Sis. Melanie Miller (center) leading the Praise and Worship team, fl anked by Cathy Muckett-Drummond (l) and
Michael Fergus. Photo by Nelson A. King
Caribbean L BQ ife, March 8–14, 2019 3
By Nelson A. King
Just days after Brooklyn Councilman
Jumaane Williams won the position
of Public Advocate for New York
City, a young, bright Brooklyn-born
lawyer, of Caribbean parentage, is
seeking to succeed him as representative
for the 45th Council District in
Brooklyn.
Jovia A. Radix, the eldest daughter
and child of Barbadian-born Justice
Sylvia Hinds-Radix and Grenadianborn
dentist Dr. Joseph Radix, told
Caribbean Life Wednesday night that
she is best suited to replace Williams,
the son of Grenadian immigrants.
“I was born and raised in the 45th
Council District,” said Radix, a Hofstra
University Law School graduate,
with a master’s degree in Public
Administration and a Bachelor’s
degree in Political Science, in an
exclusive interview.
“This is the district in which I
attended public schools and the community
that shaped the person that I
am today,” added, Radix, stating that
she has “learned the meaning of public
service” from her family, as she
watched her family “publicly service
the community in food drives, tutoring,
mentoring, etc.”
Among other things, Radix assists
her family in the “direction and management”
of a tutoring program facilitated
by the Brooklyn-based Barbados
Ex-Police Association.
Her mother is a justice of the Appellate
Court of the State of New York,
Second Department; and her father
is dental director at the Brownsville
Multi-Service Family Health Center
(BMS).
Prior to deciding to pursue her Juris
Doctorate (law degree), Radix said
she served as the Brooklyn Regional
Representative to Gov. Andrew M.
Cuomo, as “the voice of this community
in that office.”
By Nelson A. King
With lofty and spiritually-uplifting
singing and music, resounding testimonials,
and billowing preaching and praying,
Attributes of Christ Ministries, a small
evangelical church on Albany Avenue in
the Crown Heights, Brooklyn two Sundays
ago celebrated its 20th anniversary
with much fanfare.
Church leaders also used the nearfive
hour-long grand celebration to honor
some members who have been in God’s
vineyard over the years.
Before moving to 302 Albany Ave.,
the church was first at 105 Broadway
Ave., then at 1460 St. John’s Pl. — all in
Brooklyn.
Those honored, who started with the
church on Broadway Avenue, were: Claudette
Muckett; her daughter, Cathy Muckett
Drummond; Thelma Lezama; and
Venice Mitchell.
Honorees for the St. John’s Place location
were: Susan Klass, Kenneth John,
Ronica Sam, Jennifer Isles and Miles Miller.
And honorees, who started with the
church at its current location, were: Tevern
Roberts, Michael Fergus and Rhonda
Williams.
The church’s pastor, Rudvin Samuel,
and the First Lady, Sharon Samuel, presented
plaques to the honorees.
“Let us be encouraged,” Pastor Samuel
urged celebrants. “While there are challenges,
they are not greater than the good
Lord in us.”
Roberts, one of the church’s ministers,
who served as liturgist, said he was
delighted to be a member of Attributes of
Christ Ministries.
“It’s a pleasure serving the body of
Christ,” he said. “It’s an honor to serve
God. It’s an honor to serve in the ministry.”
Sis. Muckett, widow of the church’s late
founder and original pastor, Dr. Bro. William
Muckett, said: “To God be the glory.
I could not have made it but for the love
of God. With His love, I’ll go with perfection.”
Deacon Miller, the church’s Guyaneseborn
choir director, said, when he started
with Attributes of Christ Ministries 15
years ago, the Mucketts urged him to start
playing the bass guitar.
From there, he said he worked his way
up to his current position.
“All God wants it to make us available
to Him,” Miller said.
The celebration was punctuated with,
among other things, high-voltage singing
from the Praise and Worship Team,
comprising Melanie Miller, Muckett-
Drummond, Michael Fergus and Sandra
Browne; the church’s choir; a duet by
husband and wife Whitney and Marion
Liverpool; solo rendition by eight-year-old
Kaleah Miller; and keyboard playing by
Kaleah’s six-year-old brother, Nathaniel
Miller.
In reading the church’s history, David
Taylor noted that “the month of February
is special to many people for many
reasons.
“To some, it is Black History month,”
he said. “To others, it is the month in
which Valentine’s Day is celebrated. But to
Attributes of Christ Ministries, February
is the month of anniversary.
“Yes, Attributes of Christ Ministries
began in February of 1999,” Taylor added.
“It was the 7th to be precise, under the
leadership of William Muckett, known to
everyone as Bro. Muckett.”
Taylor said Pastor Muckett went to be
with the Lord in January 2013.
“His contributions to the Kingdom
of God, whether in Attributes of Christ
Ministries or other areas, while not always
recognized by others, are certainly known
to God,” he said. “We can rest assured that
his reward will be just.”
Pastor Samuel succeeded his Vincentian
born compatriot Pastor Muckett.
“While there are challenges facing us,
certainly, they are not greater than the
God we serve,” Taylor said. “Remember,
he that began that good work will, certainly,
bring it to completion.”
In his message, guest preacher, the Rev.
Derwin Grant, pastor of Trinity Methodist
Church on Eastern Parkway, near Utica
Avenue, in Brooklyn, urged members of
Attributes of Christ Ministers to “hear
what God has to say.
“On this 20th anniversary, it’s time to
move to the next level,” he preached. “Get
ready to move, get ready to leverage for
your next level. I dare you to step out.”
Jovia Radix, Esq.
Brooklyn church celebrates
20th anniversary
Young lawyer
seeks to
succeed
Jumaane
Six-year-old Nathaniel Miller on the
keyboard. Photo by Nelson A. King