San Quentin Protestant chaplain, “Mother” Mardis Ralph Jackson, and some of the member leaders, took time to discuss the church’s Revival Week, which was celebrated during the third week of October.
Revival Week is celebrated with weeklong services from Wednesday through Sunday. It featured the chaplain, Elder Derrick Holloway, Pastor Harry Hemphill and outside members of the Protestant faith which included Deacon “LT” who brought key members of his congregation from The Church of I Sit at theTable located in Houston, Texas. He opened the weeklong celebration.
The beginning of Revival Week, sought a spiritual breakthrough as Pastor “LT” demanded that all Christians “have to die (death=surrender to god) and we must shed light into a dark environment of today’s non-believing world,” said the preacher.
“We do this by sharing the love of Christ and celebrating the fact when you lose (give up sin or fleshly desires) you gain God,” he continued.
The rest of the week ended as strong as it started. Pastor Harry Hemphill paved the way for Mother Jackson, who then was followed by the church’s Elder Derrick Holloway.
Pastor Harry Hemphill enjoyed his last revival week when he led the Saturday night service.
It was his last service preaching as an incarcerated man. “Pastor Harry” was scheduled to go home on Monday Nov. 4, after he received a date from the Board of Parole.
Pastor Hemphill emphasized the season’s instruction of change was designed to give eternal hope of a new life and love to all.
“Young Christians must understand death through the acceptance of Christ’s resurrection—that he died for all of us—this is the only way to be saved. Once truly believed, they will not be afraid to shed their sinful ways,” said Pastor Hemphill.
Sunday morning the anchor of Bay Area Protestants and chaplain here at San Quentin, “Mother” Mardis Ralph Jackson, stayed within the core theme of the week. “Christ blew the trumpet in Zion to save all men through redemption,” said Chaplain Jackson.
“We must hear the trumpet of God and receive His redemption for us by dying, knowing losing our sinful desires is our victory.” Mother Jackson continued, “We must send out this calling to all Christians and pray they receive the call to action.”
Elder Holloway finished the weeklong service with some passionate callings. His Sunday night sermon demanded Christians take accountability.
“How can you say you are too tired or too busy to attend and participate in Christ when our leader, “Mother” Jackson, lives away from her husband and family to guide us, and commutes to Pasadena, California, on a train 12 hours each way to give us God’s gifts?”
“She never complains or makes excuses, so there are no excuses for the Men in Blue; you must come to God,” stated the second in command at Garden Chapel.
Kevin “Boston” Kelly, an aspiring Protestant evangelist, has never missed a service in two years. He personally described his definition of the week, saying Revival Week is designed to renew our faith.
“It’s a call to acknowledge spiritual warfare is continuous and it is not a joke,” said the man who has just reconnected with his daughter after two years.
He continued, “Revival Week is a reminder not to fall back on the gifts God gives us. You must eat it (the word) and love it.”
Passionately the young Christian supports Deacon “LT’s” demand to die (surrender) for God.