BY DR. BARBARA J. MCLEAN-SMITH, TIMES CONTRIBUTING WRITER
ORLANDO – New Covenant Baptist Church of Orlando (NCBC) was founded in August 1992 by the late, Reverend Dr. Randolph Bracy, Jr. and his wife, Dr. LaVon Wright Bracy, along with their then-public school-aged children, son, the former State Senator, Randolph Bracy, III, and daughter, the now, State Representative LaVon Patrice Bracy Davis. On Sunday, December 8, 2024, her daughter and at least 30 of her closest relatives and friends attended the Founders Day service. At minimum, 70 Charter members were also in attendance while those who could not appear in person reportedly viewed the celebratory service on social media.
The church began with almost 300 founding members who faithfully supported the church and the first family until either health, death, or relocation changed their status. Over the years of Pastor Bracy’s leadership, the church grew in membership to more than 1,500 active members attending either one or both of two services each Sunday.
Sunday, December 8, 2024, a memorable yet bittersweet day of celebration was held during the morning worship service at New Covenant Baptist Church of Orlando (NCBC) with the lead servant and Pastor, Reverend Dr. Leroy Rose, III leading worship. The Reverend Dr. Rose took over the helm as senior pastor after Reverend Bracy’s retirement in December 2012.
Pastor Bracy was a visionary and was fond of saying, “I see the vision that God gives me, but it is Mrs. Bracy who makes it happen”! Under Pastor Bracy, the church’s motto, “We stand on The Word” was “prodigiously” (one of Pastor Bracy’s often-used words) carried out. NCBC has always been known for its preaching and teaching ministries and continues to sustain the legacy.
Founders Day 2024 was bittersweet as Pastor Bracy was not there standing beside “his bride of 48 years” as she transparently explained, the trials of losing her husband, friend, and confidant. She also illuminated the void since losing her one and only sister, Dr. Patricia Wright Murray, in 2024. Despite her tremendous losses, Dr. LaVon W. Bracy has remained a stalwart of a servant in carrying out her life mission to help others reap the benefit of democracy by securing the right to vote and participating in the voting process.
Dr. LaVon, as affectionately known, has single-handedly registered hundreds if not thousands of voters across the State of Florida. Her dogged determination results from her student integration as a 12th grader at the Gainesville High School (GHS), Gainesville, FL, where she graduated in 1965. After abhorrent mistreatment and continued misguided behavior towards her from the “all-white” counterparts at Gainesville High School, Dr. LaVon went on to earn three college degrees: a bachelor’s degree from Tuskegee University, a master’s from the University of Miami and a Doctorate from the University of Florida, at Gainesville.
The Founders Day celebration was a testament to what she and Rev. Dr. Randolph Bracy have meant to many. The entire worship service was filled with high praise rendering the songs sung by the illustrious “combined choir”, including “Founding Members” “the Mighty Men of Valor, and those songsters who have joined the music ministry in the past several years.
Mr. Len Burnett, known for his photographic memory and the ability to hold everyone’s attention, gave an evocative biographical sketch of Dr. LaVon Bracy, her influence as the church’s administrator, and her impact on the growth of NCBC during the tenure of her and Pastor Bracy.
Daughter, State Representative LaVon Bracy Davis, always known as “A daddy’s girl” gave a heartwarming remembrance of her dad and how he would have accepted and responded to the “Founders Day” celebratory occasion. She emphasized that as a State Representative, her work “On the Hill”, is a remnant of her dad’s teaching, preaching, and resounding belief in “Speaking truth to power.” Representative Bracy Davis is the epitome of her daddy’s legacy.
The guest preacher for the occasion, The Reverend Adrian Ray Davis, Pastor, of Bethel IFM Church, Mt. Dora, and the husband of Representative Bracy Davis brought a message reminiscent of his late father-in-law and mentor, Rev. Dr. Bracy.
Pastor Davis’s message was awe-inspiring, taking his text from Joshua 4:19-24. He began by asking the congregation the question, “What do these stones mean”? His sermon was entitled “A Legacy of Faith Set in Stone.” Pastor Davis weaved the story from the Red Sea to the Jordan River where God, in Joshua, chapter four, instructed the Israelites to take 12 smooth stones from the riverbed to represent the 12 tribes of Israel. His narrative was parallel, not only to his personal journey but to NCBC’s journey over these past 32 years, a journey of faith, deliverance, and perseverance. Pastor Davis’s message illustrated that NCBC is a legacy of building unity along with faith and resilience, mirroring the journey of the Israelites.
After morning worship, the church administrator, Mrs. Monique Long, had arranged a luncheon for Dr. LaVon Bracy, family, and friends where a delectable meal was catered and served by T&C Cakes and Catering.
Remarks were made by several friends and members of the family. The culmination of this momentous and “auspicious” occasion certainly led to the answer to the question, “What do these stones mean”? Indeed, Founders Day Celebration, 2024 was a ‘Legacy of Faith Set in Stone”.
