On Sunday, September 28, 2025 Godwin Heights Baptist Church in Lumberton, NC welcomed Rev. Suzanne Parker Miller to be their guest preacher for Education Sunday. Worship leadership during the service was also provided by teachers and staff from the church’s partner elementary school that is across the street from the congregation. Rev. Suzanne’s sermon was entitled “The Beloved Community of Sesame Street”.
Godwin Heights hosted a welcome back to school event for the staff at their partner elementary school earlier in August, and at that time they invited the staff to write down prayer requests for the school year. During the service these prayer requests were anonymously shared on cards for church members to take home and keep the staff in prayer throughout the school year.
Thank you so much to Interim Pastor Rev. Dr. Leslie Sessoms for the invitation to Pastors for NC Children to join you in worship!
NOTES ON VISIT TO GODWIN HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH
By Vanessa Abernathy
“Thank you Rev. Suzanne Miller for this opportunity to tell of my experiences advocating for North Carolina’s public schools. We shared a great Sunday morning spiritual experience at Godwin Heights Baptist Church a few weeks ago. Special thanks to Rev. Dr. Leslie Sessoms and the congregation for their support of public education. This was my 3rd time working with Godwin Heights Baptist Church on a community issue, and our second meeting on public education and the Leandro Plan.
I am a volunteer with the Seeds of Hope & South Lumberton Development Association in Robeson County. I live in Fairmont which is down the road from our county seat Lumberton and have worked on several community projects over the years. I will never forget reading an essay written by my Aunt Beulah Griffin who taught at the Rosenwald School in Fairmont. At one time, Robeson County had up to 5 different school systems. Robeson County has historically been a tri-racial county with a majority minority population. There was discussion years ago about reorganizing our public school system to include school closures and rebuilds. Attended some of the meetings around the county and eventually heard about the Leandro Plan. Because of my own experiences with desegregation, I started advocating for the Leandro plan and began researching Robeson County’s public school system.
Rev. Suzanne Miller invited members of Seeds of Hope to join her at Godwin Heights Baptist Church. Rev Miller began her sermon by singing the “Sesame Street” theme song. She delighted the congregation with remembrances of the diversity of its characters. I’m 72 years old, so I grew up with Mighty Mouse, Captain Kangaroo, and ultimately “The Jetsons.” My public school experience was born during the school desegregation movement. So the newer generations of our children have grown up with Sesame Street. And so many of our children have grown up in diverse schools and classrooms, and with Charlie Brown holiday specials.
Although most of us have grown up with integrated schools and classrooms. The vision of public schools as captured in the Leandro Comprehensive Plan is an opportunity to ensure that each of our children share in the experience a sound basic education with quality teachers, equitable supply of learning materials, equipment and technology. Our children from North Carolina’s public schools must be able to successfully compete in the global marketplace.”