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Tag: Roser Memorial Community Church

‘SoulJourn’ shakes up Roser services

‘SoulJourn’ shakes up Roser services

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Entertainment.

ANNA MARIA – The pastoral staff at Roser Memorial Community Church is shaking things up, first with the addition of new Praise and Worship Leader Derrick Williams and second with the addition of a new contemporary service on Sunday evenings beginning Oct. 6.

SoulJourn, a casual contemporary service, will be held Sunday evenings at 5:30 p.m. beginning Oct. 6, though a preview of the new service will be held in place of the regular 10 a.m. service on Sunday, Sept. 15.

“We’re very excited,” Rev. Neil Crowell said of the new worship service. “This is something that we’ve worked on for two and a half years. I think it’s just a blessing to have Derrick here.”

Williams joins Roser part-time. In addition to his new position, he’s also the host, creative director and musical director of the weekly music television show “The Gospel Voice” on The Christian Television Network and performs on Sunday’s Soulful Supper. He currently holds the title of Best of the Bay winner for Best Vocalist, Pianist, Singer/Songwriter and Jazz Ensemble.

Williams, who lives in Brandon with his wife Julie and daughter Jordan, said that of all the opportunities offered to him, he felt led through prayer by the Lord to come to Roser and help lead the new worship service.

“I prayed a lot about this,” he said, adding that his wife helped him explore the option of working at Roser and supports his decision. “I’ve learned to listen to my wife.”

“I come from the Baptist south where there was a church on every block,” he said, adding that as a preacher’s son he was brought up both in the church and surrounded by musicians. After joining the military, he said he returned and became a family man. Previously, he’s also been a teacher at a Catholic school, award-winning musician and performer. Williams said he’s been entertaining audiences for more than 30 years. One of his favorite ways to teach and to entertain is through his love of music and his talent of playing the piano, something he hopes to bring to the new Roser service with the help of some talented vocalists and musicians in the community.

The music for the service will be led by Williams while the teachings will be done by Rev. Dr. Bob O’Keef and associate pastor Crowell.

“Roser has done a spectacular job through the years of celebrating traditional worship and we do a really good job of it and it’s a ministry that reaches a lot of people but we’re aware that a contemporary style of worship would attract a whole ‘nother group of people that we’re not reaching. And so, we wanted to offer that new style at the same time that we’re keeping what has worked so well for us,” O’Keef said. “A lot of churches have made the mistake of abandoning their traditional and going all contemporary. We don’t want to do that. We want to do both. We want to offer both and we want to celebrate both styles. The new style of worship will certainly be dramatically different. One of the things, of course, is the style of music. That’s one of the major differences.”

In addition to well-known hymns, Williams said people can also expect to hear gospel, funk, acoustic, jazz, rock and other types of music. He’s really hoping for horn players to join the musicians at Roser. He said he’s really looking for local musicians who want to come share their gifts with the community.

“I think what we can promise folks who come is a really powerful music experience and a really powerful biblical experience,” O’Keef said. “We’re not going to make the mistake that some churches have made of dumbing down the faith. We want our service to be very biblical and one that is also very contemporary in terms of how we experience God’s presence. I think that’ll be really good stuff.”

Roser is looking for volunteers for the new service including musicians, vocalists and anyone willing to work behind the scenes, such as a stage manager. In a talk with The Sun, Williams said he’s open to anyone who wants to share their gifts with the community, including actors, dancers and other individuals. For more information, call 941-778-0414, email info@roserchurch.com or visit www.roserchurch.com/souljourn. Roser is at 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria.

Letters to the Editor: Roser crucial to book sale

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

Once again, the Friends of the Island Library are very grateful to Roser Community Church for making a space for us to have our popular book sale. A smaller space, but we had fewer books. The sale was another success, bringing in more than $3,500 to be used for future children’s and adult programs at the Library as well as our Lecture and Travel series. All books were donated.

So many thanks to the many volunteers who worked hard hauling, sorting, pricing etc. to get the book sale in shape. I have much admiration for your constant support. To the LaPensees for storing the books all year and everyone who attended the sale, we are grateful.

Please, friends, note that we have no space in the library at this time to store books and would be obliged if you would hold the books you wish to donate until July of this year.

Denise Johnson

Holmes Beach

More Letters to the Editor

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Letters to the Editor: No late calls, please

roser relief group

Roser group helps with hurricane response

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Churches, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – When Hurricane Michael made landfall Oct. 10 in the Florida Panhandle near Mexico Beach as a Category 4 storm, it left devastation for residents and business owners in its wake. A group of seven people from Roser Memorial Community Church traveled to the area Nov. 11 for a five-day trip to help bring help and hope to the area.

The group, including Rev. Neil Crowell, David Cheshire, Dan Luckenbill, Ruth Martin, Matt Meehan, Mike Pescitelli and Randy Swain drove in a caravan to Wewahitcha, Fla., in the Panhandle which served as their base camp. During the day, they traveled 20 miles to Mexico Beach to help with cleanup efforts and providing emotional support to residents still stunned by the magnitude of the storm.

roser mexico beach
This photo shows some of the devastation in Mexico Beach, FL following Hurricane Michael coming ashore in the Panhandle. Many beachfront homes disappeared or became rubble piles across the street. – Submitted

Meehan said he’s been on three similar disaster relief trips, all sponsored by the church and Samaritan’s Purse, and this was “by far the worst” damage he’d encountered.

“It was total devastation,” he said, likening the visual experience to seeing the site of a meteorite crash.

“It was like a huge tornado had come in and just sat there,” Swain said. “What wasn’t torn up was completely moved.”

roser house
During Hurricane Michael, one Mexico Beach home was pushed off its foundation and into a neighboring residence. – Submitted

Luckenbill said he was “dumbfounded” by the damage to the area and the amount of need that exists in the Panhandle as residents try to work their way back to a semblance of normalcy.

“It’s catastrophic damage,” he said.

The group spent five days working 10 hours a day to help residents remove belongings from damaged structures, put tarps on roofs, tear out damaged drywall and listen as residents told their stories to relief workers. Volunteers also helped prepare meals for volunteers and the community, clean and direct residents to local relief resources.

“People just don’t know who to turn to,” Pescitelli said.

“Sometimes the homeowners just need someone to talk to,” Swain said. “The work will get done.”

In addition to helping bring hope to the storm’s victims with their presence and work, the group also helped residents locate assistance by way of supplies, food, clothing and other aide outside of government services. Meehan said this is the first disaster relief trip he’s been a part of where there were no FEMA trailers on the ground to provide temporary shelter. Pescitelli said most of the people he spoke with are staying with friends or family members located 50 miles or more away from their ruined homes and travel daily to help pick up the pieces of their lives. Some people in the area also are staying in tents.

“These people’s lives have just been darkened,” Swain said. “We wanted to help them see that God loves them enough to help them get their lives started again.”

The disaster relief group has turned into a formal ministry of the church in conjunction with Samaritan’s Purse. The team from Roser was just seven of more than 100 volunteers from across the country and Canada who came to the area to help out.

“It renews your hope for the citizens of this world,” Luckenbill said. “You just leave with a new energy, vigor and faith in humanity.”

“We support each other as much as we support the victims,” Meehan said, adding that despite having their own issues to deal with, each volunteer gave up a week of their time to join the group and help those in need.

Luckenbill said he believes there are three sections to the work that needs to be done with disaster relief missions – bring hope, love and joy to the people affected, help with the physical work and spread fellowship and volunteerism within the community and volunteers onsite.

Pescitelli said seeing the good work the group accomplished during the trip and the work that Samaritan’s Purse is doing to assist disaster victims has encouraged him to become more physically and financially involved in the relief efforts, something he hopes other people will do as well.

To see volunteer opportunities with Samaritan’s Purse or learn more about their disaster relief effort, visit their website.

Mary Seine

Celebrating 90 years young with Mary Seine

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA — Mary Seine is officially 90 years young.

It was standing room-only April 22 in the Roser Memorial Community Church fellowship hall as Seine celebrated her 90th birthday with lots of ice cream for her and cake for everyone else.

Birthday girl Mary Seine receives a hug from Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy along with a plaque naming April 22, 2017 as Mary Louise Seine Day in Anna Maria during her birthday party festivities at Roser Memorial Community Church. Kristin Swain | Sun

Festivities began with a potluck luncheon followed by a proclamation from Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy and Commissioner Dale Woodland declaring April 22 Mary Louise Seine Day.

Murphy congratulated Seine on her big day, thanking her for her contributions to the community, labeling her as “the Island’s role model” for her civic participation and commitment to lessening traffic by riding her bicycle instead of driving a car.

“She really is a very special lady,” Murphy said.

For her part, Seine was surprised by the overwhelming community response she received.

“I didn’t expect all of this,” Seine said after receiving a standing ovation after a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” was sung by nearly 100 guests. “I just asked to have my birthday party here. This is wonderful.”