Plains — All the way from Los Angeles, St. Genevieve High School’s Valiant Voices choir sang “Let There Be Peace On Earth” in honor of Rosalynn Carter. Singer-songwriter Andrew Greer sang, “Butterfly, Fly,” a piece he co-wrote for the former first lady.
Friends and loved ones fondly recalled her steely resolve on the campaign trail. Her humanitarian work comforting children afflicted with the painful Guinea worm disease. Her emphasis on destigmatizing discussions about mental illness.
This is how Carter’s beloved house of worship, Maranatha Baptist Church, celebrated her birthday for the first time without her. Carter, a church deacon who would have turned 97 Sunday, died in November after battling dementia.
Credit: Karl H. Schumacher / White House Photographer
Credit: Karl H. Schumacher / White House Photographer
Sunday’s church service was the culmination of a series of events planned in her memory. Among them: A film screening, a public conversation with her family and a butterfly release at a local garden.
The former first lady and her husband of 77 years, former President Jimmy Carter, were born in Plains and they lived there in the same house for decades. He entered hospice care in February of last year. Planning is already underway to honor his 100th birthday, which is Oct. 1.
The Carter Center in Atlanta, for example, has announced a musical tribute set for Sept. 17 at the Fox Theater. A concert is planned for Oct. 1 in the old Plains High School Auditorium at the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park.
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter previously taught Sunday school at Maranatha, which means “Lord, Come!” in Aramaic. On Sunday, their niece, Kim Carter Fuller, led Sunday school, focusing on what it takes to be a “servant-leader” like Rosalynn Carter. Fuller cited courage, tenacity, honesty, transparency and love.
“You are here because you love a woman who was a true example of a servant-leader,” she told the parishioners.
Fuller remembered what it was like growing up as a young girl in Plains, sometimes in her aunt’s care.
“No matter the time or the event, if she was in charge of us, we knew that we would all be well taken care of,” she said.
When it was her turn to lead the church in prayer, the Rev. Ashley Guthas credited the former first lady with helping pave the way for her to become Maranatha’s first woman pastor this year.
“The more that I learn about Rosalynn, the more that I know concretely that I am here in Maranatha Baptist Church — as a woman and as a pastor — because of Rosalynn’s influence and because of the way that she paved this course,” Guthas said.
Though she never met Rosalynn Carter, Guthas shared some anecdotes she learned about her. She and the former president, Guthas said, read the Bible in Spanish so they wouldn’t grow rusty with the language. Rosalynn Carter, Guthas added, was brave and “humbitious,” meaning she was both humble and ambitious.
“She ziplined at 87 years old,” Guthas said, eliciting knowing chuckles from the parishioners. “What an incredible, incredible human.”
Moments later, Greer performed the song he originally co-wrote for Rosalynn Carter’s 95th birthday.
“Strong as steel,” he sang. “Sweet as a magnolia. Love and loss that hurts and heals. That’s how the Lord grows ya.”
When he finished, Greer invited fellow worshippers to share Carter’s birthday cake, which was decorated with butterflies and pink, yellow and purple flowers. Volunteers handed out slices as pianist David Osborne accompanied the parishioners singing, “Happy Birthday, Dear Rosalynn.”
Credit: Jeremy Redmon/jredmon@ajc.com
Credit: Jeremy Redmon/jredmon@ajc.com
About the Author
