"The hand of the Lord was on me,
and he brought me out by the Spirit of
the Lord and set me in the middle of a
valley; it was full of bones. He led me
back and forth among them, and I saw a
great many bones on the floor of the
valley, bones that were very dry. He
asked me, "Son of man, can these bones
live?"
I said, "Sovereign Lord, you alone
know."
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these
bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear
the word of the Lord! This is what the
Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I
will make breath enter you, and you will
come to life. I will attach tendons to
you and make flesh come upon you and
cover you with skin; I will put breath
in you, and you will come to life. Then
you will know that I am the Lord.'"
So I prophesied as I was commanded. And
as I was prophesying, there was a noise,
a rattling sound, and the bones came
together, bone to bone. I looked, and
tendons and flesh appeared on them and
skin covered them, but there was no
breath in them.
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the
breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to
it, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord
says: Come, breath, from the four winds
and breathe into these slain, that they
may live.'" So I prophesied as he
commanded me, and breath entered them;
they came to life and stood up on their
feet-a vast army.
Then he said to me: "Son of man, these
bones are the people of Israel. They
say, 'Our bones are dried up and our
hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore
prophesy and say to them: 'This is what
the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am
going to open your graves and bring you
up from them; I will bring you back to
the land of Israel. Then you, my people,
will know that I am the Lord, when I
open your graves and bring you up from
them. I will put my Spirit in you and
you will live, and I will settle you in
your own land. Then you will know that I
the Lord have spoken, and I have done
it, declares the Lord.'" " -
Ezekiel 37:1-14
Born Norma Jean Pender, but
affectionately known as "Reverend Mother," she is a native
Pennsylvanian born and raised in Pittsburgh. She has been a
resident of Detroit for over 35 years. She was
ordained in the ministry by the late Bishop E. P. Murchison in 1982 within the Michigan-Indiana Conference of
the Christian Methodist Church. Here studies have included the University of Pittsburgh, Wayne
County Community College, William
Tyndale College, and the Liberty Bible College.
Her motto is "In The Spirit," where she is bound to
get
you up on your feet. Rev. Mother offers good, down home gospel music and
something for every age group.
In
2001, she celebrated 50 years in gospel music and was honored by
the University of California with the "Trailblazer Award." She
has received numerous awards and citations in the music field
where she has served as MC's for concerts with some of the
greatest artist in the gospel industry. She truly cherishes her "Spirit
of Detroit."
Reverend
Pender is currently a member of New
Jerusalem Temple B. C., where she has faithfully served as Assistant
Pastor for over 20 years under the leadership of Rev. Lawrence J.
London. She also serves as Public
Relations Director of Gospel Music Workshop of America Inc.,
founded by the late Rev. James Cleveland who appointed her to
this position in 1968. Further, Rev. Mother is a part of the Gospel
Announcers Guild of the G.M.W.A.
Her
favorite scripture is Psalm 27. "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the
LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked,
even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled
and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear:
though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I
desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of
the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to
enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his
pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up
upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about
me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing,
yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice:
have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my
heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from
me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not,
neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake
me, then the LORD will take me up. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a
plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine
enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out
cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in
the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall
strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."
