Category Archives: Holidays

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‘Family Matters’ Siblings Bring Christmas Spirit in Legacy Distribution’s Holiday Romance ‘Christmas In Carolina’

Hello World,

I must confess. I’m already in the Christmas mood. A week or so ago, I was shopping at Wal-Mart, and I heard Christmas music as I was checking off  items on my grocery list. Normally when I hear Christmas music before Thanksgiving, I get annoyed because it demeans Thanksgiving into just a stop on the way to Christmas. But this year, with all that has unfolded, the message of Christmas, that God is with us, is a message that I need in a way that I haven’t felt before. But I’m still not overlooking Thanksgiving. Check out my Thanksgiving post above! I’ve got some very meaningful things to be thankful for this year. That being said, one of my favorite things about the Christmas season are the Christmas movies, and here is one you may want to check out this Christmas!

One of my favorite shows while I was growing up was Family Matters, and now, Kellie Shanygne Williams and Darius McCrary, who portrayed siblings Laura Winslow and Eddie Winslow on the show, are starring in a new Christmas movie Christmas In Carolina. Below is more information about the movie!

Legacy Distribution and Stacie Davis Films are proud to present the festive new holiday film that celebrates love and family, Christmas In Carolina. Directed by Peggy Williams and written by Stacie Davis, this sweet holiday romance about opening up to love is sure to ignite the Christmas spirit in everyone this year. Starring Family Matters stars Kellie Shanygne Williams and Darius McCrary, who reprise their roles as siblings, as well as Jocelyn Y. Hall (Atlanta), David L. Rowell (Comp-li-cat-ed), and Terrence Shingler (Power), Christmas In Carolina ​is widely available on  across VOD transactional platforms.

After losing her parents in a car accident, Elle (Joslyn Y. Hall), a career-driven investment banker, has given up on love and Christmas until she meets Wesley (David L. Rowell), a former NBA player and CEO of a small marketing firm. Impetuously, Wesley invites Elle home for Christmas in South Carolina with his family. With hesitation, Elle accepts and gets a much bigger present than she could ever have imagined!

Dana Webber, CEO of Legacy Distribution, shares, “We are incredibly proud to share this uplifting, positive story, especially this year, as we move into the holiday season. It is exactly the dose of happiness we all need!”

“Being able to bring the story of Elle and Wesley’s romance to life was an absolute joy, especially as I was able to incorporate Christmas into it!” says writer/producer, Stacie Davis. “I sincerely hope that everyone finds some holiday cheer in ‘Christmas in Carolina’!”

Check out the trailer below:

Follow the excitement on social media with #ChristmasInCarolina.

Any thoughts?

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Pastor Jamal Bryant of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, T.I. & Scrapp Deleon Bail Out 23 Non-Violent Offenders From Jail in Time for Easter Sunday!

Hello World,

How was your Easter Sunday?! Mine was lovely. After a wonderful Easter service at my church, my husband and I were blessed to spend time with family and friends. Since my parents live pretty close to my in-laws, it was easy to see a good number of people that I don’t get to see every day in one day. In addition to having a soul-saving relationship with God through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus, I’m so thankful that God has blessed me to have a close-knit family and great friends.

Apparently, I was not the only one who was able to reunite with family and friends on Easter Sunday. Through New Birth Missionary Baptist Church’s Bail Out Program, $120,000 was raised with the help of rapper T.I. and VH1’s “Love and Hip Hop” personality Scrapp Deleon to bail out 23 non-violent offenders from metro Atlanta jails (DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett and Rockdale County Jails) on Saturday, April 20 in time to celebrate Easter Sunday with family and friends, according to Fox 5.

On the bus ride home from jail, one man said, “I aine never had nobody help me or do nothin’ for me. I’ve been on my own since I was 13. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done by myself so for y’all people to just come out and bless me like this. I really feel, like, very grateful, very thankful for everything. I’m trying to be, whatever y’all need me to do, whatever y’all need me to help with, I’m there. Just say the word. I’m just very blessed. I’m very thankful.”

Also, church volunteers greeted the men and women with a Welcome Home Party. Barbers, beauticians and celebrity makeup artists  in addition to clothing were on site to get the men and women looking right before they were reunited with their families and loved ones. One man at the party said 30 minutes after he prayed about getting out of jail, he was told about the Bail Out Program at midnight! “12 o’clock at night, the guard knocked on my door and handed me the Bail Out Program. Like it was just crazy.” How many of y’all know that when no one else is up at the midnight hour, you can call up Jesus who hears and answers prayers! That reminds me of what happened with Paul and Silas when they were jail. They were freed at midnight as well!

At the party, Pastor Bryant announced that ALL of the children of the men and women who were released from jail will have college fund accounts at Citizens Trust Bank courtesy of the church. “We want to make sure that we disrupt a culture of recidivism so they do not go back into the system as in previous generations.” Additionally, mentors will work with the men and women.

See for yourselves what happened in the video below:

That is what the resurrection of Jesus Christ is all about – resurrecting new lives.

Any thoughts?

 

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The King Center Gears Up for the 51st Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Commemorative Service…

Hello World,

Aside from Christmas and Easter, one of my favorite holidays is the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday which the country if not the world will celebrate tomorrow. All over the country, there will be events celebrating the life and legacy of the great civil rights leader but no place celebrates Dr. King like his hometown here in the A. I believe the highlight of the celebratory events in Atlanta is the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Commemorative Service which is held in Dr. King’s home church of Ebenezer Baptist Church in the Horizon Sanctuary. Below is the schedule for the service which has and continues to include dignitaries from all over the globe.

Keynote Speaker: 
Mr. Bryan Stevenson
Founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative
Featured speakers delivering special tributes:
Emma Gonzalez, activist, advocate, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Ms. Britney Packnett, Activist, Educator, Writer
Rev. Jentezen Franklin, Senior Pastor, Free Chapel Worship Center
Rev. Dr. Billy Kim, Former President, Baptist World Alliance
Samia Nkrumah, (Daughter of Kwame Nkrumah, First
President of Ghana) will bring the international greeting
Special Musical Performances:
Minister BeBe Winans, Multi-Grammy Award Winning Artist
Minister Angella Christie, Gospel Saxophonist
Jahi Di’Allo and Daiyann Winston, Singer, Actor, Stage Performers
Far East Broadcasting Children Choir, (Korean Christian Choir)
Rapper Ray Emmanuel, Youth Artist

To find out more information about how the King Center is celebrating the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday, click on thekingcenter.org.

Also, due to the government shutdown the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park was supposed to be closed tomorrow as the National Park Service maintains the park. However, due to a grant from Delta Air Lines and other funds, the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park opened on Saturday and will remain open throughout the Super Bowl which will be held in Atlanta on Feb. 3!

In a statement, Delta CEO and trustee of the Delta Air Lines Foundation Ed Bastian said the group “felt it was important we do our part to ensure that the historical landmarks be accessible to the public.”

“Dr. King was about bringing people together and at Delta, we are about making the world a smaller place,” he added.

To read the entire story, click on the CNN story “MLK national park will reopen during government shutdown with help of Delta Air Lines” by Nicole Chavez.

How will you be celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. King tomorrow?

Any thoughts?