Many of Buckingham County’s golden seniors were honored and recognized during the eighth annual African American banquet held Saturday by the United Baptist Association and Women’s Missionary and Educational Convention of Central Virginia.

The event — held at the VFW Hall in Buckingham — drew over 100 people.

The seven seniors — who were all over 90 years old — received recognition with individual Black History Golden Senior Awards.

“Faith that is sure of God is the only faith there is,” said Marie Gillespie, one of the many event organizers.

“I’m sure that has been your motto,” she told the seniors as they were honored.

Honorees in attendance included Gladys Sands, Aubrey Holman Sr., Isabelle Johnson, Monroe Spencer, Eliza Spencer, Florence West and Edith Austin.

“Thanking you for asking me to be here,” Johnson said after receiving her award. “I thank God for the privilege of being here.”

“This was an activity of the missionary convention that we hold annually,” said Missionary President Vera Cooke-Merritt. “Each time, we honor somebody or some people. This time, we wanted to honor those church members who were 90-plus … We just wanted to honor the golden seniors from Buckingham County.”

Ophelia Washington assisted Gillespie and Cooke-Merritt in handing out the awards.

The event included gospel singing by The Jones Family Singers, praise dancing by “United in Praise,” scripture reading and homemade food.

“We think about the word ‘duty,’” Gillespie said, introducing more of the seniors. “They are all His laborers in His harvest,” she said of the honorees. “As we move to the next row of chairs, we think about the word discipleship. Discipleship is a devotion to Jesus Christ. And all of these seniors, we know, are devoted to Jesus Christ. You cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself. All of you have made disciples because you yourselves are disciples,” Gillespie said.

Others honored, but not present, were Oscar Holman Sr., Helen Milliner, Benjamin Banks, Elizabeth Chambers, Oreatha Eldridge, Elise Jones, Marie Stanton, Frances Fields, Dorothy Moseley, Mary Frances Clarke, Martha Ann Bolden and Earl Garrett.

In a surprise presentation, longtime pastor and leader of the Jones Family Singers the Rev. Maynard Jones was presented with a Black History Award from the association.

Florene Taylor, who presented the award to Jones, said that he had been pastoring at Union Branch Baptist Church for 40 years and had been married to his wife, Nannie, for 60 years.

“He’s very special to me. I’ve known this person for 57 years,” Taylor said. “This person is loved by so many. This person is valuable, faithful, dedicated, talented, gifted, capable of anything, powerful with his words when he sings and when he speaks and when he prays.”

Taylor said the 81-year-old was “very serious about doing God’s work.”

Jones, who has six children and eight grandchildren, attended the Union Branch Elementary School and the Buckingham Training School, she said.

“This person cares about people,” Taylor said. “This person will do anything to help you when you need it.”

“You all have been an inspiration to this county,” said event organizer Joyce Booker to the Joneses. “God has blessed you all over the years.”

“We could not have come this far without the Lord in our lives,” Maynard Jones said. “And even the way I feel now I still want to help somebody … I want to be able to hit 90.”

“We don’t give up on God. I’ve been going through a situation for six weeks. And, now and then, I get a little break. But I have not given up on God.”

Jones thanked God for his wife. He also offered thanks to the association for thinking of him.

“I’m just a child of God. And I love everything He places upon me,” Jones said. “I just want to say thanks to everybody and may God keep on blessing all of us.”