I knew him as Jim Greene that sat next to Antoinette Greene often at the first service.  I knew him as friendly and always willing to speak, shake hands, or at least wave when I saw him in the church parking lot.  I knew him to be special, because to be married to Antoinette who I knew to be one of God’s most reliable servants, he had to be special.  Through Liz, who was graced with Antoinette’s friendship in a bible study class, I knew that he had significant medical problems and was having treatments several times a week.

Now, after he is no longer among us, I found more about him.

Jim entered the world, son of Samuel Thomas Greene and Sylena Mazyck Green May 25, 1939 in Summerville, SC.

He graduated from Alston High School and Benedict College where he was a star football player.

He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League in 1962.  He went toMontreal Alouettes of the Canadian League instead where he played until receiving a severe knee injury.

He was a teacher and coach for over 30 years in Summerville, SC, Bronx, NY, and Harlem, NYHe was co-founder and president of the Benedict College Booster Club.

He was inducted into the Summerville High Football Hall of Fame and Benedict College Athletic Hall of Fame where his #12 Jersey was retired October, 2009.

He enjoyed coordinating exercises for the Senior Ministry at New Life Presbyterian Church, coaching boys with the Youth Basketball of America in Georgia, golfing and fishing.

He was an active member of the Benedict College Alumni Association, the NAACP, the Omega Si Phi Fraternity, and Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church.

In spite of his illness, he looked forward to the Senior Shepherd lunches at Good Shepherd.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 26 years, Antoinette B. Greene; daughter, Keilya Greene of Virginia Beach, VA; step-son, Chris Young and his wife, Yvonne of Indianapolis, IN; 4 grandchildren, Duke Willington Grant, III, Beautiful Grant, Heavonlei and Trinity Joshua Young; a host of nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends.

The Service Celebrating the Life of Jim Greene will be held Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 1:00 P.M. at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church with Pastor Joe Evans officiating. The family will receive friends on Wednesday from 1:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. at the Tom Wages Funeral Home on US Highway 78, Snellville. A reception will be held after the service on Thursday at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the Benedict College Booster Club, 1600 Harden Street, Columbia, SC 29204 in memory of James “Jim” Greene.

House at end of Larkview Drive close to cresting of Yellow River. Note Just the roof of the house in the center of the picture.

1. The flood has come and gone from Gwinnett!

2. FEMA has taken over 3600 applications for assistance!

3. Out of state groups are standing by to provide assistance!

4. Some Gwinnett residents need that assistance.

5. What we need is a way to connect 3 and 4.

We need a Gwinnett Long Term Disaster Assistance organization to provide that connection.  See the report PCUSA/PDA below for more information and references to associated organizations.

An organizational meeting will be held 10:00AM December 17,2009 at All Saints Lutheran Church, 722 Rockbridge Rd, Lilburn.

This organization will act in conjunction with FEMA, Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (www.GAVOAD.us)

Click here (http://d13009051.d158.dnnfx.com/Mission/tabid/53/Default.aspx) see the mission statement of an existing organization if you wish to get an idea of what the organization would be doing. Note that the Gwinnett organization would develop its own mission statement.

If you have any questions, please call Felix or Liz Bearden at 770-923-4824. Please mention “Gwinnett Long Term Assistance” to assure that you get through.

Please come!!!

And Please forward this message to any concerned Gwinnett County residents.

Felix and Liz Bearden

felix@fbai-usa.com
liz@gwinnetthomes.net

Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church Adult Choir

As a choir director and someone who has spent a lifetime (67 years) associated with choirs, a way to appreciate Emily’s service is to grade her on the necessary attributes of a Minister of Music.

• Interpretative Talent – A. The ability to take what is written on a score and understand either or both what the composer intended and how God wishes something to sound beyond the symbols on the page is necessary.  Many conductors are successful depending on a recording or listening to another conductors interpretation.  But a conductor that can and does go beyond that example has the necessary interpretative skills of a great conductor
• Communication talent – A.  Starting with the concept in the mind of the sound of music and communicating that to participants in an organization is rare.
• Pedantic Skills – A.  The ability to teach adults, youth, and children and make it enjoyable is a necessary but rare skill.
• People Skills – A. The ability to deal with natural conflicts of people in an organization.  Talented musicians tend to have egos that are sometimes easily bruised.  They are emotional and sensitive.  Since directors are very sensitive, and need to be, and emotional, and need to be, people skills necessary for the success of any organization, are particularly necessary for a successful minister of music.
• Applicability – A.  She always recognizes the proper place of music in worship,  that music is a part of the life of the church, not the center.
• Musicianship – A.  She always strives toward excellence in presenting herself and the organizations she leads.
• Music Literature knowledge – A. her knowledge of good music available for the church liturgy is superior.  Once a director becomes employed by a church, he or she is bombarded by publishers literature advertising their particular publications for music and must pick and choose from those publications.
• Spirituality – A.  A choir director, or leader of any organization, that pauses a meeting on hearing sirens, to pray for whomever is affected is rare and demonstrates a concern for ones fellow man that exceeds the norm.

The following attributes may not be required, but certainly make life more interesting  for groups preparing for worship.

• Sense of Humor – A.

And I don’t think anyone, except another conductor, can truly appreciate the presence of the ultimate support system, the spouse.  Even though we see Andy moving equipment, doing errands, and the like, we don’t see the support he provides when he and Emily are out of site.  The encouragement when she is down, the critique of her methods when he thinks she is wrong, and just being there when she needs it.  So, thanks for your contributions, seen and unseen.