Helen D. Green

The Obituary Helen Davis Green (1934 - 2023) After nearly eighty-nine years of being a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great-great-grandmother, aunt, and dear friend and inspiration to many, our devoted Mother has returned from whence she came - Our Lord's loving and everlasting embrace. Helen Davis was born in Norfolk, Virginia on August 21, 1934, to Charles Curry and Sarah Rivers, but was adopt ed as an infant by Fred and Lottie Davis. She began her Christian journey at four years old attending Mount Calvary Holy Church in Richmond. In her personal testimony, Mother Green frequently shared, "When I received Jesus, it was like a burning in my belly. I couldn't even go out to play. The burning only stopped when I got on my knees to pray." Her Christian walk was long and enduring. As a pre teen, her family moved their membership to Jerusalem Holy Church which was led by the late Annie Chamberlain. It was under Chamberlain that she began playing the keyboard - without any formal lessons. In 1952, Mother Helen graduated from Armstrong High School and the following year married Charles P. Green (deceased) of Greenwood, South Carolina. That union produced six God-fearing children - Charlene (deceased), Eric (deceased), Fredena, Michelle (deceased, known as "Lottee"), Gale, and Terry. In 1960, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the segregated St. Philips School of Nursing (now a part of VCU School of Nursing) which was the premiere facility for training African American nurses in the region at the time. Her Christian walk took the Green family to Springfield, Massachusetts where the family attended St. Rachel FBH as the minister of music under the late Robert Hodges. It was there that she was ordained as a minister and preached her initial sermon on Ephesians 5:14; "Wherefore he saith, awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light". She also held a music minister role at Straight Street Church Mount Sinai Incorporated. In addition to her role as minister of music, she also served as Youth Leader in several area churches. She was creative, energetic, and fun and young people loved her. While in Massachusetts, she trained and formed a singing group that featured her six very young children. They regularly traveled throughout New England singing at different churches. When she was not engaged in church activities, she worked at Pratt and Whitney in Hart ford, CT as an aircraft parts inspector. Helen also continued her nursing career at Wesson Memorial Hospital in Springfield, MA. Life circumstances led her back to Richmond in 1968, where she worked as a nurse at Richmond Me morial Hospital from 1968-1970. In 1970, she began private duty nursing, both full and part-time. She was highly skilled and sought out as a private nurse. She worked for people such as the late Virginia governor James Almond Jr., a historic preservationist, Mary Wingfield Scott, and a descendant of Robert E. Lee. Helen also continued her spiritual mission at several area churches including Love Temple Church of God in Christ (COGIC), St. Marks COGIC, The Tower of Deliverance Ministries COGIC, Crusade for Christ Temple COGIC, Philadelphian COGIC, and New Birth Christian Ministry where she was a founding member and where she received her title as Mother of the Church. In the 1970s, Mother Green accelerated her religious activities and strengthened her ministry. She founded and served as the business manager of the Richmond Community Choir (RCC). In that role, she molded a generation of developing musical talent as they toured and performed with renowned gospel artists. Her work with the RCC culminated in 1975 when the late Reverend James Cleveland appointed her as the Virginia Chapter representative of the Gospel Music Workshop of America. That same year, Helen turned a setback into an opportunity when she suffered a permanent hand injury while working in a factory. Although the accident prevented her from playing the keyboard, she began spreading God's word through speech, song, fasting, and praying. Mother Green also founded the United Love Awakening International Ministries, a gathering of religious organizations committed to promoting love and building God's kingdom. While headquartered in the US, Love Awakening expanded to the UK, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and Nigeria. As time moved on, she organized 60 Hours of Prophetic Prayer where a group of intercessors met at the end of each year to conse crate themselves by fasting and seeking God in prayer. In addition to her continued spiritual endeavors, Mother Green continued to work in the community as an election worker from 2000 - 2019 until health no longer allowed her to participate. One of her most recent groups, Mind and Mouth Prayer Line was inspired by the biblical passage in Romans (15:6), "That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." It was while she was on the telephone with this prayer line, Mother Green drew her final breath in this world. Welcoming Mother Green to that heavenly realm are her parents, her husband, Charlie Green, her chil dren, Charlene, Michelle, Eric, and her brother and sister Andrew Rivers and Cassie James. Mother Green left behind many family members to celebrate her life well lived including her daughters Fredena (Berley), Gale, and Terry(Joseph Jr.). Maintaining her legacy, Mother Green leaves eleven grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, two great great grandchildren, goddaughter Patricia Botts (Robert), stepdaughters, Anita, and Tania Greene (Hartford, CT and New York Mills, NY), and sisters Diane Robinson and Linda Harris (Michael). Also, celebrating her new life are her brother Charles Davis, devoted cousin Margaret Hodges (Cromwell, CT), sisters and brother-in-law, Eunice Raynor, Eula Dowtin, Robert Green (Middleton, CT), daughter-in-law, Michelle Parrish-Green (Ft. Lauderdale, FL), a devoted nephew, Kirk Ellison (Miramar, FL) and her devoted friend, Brenda Eddings. The Green family also wishes to thank Yvonne Cross, Dr. Jason Lee of Memorial Medical Center, the team of dedicated nurses and therapists from James River Home Health, personal care aids Mary-Ann Morgan, Rebecca Prince-Bervine, and many others. Mother Green always had an idea of how someone could serve God. She always had a plan. During this period of sadness, it is expected that tears be shed, but there is an important lesson to re member - Don't cry for Mother Green! Mother calmly and gracefully moved into a heavenly realm where there are only tears of rejoicing and not those of sadness. With a life this well spent in service to the Lord, we should give thanks. While it is expected that all who knew her will mourn her with tears because of the loss of her companionship and presence - don't cry for Mother Green! - C. Brooks

Tributes

Helen D. Green

August 21, 1934 - July 26, 2023