From Church Hats to Heavenly Crowns

Giving All Honor and Praise to God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit. I greet you this afternoon in the matchless and marvelous name of Jesus. To all of the clergy and ministers on the program and to those that are present in this chapel. To my family.....the Lovelace family…my lovely wife....Christie Neal.....my sisters Joyce and Diresa....my brother Arthur....my daughter Arielle.... and niece Chemeika.....I pray for your comfort and peace....during this time of bereavement. The bible reminds us that God is the God of All Comfort and He will comfort our hearts in a time of trouble. To all the extended family members and friends that are here today. We gather to celebrate the life of Deaconess Agatha Lovelace......whom I had the honor and privilege to call my mother-in-love.

Many of you have sweet memories of her, some of you may have pictures or even videos of her on your phone. Some of you have memories of her that may be triggered by a word you hear or something that you see. One of the wonderful gifts that God has given us…is the ability to hold on to our loved ones through memories and feelings in our hearts.

Although Momma Lovelace is no longer here with us physically....she is alway with us in our thoughts and in our hearts.

Momma Lovelace loved her family, but not just her immediate family, but her extended family.....cousins, nieces, nephews....her -in-laws. She loved to hug and her warm smile would always brighten the room.....

She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she took care of her family. One of the ways she did that was through her culinary creations....... Now I didn’t get to experience this.....but her husband and children were blessed with home cook meals from scratch......fried fish (that she caught and cleaned)....collard greens (from her garden).....mashed potatoes.....and she even made biscuits from scratch......not to mentioned the cakes (chocolate cakes, pinapple cakes, coconut cakes) and pies (lemon mirengue, sweet potato) that she made from scratch.....

One thing that I learned about Momma Lovelace....just after Christie and I got engaged....is that she wasn’t afraid to drive....

Christie and I drove to Danville one Sunday morning to go to church with her.....and we were running a little late. So when we met her at 141 Beaver Mill, we got in her car....she put the pedal to the metal.....

We got to Guifield Baptist Church in record time..... I think I was excited and a little afraid at the same time.....

I have so many special memories of Momma Lovelace.... I remember the day that Christie and I drove to Greensboro, where she lived for a period of time and picked her up ....to move her in with us in Charlotte.

For the past seven going on eight years she lived with us, I had the opportunity to spend time with her and bond with her as one of her own sons.

The relationship of a mother-in-law is often associated with a negative connotation and there are a lot of husbands that have a toxic relationship with their mother-in-law. There may even be some husbands in here today that have a controlling, judgmental or critical mother-in-law and you don’t get along with her. There is a quote that goes....”The best mother-in-law is one that lives very far far away.”

Truth be told saints.....I can’t relate to that...... Momma Lovelace .....is my mother-in-love. I loved her like my own mother and she loved me like her son. She attended many important and pivotal events in my life.

Momma Lovelace was supportive of Christie and I in our marriage and in our ministry and she was always one of our biggest cheerleaders during our wedding and pastoral anniversaries.

I also have many memories of celebrating Momma Lovelace on her birthday and Mother’s Day. I remember on one Mothers Day....Christie and I took Momma to a nice restaurant in Charlotte. We had a great time together and as we were leaving out, I decided to hold Momma’s hand and I will never forget how she held onto my hand as we walked outside to wait for the car. It was a special day celebrating her.

One of the things I learned about Momma Lovelace is that she loved to eat turkey necks cooked in a crock pot....

And I remember one day I was at the store and saw some turkey necks and came up with the idea....to surprise Momma Lovelace…and I was going to make some for her.....but I wasn’t gonna put them in the crock pot...... I wanted to put them on the grill...... I consider myself a grill masters.....but Little did I know..... those necks take some time to cook. So here I am thinking that after having them on the grill for a couple hours, that they would be ready.

Needless to say…when Momma saw them on the plate, she knew something just didn’t look right about them. So they had to finish up cooking in the crook pot.

So many memories of Momma Lovelace that I hold near and dear to my heart....and the best thing is......I have photos on my phone that I can go back to.

There is a Word from the Lord that I’d like to share with you this afternoon....as we celebrate this mighty woman of God.

Let us turn our attention to ....the Holy words recorded by the Apostle Paul found in....

1 Corinthians 9:24–26 NKJV

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.

From Church Hats to Heavenly Crowns

If there is one thing that is true about and could been seen in her actions....Momma Lovelace loved the Lord. She was a devoted Christian and loved to sing praises to the Lord. During her last stay at the hospital, I remember Momma Lovelace singing “God is Good”.....she repeated that declaration over and over......that God is Good even in her ailing state.

And I believe that she developed her love for the Lord because her Mother Margree Dabney Waller instilled the love of the Lord in her at a young age. Momma Lovelace accepted the Lord as her Savior and was baptized.

When she later married she served as a Deaconess at Guilfield Baptist Church in Dry Fork. She served in other ministries throughout her time at Guilfield and made sure that her children were raised in the church.

If there is another thing that is true about and could be seen at church....Momma Lovelace loved to wear her church hats.

Wearing church hats to worship is a deeply rooted tradition in the African American church that has both a cultural and a spiritual significance.

Many of the hats are designed after west African hair dressings, filled with beads and braids. These beautiful flamboyant hats are colorful and decorated with ribbons and feathers.....and reminded the wearers to carry themselves like queens. And that is how Momma Lovelace carried herself like a queen.

Most African American woman, prior to the 20th Century would commonly follow 1 Cor 11:10

1 Corinthians 11:10 NKJV

10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

So these elaborate adorned headdresses hold a significance in the African American church.....culturally and spiritually and Momma Lovelace made sure that wore her church hat to worship.

And I believe this afternoon saints that Momma Lovelace is wearing a headpiece.....but it’s not a church hat.....I believe that Momma traded in her church hats for her heavenly crowns!!

You see my brothers and sisters....the bible tells us in the New Testament, that there are 5 heavenly crowns that will be rewarded to believers.

If we examine our text this afternoon, we see one of the crowns that Brother Paul tells us about.....in our text he uses the analogy of an athlete running in a race to receive a prize....

Look at what Paul says.....

1 Corinthians 9:24 (NKJV)

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

The Corinthians understood the race that Paul was talking about. You see they had there Isthmian games....which was similar to our Olympic games today.....and the Corinthians would host these althletic races every other year in Corinth......

They understood the strict training that an athlete needs to endure.....to compete in the race.....but not just compete.....the understood the discipline needed to win the race.....

So Paul relates this race to the race a Christian has to run in....and the self-control needed ....just as an athlete needs to have the same self-control....in their training.....

Brother Paul says that these athletes compete for a perishable crown.....

look at verse 25....

1 Corinthians 9:25 (NKJV)

25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

These crowns were made from a laurel or celery wreath that would soon wither away.....But the Christian’s crown......Momma Lovelace’s crown......is a crown that is imperishable..... meaning that it will never wither......never fade away.....never wear out.....never get old.......her crown is eternal.....

You see Momma Lovelace ran her race......and she finished strong......she didn’t give up.....she kept on fighting......even when dealing with pain......you’d never know.....because she never complained.....

She would always say “I’m good.....”

And you know what Saints......I believe that....and I know that she is Good.....because....on Good Friday.....

The Lord said.....”Well done my Good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things.... Enter into the joy of the Lord.

And she traded in her Church Hats......for her Heavenly Crowns.....

Yes my brothers and sisters.....she’s up in glory right now.....with her imperishable crown.

She has eternal life and fellowship with God....wearing her imperishable crown....

But that’s just one of the many heavenly crowns that she has.... She has her Imperishable Crown......and

I believe that ... she has her Crown of Rejoicing.....

1 Thessalonians 2:19 (NKJV)

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), 1 Th 2:19.

The apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:4 to “rejoice always in the Lord” for all the bountiful blessings our gracious God has showered upon us.

Momma Lovelace would rejoice in the Lord.....and tell us how thankful she was for God’s gracious blessings.

The crown of rejoicing will be our reward where “God will wipe away every tear . . . there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

Family and friends....Momma Lovelace is in no more pain.....and no more sorrow.......no more crying....

And now she is wearing her Crown of Rejoicing .....

She has traded in her Church Hats.....for her Imperishable Crown....and her Crown of Rejoicing......

I believe that Momma Lovelace has another Heavenly Crown on her shelf of Crowns.....

I believe she traded in her Church hats for her Crown of Righteousness.....

Look at 2 Timothy 4:8

2 Timothy 4:8 NRSV

From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Yes my brothers and sisters...... I believe Momma Lovelace is wearing her Crown of Righteousness....

We inherit this crown through the righteousness of Christ which is what gives us a right to it, and without which it cannot be obtained.

In other words my brothers and sisters.....you have to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.......through whom you receive your righteousness...... in order to receive this crown......

This crown is not for those who depend upon their own sense of righteousness or of their own works....

Because if I can be real with for a moment.....

our rightouesness without Christ......compares to nothing more than a filthy rag.....

In other words......

There is nothing righteous about anyone one of us in here...

Isaiah 64:6 (NRSV)

But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Is 64:6.

You see......Entering into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the only way to enter that narrow gate that leads to eternal life.....and receiving a Crown of Righteousness....

Momma Lovelace entered into that relationship.....a long time ago.......and because of that.....she is wearing her Crown of Righteousness.....

But this Eulogy although it’s about her.....it’s not for her...... it’s for every one of you looking at me right now.....whether you’re in this chapel .....or watching via the live stream.....

If you’ve never accepted Christ as your Savior and entered into a relationship with Him....you won’t be able to wear that Heavenly Crown like Momma Lovelace has....

And if that is you this afternoon....why would you wait another day....to enter into a relationship with Christ.......we are not promised the next day.....let alone the next hour......

All you have to do is to admit, "God, I have done a lot of things I should not have done. I realize I cannot pay for all that I have done. I ask you for forgiveness. I accept that when Jesus Christ died on the cross, He being holy and righteous, paid the penalty for my sin. I invite him to come into my life and take control of it.

You will make numerous decisions in your life between your birth and your death. But the only decision that will still be personally affecting you a 1000 years from today, is what did you do with Jesus Christ.

Momma Lovelace has her Imperishable Crown, her Crown of Rejoicing, her Crown of Righteousness......

And I believe she traded in her Church hats.....for her Crown of Glory.....

Look with me if you will........at

1 Peter 5:4 (NKJV)

and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), 1 Pe 5:4

Alhough Peter is addressing the elders, we must also remember that the crown will be awarded to all those who long for or love His appearing.

It’s because of Momma Lovelace’s faithfulness, that she received her Crown of Glory.....

This word “glory” is an interesting word referring to the very nature of God and His actions. It entails His great splendor and brightness.

This word also means that the praise and honor we give to God alone is due Him because of who He is....

And I’m a witness this afternoon that Momma Lovelace loved to Praise and Honor God......because of who He is.....

And for that reason.......she is wearing her Crown of Glory......

She traded in that Church hat.....in exchange for her Crown of Glory......

The Apostle Paul put it eloquently....in Romans 8.....when he said....

Romans 8:18 NRSV

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.

You see Momma Lovelace understood that this life here on earth was temporary.....and the sufferings she went through.....wouldn’t compare to the glory she would be revealed to her......

From Church Hats to Heavenly Crowns.....

But I believe that Momma Lovelace.....has another Crown.....she can wear.....

She has her Imperishable Crown, her Crown of Rejoicing, her Crown of Righteousness, her Crown of Glory......

And she also has 5th and final crown ....the Crown of Life......

Revelation 2:10 NRSV

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Beware, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

This crown is for all believers, but is especially to those who endure sufferings, who bravely confront persecution for Jesus, even to the point of death...

While Momma Lovelace did not have to face persecution until the point of death.....

She remained faithful.....in spite of sickness, in spite of the loss of her husband and her daughter......she remained faithful....

In the Bible the word “life” is often used to show a relationship that is right with God.

It was Jesus who said, “I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly”

But the Crown of Life is also for those who Love God..... in the Book of James we find....in the first chapter....and 12th verse...

James 1:12 NRSV

Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Momma Lovelace no longer needs her Church hats..... She has her Heavenly Crowns.....and she will always have them......because she loved the Lord.....and remained faithful until the end......

She traded in her Church hats.....

And now she has her Heavenly Crowns.....

Yes....she wears her Crowns......

Yes....she wears her Crowns...

I believe on Good Friday.....April 15th 2022...

She closed her eyes.....took her last breath.....and she received her Heavenly Crowns

I like how the song writer sang it.....

I shall wear my Crown.....

I shall wear my Crown.....

When it’s all over.....

I shall wear my Crown.....