Most book signings are held in a book store, and are typically a basic afternoon or evening. With Towanda Brown aka Motherpoetry nothing is basic.

Brown turned her book signing on April 16 into an evening of elegance at the beautiful and eclectic Montage Interior Design Studio in Point Breeze.

NEVER WOULD HAVE MADE IT—Jenika Brown (daughter) Carol Ramsey (sponsor), and Towanda Brown (author).

Friends and family turned out for an evening of live entertainment and dinner and enjoyed the vocal dynamics of Sonya Carter, creative interpretation in mime from Keenan Young and awesome gospel music courtesy of Brian Wright.

PIONEER AWARD—Gregory Spencer, chairman, board of directors, Hill House; Victor Roque, interim president and CEO Hill House, with Dwayne Cooper, right, Hill House Pioneer Award recipient.

The Hill House Gala was held April 16, at Carnegie Music Hall. Darnell Dinkins of the New Orleans Saints was the keynote speaker. Award recipients were Dwayne Cooper and Edna Council. Recipients as well as the keynote speaker received a framed photo from the Charles “Teenie” Harris collection.

Mt. Zion Baptist Church installs Rev. Sims

THE SIMS FAMILY—Front row: Bryce Johnson, Trinity Sims, Dalon Sims, Olonda Sims (daughter-in-law). Back row: Damon Sims, Alice Sims (wife of Rev. Roy Sims), Rev. Roy Sims Sr. and Roy Sims Jr. Reverend Sims was installed as the new pastor at Mt. Zion Baptist Church of Bellevue. The installation service was held April 11. Reverend Samuel Williams from New Zion Baptist Church preached the morning service and Rev. Alvin Coon of St. John Evangelist Baptist Church preached the afternoon service.

The ministers and their wives of several Clairton churches got together to strut their stuff in the name of unity during the Heavenly Fashion Show and Luncheon.

“This event was about all the churches in Clairton doing something together and coming together,” said Rev. Crawford James, associate pastor, Morning Star Baptist Church.

BRADLEY FLOOD and MINISTER ALICE FLOOD in their any given Sunday attire.

Committee member and lifelong Morning Star Baptist Church member, Robin Prince agreed with James.

“We wanted to do something fun that we could do in fellowship. We love to see our pastors and ministers dressed up and why not have them strut on the runway?” Prince said.

The show, which was held at the Ascension Auditorium on Park Avenue in Clairton, was a fundraiser for the annual Unity Picnic that is given by all the Churches in the city.