Pastor Celebrates Women’s History with a charge to women
If ever there was a time for women to rise up and take a stand in society, that time is now, according to Pastor Dr. Debora Grant-Scotland, who delivered an awe-inspiring message during the Chapel Service at Voorhees College Tuesday. The Georgetown, South Carolina native was the fourth in a series of speakers featured at the college during Women’s History Month.
Grant-Scotland, the senior pastor of Cosmopolitan AME Church in Atlanta, Georgia, painted a picture of women as a people who have been overlooked, overworked, and underestimated for centuries. She told the virtual audience, “Women are often seen as the lesser of God’s creation, as second-class citizens and submissive with no voice or thoughts of their own. Even though women have been in and are the backbone of many successful movements, women are portrayed as non-essential.”
Comparing the experience of today’s women with the Biblical Queen Esther, the advocate for youth and women’s issues noted that persons of her gender are in a constant battle to fight for their causes, while being held hostage to primitive thinking regarding the worth of a woman. “Here we are in 2021, still fighting for our voice, and our value, against a system that victimizes and invokes violence against women.” A graduate of Clark Atlanta University and Interdenominational Theological Center, Grant-Scotland lamented that women have historically been defined and confined by the dominant male factor and have been relegated to what they determine to be a less meaningful responsibility.
The Georgetown, South Carolina native suggested that women are partly responsible for their current plight in society. “We have bought into the false theory that we are the lesser of God’s creation. We have bought into the myth that we are weak, that we are second class citizens…that we’re only good in the home…that our position is standing behind…that we should be submissive…that we have no voice or thought of our own.” Grant-Scotland said that in reality “We are leaders, we are strong, we are influential, we are creative, we are sharp, we are phenomenal, we are warriors and more.”
Grant-Scotland also remarked that many women today find themselves in places of comfort while their comrades are in a state of bondage and discomfort. She said that like Queen Esther, women must take a stand in their community, sometimes risking job, relationships or even life to deliver the message of their people’s plight to those who make a difference. “Just as Esther was chosen to rise up for her people, women today must do the same thing. In order for us to move to another level of success we must take a stand and declare that we will rise up and take our place in our communities and in the workplace and in our homes, on the campus, in the classroom and in society.”
The founder of numerous ministries designed to empower women and youth, Pastor Debbie concludes with an encouraging message to women, “Whenever there is a need for someone to stand up for justice or to right the wrongs or to be a positive example to change a corrupt system, you are empowered to make a difference, so I employ you to equip yourself for the journey because it’s up to you now.”
For more information, contact the Office of Communications, at 803-780-1191 or at communications@voorhees.edu.
