COSTNER FROM LIBERTY TO LIBERTY      

  LIBERTY--Nationally acclaimed Liberty South Carolina high school valedictorian Roy B. Costner IV received strong appreciative applause August 3 when he addressed the Liberty To The Captives Gospel Music Festival held at LaPolt Park Town of Liberty Main Street Stage.

  Costner, 2013 valedictorian of his Liberty High School in Liberty, SC, gained celebrity status and has appeared on Fox News and other networks that carried the story of his defiance of a school "no prayer" policy  when he tore up his valedictorian speech and recited the Lord's Prayer. 

  He told the Liberty NY gathering that "several months before our graduation a group known as the Freedom From Religion Organization sent a letter to our school board demanding that we remove student led prayer from our school board meetings."

  Costner noted that "hundreds showed up at the meeting for the school board to vote and yet they still voted to go to a non-sectarian prayer or rather a moment of silence."

  "Because of this letter the school board became fearful of all of the activities across Pickens County SC so they began to change the policies in every aspect of our schools," which basically prohibited "no prayer," the school valedictorian said. 

  After learning of his class ranking he spoke with pastors from several different churches and "I immediately knew what I wanted to do," and his dad, Roy Costner III, youth pastor at his local church, "supported me and asked me if I was doing this to get back at the school or for political reasons or if I was doing this because God is an important part of who I am and because I feel led to do this," the 18-year-old graduate said. 

  The Liberty SC high school valedictorian noted that he was "excited and nervous the morning of the graduation but I knew that God was going to do something amazing......and he did."

  "When I tore up the speech and began to speak from a new one that I had hid in my robe, I could feel the apprehension in the auditorium," and "I talked about how we are all the sum of our experiences and that we are shaped and molded by everyone into who we are today," he added.

  Costner then said to the graduation audience, "so I know you will understand when I say, 'Our Father who art in Heaven' and continued with the entire Lord's Prayer."

  This high school valedictorian pointed out, "what happened next moved me to tears.....I could barely finish the prayer......the  auditorium exploded with applause and nearly drowned out The Lord's Prayer....then I noticed that nearly everyone in my class was saying the prayer with me and when I got to the end and we all said Amen the crowd was on their feet and the applause was thunderous." Costner added that "It wasn't for me....it was for God."

  Following a family get together he was off with friends to senior week at the beach and one of his friends uploaded the graduation speech to you-tube.

  "The video went viral and four days later I was headed out with my dad by car and plane to do over 30 interviews in 48 hours.....I was on the set at CNN doing radio interviews with stations across the country then talks with Megan Kelly on Fox News, then Sean Hannity for his radio program and the next thing I knew I am doing a SKYPE interview with KABC in Los Angeles," Costner said.

   Having become a nationally acclaimed speaker he is continually on the road or flying to all parts of our country. 

  The local Gospel Festival crowd enjoyed sharing time and conversation with the Costner family and also listened to singing and praise from the Albany based Teen  Challenge, Pastor Roberto Villafuete, Pastor Gary Wilcox, Pastor Rich Hewitt, Pastors Rich and Kathy Ienuso, Pastor Bill Banuchi, Don Nichol and Evangelist Joe Chamberlin.

  The event was organized and directed by Lighthouse Ministries Pastors Rich and Kathy Ienuso. 

                                                            

PHOTO IDENTIFICATION 

 Liberty South Carolina high school valedictorian Roy B. Costner IV speaking before the audience attending the Liberty To The Captives Gospel Music Festival August 3 at LaPolt Park.