MOULTRIE — The men of Friendship Baptist Church will have its 2008 Men’s Day at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 30, at the church, located at 421 Sixth St. N.W.

The speaker for the event will be Deacon James Deen of Alma, Ga., who is a professional educator and a community leader.

Deen earned a bachelor of science degree in biology from Savannah State University and a master of science degree from Indiana University. While at Savannah State University, he was inducted into Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society, Beta Kappa Chi National Scientific Honor Society, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

He was a teacher at Alma High School for seven years and then served as its principal for two years. He then became the assistant superintendent of the Bacon County School System. In 1992, he retired after 32 years with the school system.

He then became the executive director of Region 17 of the Division of Mental Health.

He has also served on the Alma City Council for five terms and then served three terms as mayor of Alma, Ga.

He has served as a member of the board of directors of the National Conference of Black Mayors, where he also served as president. He also served as a member of the Board of Commissioners of South Georgia.

Deen is a member of the First African Baptist Church in Alma, where he is chairman of the deacon ministry, a Sunday school teacher, and as financial secretary of the St. John Missionary Baptist Association. He is also president of the Laymen’s Ministry of General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia, Inc.

He is a member of NAACP and the retired teacher’s association and was the first president of the 100 Black Men South Ga. Association.

Deen is also the regional coordinator of the Walter Cade Jr. workshop, which includes five states, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.

The Men’s Day event was organized by Bro. Gerald Heidelberg, chairman; Deacon William Bell, chairman of the deacon ministry; and the Rev. Alfred Jones, pastor.