A Very Very Short Post: Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, with Rear Admiral Clara Cobb

BLACK HISTORY THAT IS HAPPENING HERE AND NOW!

The first of two distinguished visitors to Berean this Sabbath was Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice , President and Dean of the Morehouse School of Medicine. She earned a degree in Chemistry at Georgia Tech, a feat that is even more impressive than her attaining a subsequent medical degree from Harvard. She is every bit as much of a superwoman as her namesake, Condoleezza Rice. She was presented with an award, a bouquet, and a set of the Conflict of the Ages series (by Ellen G, White). Presenters at Berean no longer hand this standard gift to the recipient, but instead just place it upon the rostrum, for it weighs close to a ton.

Doctor Valerie Montgomery Rice, sixth President of the Morehouse School of Medicine.

After an introduction that cited a long list of her accomplishments, Dr. Rice briefly addressed the crowd. The pastoral prayer had just ended, and had featured a recurring song about a “Balm in Gilead.” This was relevant to the profession of healing, the Doctor noted. She said that she often consults her “smartphone” Bible, and had just been reading First Corinthians 12, concerning the apportionment of “gifts,” and wanted to emphasis the gift mentioned in verse 9: “gifts of healing.” She asserted that she wished to “move our community to health-equity, making sure that everybody gets what they need, when they need it.” This hope reflects a Christian spirit.

The second distinguished visitor was Rear Admiral Clara Cobb. Like another Admiral who regularly visits Berean (Barry Black), she is a Seventh-day Adventist, and attended both Oakwood University and Washington Adventist University. She was commissioned in the Public Health Service in 1979, and is an RN. Pastor Russell presented her with a “Conflict of the Ages” set, but stated that she probably already possessed one. She could re-gift it, he said. Admiral Cobb graciously told the congregation that she felt honored to be honored alongside Dr. Valerie Rice.