Within the last few days, two legendary women transcended the earthly boundaries of this world to be in the presence of the God they proclaimed in song, music, and sermon. On Friday, October 8, Gospel Legend Ms. Albertina Walker, also known as the Queen of Gospel, died at the age of 81 in Chicago, Illinois. Less than a week later, the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area pauses to remember the life of Apostle Betty P. Peebles, the Senior Pastor of Jericho City of Praise in Landover, Maryland who died on Tuesday, October 12. She was 76. Both of these women have made tremendous contributions in their respective fields that deserve our recognition and respect.
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Ms. Albertina Walker
Gospel Music Legend |
Queen Albertina's career, that began as a protege of the late legendary Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, spanned over 60 years. She recorded hits like "Please Be Patient With Me" and "I Can Go To God In Prayer". She was peers with many of Gospel's greatest artists like the late Rev. James Cleveland, Shirley Caesar, and Dorothy Norwood. She sang with the same fervor whether she was singing for U.S. Presidents, international dignitaries like Nelson Mandela, or at a local music festival. As I listened to the radio this past Friday during The Yolanda Adams Morning Show, I concluded from Gospel Artist Yolanda Adams' comments honoring Ms. Albertina, that she will be remembered not only for her contributions to the idiom of Traditional Gospel Music, but also for mentoring and supporting younger artists.
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| Apostle Betty Peebles, preaching the Gospel |
Apostle Betty Poindexter Peebles, with the support of her husband, the late Bishop James R. Peebles, Sr., built a church that started in 1964 from very humble beginnings to a campus that includes more than 150 acres housing a 10,000 seat sanctuary, a school for pre-kindergarten to High School students, a Christian college, and an administrative office building. The church also owns a senior assisted living facility found not far from the church campus. The Jericho City of Praise, located adjacent to Fedex Field where the Washington Redskins play football, leases parking spaces to season ticket holders during football season. What an innovative way to get an offering! The Washington Post said of Betty Peebles, "[She] distinguished herself not only as a visionary who saw the expanded role her church could play, but also as one of very few women to helm a megachurch. By 2004, she had become the only woman leading any of the country's largest 100 churches."
Apostle Peebles endured great tragedy in the lost of her husband during the building process of the Landover location and the subsequent death of two of her sons, Jaime Jr. and John. Her eldest son, Jaime, died less than four months after her husband's death. In the midst of grief and sickness, she continued to teach, caste vision, and pour into the members and community of Jericho City of Praise. I will also remember Apostle Peebles as one who proclaimed that "Jesus Is Lord!". Her son, Joel R. Peebles, Sr. will succeed his mother as Senior Pastor.
Apostle Peebles and her accomplishments were one of the motivations that initiated the planning of the Women's History Makers Event scheduled for March 2011. This event will honor women, from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia, who are history makers, pioneers, and trailblazers in the fields of: - Art & Literature
- Business
- Civic/Religious Leadership
- Media
- Medicine/Science
- Music and Entertainment
- Public Service & Education
- Sports
Please stay tuned for more details.
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Sources:
2. Hamil Harris and Emma Brown, Jericho City of Praise co-founder Betty Peebles dies; grew Pr. George's megachurch into social, economic force, The Washington Post, 10/13/10
