TODAY'S ISSUE
Emory Eastside nurse wins honor from hospital group
By Allison Davis
Special to GwinnettForum.com

DEC. 23, 2005 -- Patricia Lincoln, RN, CDE, a nurse educator at Emory Eastside Medical Center in Snellville, has been honored by the Georgia Hospital Association's (GHA) with its Hospital Hero Award. The Emory Eastside employee was one of 11 Georgia hospital employees honored at the inaugural event in Atlanta.

Lincoln

Lincoln, a nurse of more than 25 years, was a charter employee of Emory Eastside Medical Center and developed many of the hospital's nursing policies and procedures. As nurse educator, she coordinates all hospital and community education and the many support groups held at the hospital.

She established the hospital's diabetes education program and grew the in-patient program to include outpatient services as well as one-on-one counseling, group classes and diabetes support groups. Her diabetes program has earned commendation from the American Diabetes Association for excellence in program curriculum. Lincoln, a certified diabetes educator (CDE), serves as the coordinator for the hospital's Wellness Center and manages the center's diabetes education program. She also coordinates a motorcycle ride for diabetes with medical staff, employees and friends of Emory Eastside.

Lincoln also volunteers her time for such charitable organizations as the Gwinnett Community Clinic, a medical clinic that treats indigent and uninsured residents of Gwinnett County, and the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.

GHA President Joseph A. Parker says: "People will always be the backbone of our health care system. Through the selfless service of dedicated health care professionals like Patricia Lincoln, Georgia hospitals will continue to be as dynamic as the communities they serve, places communities can turn to not just for medical care but for support, leadership, education, research and technology that meets their needs now and in the future."

Established in 2005, the Hospital Hero Awards program honors 10 employees or physicians who have performed a heroic deed or have gone above and beyond the call of duty to improve patient care and the world around them. The program also honors one Lifetime Heroic Achievement award winner. The Lifetime Heroic Achievement Award recognizes an employee or a physician who has served in health care for at least 30 years and has made a significant impact in their organization, community, and in patient care. For more information on the Georgia Hospital Hero Awards, visit the program's Web site at http://www.gahospitalheroes.com.

Established in 1929, the Georgia Hospital Association (GHA) is the leading trade organization of hospitals and health systems in the state providing education, research, and risk management services to more than 180 hospital and health system members. Additionally, it represents and advocates health policy issues benefiting Georgia's citizens before the state legislature and U.S. Congress as well as before regulatory bodies. The association's Web site is http://www.gha.org.

ELLIOTT BRACK
Wesley, Mendelssohn and Whitfield have one item in common
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com

DEC. 23, 2005 -- This weekend, you'll probably sing, or at least hear others sing, "Hark! The Herald Angel Sing!" It one of our favorite Christmas carols. It's origin may surprise you.

Looking at the bottom of your hymnal page, you recognize the hymn is the work of the Rev. Charles Wesley, the Church of England priest whose brother founded the Methodist Church. You see, too, that the music are from that musical giant, Felix Mendelssohn. But you probably don't realize that Johann Gutenberg and George Whitfield had something to do with the carol!

: Charles Wesley was a prolific hymn writer. It's said that he had written more than 5-6,000 hymns, depending on your source. Think about that: it means that if you wrote one hymn a day, it would constitute 16.4 years of work. And some of us find it difficult to answer email! Yes, Charles was prolific.

You know, too, that Charles had a connection with Georgia, having come to this new colony in 1735 as secretary to Gen. James Oglethorpe. He came as a new priest of the Church of England. But he didn't tarry long, returning to England in 1736.

Other items about Charles:

• He was a hard-working itinerant and field minister, like his brother, and took many evangelistic journeys.
  
  
• He married Sarah Gwynne in 1749. It was said to be a happy marriage, with Sarah often accompanying him on his many journeys.
  
  
• His hymn topics were many, usually coming from daily experiences, including his own marriage, earthquake panic, rumors of invasion of France, the defeat of Prince Charles at Culloden, etc. Yet from his pen has come some of the church's most cherished hymns.
  
  
• Among his works are familiar hymns: Christ, the Lord is Risen Today; O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing; Love Divine, All Love Excelling; Jesus, Lover of My Soul; and many more.

Charles wrote the lyrics of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing! in 1739. He had first written: "Hark, how the welkin ring." However, another person who came to Georgia, George Whitfield, an evangelical Calvinistic Methodist colleague of Wesley, changed the first words to those that are now used, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!" Wesley protested, but Whitfield's version stuck.

In 1840, Mendelssohn wrote a cantata "Festgesant" ("Festival Song") to commemorate the invention of the printing press by Johann Gutenberg. Melding these two art forms into one was a Dr. William Cumming, a tenor singer and later professor of singing at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He in 1855 put the words and music together. It was first presented on Christmas Day, 1855. Probably neither author would have approved, since Mendelssohn outlined that his music was for secular use. Wesley had specifically requested slow, solemn music for his words.

What results is what many people now consider a masterpiece. The words stir us even when just read, though it may be hard to read without using the cadence of the music. Here are the verses we found on the Internet, including some we had not seen before.

Hark! The herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th'angelic host proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

Refrain

Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ, by highest Heav'n adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th'incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.

Refrain

Hail the heav'nly Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris'n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

Refrain

Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman's conqu'ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent's head.
Now display Thy saving power,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.

Refrain

Adam's likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the inner man:
O, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart.

ABOUT OUR SPONSORS

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today's sponsor is the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. From answering your questions and providing a host of useful information, to promoting growth in our county, there are people working every day to help make Gwinnett a place where businesses thrive and success lives. For more detail, go to www.gwinnettchamber.org.

For a list of other sponsors of this forum, go to: http://www.gwinnettforum.com/about/sponsors.htm



McLEMORE'S WORLD
12/23: North polling

The latest from cartoonist Bill McLemore:

FEEDBACK
12/23: Kicking smoking habit should be New Year's resolution

Editor, the Forum:

The tradition of New Year's resolutions dates back 4,000 years to the Babylonians, whose most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment. While today's resolutions rarely involve tractors or hoes, it is a time when Americans swear to forego their favorite bad habit and to live healthier lives in the coming year.

Among the most popular New Year's resolutions is the vow to quit smoking. Often people don't tell others about their plan to quit but want to do it on their own terms.

The New Year provides a chance for all Gwinnett County residents to kick their tobacco habit and start on a path toward healthy living. We hope that citizens of Gwinnett County will use resources available to them to fulfill their New Year‚s resolutions.

Locally, Gwinnett Medical Center is offering two Freshstart smoking cessation programs in Gwinnett. Freshstart is a free, two-week smoking cessation program, made up of four classes, created by the American Cancer Society. The classes will be January 11-12 and 18-19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Gwinnett Medical Center, Medical Office Building 100, suite 115, in Lawrenceville,. It is also presented in Duluth February 21-23, and Feb. 28-March 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hudgens Professional Building, Community Education Classrooms on Pleasant Hill Road. To register, call the HealthLine at 678-442-5000.

To help all Georgians kick the habit, the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line, 877-270-STOP, is a toll free resource where callers get connected to a trained counselor who can help them set up steps to quit. The campaign serves as the umbrella for an outreach initiative that aims to raise awareness about the risk factors associated with chronic diseases and other illnesses and to provide information about ways to live healthier.

Tobacco places a considerable disease burden on Georgia. More than 11,000 Georgians die each year from tobacco-related illnesses (4,200 die from cancer; 4,200 die from cardiovascular diseases; and 2,600 die from respiratory diseases)---more than all the deaths from alcohol, cocaine, heroine, AIDS, murder, suicide, auto accidents and fires combined! Twenty-six infants die every year because their mothers smoked during their pregnancy.

Financially, adults who smoke account for $1.8 billion in healthcare costs. Additionally, $2.9 billion is in lost in productivity costs is lost because of smoking employee, and $9 million in infant healthcare costs are attributed to smoking.

For additional information, please visit www.smokefreegwinnett.com.

-- Steve Coldiron, Suwanee, chairman, Smoke-Free Gwinnett

NOTABLE
Buford Village groundbreaking offers mixed-use area

Groundbreaking of a 55,000 square-foot mixed-used development in Buford Wednesday set in motion the possibilities for residents to live, work and play in one concentrated setting.

From left groundbreaking at Buford Village are Michael Hoath, George Flanigan, GP Enterprises; Brand Morgan, Phillip Beard, Buford City Commissioner; and Bryan Kerlin, Buford City Manager.

Buford Village, the first of its kind in the region, will provide a high-end development where office, retail, restaurant and upscale town home living will coexist.

Brand Morgan, managing partner of Brand Properties, who is developing the project, says: "You see more and more mixed-use properties coming together as a way for smaller communities to pool resources, combat traffic congestion issues and boost the local economy. Buford Village is a controlled step in accomplishing similar goals in our community - while serving to keep the city competitive and attractive to both businesses and individuals who might consider moving here. This type of development is not a new concept."

Located at the corner of Hamilton Mill Road and Buford Highway, Buford Village will be home to more than 55,000 square-feet of retail and office space, as well as 23 town home owners. A mile-and-a-half from Buford's downtown district and directly across from City Hall, Buford Village is slated to be operating in the spring of 2007.

DeKalb commissioner seeks McKinney's seat in Congress

DeKalb County Commissioner Henry "Hank" Johnson Jr. announced Tuesday that he is a candidate for Congress, running in the July 18, 2006, Democratic Primary for the seat now held by Cynthia McKinney. The district encompasses most of DeKalb and Rockdale Counties and the southern part of Gwinnett County along the I-85 corridor.

Johnson

Johnson said, "The Fourth District faces serious problems of traffic and transportation, public safety, healthcare and education. I'm a nuts-and-bolts public servant. My record speaks for itself. I am committed to getting results for those that made me their County Commissioner. I will bring that same approach to representing the District in the 110th Congress.

"We are in a time of turmoil. Congress and the Executive Branch are both getting low marks from the public. I want to be a part of restoring faith in the institutions of government," said Johnson.

Johnson is currently serving his second term as a county commissioner, representing southern and eastern portions of DeKalb. He authored and passed Georgia's first approved ordinance against predatory lending, which state legislators later used as a guide in passing statewide law. He also secured funds to complete transportation improvements throughout his district and fostered consensus between the County Commission and the Board of Education on infrastructure improvements.

Johnson is an attorney who has practiced criminal and civil law in Decatur for 25 years. He and his wife, Mereda, have two children, Randi and Alex. He is a partner with Johnson & Johnson Law Group LLC.

RECOMMENDATION

• An invitation: What Web sites, books or restaurants have you enjoyed? Send us your best recent visit to a restaurant or most recent book you have read along with a short paragraph as to why you liked it, plus what book you plan to read next. --eeb
  
  

GEORGIA TIDBIT
Sherman makes Yule gift to Lincoln of City of Savannah

The second battle (near Savannah) occurred on the Ogeechee River twelve miles below Savannah. Union infantry under William B. Hazen assaulted and captured Fort McAllister on December 13, thus opening the back door to the port city (of Savannah).

Love

The most controversial event involved contrabands (escaped slaves) who followed the liberating armies. At Ebenezer Creek on December 9, Jefferson C. Davis removed the pontoon bridge before the slaves crossed. Frightened men, women, and children plunged into the deep water, and many drowned in an attempt to reach safety. After the march Davis was soundly criticized by the Northern press, but Sherman backed his commander by pointing out that Davis had done what was militarily necessary.

After Fort McAllister fell, Sherman made preparations for a siege of Savannah. Confederate Lieutenant General Hardee, realizing his small army could not hold out long and not wanting the city leveled by artillery as had happened at Atlanta, ordered his men to abandon the trenches and retreat to South Carolina. Sherman, who was not with the Union army when Mayor Richard Arnold surrendered Savannah (he had gone to Hilton Head, South Carolina, to make preparations for a siege and was on his way back to Georgia), telegraphed President Lincoln on December 22 that the city had fallen. He offered Savannah and its 25,000 bales of cotton to the president as a Christmas present.

• To access the Georgia Encyclopedia, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
  
  
  

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Silent Cal speaking at length about the Christmas season

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas."

-- Former President Calvin Coolidge, being loquatious, via Roy McCreary, Dacula.

• Another invitation: What's your favorite saying? Share with others through GwinnettForum. Send to elliott@gwinnettforum.com.
  

MORE: Contact Gwinnett Forum at: elliott@gwinnettforum.com

© 2005, Gwinnett Forum.com. Gwinnett Forum is an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA.