Hood Theological News Service 

SALISBURY — Hood Theological Seminary held its Fall 2024 opening convocation last month.

Rev. Dr. Laticia Hill Godette, Esq., Hood alum MDiv’14 was the speaker at the event.

Godette is the Presiding Elder of the Wadesboro-Monroe District of the Piedmont Episcopal Area of the A.M.E. Zion Church. Rev. She was also the valedictorian of her 2014 class at Hood. She is a law school graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and an HTS adjunct faculty in church history. She is the owner of Godette Health, and she previously served as the presiding elder of the Camden District of the New Jersey Annual Conference of the A.M.E. Zion Church. Finally, she has an impressive record as a national philanthropist.

During the event, the first point she discussed was that many people are just “checking off the boxes” to get by in life and recommended that students and the Hood community “throw away the checklist.”

She added that students should “allow the Holy Spirit to lead you, that we would submit ourselves to God,” and reminded students to “seek the Kingdom and then all these things will be added to you.”

The second point she discussed was to “team up with power” and to “take off the cape.”

In relation to this point, she told students to be more transparent, and that Hood Theological Seminary is a community and a family. She explained that while she was in seminary, she also had several other duties, and her “professors wrapped their arms around (her), they helped (her), they nurtured (her).”

Godette encouraged new and returning students and told them they are going to make it, but they need to “take off the cape…you are not alone.” 

The third point she brought up was “talk to yourself…encourage yourself in the Lord.”

At the end of her speech, Godette said she “prays that (her sermon has encouraged someone tonight.”