Heritage Day was observed in conjunction with the closing exercises of the 2012 term of Bible Training Institute of The Church of God with international headquarters on Tillie Drive, off Urbane.

General Overseer Stephen E. Smith began the special service with greetings. 

BTI’s director, Ray D. Dupre, welcomed the visitors and families and offered prayer and Scripture reading. The Bible pledge was given by the first-term class and the flag pledge was given by the second-term class.

The four classes of BTI each gave a presentation on the June 9 program. 

The Leadership Pastoral Development class gave a slide presentation showing a brief history of A.J. Tomlinson. 

The first-term class did a brief history of the church into and out of the dark ages. 

The second-term class gave a pictorial presentation of the place of “Arise, Shine ...” 

The third-term class concluded the presentations showing the role in future church prophecy.

After congregational singing by Allene Cox, James Horne, the overseer of Alabama, gave the commencement address titled “I Delight To Do Thy Will” from Psalm 40:8.

School principal James Cox, Tennessee state overseer, gave the spiritual report of the school. With 100 students enrolled, 17 graduated from third term this year. 

In the revival services held on the weekends and Wednesday nights, there were 16 saved, 16 sanctified, 21 received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and more than 30 were baptized in water. Several healings were reported.

During the school, lessons were taught in the Life of Christ and the Pauline Epistles, doctrine, local church administration, personal ministry, church business and pastoral work.

This article was originally published in the Cleveland Daily Banner.