The show continues today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the church (1770 Johnson Ferry Road). It’s an annual benefit put on by the Mt. Zion United Methodist Women, with proceeds benefitting a number of Cobb and metro Atlanta service organizations.
Among those organizations benefitting include Battered Women’s Shelter LiveSafe; Bethany Place; Blue Skies Ministries; Canine Assistance; Center for Children and Youth; Childspring International; Cobb County Department of Family and Children Services; Cobb County Community Services Board; Cobb Street Ministry; Drake House; Family Promise; Food Boxes for the Hungry; and Girl Scouts Gold Award.
More beneficiaries include: Habitat for Humanity; Hospice Atlanta; Methodist Children’s Home; Mt. Zion Preschool Scholarships; Mt. Zion Youth Mission Trip; Mt. Top Home for Boys; Murphy-Harpst Home; MUST Ministries; My Sister’s Place; North Fulton Community Food Bank; North Georgia Foster Parents’ Support; Papa’s Pantry and Red Bird Mission.
Other beneficiaries: Safepath Children’s Advocacy; Samaritan’s Purse; St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital; Sweetwater Mission; Ten Women of Hope; United Methodist Committee on Relief; United Military Care; Wesley Community Center; Youth Villages-Douglas Center.
The Mt. Zion UMC Craft Show runs from 9-4 Saturday, and attendees can sign up for door and raffle prizes. Admission is free.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Community service has always been a strong component of the East Cobb Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service held at Temple Kol Emeth.
This year, it’s the featured theme, especially as it pertains to youth, when this year’s service takes place next Thursday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. Kol Emeth is located at 1415 Old Canton Road.
“Dare to Do!” is the theme of the 13th annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service, which will include a special interfaith effort involving Center for Children and Young Adults, a non–profit agency in Marietta providing services for homeless, abused, neglected and at-risk youth.
More than a dozen faith communities in and around East Cobb will take part in the service, which includes music, reflections and post-service fellowship, refreshments and writing on the “Wall of Words.”
The service is free and open to the public, and attendees are asked to bring non-perishable food items to be donated to MUST Ministries.
Carpooling also is encouraged, and overflow parking will be available across the street from Kol Emeth at Eastminster Presbyterian Church (3125 Sewell Mill Road).
The following faith communities will be taking part:
Henry Holley’s recent 90th birthday didn’t go unnoticed by the Cobb Board of Commissioners, who honored the longtime East Cobb resident with an official recognition before their Friday meeting.
Holley, who’s lived in Indian Hills for 45 years, is retired director of international crusades for the Billy Graham ministries, a job he held after a long career in the U.S. Marine Corps that included service World War II and the Korean War. He’s also a member of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, where he was ordained in the gospel ministry in 1995.
His wife Bettie died last year at the age of 91. They were married for 67 years, after meeting in 1948 on a blind date.
Cobb commissioners also declared Friday to be “Henry Holley Day” in the county as he gave the invocation at the meeting. Holley served under Graham in several capacities for 48 years and organized the evangelist’s largest crusades. More below the photo from the official recognition read out at Friday’s meeting:
Cobb commission chairman Mike Boyce and commissioner JoAnn Birrell recognizing Rev. Henry Holley. (East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker)
“Holley organized the historic Korean 1973 Crusade in Seoul in which never before had so many come to one place to hear a preacher proclaim the Gospel. On the final day, there were 1.3 million people in attendance. Across the five-day Crusade, there were over 3.2 million people that heard Dr. Graham face to face.
“In 1974, Holley was Crusade Director for another precedent shattering Crusade, The Greater Rio de Janeiro Billy Graham Crusade in Brazil held at the famous Maracana stadium-the world’s largest. More people attended this meeting than any other crusade ever held in North or South America; over 250,000 attended on closing day.
“He served as Director of Development for the International Conference for Itinerant Evangelists in Amsterdam (1983) in which he was responsible for raising much of the budget.
“After his duties in Amsterdam, Holley prepared for Dr. Graham’s participation in the 100th Anniversary of the Korean Church Crusade held in Seoul (1984). For the second time, over one million attended the service when Dr. Graham preached at Yoido Plaza with an estimated ten million more across Korea viewing via television. In 1985-86, he was Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Amsterdam ’86 International Conference for Itinerant Evangelists (ICIE) meeting. He prepared many special meetings for Dr. Billy Graham and conducted investigation meetings for possible future crusades all over the world.
“In 1990, Holley directed the Hong Kong Crusade, which had the largest attendance ever for an evangelistic meeting in Hong Kong. In addition, the Crusade message was extended by satellite television to 30 countries in Asia in 45 different languages. Over 100 million people were reached with the Gospel in this effort.
“Holley has been to North Korea (DPRK) seventeen times. In 1992 Holley was responsible for the diplomatic and administrative preparation work for a most historic and extraordinary visit by Dr. Billy Graham to North Korea. Holley directed the small team that accompanied Dr. Graham to the capital city of Pyongyang. The significant mission to Pyongyang was highlighted by Dr. Graham preaching the Gospel in the two churches in North Korea. In addition, he lectured at Kim Il-Sung University — the first American to have this privilege. Dr. Graham and Rev. Holley also had a personal meeting with President Kim Il-Sung where he brought private messages from President George Bush and Pope John Paul II.
“Holley directed the Tokyo Crusade in January 1994 at the world famous Tokyo Dome. Audiences averaged 32,000 at each meeting with over 3,000 decisions for Christ. Thousands more attended at the 60 satellite locations around the country. In a country where less than 1% identified as Christians, this was an extraordinary response. Church leaders credited this and previous Billy Graham Crusades with the growth of the Christian church in Japan.
“These highlights in Holley’s career came after a variety of assignments in the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association during his 48 years with the organization. Holley directed Billy Graham Crusades in Taipei, Taiwan (1975); Hong Kong (1975 and 1990); Manila (1977); Singapore (1978); Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and Okinawa (1980). He also gave supervision and direction to the Paris Crusade and Helsinki Crusade (1986). He assisted in Crusade preparations in London (1966); Tokyo (1967); Sydney (1968 & 1979); Melbourne; Auckland; Honolulu; New York; and other USA cities. He also organized Christian participation in the Washington, DC “Honor America Day” celebration in 1970 and 1979.
“For each major foreign crusade, Holley spent over a year in preparation, organization, and in joint venture with the local invitational committee to mobilize the entire city for these meetings.
“This required great skill in reaching across many different cultures and languages in order to be successful. For years, he traveled an average of 150,000 miles and 200 days overseas each year and accumulated over 13 million air miles. At 85 years of age, he was still employed by BGEA and actively engaged in ministry.
“He was responsible for the cultivation and development of ministry, government, and church leaders in China. He organized and executed meetings for Rev. Franklin Graham in many cities in China, beginning in 2006.
“In addition to regular international Crusade responsibilities of cultivating and directing, Holley served as Special Assistant to Dr. Billy Graham on many projects and missions and in the cultivation and development of potential crusade opportunities for Rev. Franklin Graham. In 2005, he was honored to bring the opening prayer in the U. S. House of Representatives and in 2007 was honored, again, to offer the opening prayer in the U. S. Senate.”
A native of Texas, Holley attended the University of Houston and studied administration, law, management and leadership while in the military. He and his wife had three children, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Staying cool under the pavilion at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church’s Holy Smoke Festival. (East Cobb News photos and slideshow by Wendy Parker)
Barbecue served up by Williamson Brothers, family activities, live music by local artist Jay Memory, a parachute jump team, antique car show and more were packed into a gorgeous Labor Day Monday afternoon at the Holy Smoke Festival.
The venue and hosts were Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, and organized by its men’s ministry. We’ll just let the pictures tell the story, with a few words here and there, as East Cobb celebrated the holiday weekend in festive style (ICYMI, our photos from the Temple Kol Emeth Noshfest on Sunday).
GTO row at the antique car show, another regular feature of the Holy Smoke Festival.
With temperatures in the high 80s, sitting atop the dunk tank wasn’t a bad place to be.But kids taking aim had more fun taking him down.
More photos in the slideshow below from the antique car show and more at the Holy Smoke Festival.
Attendees of all ages enjoyed dancing to “Hava Nagila” at Noshfest Sunday. (East Cobb News photos and slideshow by Wendy Parker)
The first of the two-day Temple Kol Emeth Noshfest took place under beautiful skies Sunday, as one of East Cobb’s biggest Labor Day holiday weekend events got underway.
Noshfest continues on Monday, and Labor Day in East Cobb also includes the Holy Smoke BBQ and Festival, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Johnson Ferry Church (955 Johnson Ferry Road). Details here for what’s on tap.
The Noshfest celebration of Jewish food, music and culture included exhibitors, especially local artists, merchants and other businesses.
The festivities included the 2nd annual Noshfest bagel-eating contest.In addition to traditional Jewish folk music, The Alex Guthrie Band was among the featured acts. He’s a Lassiter HS grad whose group sports an acoustic and blues-infused sound.
More sights below from the Noshfest, which continues Monday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Temple Kol Emeth is located at 1415 Old Canton Road. Parking is available across the street at Eastminster Presbyterian Church.
Staying cool in the dunk tank at the Mt. Zion celebration. (East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker)
After an inspiring sermon message and a picnic lunch, members of Mt. Zion United Methodist Church dived into an old-style summer carnival Sunday afternoon as they celebrated the 125th anniversary of the church’s founding.
The carnival atmosphere included cotton candy, snow cones and hitting the bell.
That’s where long-time Mt. Zion member Dayle Thompson was volunteering.
Thompson said she and her family began attending Mt. Zion around 30 years ago, when her children were young, because of the church’s strong youth programs.
They had come from a bigger church where they felt they didn’t quite fit in, and found that for them, Mt. Zion “was the right size.
“They really try for a family appeal,” she said. “Especially as you get older, you find your church family becomes as important as your own family.”
She is involved in the adult Sunday School program and has been a part of Mt. Zion’s participation in the Family Promise of Cobb County outreach program, which includes 13 faith communities in the county.
Mt. Zion’s first service took place on Aug. 19, 1892. The congregation moved to its present location on donated farm land at 1770 Johnson Ferry Road in 1964. Historical messages were pinned to the walls of the gymnasium, with deeply-researched answers underneath.
The church’s original location was on Post Oak Tritt Road near Johnson Ferry and where the Mt. Zion Cemetery is still located. The current sanctuary was opened in 1976, and the Family Ministries building opened in 1985. More renovations were made in 1997, not long after Mt. Zion marked its 100th anniversary.
Caregivers are encouraged to register for the free six-week educational series designed to support a parents who are caring for a child, minor or adult, with developmental disabilities. The “Powerful Tools for Caregivers” workshop provides caregiver support while focusing on the unique challenge parents face caring for a child with health or behavioral challenges. The workshop will be held 1-3 p.m., on Mondays from Aug. 7 to Sept. 18, at Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church. It will help you:
Reduce stress, guilt, anger and depression and improve emotional wellbeing
Manage your time, set goals and solve problems
Master caregiver transitions and make tough decisions
Communicate effectively with the child needing care, family members, doctors and paid helpers
It’s not quite back to school—though it is hard to believe that’s exactly two weeks from today, on July 31—and the four branches of the Cobb County Public Library System in East Cobb have plenty of activities scheduled for the next two weeks.
We’ve included a good sampling of them in our East Cobb Events Calendar, and there are plenty more to peruse on the library system website. In addition to regular storytimes, this week’s events include a picnic at the Mountain View Regional branch, monthly adult book discussion groups at East Marietta and East Cobb, the monthly Gritters STEAM team event and so much more!
On Saturday, the East Cobb branch will feature a presentation on how to grow your own mushroom garden, with some expert advice from the Mushroom Club of Georgia.
Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce is taking some heat for proposing a tax millage increase, and on Wednesday he is holding a town hall meeting at the East Cobb Senior Center to solicit more input.
The Cobb school board is holding a final public hearing Thursday before voting on setting its tax millage rate for 2017.
The East Cobb Business Association and Northeast Cobb Business Association are holding their monthly luncheons on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. On Wednesday, the Ashley Homestore on Roswell Road is holding a Red Cross blood drive, and the East Cobb Lions Club will be offering free vision screenings.
If you missed last week’s public input meeting on the Cobb Greenways and Trails Master Plan at East Cobb Library, there will be another meeting Tuesday from 5-6:30 at the Covenant Presbyterian Church, Canton Road and Piedmont Road.
Another end-of-summer event for kids takes place Thursday at Terrell Mill Park. The Fairy House Workshop, presented by the Cobb Water System’s Watershed Stewardship Program, includes story-reading before kids ages 3-13 create their own fairy houses.
The Marietta Campmeeting continues every day this week through Saturday, with services at 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. and an ice cream social after Tuesday’s evening service, starting at 9:30 p.m. The final service takes place at 11 a.m. Sunday.
We’ll come back later this week with a preview of weekend events in East Cobb, including live entertainment and other community activities.
Please feel free to send your items—including photos, flyers, maps and PDFs if you wish—to: calendar@eastcobbnews.com, and we’ll post them promptly.
The Cobb Board of Commissioners and the Cobb Board of Education this week are holding required public hearings as they prepare to set their 2017 millage rates.
The commissioners will hold hearings tonight at 6:30, and at 9 a.m. on Tuesday and at 7 p.m. on July 25, the date they’re slated to vote on the millage rate. Those hearings will be in the board’s 2nd floor meeting room at the Cobb BOC Building, 100 Cherokee St. in downtown Marietta.
The school board is holding hearings Tuesday at 10 a.m., during its monthly work session, and again at 6 p.m. in the board room of the Cobb County School District main office, 514 Glover St. in Marietta.
The school board will have final hearings on July 20 at 1:30 p.m. and at 7 p.m., when it’s scheduled to vote on its 2017 millage rate.
State law mandates the hearings if local property tax digests rise and millage rates aren’t rolled back, prompting a tax increase (here’s a year-by-year chart of Cobb tax digest totals dating back to 2012, when the county began rebounding from the recession. Here’s the BOE’s millage rate notice and 5-year history of its property tax levy).
Elsewhere in this week’s East Cobb Events Calendar, there’s a new women’s business networking group meeting Thursday at Red Sky Tapas Bar that pledges a “no compete” atmosphere. Friday marks the 180th renewal of the Marietta Campmeeting, with an opening picnic and service scheduled from 6-9 p.m. The venerable tradition continues through July 23, and if you haven’t been, or even if you’re not religious, it’s a tremendous experience. I covered this years ago during my newspaper days, and I highly recommend it.
On Sunday’s Bradley’s Bar & Grill on Lower Roswell Road is holding a summer fest and car show from 3-7 p.m., and if you want your car to take part, you have until Wednesday to register. It’s all for a very good cause.
We’re just getting our engines revved up here at East Cobb News and want to make our calendar listings are simply the best in the community. Please feel free to send your items—including photos, flyers and PDFs if you wish—to editor/publisher Wendy Parker at: eastcobbnewsnow@gmail.com.
