LaVonte'e Williams B. 2017 Smyrna, Tenn

Everywhere except church, LaVonte'e Williams had rambunctious little-boy energy, leaving the adults in his wake hollering for him to "slow down!" On Sunday, Aug. 7, LaVonte'e, his older sister, Kymora, and their parents took their places at the front of the sanctuary of Heaven�...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The New York times magazine 2022-12, p.42-57
Main Author: Villarosa, Linda
Format: Magazinearticle
Language:English
Subjects:
Baptism
Children
Families & family life
Williams, LaVonte e
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Everywhere except church, LaVonte'e Williams had rambunctious little-boy energy, leaving the adults in his wake hollering for him to "slow down!" On Sunday, Aug. 7, LaVonte'e, his older sister, Kymora, and their parents took their places at the front of the sanctuary of Heaven's View Baptist Church in Lebanon, Tenn., with the other choir members, dressed in shades of burnt orange and cream, the designated colors of the day. God made you a promise, and you stood the test!" As the service progressed and time for the baptism neared, LaVonte'e's grandmother Tanika, whom the grandchildren call Gigi, wanted to make sure the children understood what getting baptized meant before they took part in the ceremony. "Is the water gonna be cold?" Bishop Dr. Belita McMurry-Fite, Heaven View's pastor, had arranged for a black plastic tub the size of a wading pool, but deeper, to be pulled out of a storage room, placed behind her lectern and filled with water.
ISSN:0028-7822