things you teach because you do it. Also, in life it is possible to both learn to teach and teach while learning. The excellence and genius you bring into the earth are because you are beautifully and wonderfully made. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139:14 Thank you to all of those who do the work. "I am because we are, and since we are, therefore I am." Mbiti, 1969, p. 141 and the beat goes on... -The Whispers 1979
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I Am Because We Are Creative Equals...My youngest brother, Aaron, took these pictures on April 28, 2017. Aaron and my dad attended my very first presentation during the American Educational Research Association 2017 Annual Meeting in San Antonio, TX. I presented "I Am Because We Are Creative Equals: Technology Skills as Defined, Discussed, and Demonstrated by Students in a Middle School" during the Online Teaching & Learning Special Interest Group (SIG) paper session on "Promoting Student Success."
I was also glad to have my sister-classmates from Heritage Knowledge in Action (HeKA) Research Group, one research partner, and two professors in the audience. They not only supported me by being present, but they also encouraged me by asking questions. I ran out of presentation time before I could share everything, so their questions helped me share out what I did not get a chance to say during my presentation. Thanks, good people! Lesson learned: NO MORE THAN 10 SLIDES for any presentation. En Español Mi hermano menor, Aaron, tomó estas fotos el 28 de abril de 2017. Aaron y papá asistieron a mi primera presentación en la Reunión Anual 2017 de la Asociación de Investigación Educativa Americana en San Antonio, TX. Presenté 'Soy Porque Somos Iguales Creativos: Habilidades Tecnológicas Definidas, Discutidas y Demostradas por Estudiantes en una Escuela Secundaria' durante la sesión de papel del Grupo de Interés Especial (SIG) de Enseñanza y Aprendizaje en Línea sobre 'Promoción del Éxito Estudiantil'. También me alegró tener a mis compañeras de clase de la Heritage Knowledge in Action (HeKA) Research Group, una compañera de investigación y dos profesores en la audiencia. No solo me apoyaron estando presentes, sino que también me alentaron haciendo preguntas. Me quedé sin tiempo de presentación antes de poder compartir todo, así que sus preguntas me ayudaron a comunicar lo que no tuve la oportunidad de decir durante mi presentación. ¡Gracias, buena gente! Lección aprendida: NO MÁS DE 10 DIAPÓSITIVAS para cualquier presentación. |