Bishop
Richard Franklin Norris - Chair, Commission on Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, the 20th Editor, The Christian Recorder
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, the 20th Editor, The Christian Recorder
AMEC Connectional Day of Prayer – Friday,
April 13, 2012
April is National Minority Health Month!
Ascension Day – May 17, 2012
Pentecost – May 27, 2012
A
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me,
and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you.
Encourage
me, and I will not forget you. - William Arthur Ward, college
administrator, writer (1921-1994)
1. EDITORIAL – IN TRIBUTE TO BISHOP
RICHARD ALLEN CHAPPELLE, JR., COLUMNIST FOR THE
CHRISTIAN RECORDER:
Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III,
The 20th Editor, The
Christian Recorder
October 22, 2010 was a significant
date for The Christian Recorder
because that was the first issue in which the column, "You Ask" penned by Bishop Richard
Allen Chappelle was published.
I think most of us can remember the
first time when we met someone. And, then there are those persons we meet and
it seems as if we knew them all our lives. That was my experience with Bishop
Richard Allen Chappelle. I have known him for long time, but I don’t remember
when I first met him. I believe I first saw him when I was a young pastor in
the Kentucky Annual Conference attending General Board Meetings. Or it may have been at one of Dr. Ralph
Jackson’s Minimum Salary meetings in Memphis. Truth is; I don’t remember when I
first met him.
We always greeted each other when
we saw each other. After I became the editor of The Christian Recorder, I heard from him frequently. He was full of advice and amazingly, he was
always on-target.
Earlier this year I incorrectly
wrote the phrase “Catechism of Faith”
in an article. I received a cryptic note from my friend, Bishop Chappelle with
only these words: “Catechism ON Faith.”
When he saw something in The
Christian Recorder, that he thought needed to be addressed, I would receive
a message from him in all upper-case text. He used all upper-case in his
messages except for the message with the correction, “Catechism ON Faith.”
How it all started
In the summer of 2010 after a
couple of days of receiving several emails and several calls from laity and
clergy about questions and issues in various local churches, it occurred to me
that The Christian Recorder needed a
forum to address sensitive issues openly and without attribution to those
raising the issues.
I thought to myself that it would
be a great service to our Zion if The Christian Recorder had an AME “Dear Abby”
or an “Ann Landers”- type column that people could feel comfortable asking
questions.
I thought about the requirements
and reached the conclusion that the person answering the questions needed to be
someone with credibility, experience, and knowledge of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church. I didn’t have anyone in mind. As I laid out the requirements
in my mind, I knew that it would be important for the person to be responsive
and someone who was comfortable with the computer. It needed to be someone with
courage, who was fair-minded and who as not afraid to deal forthrightly with
sensitive issues; and who loved the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
I was thinking about who should be
asked and who would agree to do a column that addressed questions from both
clergy and laity.
Bishop Richard Allen Chappelle
came to my mind because he always seemed to have an opinion and did not
hesitate to send me an email when something was on his mind.
It just so happened that a
connectional meeting was several days away and I thought that I would ask
him. I wasn’t sure if he was going to
accept my offer, but thought, the worst thing he could say was, “No.”
I pulled Bishop Chappelle to the
side and presented my offer for him to do a column in which he would answer
questions from members of the AME Church.
To my surprise and without hesitation, he put that smile in the corner
of his mouth, shook his head, I couldn’t tell if he was nodding up and down,
indicating a “yes” or nodding sideways indicating a ”no,” but he responded unhesitantly and said, “Yeah, I will do
it.” And, then he added, with a smile,
“You are going to get us both killed!”
I explained that I didn’t have a
name for the column and he said, “No problem; I will talk with my wife and we
should be able to come up with something.”
Several days later, he emailed me with the title he had chosen.
He had chosen, “You Ask.” And the rest is history.
On a humorous note, we were
attending a funeral in Chicago and a car dropped off Bishop Chappelle about the
same time I arrived. And, as he was coming up the steps, I spoke to Bishop
Chappelle and reached out to carry his travel bag and said, “Bishop, let me
carry your bags.” He responded without a
beat, “Naw, I will carry my own bags, because if I let you carry my bags, I
will be reading an editorial, ‘Bishops make preachers carry their bags.’” We both laughed, but he didn’t let me carry
his bags.
When Bishop
Chappelle began his “You Ask” column, I wrote, “Retired bishop, the Right Rev.
Richard Allen Chappelle will be the columnist for the ‘You Ask’ column. The
Christian Recorder receives a lot of questions and readers request answers.
Bishop Chappelle is extremely knowledgeable and has a wealth of information
about the AME Church and about The
Discipline, having served our Zion as a General Officer in the position of
General Secretary and as a Bishop of the Church. ‘You Ask,’ and Bishop Chappelle will answer your questions.” And, answer questions he did, and did so
courageously! He dealt with The Discipline with authority and
conviction; and with a deep love for the AME Church.
Bishop
Chappelle told it like it was!
The life and ministry of Bishop Richard
Allen Chappelle, Sr.
Richard Allen Chappelle, Sr. was born February 25, 1934 to the
union of the Rev. M. Peter Chappelle and Mrs. Mabel Juanita Chappelle. He was
the fourth of five children. He attended the public schools of Duvall County and
graduated from Bethune Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida.
He was the son of the parsonage. His father was a pastor and
presiding elder. His mother was a great missionary leader and an active WMS
leader.
Richard Allen Chappelle was ordained in the South Florida Annual
Conference of the 11th Episcopal District of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church.
His pastoral appointments were Bethel AME Church in Ellesmere,
Florida where he renovated and painted a little church in the country for its
nine members. From there he moved to Bethel AME Church in Gifford, Florida and
serving a larger congregation, he refurbished the fellowship hall and added to
the sanctuary and increased the membership.
From Bethel in Gifford, he was sent to Hurst Chapel AME Church
in Rivera Beach, Florida. There he acquired additional property for the church,
added a fellowship hall, and increased the church membership in the largely
black community. While serving Bethel, he thought it more beneficial to leave
the public school system and to serve as a full-time pastor.
After serving as pastor of Bethel, he was assigned to Greater
Allen Chapel AME Church in Melbourne, Florida where he initiated a telephone
ministry for the sick and shut-ins; established a monthly newsletter and grew
the congregation. He was then assigned to the Orlando Florida Annual Conference
and assigned to the Old Historic Mount Olive AME Church.
He was elected the Second General Secretary of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church in 1976 in Atlanta Georgia.
After being elected General Secretary in 1976, he moved to St.
Louis, Missouri where he established the Headquarters for the General
Secretary.
He served as General Secretary for 12 years. He modernized the
office using various types of electronic equipment to catalog and established
records of the Church for posterity. He also pastored Asbury Chapel AME Church
in Louisville Kentucky and he was the pastor of Ward Chapel AME Church in St.
Louis, Missouri while serving as the General Secretary
He was Elected and Consecrated the 108th Bishop of
the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Dallas Fort Worth, Texas in 1988 and
was assigned overseas.
He served on the continent of Africa for eight years in
Episcopal Districts 17 and 18, and spent almost an entire year on the
continent.
He dearly loved the people of Africa, so much so, that he would
go wherever they wanted to hold their annual conferences, including the far
eastern region of Zambia (Solwezi), to the bush in Zimbabwe, to the mountains
of northeast Lesotho and Swaziland.
He brought bicycles for his presiding elders who would otherwise
have had to walk to their work; and he furnished them with robes and clergy
collars.
He brought church literature from the United States and had the
literature translated into the indigenous languages of the people.
He established the first Bishops’ Council on the continent of
Africa, which was held in Swaziland.
He also established the first Christian Education Congress in
the 17th Episcopal District, which met at Sizani School in Zimbabwe.
That Christian Education Congress brought together three countries in one
location.
Upon returning to the United States, Bishop Chappelle served the
8th and 12th Episcopal Districts. This theme of his
episcopacy was "A More Excellent Way." His episcopal ministry focused
on bringing people together and worshiping God in a more excellent way. His
focused Scripture was the 13th Chapter of First Corinthians.
Bishop Chappelle taught school for 14-years and he was a member
of the Broward County Classroom Teachers Association and served as the building
representative.
He also served as Secretary of his District Conference and the
South Florida Annual Conference.
Richard Allen Chappelle, Sr. married while attending Bethune
Cookman University. He was the father of Richard Allen Chappelle, Jr. and
Beverly Joyce.
In 1966, Richard Allen Chappelle, Sr. was united in holy
matrimony to Barbara Jean Wooten. To this union one daughter was born, Kristen
Nicole. She worked beside him in a faithful ministry that spanned over 40
years.
Bishop Chappelle was a Life Member of the Bethune-Cookman
University Alumni Association. He received numerous awards for his faithfulness
and loyalty to Bethune Cookman University. While a student at Bethune Cookman,
he became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and continued his
association with the graduate chapters in the states where he presided as
Bishop.
He was a lifelong member of the NAACP and Urban League. He was a
33rd Degree Prince Hall Mason. He received many honors, among them
the Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from B.F. Lee Theological Seminary in
Jacksonville, Florida; from Payne Theological Seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio;
and from Bethune Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Bishop Chappelle traveled extensively. Among his travels were
the following world renowned cities and countries: Singapore; Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil; London, Hong Kong, Thailand, Switzerland, Rome, and numerous countries
in Africa.
He leaves to mourn his passing Barbara Jean Wooten a lovely wife
of 46 years; three children, Richard, Jr., Beverly Joyce Walker (Curtis),
Kristin Caldwell (Don); two sisters, Ophelia Hilton (San Francisco,
California), Mattie Campbell (Jacksonville, Florida); and one brother, Joseph
(Worchester New York); one sister-in-law, Marcia Renee Wooden, (West Park
Florida); two grandsons, Micah Jeremiah and Travis Richard; nieces, nephews,
friends and acquaintances.
*Some of
the information in this editorial was extracted from the Homegoing Celebration
Obituary of Bishop Richard Allen Chappelle, Jr. that was held at St. James AME
Church in St. Louis, Missouri on Saturday, April 7, 2012.
2. A
TRIBUTE TO BISHOP RICHARD ALLEN CHAPPELLE SR. – THE 108th ELECTED AND
CONSECRATED BISHOP OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH:
*Dr. Clement W. Fugh, AMEC General Secretary
April 6, 2012
Supervisor Barbara Chappelle, and the Chappelle Family - the General Officers’
Council joins with the Sun-Kissed Sons and Daughters of Richard and Sarah Allen
to express our sincere appreciation for the unselfish way that you shared
Bishop Richard Allen Chappelle Sr. with us.
And we stand in recognition of the great debt of gratitude that we as a
Council – corporately and individually - owe him. As a former General Officer, Bishop Chappelle
kept a warm spot in his heart for us. He
shared with us lessons on what it takes to make for a strong Council. And he never hesitated to apprise us of
issues that he saw coming of which we were not aware that would/could impact
us.
On a very personal note, I liked Bishop Chappelle. I called him “O Bearded One.” Most of the time he called me, “Mr.
Secretary.” But, when he heard my name
associated with something that was brewing that smelled like trouble, he would
call, and he would say, “Mr. Secretary and Chief Information Officer, when are
you going to start listening to me?”
Wise Old Friend, by virtue of my being able to stand this afternoon
ought to be testimony enough, that I heard every word.
“Soldier of Christ, well done!
Praise be thy new employ;
And while eternal ages run,
Rest in thy Savior’s Joy!”
Submitted on behalf of the General Officers Council of the AME Church:
Dr. Richard A. Lewis Sr., President
Dr. Clement W. Fugh, Secretary
*Dr. Clement W. Fugh, AMEC General Secretary delivered the Words of
Comfort appended above at the Homegoing Celebration of Bishop Richard Allen
Chappelle, Jr. that was held at St. James AME Church in St. Louis, Missouri on
Saturday, April 7, 2012.
3.
READER RESPONSE TO EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES:
-
To the Editor:
RE: TCR Article, Who Inspires Me? - Diane C.
Allen
I was very moved by
the article written by Mrs. Allen of the family struggles. They will
survive because of their faith and surely their tenacity.
Ms. Carol Croskey
4. CONNECTIONAL DAY OF PRAYER - APRIL 13, 2012:
Only 1 day away - tomorrow!
This is just a friendly reminder of the Connectional Day of Prayer set for April 13, 2012 wherein we will
all be in fervent prayer for God's African Methodist Episcopal District.
Please know that this day has been endorsed by the Council of Bishops and
the 49th Quadrennial General Commission 2008. This Connectional Day is
an annual observance of the General Church. The Connectional Day of Prayer is
under the auspices of the Prayer Committee of the 49th Session of
the General Conference, Bishop Sarah F. Davis, Chair and the Reverend
Dorisalene Hughes, Prayer Director.
Please join in prayer for the Holy Spirit to move throughout our Zion! As
we pray, let us see a "prayer a hole" that pierces the spiritual
darkness! Let us pray to cover, protect and seal the good things which will
happen at the 49th Session of the General Conference.
There is a brochure that will help to facilitate an effective and
powerful Connectional Day of Prayer in your local AME Church and/or community.
If you would like the brochures, please send me an email [fifthdistprayer@aol.com] and I will forward
the brochure to you!
Our “sister church,” the AME Zion Church will join us in prayer on April
13, 2012.
Some churches are having prayer vigils (6-12 hours); other churches are
simply conducting a worship service and others a prayer walks.
It's all up to your discretion and the leading of the Holy Spirit. All in
all, as long as we pray together on the same day, I believe we are going to see
miracles, signs and wonders manifested in our AME Church worldwide -- like
never before!
Prayerfully in His Service,
The Rev. Dorisalene Hughes serves as the 2012
General Conference Director of Prayer
5. ADDITIONAL HOUSING FOR 49TH
QUADRENNIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE:
Team 13 has acquired room blocks
at numerous hotels for General Conference non delegates, vendors, volunteers,
observers, banquet guests and .
If you have not reserved your
room, please reserve your room from our room block as soon as possible. Room Blocks
at some hotels have expired.
Team 13 Host Hotel
Nashville Airport Marriott Hotel
600 Marriott Drive
Nashville, TN 37214
615-889-9300
Room Rate: $119.00
For reservation contact
1-800-228-9290 or (615) 889-9300
Group: African Methodist Episcopal Church
Reference #: M-AX4RIB/M-AU2PHY
The hotel provides a free
shuttle between the hotel and Opryland Hotel.
Hyatt Place - Nashville/Opryland
- SOLD OUT
220 Rudy’s Circle
Nashville, TN 37214
615-872-0422
Room Rate: $119.00
Group Name: AME Church
Fairfield Inn and Suites –
Nashville Airport
911 Airport Center Drive
Nashville, TN 37214
615-872-0109
Room Rate: $119.00
Group Name: 49th Quadrennial Session of the General
Conference of the AME Church
Fairfield Inn & Suites
Opryland
211 Music City Circle
Nashville, TN 37214
615-872-8939
Room Rate: $114.00
Call – 1-800-228-2800
Group Name: Team 13 Conference
Housing
Holiday Inn Express Opryland -
Room block has expired
2461 McGavock Pike
Nashville, TN 37214
615-859-7796
Room Rate: $119 (Single & Double), $129 (Triple),
$139 (Quad)
Group Code: T13
Group Name: Team 13 General Conference Housing
Hampton Inn & Suites
Opryland - ROOM BLOCK EXPIRES TODAY
230 Rudy Circle
Nashville, TN 37214
615-620-2572
Room Rate: $119 (Single & Double), $129 (Triple),
$139 (Quad)
Group Code: T13
Event Name: Team 13 General
Conference Housing
Towne Place Suites Airport
2700 Elm Hill Pike
Nashville, TN
615-232-3830
Room Rate: $89
Group Name: African Methodist
Episcopal
Event Name: 49th Quadrennial
Session of the General Conference AME Church
**Submitted by Bishop Vashti
Murphy McKenzie, Presiding Prelate of the 13th Episcopal District
and Host Bishop for the General Conference
6. AME-
INDIA - AN INDIAN DESCRIPTION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN:
The Rev.
Minnie Sarah Peddiny
Violence
against Women though is a global phenomena which arose since time immemorial,
it has surfaced in different cultural contexts differently, although the common
denominating factor is that the women have always been the victim of violence
which has been systematically orchestrated by men, to keep women under their
subjugation, satisfying their so called “male chauvinistic ego”, and to use
women as a commodity to appease their whims and fancies. Women on the other
hand have somehow convinced themselves, or have been convinced by their sexual
counterparts, to silently accept the violence which was “supposed” to be for
their good.
The scope
of this paper just allows us to familiarize ourselves primarily with the Indian
situation, on the types of violence meted out against women. The scope of this
paper does not allow us to look at anything in detail, although it creates
sufficient room for further research on particular issues, discussed in this
paper. This paper has been prepared in the backdrop of AME-India convocation
2012, for the WMS’s theme on “Eradicating Violence Against Women”.
Violence
against Women in India is as old as India. India has had a list of brave women
who have been rulers or fighters for the freedom and safety of their people.
India has a history of Matriarchal culture in certain pockets of its
multi-cultural settings. Despite such high valued women in the history, and the
cultural nuances where women are treated with respect and dignity, in their
four-fold role in the life of a man, i.e. Mother, Sister, Wife and Daughter,
there is a great paradox in how women are treated in India by men in reality.
Talking
about Violence against Women, I would like to quote the definition as spelled
out by the United Nations, because it is so precise and apt in relation to what
we are discussing. “Any act of gender-based violence that results in or is
likely to result in physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to
women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of
liberty, whether occurring in public or private life."
Violence
against women is partly a result of gender relations that assumes men to be
superior to women. Given the subordinate status of women, much of gender
violence is considered normal and enjoys social sanction. Manifestations of
violence in Indian context, includes physical aggression, such as blows of
varying intensity, burns, attempted hanging, sexual abuse and rape,
psychological violence through insults, humiliation, coercion, blackmail,
economic or emotional threats, and control over speech and actions. In extreme,
but not unknown cases, death is the result.
The
following list includes the forms of violence against women both historically
in the ancient days, just prior to the modern times, as well as the type of
violence against women in the present day.
Sati: Sati is
an old, largely defunct custom, among some communities in which the widow was
immolated alive on her husband's funeral pyre. Although the act was supposed to
be a voluntary on the widow's part, it is believed to have been sometimes
forced on the widow. It was abolished by the British in 1829. There have been
around forty reported cases of sati since independence in1947. In 1987,
the Roop Kanwar case of Rajasthan led to The Commission of Sati
(Prevention) Act. (For more on this kindly visit http://adaniel.tripod.com/sati.htm)
Jauhar: Jauhar
refers to the practice of the voluntary immolation of all the wives and
daughters of defeated warriors, in order to avoid capture and consequent
molestation by the enemy. The practice was followed by the wives of
defeated Rajput* rulers, who are known to place a high premium on
honour. (*Rajputs are the Kshatriyas, the second in the structure of the Indian
Caste order, belonging to the Warrior and Princely class.) Please note that in
previous as well as in this instance the women were so convinced or made to be
convinced, that it was better for them to die along with their hubbies, than
live.
Purdah: Purdah is
the practice among some communities, of requiring women to cover their bodies
so as to cover their skin and conceal their form. It imposes restrictions on
the mobility of women, it curtails their right to interact freely and it is a
symbol of the subordination of women. It does not reflect the religious
teachings of either Hinduism or Islam, contrary to common belief, although
misconception has occurred due to the ignorance and prejudices of religious
leaders of both faiths. (http://countrystudies.us/india/84.htm)
Devadasis: Devadasi
is a religious practice in some parts of southern India, in which women are
"married" to a deity or temple. The ritual was well established by
the 10th century A.D. In the later period, the illegitimate sexual
exploitation of the devadasi's became a norm in some parts of India. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devadasi)
Dowry
System/Domestic Violence: Unlike the
Bride-Price system practiced in many parts of the world and in some pockets in
India, the more popular practice here is Dowry, where the girl’s parents have
to pay to the groom, for the well-being of their daughter. In most cases this
is demanded by the groom’s family. When the girl’s parents are unable to meet
the demands, the bride is made subject to verbal and physical abuse, in extreme
cases the young brides are burnt to death, murdered through some other means,
or forced to commit suicide by the in-laws.
One news
channel reports that one Indian woman commits suicide every four hours over a
dowry dispute as per the official data. It also states that according to data
compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), a total of 2,276 female
suicides due to dowry disputes were reported in 2006, which is six a day on an
average, while the figure was 2,305 in 2005. In 2004, at least 2,585 such cases
were registered across the country. Despite stringent injunctions in the Indian
law system like the Dowry Prohibition Act of the Government of India passed in
1961 and 1985, against this sort of crime, it still continues to abound.
Another source states that Domestic violence constitutes 33.3% of the total
crimes against women. (http://zeenews.india.com/news/etc/1-dowry-death-every-4-hrs-in-india_414869.html).
Female Infanticide: This is deliberate and
intentional murder of girl babies in their infancy. The root cause for this
heinous crime is because of the tradition of dowry. Though this is practiced among
the economically backward class of people, who are unable to pay dowry, and
therefore consider girls as a burden to carry on for life. It is also practiced
among the rich, who are more concerned about male children carrying on the
family legacy than girl babies.
According to the census of
2011 of the Government of India, it was the lowest gender ratio recorded since
the Independence of India in 1947. According to the same data, in the age group 0-6 years,
the gender ratio is 914 girls to 1000 boys. Which means, for every
1000 boys, there are at least about 60-70 girls under the age of 6 years who
were killed before or within 6 years after birth. According to the United
Nations Children’s Fund, about 50 million girls and women are “missing” from
India’s population because of the termination of female fetus or high mortality
of the girl child due to lack of proper care.
Child Marriage: Though this has been a traditional
practice in the olden days in India, it still continues even in the present
day. Historically, young girls were to live with
their parents till they reached puberty. In the past, the child widows were
condemned to a life of great agony, shaving heads, living in isolation, and
shunned by the society. Although child marriage was outlawed in 1860, it
is still a common practice.
According to UNICEF’s “State
of the World’s Children-2009” report, 47% of India's women aged 20–24 were
married before the legal age of 18, with 56% in rural areas. The report
also showed that 40% of the world's child marriages occur in India.
Sexual
Harassment: Harassment, molestation of women and eve teasing
has become so common in the Indian context, that the statistics are alarming.
One website states that, according to a statement of the Nation Crime Records
Bureau 44,098 incidents of sexual harassment of women were reported. It also
asserts that 121 women were sexually harassed everyday. On an average one woman
was sexually harassed every 12 minutes and between 1997-2002, there has been a
20.6% increase of such incidents. The total numbers of sexual harassment cases
were 10,950 in 2007. Many activists blame the influence of “western culture,”
as well as the media for the increase of such incidents. Despite the Indecent
Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act passed in 1987, to prohibit indecent representation of women through
advertisements or in publications, writings, paintings, figures or in any other
manner, it still continues. Again in 1997 a landmark judgment the Supreme Court
of India strongly condemned against sexual harassment of women in the
workplace, and laid down detailed guidelines for prevention and redress of
grievances. (http://www.swayam.info/swayam_gi_leaflet_31mar.pdf)
Trafficking
of Women: Again in this instance, women
are used as commodities, to satisfy the whims, fancies and pleasures of
perverted men, and the rich and affluent. In most such cases of trafficking,
minor girls and women are kidnapped, abducted or sold by their parents due to
poverty. They are either forced into prostitution, cyber-sex industry, domestic
work, child pornography, and child-labour or organ transplantation. Again the
above mentioned website quotes the statistics of the National Crime Records
Bureau report of 2002, that one woman or minor girl is abducted every 36
minutes, leading to 40 women and minor girls being kidnapped everyday. It also
reports that 11,332 women and girls were trafficked in 2002. On an average one
woman or girl is trafficked every 46 minutes, resulting in 31 women or
girls were trafficked everyday. All this happens despite the Immoral Traffic
(Prevention) Act that was passed by the Government of India in 1956.
Honor
Killings: Honor killing is the murdering of an inter-caste
lover couple, (in many cases even if they are legally married), by the kith and
kin of the concerned couple or by the verdict of the caste based village
council. In most of cases such heinous crime is committed, in-order to
safeguard the honor of “men” or that of the “caste or community”. It is a
well-known fact that caste still remains as one of the most important factors
governing the lives of the people, both among northerners and southerners. In many cases the grooms or brides have been killed for marrying
someone from a lower caste. A study conducted by the National Commission for
Women found that 72% of the 326 cases documented in 2010 involved couples that
entered into inter-caste marriages.
Sexual Abuse/Rape: As I am writing this paper, I am ashamed
to share that today’s newspaper states, that a three year old girl child was
raped and murdered, close to the capital city of the country, in another case a
Dalit girl was gang-raped. Various statistics independently conducted by NGOs reveal
that most women experience sexual abuse either in their childhood or
adolescence. One source reports that the number of rape cases has increased by
nearly tenfold from 2487 in 1953 to 20737 in 2007. Young girls also become
victims of child abuse at the hands of their closest male relatives, which they
are unable to protest. In one independent survey, out of 600 women respondents
76% had been sexually abused in childhood or adolescence. Nighat Gandhi in an
article describes only one in about 70 cases of rape gets reported. This means
that about 69 women get raped before one lodges an official complaint. Of the
reported cases (only one out of 70), only 20 per cent are convicted.
Consequently, only three out of 1,000 rapists ever get convicted. So, most rapists
get away with rape. A woman gets raped every half an hour in India.
Mr. Gandhi also mentions that most women
are raped by men who are well known to them. The rapists are fathers,
grandfathers, fathers-in-law, husbands, lovers, uncles, cousins, or the
voyeuristic neighbour next door. Lower class and lower caste women are raped by
upper caste and upper class men. Women are silenced because they are the
safe-keepers of their families and communities. When the victims are very
young, they are coerced into silence by their older, more powerful abusers.
These women live in cities and slums, villages and towns, all across India. (http://www.global-sisterhood-network.org/content/view/498/76/) and
It would be
incomplete if we do not address the issue on how women are systematically kept
out of the decision making bodies in the church in India, although they are the
ones who are majority when it comes to religious or spiritual affairs, compared
to their counterparts. The theological seminaries, in which the Pastors are
educated, they are taught about the rights of women, liberation of women etc.
As a result of all this, they have resorted to what is called as tokenism. They
offer women position or portfolios, where women are only used as puppets, but
the world outside the church assumes that the church treats her women with
respect or dignity; in reality it is not true. Despite the divine ordination
that has been offered to women to serve as priestess in the churches, after
decades of struggle, they are treated with contempt by their male counterparts.
This is also another form of tokenism given to women by their male dominated
church leadership. There is still a long way to go, before women can really be
treated with respect and dignity even in the church.
This surely is not an exhausted list of
the various types of violence against women perpetrated by men or the Indian
society, but given the time and scope of the paper this is a good beginning to
understand and grapple with the issues presented here, in order to pray for
divine wisdom, to plan and participate, in finding ways to eradicate such forms
of violence against women.
There are also other issues such as health, family planning, labour, wages etc., in which there is a stark discrimination against women, and women are the worst sufferers, such issues can also be considered as violence against women, which are structural and systemic in nature.
There are also other issues such as health, family planning, labour, wages etc., in which there is a stark discrimination against women, and women are the worst sufferers, such issues can also be considered as violence against women, which are structural and systemic in nature.
Conclusion: As seen above; for every form of
violence against women there are stringent laws, which prescribe severe
punishments against the perpetrators, yet the incidence of such violent acts
are on the increase. This proves that simply making laws cannot prevent
violence against women; the need of the hour is to create awareness and
education.
Interestingly the awareness and education
must be focused on men. This is an interesting observation made by a scholar in
the concerned area by name of Rifka Annisa, who also continues to translate
theories about working with men and boys to end violence against women. She
suggests that men must be made aware of a new concept of masculinity and must
be given space to evaluate and talk with each other and to talk about
themselves. Men and boys must be mobilized to engage in anti-violence
activities.
This
seems to be quite an interesting strategy, as they say; make the law-breaker as
the law-keeper and he will become more responsible. Not only that, every boy or
man is associated with women throughout their lives. They have mothers,
sisters, wives and daughters. Counseling and educating males will help them to
treat women with respect. Certainly it is an interesting and challenging way of
going about in trying to eradicate violence against women.
Another
powerful tool is the media (newspapers, magazines, films, television,
advertisements etc.), which has always been blamed for portraying women
negatively. Policymakers in the public sector and other private sector
corporate leaders who have the funds to invest must influence the media or
launch their own infomercials to promote positive portrayals of women. It must
be noted that the power of the mass-media in the post-modern era cannot be
underestimated.
Churches
must be made aware and educated too. Lectures, seminars, films, art, skits and
plays must be organized by the churches to reach out to their neighborhoods
with a deliberate attempt to raise the conscientiousness of issues regarding
women. Clergy and laity with special
burden and gifts must engage in such work, considering eradicating violence
against women as part of God’s global ministry.
The most
important factor is to believe that it is possible to eradicate violence
against women because very often people withdraw due to their fatalistic
mindset, and in such cases they lack faith and confidence.
The
Indian concept of Karma also contributes to a negative mindset, which needs to
be challenged and reoriented. A positive mindset can always help in
persevering, despite negative situations, in helping society to reach the goal
of eradicating violence against women.
Let us
continue to join our hearts, minds and souls to lift up our voices to the
throne of grace, pleading to God to intervene, while girding up our loins to
get into the muddy waters to clean the society, in which we have our being.
May God
be glorified.
Prepared
by the Rev. Minnie Sarah Peddiny
9th April
2012
Chennai,
India.
7. AME HEADS 41ST CARIFTA GAMES -
WORLD'S PREMIER JUNIOR ATHLETICS MEET:
*The Rev. Dr. Emilygail A. Dill
On Friday,
April 6, 2012, lifelong member of the AME Church, Sister Donna Watson welcomed
all to the 41st LIME Carifta Games, which was held April 6-9, 2012
at the National Sports Centre on the island of Bermuda. Sister Watson is the first female president of
the Bermuda Track and Field Association and Chair of the Carifta Games 2012.
The
Carifta Games is seen to be the most important regional junior athletic
championships and has produced many of the World Record-holders and world track
and field champions. The long-standing 200 metre Junior World Record was set in
2004, when Bermuda last hosted the Carifta Games, by now famous Jamaican
Olympic champion, Usain Bolt. College and University coaches and scouts from
the United States of America attend the Carifta Games every year to identify
potential athletes for their schools' athletic programs.
Sister
Donna Watson, who is a former Carifta Medalist, assumed the reins of leadership
of the Bermuda Track and Field Association in 2008 and has made an outstanding
contribution as its first female president. Her hard work and dedication was
evident throughout the event and in particular at the opening ceremony, which
was replete with all of the pomp and splendour of a world class sporting event
opening such as a parade of athletes from the twenty-six countries represented,
Singing of the National Anthem, "God Save Our Gracious Queen." Greetings by Dignitaries, and
well-coordinated entertainment culminating with Fireworks to ended the
evening's events.
Another
important element that Sister Watson and her team included in this year's
Carifta Games was the Sports Chaplaincy program. Minister Gerard Deonarine,
Director of Development for Sports Chaplaincy Caribbean was coordinator of this
aspect of the Games and several members of the AME Church in Bermuda were
involved in the 2012 Chaplaincy program. There was a chapel at the Fairmont
Hamilton Hotel which was the host hotel and an on-site chapel at the National
Sports Centre. Ministers were available from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. for the
duration of the event. An Easter Sunrise Service was held at the Fairmont
Hamilton Hotel and communion was served by members of the AME clergy as
celebrants.
Several
of our AME Youth from throughout the Caribbean competed for medals in this
year's Carifta Games. Jamaica won the most medals overall for the weekend's
meet.
Sister
Donna Watson is a member of Vernon Temple AME Church in Southampton,
Bermuda.
For more
information see:
*Article
written and submitted by the Rev. Dr. Emilygail A. Dill, Reporter to the Church
Press, Bermuda Annual Conference. The Rev. Dill is the Associate Minister at
Allen Temple AME Church in Sandys, Bermuda
8. BETHEL AME CHURCH – FREEPORT, NEW YORK CELEBRATES
110 YEARS OF SERVICE:
On Sunday, March 11, 2012, Bethel A.M. E. Church in
Freeport, New York held its annual church anniversary observance. This year’s
observance was a celebration of 110 years of service in the village of
Freeport, New York. Bethel A.M.E. Church has the distinction of being the first
African-American church in Freeport.
The pastor, the Rev. Stephen Michael Lewis was the
worship leader at the event where a large number of parishioners and community
guests were in attendance. Among the
special guest clergy were the Rev. Dr. Henrietta Scott-Fullard, Presiding Elder
of the Jamaica Long Island District and the Rev Dr. Lisa Williamson, pastor of
Trinity AME Church in Smithtown, New York.
The Rev. Dr. Williamson's congregation accompanied her
to this special worship service.
Leslie Colter Jackson, the anniversary chair and
present church historian gave a brief history, which she does each year. Other
program participants providing historical reflections were the Rev. Harry
Gourdine, Itinerant Elder and former church member, William Rivers, who
traveled from South Carolina to attend the observance.
The congregation was also pleased to have in its
midst Sarah Colter Tibbs, former church historian who served in that capacity
for over forty years; and church member, William Holmes, who is the grandson of
one of the signers of the original papers of incorporation. The program for the
day was a traditional AME Church worship service that included an anthem and a
medley of the favorite songs of former pastors.
The highlight of the observance was the stirring
sermon given by guest preacher, the Rev. Dr. Dennis Dickerson, Historiographer
of the AME Church and the Editor of The A.M.E. Church Review. His
message entitled, “Creating a Successful Church,” resonated in the hearts of
all the attendees.
Pastor Lewis informed all who were present that
this moving anniversary observance would be followed by several other
commemorative events to be held during this 110th year.
In true Bethel AME Church-style, the day ended with
a delicious meal and fellowship.
Submitted by: Wilma H. Tootle, Member, Public
Relations Commission
9. SOUTH PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT SEEKS WAYS TO QUELL YOUTH VIOLENCE
IN OUR COMMUNITIES:
By Angelena Spears
Philadelphia Conference Reporter
Anyone who thinks the church is more “reactionary” than”
proactive” when it comes to youth violence, should have been at the South
Philadelphia District Heritage Night Service, held Friday February 21.
The event, which was held at the district’s lead church, Hickman Temple AME
church, at 50th and Baltimore streets, was titled: “Love the
Children – Stop the Violence: A Call to Action.”
The night’s topic was picked by the district’s presiding elder,
the Rev. James E. F. Lawrence, who declared, “This is our moment as the church
to begin speaking out and becoming actively involved in our community.
The voice of the church needs to be heard, and it is long overdue.”
Elder Lawrence continued by saying, “We believe God has put in our
hearts to begin the dialogue... in how we can make a difference in curbing the
violence that besets us.”
The event was well-attended by members from all seventeen of the
district’s churches. Pastors had been encouraged to bring their youth members,
including members and leaders from the Young People’s Department.
Those who attended heard compelling messages from representatives
of three of the groups that were honored during the evening. They
were: Mothers in Charge, a group of women who have lost children to
violence; Amachi, a group that works with children of incarcerated parents; and
the denomination’s Sons of Allen organization, whose members have been very
active in the South District in establishing a mentoring program to work with
at-risk children.
The theme for the evening caught the attention of Philadelphia’s
Mayor Michael Nutter, who cleared his schedule to be in attendance at the
event.
Mayor Nutter was introduced to the group by the Rev. James Baker,
pastor of Morris Brown AME Church, who complimented the mayor for “never
forgetting his roots.” The Rev. Baker is also the president of the AME
Preacher’s Meeting in Philadelphia.
When Mayor Nutter addressed the group, he chose to target his
remarks specifically to the young people. He told the youth that “someone
from a neighborhood like theirs has the honor and the privilege of being the
mayor of their hometown.” He went on to say that when growing up he did
his best to stay out of trouble. He played football in the streets and
went to the parks. He also credited his success to a supportive
neighborhood where everyone looked out for everyone else – and the children
respected adults.
Mayor Nutter also talked about the challenge the city has in
chasing after illegal weapons. He told the group, if we want a safer community
– we have to speak up when we see crimes committed in our neighborhoods.
As each group came forward to be honored, there was an opportunity
for the spokesperson to regurgitate the group’s purpose and goals, and also
reach out to the church for continued help and support.
Sister Cherie Ryans spoke for the Mothers-in-Charge group.
She told her personal story of losing her teenage son who was shot leaving a
movie theatre. Sister Ryans, who is also a member of Mt. Pisgah AME
Church, Philadelphia, explained the work her organization does in going into
prisons to help provide counseling. They also provide mentoring for women
who are returning to their communities after being released from prison.
Flyers were distributed about the Mothers-in-Charge organization, and included
a section where persons could sign up to join the organization.
Sister Ryans stressed, “You do not have to lose a child to
volunteer. We don’t want another mother to walk in our shoes.”
When the Sons of Allen organization came to the altar to receive
their recognition, they were accompanied by the Rev. Eugene McDuffy, pastor of
St. Paul AME Church, Philadelphia, who serves as the district’s chairman of the
organization. Rev. McDuffy was surrounded by more than two dozen
men from the district who have signed up to be mentors through the Amachi
program.
Elder Lawrence congratulated the men for “giving up a Thursday
night every week to act as mentors and surrogate fathers.”
The keynote speaker was Dr. Joseph Meade of the Philadelphia
Leadership Foundation and also a retired Philadelphia School District
administrator. He spoke about the importance of early intervention with
at-risk children. He said the incarceration rate of blacks is now four
times higher than it was in the 1970s.
The program included worship through song by both the Healthy
Spirited South District Mass Choir and the South District Youth Choir.
And the winner of the First Episcopal District’s [tenth grade] essay contest,
Mariah Shelton, a member of Metropolitan AME Church, Lansdowne, recited “We
Light This Candle,” a poem she wrote, that addresses youth violence.
Also within the program, three persons were recognized by the
South District Spouses for their role as being exceptional caregivers.
The three persons were Mother Mary Ann Norris, the First Episcopal District
supervisor; the Rev. E. Joyce Martin, the first lady of Metropolitan AME
Church, Lansdowne; and Sister Paulette Thompson, the first lady of Greater
Mount Olive AME Church, Philadelphia. Each received a beautiful bouquet
of roses that were presented by Sister Mitzi Lawrence, the consultant for the
South District, who was assisted by Sister Deborah Stancil, who is the
president of the South District Spouses.
The worship leader for the event was Sister Verneice Jarmin, a
member of the host church.
Prior to the benediction that was offered by Hickman Temple’s
pastor, the Rev. Stanley G. Smith -- Presiding Elder Lawrence made a final
appeal that the momentum to fight against youth violence would not die with the
benediction.
Elder Lawrence summoned, “There is violence all around us.
It is obvious that the church needs to take an active stand.”
10. THE BEVERLY THOMAS FINE ARTS INSTITUTE WILL
BE HELD AT CAMP BABER:
Beverly Thomas Fine Arts
Institute
Young people need a
variety of worthwhile activities in which to engage and grow spiritually,
physically and creatively. Mother Beverly Thomas knows that music and the
performing arts have been vehicles for reaching young people because through
the disciplines of the performing arts, young people can express self-pride,
discover their heritage and explore avenues for emotional growth.
The Beverly Thomas Fine
Arts Institute was developed to foster, enrich and strengthen the lives of our
youth. Programs of study at the Institute are art, choral, concert band,
creative writing, dance, drama, jazz, and strings & symphony band. The
success of the Institute has been phenomenal. The course offerings and
educational opportunities have expanded to include foundational techniques in
film making, photography, jewelry and quilt-making; and there will also be
collaborative sessions with performance professionals.
The Beverly Thomas Fine
Arts Institute is held at Camp Baber; housed on 57-acres of land overlooking
Stone Lake, complete with 4 dormitory buildings, 1 lodge, cafeteria, chapel and
amenities. The camp provides the perfect location for learning and growth.
The Fine Arts Institute
seeks to identify young musicians, dancers, writers and visual artists ages
13-19.
The camp will convene
the week of June 16 - June 23, 2012.
Tuition costs for the week of instruction, lodging, and 3 meals daily,
and supervised use of the recreational facilities is $300.
Plan now for a summer
experience that will enrich, inspire, educate and elevate your skills in the
fine arts! Students from all across the country will be accepted, so, please
submit your applications As Soon As Possible to secure your enrollment.
Camp Baber is located in
Cassopolis, Michigan.
11. SAINT PETER A.M.E. CHURCH
OBSERVED LAY WEEKEND 2012:
Brother
Alphonso Varner
What a
time! What a time the Laity experienced in a Leadership and Training Workshop
and listening to a powerful Word of God at Saint Peter African Methodist
Episcopal Church in Fort Valley, Georgia.
The occasion was “Lay Weekend 2012!”
This
exciting weekend was held in the facilities of Saint Peter A.M.E. Church,
Saturday and Sunday, January 21-22, 2012. Brother Ashley T. Ballard, President of
Saint Peter's Lay Organization and Dr. Odessa H. McNair, Lay Activity Director
planned and coordinated a Super Weekend for the laity.
The central
focus for the occasion was the challenge of incorporating the Connectional
Church Lay Theme, "Building on Our
Legacy of Christ Centered Leadership and Training' and Rethinking and Reframing
Church Leadership in the 21st Century."
Nutritious
meals were served to the laypersons of Saint Peter and other laity of the Macon
District on Saturday.
The Rev.
Bertram C. Smith, Pastor of Saint Peter
introduced the presenter for the Lay Retreat, the Rev. Dr. Teresa Fry
Brown, an Itinerant Elder of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church, Professor of Homiletics & Director of Black
Church Studies at The Candler School of Theology, Emory University in Atlanta,
Georgia.
Dr. Teresa
Fry Brown is a native of Independence, Missouri and is a Candidate for the
General Officer of Historiographer in the Connectional A.M.E. Church. The election will be held this year, June 27
- July 4th during the 49th Quadrennial Session of the
General Conference that will be held in Nashville, Tennessee.
Dr. Brown's
presentations were centered on Church/Ministry Self- Evaluation. She involved the attendees in interaction sessions
and using a slide video technique to facilitate the learning experience.
The Laity
continued its weekend of experiences Sunday with the Annual Lay Day Worship
Service. Evangelist Juanita Culler of Greater Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church in
Macon, Georgia served as Worship Leader.
The leaders of Saint Peter's Boards and Auxiliaries were celebrants of
the worship service.
The
Reverend Alan H. Wicker, Presiding Elder of the Macon District gave a rousing
introduction of the “preacher of the hour,” the Rev. Dr. Teresa Fry Brown. Dr.
Brown preached a powerful sermon entitled, "Hold onto your Hope." Her
sermon text was taken from Ezekiel 37:9-14.
She emphasized how we, as Christians, should follow God as Ezekiel did
when God instructed him to "Talk to the bones." We must always
remember that hope is alive; and embrace it and know that God is the one that
is in charge of our lives. She ended her sermon by singing an old familiar
hymn, "Through It All."
The Laity
climaxed the weekend with its annual presentation of the "Layperson of the
Year Award." Sister Carolyn W.
Sampson proudly presented the award to an energetic leader of the church,
Brother Elliott S. Mizell.
Brother
Mizell is a very faithful and loyal active member in several organizations of
the church. He holds an office with his
beloved Gamma Sigma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
This Lay
Weekend dedication and service to God and humankind will be long remembered in
our annals of history.
12. YES, WE CAN CHANGE THE STATISTICS AND STOP
DIGGING OUR GRAVES WITH
OUR TEETH:
*Pastor Natalie Mitchem
April is National Minority Health Month!
The title of this article may sound strong; however, what
we eat on a daily basis has an impact on our health. God created
food with nutrients with a divine purpose to heal, repair, maintain,
rebuild and restore health. That does not mean you can never enjoy your
favorite foods and foods that reflect your culture from time to time, however
portion control and moderation is essential in order to change the statistics
and promote a healthier life!
There is a very interesting passage of scripture that
speaks volumes to the Faith Based community. Numbers 11:1-31 states the
foreign travelers and children of Israel were complaining about only having
manna to eat.
Their complaints sound like us today; complaining about
eating more vegetables and fruits and less animal meat.
We have become a society, especially in the United States,
hooked on large portions of food and meat!
Remember the commercial “Where’s the Beef!” Well, from
that time forward hamburgers have gotten larger and larger and serving sizes of
vegetables and fruit gotten smaller and smaller. Unfortunately, the more bacon and cheese the
better for many people.
Science based evidence ( the Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics (“Get Your Plate in Shape Campaign”) and www.choosemyplate.org) demonstrate, however, that meals high in animal
meat and fat contribute to poor health for everyone!
Healthcare disparities certainly play a role in the health
of minorities; however, the health disparities do not prevent us from
practicing and participating in preventive health measures. Without or without
quality health insurance all of us can take a daily walk, stretch, eat more
plant based meals and drink water as beverage.
To read the entire article, visit www.AMECHealth.org and remember we
can change statistics!
*Pastor Natalie Mitchem is the pastor of Calvary AME in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is a Registered Dietitian & Certified Fitness Instructor
13. IN REMEMBRANCE OF LULA MAE REYNOLDS JENKINS
Charliese
King
“Sweetness
and Light” - that has always been the best way to describe Lula Mae Reynolds
Jenkins. She was always kind to everyone
she met whether dear friends, family or just someone who happened along her
life’s path. Lula Mae was full of joy in
everything she did in life and when you met her, you knew you were blessed to
be with her.
Lula Mae
was born on November 17, 1926 in Puryear, Tennessee to late Louis and Mary
Reynolds. Lula Mae never got to know
her mother who died when she was around four-years-old. A strong support team of relatives helped her
father raise his only son, Louis and only daughter, Lula Mae. A dear cousin, Dora Hawkins Kendall and her
husband Clifton Kendall took Lula Mae into their home during her high school
years in Paris, Tennessee.
She
attended Henry County public schools in Puryear and in nearby Paris where she
attended Central High School. It was at
Central that she first met her future husband, Presiding Elder Charles Edward
Jenkins, Sr. of the North Nashville District in the 13th Episcopal District who
preceded her in death. De died in
December, 2007.
Lula Mae
was a member of the school chorus and was a lifelong singer. She sang in the choir at Union Baptist Church
in Paris while Charles attended Quinn Chapel AME Church. Both Lula and Charles were laying the groundwork
for a life committed to each other and to their Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ. They both learned at an early
age that their faith would be essential in their lives. They did not know that they would travel this
faithful journey together.
After
graduating from Central High, Lula Mae chose to attend West Kentucky Vocational
School in Paducah, Kentucky to study Home Economics. Charles went off to LeMoyne College in
Memphis. Chance meetings and social
events drew them closer over the years and they discovered that they had more
than just a friendship.
On March
18, 1949, Charles and Lula Mae were married and on that same day, Charles was
ordained at Quinn Chapel.
Their
journey together in love and in the ministry began. For the next fifty-eight years, Charles and
Lula built their lives with faith and prayer serving in AME churches in
Tennessee and Kentucky. They were a great team, Charles was the minister, but
Lula Mae was the catalyst, which allowed him to serve the Lord in some
difficult economic times. She was an
excellent seamstress for family and friends and in later years decided to use
her skills professionally, first at Wright Alterations, then Sears, and later,
Rich Swartz all in Nashville where she not only altered clothing but she also
became an expert at altering beautiful fur coats.
Lula Mae
was an excellent homemaker, equally adept in many venues including
participating in tireless church work and creating excellent social
events. She developed a reputation for
her excellent cooking skills and transforming some inelegant parsonages into
lovely homes. She thoroughly enjoyed
teaching and raising her four children, Charliese, Mary, Charles, Jr. and
Frederick. Lula Mae was a wonderful
friend, partner, and wife to Charles.
They fit perfectly together as pastor and his wife. They were inseparable.
Lula Mae
became a fine soprano during her early days in the chorus at Central High and
the choir at Union Baptist Church. She
continued to sing in the choir at every church at which Charles served as
pastor and was a member of the Women’s Missionary Society and Ministers’
Spouses organization. Lula Mae sang in
the 13th Episcopal District Choir for many years and presented recitals of her
repertoire from time to time.
In later
years, Charles would invite Lula Mae to sing songs before his sermons when he
was a guest speaker at many churches.
She was not just the preacher’s wife; she loved the Lord with all her
heart. Lula Mae loved being a part of
the AME Church and deeply loved her husband, children and grandchildren. She was extremely proud of Charles and the
children. When anyone in the family became discouraged, sick, or experienced
hardship, it was Lula Mae’s love of the Lord, her strong faith and powerful
prayers that brought the family through.
The legacy she left her children is their very strong understanding of
the importance of faith and prayer in their lives. It is one of the greatest gifts she gave each
of her children and grandchildren.
Love and
gratitude for a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt will endure
in those she leaves behind. Whether she
was called Lula, Lula Mae, Ms. Jenkins, Mama, Good-mommy, Aunt Lula Mae, Aunt
Mae or Mae-Mae, she will remain in the hearts and memories forever of Daughters,
Charliese King (George N. King, Jr.) Bethlehem, PA; Mary Louise Jenkins,
Nashville, TN; Sons, Charles Edward Jenkins, Jr. (Katrina Gaither Jenkins),
Easton, PA; the Rev. Frederick LaVorne Jenkins, Sr. (Adrienne Cummings
Jenkins), Mt. Juliet, TN; Grandchildren, Charles (Trey) Edward Jenkins, III,
Orlando, FL; Frederick (Von) LaVorne Jenkins, Jr.; Sean Christopher Jenkins;
Jonathan Alexander Jenkins and Ashlee Renee Jenkins, Mt. Juliet, TN; Brother,
L.B. Reynolds (Ruberta Reynolds) Puryear, TN; “Little Brother”, Wilson Kendall
(Mary Kendall) Orlando, FLA and nine beloved nieces and four beloved nephews.
Lula Mae
Reynolds Jenkins departed this life on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at her home in
Nashville, TN under the loving care of daughter, Mary. We will greatly miss our Mama but her love,
faith and prayers will sustain us. We
are so thankful and forever grateful that God shared the gift of her life with
us all. Her kindness, her faith, her
prayers, her tenacity and good humor shaped our lives. Because of her life of giving, full of
goodness and love, we know she has gone to a better place where she will meet
her beloved, Charles. Many wonderful
memories will sustain us as we continue to hear Mama singing one of her
favorite songs, “My Heavenly Father Watches Over Me”; we will keep these lyrics
in our hearts: “I Trust in God, I know
he cares for me on mountain bleak or on the stormy seas. Though billows roll, he keeps my soul, my
heavenly father watches over me!”
14. LAWYERS' COMMITTEE STATEMENT ON
ARREST IN TRAYVON MARTIN CASE: “AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP”:
WASHINGTON,
D.C. - The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law continues to follow
developments in the tragic shooting and death of Trayvon Martin. Following the arrest of the shooter George
Zimmerman the Lawyers' Committee released the following statement:
A crucial
first step in obtaining truth and justice for the death of Trayvon Martin took
place yesterday with the arrest of George Zimmerman. The Lawyers’ Committee for
Civil Rights Under Law is encouraged that the investigation is moving forward
and that the justice system will have the opportunity to do what it was
designed to do: impartially apply the facts of the case to existing law.
The
Lawyers’ Committee has previously and continuously called for a full and
thorough investigation in the death of Trayvon, a 17-year-old African American
male who was killed in Sanford, Florida on February 26, 2012. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the
FBI are also investigating the slaying to determine whether federal charges are
applicable.
In light of
the serious questions regarding whether Zimmerman's claim of self-defense is
warranted, the Lawyers' Committee strongly supports a full trial of this case
before an impartial jury in a court of law. Furthermore, we support the
national call to review and repeal the particularly onerous “Stand your ground”
laws that have contributed to this atmosphere of vigilante justice in our
society.
The
Lawyers' Committee has long been deeply concerned about racial profiling and
protection of the right of citizens of color to walk the streets peacefully
without being accosted because of their race, particularly in predominately
white communities. Too often African Americans and other minorities are victims
of racial profiling. The Martin case, originally handled by the Sanford Police
Department, sadly raises concerns similar to those in other racial profiling
cases in which the Lawyers’ Committee has been involved with. Hence, we reiterate the call to pass the End
Racial Profiling Act and are supportive of additional requirements to train,
and re-train if necessary, police departments on hate crimes and racial
profiling. To that end, we urge the
Department of Justice to update its 2003 guidance on racial profiling to
support such necessary training. We also support other national and local
policies and legislation that will lessen the possibility of future Trayvon
Martin situations.
The Lawyers'
Committee has been fighting for racial justice and equality for nearly 50 years
since its 1963 founding at the request of President John F. Kennedy. It is critical that the nation's criminal
justice system is property applied to all persons regardless of race. The
lesson of the Trayvon Martin case for our society is that we must take every
measure possible to prevent future tragedies such as occurred here.
While it is
of great magnitude, this arrest is only the first stage of a long journey to ensure
that justice is provided for Trayvon Martin’s parents and family. We urge every
American citizen to keep demanding that the full truth of the crime and its
subsequent investigation are brought to light as the trial progresses. Our
thoughts and prayers continue to be with Trayvon's family as they mourn his
tragic death.
About the Lawyers' Committee
The
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonpartisan, nonprofit
organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to
involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial
discrimination. The principal mission of the Lawyers' Committee is to secure,
through the rule of law, equal justice under law, particularly in the areas of
fair housing and fair lending, community development, employment
discrimination, voting, education and environmental justice. For more information about the LCCRUL, visit
www.lawyerscommittee.org.
15. THE AFRICAN
AMERICAN LECTIONARY A RESOURCE FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN
CHURCH:
*The
Reverend Martha Simmons
Now in its
fifth year, The African American
Lectionary is firmly established as a resource for the African American
church, providing new information, offering forums for discussion and opening
new channels of communication. Over the
past year, the Lectionary leadership has placed a strong emphasis on the
development and support of young clergy, developing a wealth of new content
geared toward young men and women entering ministry.
Launched in
September 2011, The Young Ministers’
Corner guides individuals who are in or are just leaving seminary or Bible
College and are unsure about their next steps, whether they are pastoring a
church or entering another area of ministry. The Young Ministers’ Corner
provides material that addresses common themes such as this generation’s
approach to ministry; present challenges in the church and society; ministering
to today’s youth and advice from senior pastors for the development of
well-balanced young ministers. The information available in The Young Minister’
Corner is practical information from and for a variety of perspectives. It is
also a space for individuals to discuss and explore essential topics and to
access many voices and opinions on subjects such as youth counseling methods, community
outreach and the day-to-day struggles of ministry.
In addition
to the Young Minister’s Corner, The African American Lectionary offers the
Young Adult Liturgists’ Corner, which focuses on the role of music and worship
in the African American church and offers materials to aid individuals involved
in any way in worship and arts, (liturgists, worship leaders, ministers of
music, choir directors and clergy).
Similar to The Young Ministers’ Corner, The Young Adult Liturgists’
Corner is a place for individuals to discuss current worship and arts
issues. The African American Lectionary
provides a unique opportunity for young leaders in the African American church
to share ideas, concerns and hopes for the church and community. Through this
dialogue and sharing of ideas, it is our hope that the church and the community
will be enhanced, serving the needs of the present age while embracing our
unique history as African Americans.
Personal
development for young pastors and leaders in the church is just one of many
components of The African American Lectionary; it is vital to the overall
growth and sustainability of the African American church. With more than 10,000
pages of information available at www.theafricanamericanlectionary.org
, the African American Lectionary is a relevant resource that is FREE for all
to use.
*The
Reverend Martha Simmons is the creator of The African American Lectionary
16. MID-WEEK MEDITATION BASED ON
ROMANS 5:1-11:
*The Rev.
Dr. Joseph A. Darby
Facebook is
now considered to be “old school” by many young people in the ever evolving
world of cyber-technology, but it’s still popular and most users have plenty of
Facebook “friends.” I have over 2,000
Facebook friends, but I’ve never met the vast majority of them face to face and
probably never will.
The
Facebook “friend” option initially enabled users to contact and keep in touch
with people that we know well. As
Facebook exploded in popularity, “friending” possibilities also expanded to
include high school and college classmates, casual acquaintances, people who
just want to keep up with each other’s activities, political candidates and
even institutions like Morris Brown AME Church.
My Facebook
friends include family members, people I’ve known since childhood, people who
“friended” me because they liked something that I wrote, people I know through
the church and NAACP, and many more. I
share my most intimate concerns, however, with only a few of my Facebook
friends because most Facebook friendships are limited to casual online
contact. I’ve actually had to
“un-friend” some people who “friended” me just to promote their businesses!
Facebook
friends are like the acquaintances we make in all areas of life. We meet, connect and network with many
people, but most of us have only a few true friends with whom we can freely
share our lives and count on to be there when we need them. Chief among those
true friends for Christians is Jesus.
The best of friends in this world sometimes run “hot and cold,” can only
go so far or do so much to help us and are sometimes inaccessible.
Jesus,
however, loved us enough to redeem us, still stands ready to bless us, never
disappoints us, tolerates and forgives us when we mess up and is always there
to hear our every prayer. He may not be
on Facebook, but He lives in the hearts of those who believe.
Social
media like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace are convenient and fun ways to connect
and communicate, but when it comes to true friends, the writer of the Biblical
Book of Hebrews was right, “Jesus Christ is the same Yesterday, today and
forever.”
Sunday’s Scripture Lessons are:
Psalm 8
I
Corinthians 1:18-25
Matthew
28:11-20
Sunday’s 8
a.m. Sermon is “Never Doubt What God Can Do”
Sunday’s 11
a.m. Lay Day Speaker is Brother Victor Owens, Co-Chairperson of Morris Brown’s
Board of Stewards and Coordinator of Morris Brown’s Technology Ministry
*The Rev.
Dr. Joseph A. Darby is the pastor of Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston,
South Carolina
17. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT
NOTICE:
We regret
to announce the passing of the Rev. Raymond Guyton Sr., of Stockton,
California. He was the father of Presiding Elder Booker T. Guyton (5th
Episcopal District, California Conference, Oakland-San Joaquin District) and
the late Presiding Elder Melvin Lloyd Guyton (1st Episcopal District, New
Jersey Conference). He was also the grandfather of the Rev. Lanel D. Guyton,
pastor of St. Paul AME Church (Bermuda Conference) and the Rev. M. Lloyd
Guyton, pastor of Freedom Temple AME Church (New Jersey Conference), both in
the 1st Episcopal District.
The
following information has been provided regarding funeral arrangements.
Viewing and
Funeral, Friday, April 13, 2012
Viewing - 9:00
a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Funeral -
11:00 a.m.
Progressive
Community Church
2820 South
B Street
Stockton,
CA 95206
Phone:
(209) 546-0399
Fax: (209) 320-9903
Rev. Glenn
Shields, Pastor
Expressions
of Sympathy can be sent to:
Presiding
Elder Booker T. Guyton
148 West
8th Street
Stockton,
CA 95206
Email: PEGuyton@aol.com
18. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT
NOTICE:
We regret
to inform you of the passing of Susan V. Chandler-Massey, the sister of F. Jane
Chandler Harris, the 3rd Vice President of the Connectional Lay Organization of
the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The following information has been
provided regarding Homegoing arrangements.
Viewing and
Funeral - Sunday, April 15, 2012
Viewing -
4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Homegoing -
7:30 p.m.
Harris
Temple AME Zion Church
926
Florence Street
Camden, NJ
08104
Phone:
856-541-6608
The Rev.
Robert Zenable, Pastor
Professional
Care entrusted to:
Congleton
Funeral Home
67 West Logan
Street at Greene Street)
Philadelphia,
PA 19144
Phone:
215-849-7327
Fax:
215-849-4782
Jeannette
L. Congleton, Funeral Director
Interment
will be at:
Harleigh
Cemetery
1640 Haddon
Avenue
Camden, NJ
08103
Phone:
856-963-3500
Fax:
631-369-4397
Condolences
may be sent to:
Mrs. F.
Jane Chandler Harris
8 Franconia
Road
East
Northport, NY 11731
Or
Congleton
Funeral Home
See information
above
19. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT
NOTICE:
We regret
to inform you of the passing of Mr. Joseph E. Scott, the father of Jacquelyne
Scott, former District Queen (2005) of the Women's Missionary Society. The
following information has been provided regarding Homegoing arrangements.
Viewing and
Funeral - Friday, April 13, 2012
Viewing -
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Homegoing -
11:00 a.m.
Mt. Zion
Baptist Church of Holmesburg
8101
Erdrick Street
Philadelphia,
PA 19136
Phone:
215-624-8869
Fax: 215-624-8831
The Rev.
Scott C. Dorsey, Pastor
Condolences
may be sent to:
Ms.
Jacquelyne Scott
9 Longford
Street
Philadelphia,
PA 19136
20.
CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICES AND CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:
The Clergy Family Information Center
Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry, Chair
Commission on Social Action
Ora L. Easley, Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family Information Center
E-mail: Amespouses1@bellsouth.net
Web page: http://www.amecfic.org/
Phone: (615) 837-9736 (H)
Phone: (615) 833-6936 (O)
Cell: (615) 403-7751
BLOG: http://ameccfic.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMEC_CFIC
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-AME-Church-Clergy-Family-Information-Center/167202414220
21. CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FROM THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER:
The Chair of the Commission on Publications, the Right Reverend Richard Franklin Norris; the Publisher, the Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour and the Editor of The Christian Recorder, the Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III offer our condolences and prayers to those who have lost loved ones. We pray that the peace of Christ will be with you during this time of your bereavement.
The Clergy Family Information Center
Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry, Chair
Commission on Social Action
Ora L. Easley, Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family Information Center
E-mail: Amespouses1@bellsouth.net
Web page: http://www.amecfic.org/
Phone: (615) 837-9736 (H)
Phone: (615) 833-6936 (O)
Cell: (615) 403-7751
BLOG: http://ameccfic.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMEC_CFIC
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-AME-Church-Clergy-Family-Information-Center/167202414220
21. CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FROM THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER:
The Chair of the Commission on Publications, the Right Reverend Richard Franklin Norris; the Publisher, the Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour and the Editor of The Christian Recorder, the Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III offer our condolences and prayers to those who have lost loved ones. We pray that the peace of Christ will be with you during this time of your bereavement.
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