Wilma Hadley

The Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, where the Rev. Alfred Jones is Pastor, and IS located at 421 6th Ave. N.W., will host its Annual Mother’s Day Celebration on Sunday May 11, at 8 a.m. The speaker will be Minister Wilma Hadley.

Hadley is the daughter of the late Willie Harris and the late Jeanette I. Bender. She is married to Terry Hadley of Moultrie and they have three daughters, Alexis, Natasha and Nausha; a son, Demetrius; and several grandchildren.

She attended public schools in Colquitt County and graduated from Moultrie Senior High in 1976. Upon graduation, she attended Valdosta State University and Fort Valley State University. She also attended and graduated from Moultrie Technical College as a word processing specialist in 2001. In 2009, she was licensed to minister and preach by Total Restoration and Repentance Ministry and, in 2012, she was ordained at Seedtime Harvest Church by the Rev. Charles Hadley. She has served at several local churches and along with her husband is a representative of the street revival services, “Forest Hill Chain.” She has served in the capacity of teacher, evangelist, Prophetess, associate pastor and pastor. She works as the senior deputy clerk of the Superior Court Criminal Division.

Hadley is a member of Friendship Baptist Church, where she serves on the ministerial staff and sings in the gospel choir. She also serves as a substitute Sunday school teacher.  In 2013, she was elected as a city council member for the City of Moultrie.

The history of Mother’s Day began with an idea from Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic. She suggested an international Mother’s Day to celebrate peace and motherhood in 1872. Although, there were many other women who were active with local groups holding annual Mother’s Day remembrances, most were more religious services and not the holiday as it is known today.

One of the other women who was working on establishing Mother’s Day as a national celebration was the mother of Anna Jarvis. Jarvis, an Appalachian homemaker, organized a day to raise awareness of poor health conditions in her community. As a result, the first mother’s day was celebrated on May 10, 1908, at a church service honoring the late Mrs. Reeves Jarvis at a Methodist Church in West Virginia. Jarvis died in Philadelphia, leaving her two daughters, Anna and Elisinore.

Anna Jarvis devoted her entire life to the struggle to have Mother’s Day declared a national holiday. On May 9, 1914, her dream came true when President Woodrow Wilson made the first official announcement proclaiming Mother’s Day as a national holiday to be held each year on the second Sunday of May. This year marks the 100th year of celebrating Mother’s Day in America.

The program is hosted by the Missionary Society of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. Sis. Isabella Ivey, president of the Senior Mission, and the entire church family encourages the community to join them in the celebration of Motherhood. A hearty breakfast will be held following the program in the George Walker Jr. Fellowship Hall.