THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE ENGLISH EDITION (5/25/12)

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

May is National Stroke Awareness Month!

Pentecost – May 27, 2012

1. EDITORIAL – "IS IT OVERSIGHT OR INCOMPETENCE THAT WE ARE NOT TELLING OUR "GOOD NEWS" TO ALL OF THE WORLD!":

Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III,

The 20^th Editor, The Christian Recorder

Is the Jesus Christ that we preach about, just the messiah for our local churches?  Is His saving grace for all of the world or just available to those who come to church? Do we take the "Great Commission" seriously? 

We have meetings in large cities, stay in first-class hotels, have the most dynamic preaching in the world, deal with social and religious issues that impact local communities and the world and not a word in the local media.

We are getting better, but we are not “there” yet. We come and go to cities and very few know that we passed through the city.

Our AME Churches have wonderful programs, not just in the United States, but in every area of the world that we have AME Churches.

In times past in days of the weekend church news, very few of our churches were listed on the church news or church directory pages. It was not the fault of the newspapers; it was our fault, the fault of the pastors and the leadership in our local churches that our churches were not listed on the church pages of local newspapers.

The Yellow Pages

I am not concerned about the absence of AME Church listing in the Yellow Pages because telephone books are not utilized as they have been in times past. Technology has made telephone books obsolete.

The information that used to be helpful in telephone books is now found on church websites or blogsites and of course, if a church does not have a website or blogsite, the opportunity to share information about the local church ministry programs is lost. 

There is an opportunity for telephone answering message ministry, but unfortunately, some churches cannot keep their phone answering messages updated.  I had a relative that told me that she called a church to inquire about worship service times and the answering machine did not work properly; so she went to another church.

What I am getting at, is that some of us are not doing our "homework" in telling the "Good News" of Jesus Christ to "all of the world" because we are not effectively sharing our religious programs and we are not inviting people to share our ministry.

For too many of us, Jesus Christ is just a "local" Savior for those who happen to attend our worship services; some of us won’t go up and down the streets where our churches are located to invite the unchurched to participate in our religious programs.

I have heard many preachers and lay persons lament about the folks who don't attend church, but the real question is, “Do you have something for the unchurched when they visit your church?” 

Perhaps local churches need to find creative ways to reach out and touch those who are unchurched; seems that most of our messages are for church folks. A lot of our sermons are geared to the “saved” parishioners. The paradigm for ministry needs to be revised and updated and clergy and laity need to think beyond the walls of the local church. 

The Great Commission enjoins us to, "Go to all the world," not just proclaim the Gospel to the people in our neighborhoods. We need to tell our stories and preach the Word beyond the walls of the church!

Existing relationship

Send your news to The Christian Recorder and it will get published because we are a connectional church and we have a relationship; it’s called the AME Church. Some in our Zion won’t even take the time to take advantage of the resource of The Christian Recorder, which is an available news resource.

The relationship part of news is huge

The way general news gets out is dependent upon relationships, but let me digress.

If a crime if committed or something really big or unusual happens, the media will exploit those situations to their advantage. Most routine things are not considered newsworthy and in that sense the media will not be “beating on your door” to publish the events at your church.

Get in a first-name relationship

Here is a secret every pastor should know.  Routine news gets out because of relationships. Pastors, local church leaders or somebody in the local church needs to have, or develop a first-name relationship with people who run or influence the local news media.

How do you develop relationships with the media?  Go visit the editor and get a tour of the newspaper office, the television station, and the local radio stations. Develop a relationship and you will see your news published. Big city, small town, it’s all the same – personal relationships.

Planning is important

Plan ahead, give secular media plenty of time; don’t wait until the last minute. Depending upon the relationship a local church has, a personal visit or a telephone call should accompany articles.

Provide “before and after” news accounts of events and make the articles sound newsworthy. 

 

The AME is not getting its news out, not because of incompetence, but because of our lack of oversight in not taking the time to develop relationships with the local news media.

The good news

The 49^th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference will be unlike any General Conference we have ever held. 

Dr. Clement Fugh, General Secretary of the AME Church and the Council of Bishops have developed real-time Web-based access to the events of the General Conference and with smartphones or computers at the General Conference venue or miles away in the United States, Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, South America or Asia, you will be able to access General Conference news and events in real-time.  The Christian Recorder will provide up-to-date news releases available in fifty languages. Voting, election results and legislative changes will be available instantaneously. 

At the beginning of the General Conference simply go to http://www.ame-church.com/blog/.  The site will not be operational until the beginning of the General Conference. The worship services of the General Conference will be video-streamed.

People attending the General Conference will not have buy daily “news-sheets” to find out what is happening at the General Conference. People at the General Conference who don’t have smartphones or computers will be able to view General Conference news and events on monitors throughout the General Conference venue.

The 49^th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference will utilize 21^st Century technology.

2. TCR OP ED - WE ALREADY HAVE THE MECHANISM TO DO STAND-DOWNS - THE CONFERENCE SYSTEM:

*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby

Please consider this to be an “Amen” to your call for the African Methodist Episcopal Church to periodically “stand-down” for self-examination.  We already have the mechanism to do so - the Conference system.

We’ll soon meet in Nashville for our 49^th General Conference, and there’ll be no shortage of legislation to be considered.  Most of it, however, will be left on the table as we focus on three things that always dominate the General Conference - the General Budget, the election of Bishops and General Officers, and the assignment of Bishops.  The General Conference can become a “stand-down” opportunity when the “CONVOs” held in the interim of the General Conference focus on issues of faith and order and generate well-reasoned, constructive and positive legislation that can be earnestly considered at the General Conference to move us from where we are to where we ought to be.

Our Annual Conferences focus on pastors’ reports and pastoral assignments, but our positive law says that one Annual Conference day shall be devoted to “literary exercises” - discussions, essays and addresses - and that if doing so is not convenient during the Annual Conference, a literary convention should be held at the call of the Presiding Bishop.  The Annual Conference can become a “stand-down” opportunity when literary exercises aren’t just hastily prepared statements on traditional subjects that are crammed into brief time slots.  Literary exercises can focus on subjects and issues that impact the contemporary life and witness of the Church and consider ways and means that we can be both faithful to our traditions and relevant in the present age.

The District Conference is already tasked by our positive law with addressing issues ranging from voter registration to social action to personal and corporate financial responsibility and stewardship.  It would be easy to transform often obligatory District Conference lectures and workshops into “stand-down” continuing education opportunities that reinforce the basics of our faith and order and equip clergy and laity to be more effective and efficient.

The Quarterly Conference, when the Presiding Elder examines the fiscal, organizational and spiritual well-being of each pastoral charge, can also be a “stand-down” opportunity.  I’ve been blessed to serve under some Presiding Elders who went beyond the routine Disciplinary Questions to impart knowledge about our Zion, hear and respond to the honest questions and concerns of those present, and to kindly but firmly say things that pastors can’t say or care not to say.

The Church Conference can also be a “stand-down” opportunity.  Our positive law says, “The pastor ought to report to the Church Conference his (or her) labors, burdens, cares and point out places where the members, or a portion of them, could work for the glory of God.”  That stated requirement allows for considerable pastoral latitude.  The Morris Brown Church family began this Conference Year with a “stand-down” - a series of Dialogue and Prayer Sessions that allowed us as pastor and people to see where we’ve been as a church, where we stood before our Organizational Church Conference, and where we needed to go.  The results helped to give direction to the Church Conference and became a strategic plan for the Conference year that has already yielded spiritual, fiscal and administrative fruit.

The AME Church has a tendency to meet critical needs by “reinventing the wheel” - creating new structures to address critical needs rather than using the tools that we already have at our disposal.  If we embrace the Methodist “system” that many independent churches have publicly criticized but have quietly and successfully adapted to their use, we can “stand down” and strengthen the AME Church as we prepare to enter our third century as an established denomination.

We’ll also be walking in the footsteps of the Jesus who modeled what our lives should be as residents of the Kingdom of God.  The Gospels recount how Jesus, facing critical decisions and pivotal points in His earthly ministry, withdrew from His disciples and from adoring crowds for personal prayer and reflection.  If our Savior took the time to “stand-down,” then so should we.

*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby is the pastor of Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina

3.  READER RESPONSE TO EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES: 

- To the Editor:

RE: Tribute to the late Bishop Richard Allen Chappelle

I would just like to commend you for the article on Bishop Richard Allen Chappelle.  I have very fond memories of him dating all the way back when he was the bishop in the 8^th Episcopal District and appointed me as the Conference DMC Commissioner and eventually Bishop Henning appointed me as Episcopal DMC Commissioner.

Everything you said about Bishop Chappelle was very true all the way down to the smile.  He was a dear friend and bishop to me.  I remember last summer at General Board we were talking and he said that he was not feeling well and I noticed that his eyes were a yellow color and told him to get to a doctor when he got home. (My mother had similar symptoms and ended up needing a liver transplant).  And after that time we kept in contact every month until January and when he failed to answer I knew something was wrong.  My heart still aches as I remember Bishop Richard Allen Chappelle.  

Thanks again for writing the article.

Tanya Morris

Church Administrator

St. John AME Church

Birmingham, AL

- To the Editor:

RE: TCR Op-Ed by Mrs. Jeanette T. Johns:  The United Methodist Church can learn something positive from the AME Church about bi-vocational ministry

I was so happy to read about Mrs. Jeanette T. Johns’ experiences with the 1^st Episcopal District Health Plan and the life insurance plan that helped with funeral expenses for deceased clergy, beneficiary funds for the local church and left-over money paid to the spouse. It made me feel good because those initiatives were established under my episcopal leadership during my tenure as Presiding Bishop of the 1^st Episcopal District.

Bishop Philip R. Cousin, Sr.

Editor’s Note: Bishop Philip R. Cousin, Sr. was the 96^th Elected and Consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He served as a bishop for 32 years.

- To the Editor:

RE: The AME Church needs a stand-down

Your recent editorial about the AME Church's need to examine our "core values" is an urgent matter.  The way that we are working in the field must be examined so that we can help congregations, and the pastors that are sent, to have the necessary tools to provide pastoral care to the wounded church that exists and the feeling of oppression that is currently being experienced around assessments.

Congregations are as fluid and there are changes that happen when most of the "older members" die and there has not been evidence of regrouping until the church is on life support (membership under 50 active members) or dead. The buildings are old without plans for redevelopment, which can include merging of congregations, opening charter or independent schools or family life centers in almost empty church properties, small business development hubs, etc.

There is a need to re-examine our core values about prison ministry in the wake of the mass incarceration crisis we have in Black and Latino communities.  We cannot preach in prisons and not assist after a person comes home from prison.  We cannot afford to be ignorant or silent.  Thank you.

The Rev. Darlene Reynolds,

Associate Minister, Macedonia AME, Camden, New Jersey

4. AME CHURCH BISHOP HARTFORD BROOKINS DIES AT 86

By The Admin on May 23, 2012

Hamel Hartford Brookins, a bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church for 30 years and a longtime civil rights activist, has died in Los Angeles. He was 86.

A church statement says Brookins died Tuesday at his home.

The son of Mississippi sharecroppers, Brookins was minister of a country church in Arkansas and became acquainted with future President Bill Clinton.

Before becoming bishop, he served 13 years as pastor of First AME Church of Los Angeles and led the congregation through the construction of a multimillion-dollar cathedral.

Brookins helped found Jesse Jackson’s Operation PUSH and was involved in the campaigns of Tom Bradley, the first black mayor of Los Angeles. (AP)

5. NASHVILLE TO HOST HISTORIC AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH GENERAL CONFERENCE THE FIRST TIME IN NASHVILLE SINCE 1872:

The African Methodist Episcopal Church, the oldest Black religious denomination in America will hold the 49^th Session of the General Conference June 27-July 4, 2012 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, TN, home of the world famous Fisk University Jubilee Singers.

Nashville is part of the 13^th Episcopal District, which comprises the states of Tennessee and Kentucky.  The last time the 13^th District hosted the General Conference was in 1996 in Louisville, KY., and this year is the first time the conference has been held in Nashville since the late 1800s.

The mission of the AME Church is to minister to the spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional and environmental needs of all people by spreading Christ’s liberating gospel through word and deed.

Every four years the AME Church assembles for the General Conference when delegates and leaders from around the world are charged with the responsibility to discuss, debate and pass significant legislation that will impact the mission and ministry of this great Zion.

Bishop Gregory G.M. Ingram, Commission Chairperson of the General Conference and Presiding Prelate of the 10^th Episcopal District (Texas) said, “The General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is actively preparing what we hope will not only be the boldest proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ embedded in the theme ‘Exalting Christ to Impact the World’ but we will engage in serious dialogue on quadrennial goals the Church will establish for the next four years.”

He added, “We are meeting at a critical time in history. The church must not sit quietly by with the world facing acute social and economic problems. We are intensely concerned with those cries and crisis that bring misery and need to God’s children. Hunger, persecution, child and sexual abuse, exploitation, injustice, family dysfunctions, and unemployment, are all ills that our people are struggling with. As a church, our hearts must be stirred in such a way that it is our hope, desire and passion to find jobs for the jobless, to carry hope to the hopeless, to assure relief to the oppressed, and to be a voice crying in the wilderness saying, ‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord.’  It is our hope that this General Conference, as we meet in Nashville, will not be just another meeting, but will establish a new paradigm to effectuate meaningful change.”

The AME Church convenes on a quadrennial basis for the purpose of conducting the church’s legislative business and financial reporting.  According to Bishop John R. Bryant, Senior Bishop, “Every AME member is always excited over the prospect of the experience of another General Conference.  This ensuing conference leadership combination of Bishop Gregory G.M. Ingram as Chair of the Commission and Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie as host Bishop has us ALL in high anticipation of the great things we will see, hear and do.” Bishop Bryant served as the host Bishop of the General Conference in St. Louis in 2008.

“Team 13 is excited to host this historic quadrennial session.” Team 13 is the name of the host committee in the 13^th District, said Bishop Vashti McKenzie. “From its roots in the Free African Society to the present age, the AME Church has played a vital part in articulating social justice issues, from the eradication of poverty and slavery to 21st century issues such as health care reform, a great recession, struggling economy, injustice, public education and moral decay. This articulation goes beyond public pronouncement but takes shape in the form of ministry beyond the walls of the sanctuary into the global community. When our global community gathers in Music City USA, we will worship, work and then leave to witness in our various communities.”

The conference will bring approximately 30,000 attendees to the Nashville area, including church officials, program participants, exhibitors, sponsors, observers, families and friends. Additionally, dignitaries and state and local officials will make appearances at the conference. 

Dr. Richard Lewis, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the Church explained “The economic impact of this conference to Nashville is quite significant.  “There will be hundreds of people employed for this event and the spending is projected to be nearly $50 million, inclusive of goods and services, hotel, food, travel and leisure and retail purchases.”

On Tuesday, June 26, there will be two pre-conference events: the Platinum Golf Tournament, held at 7 a.m. at Opryland Links Golf Course, and Bishop McKenzie’s formal opening event, the Believe Banquet.  The banquet will feature the internationally renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers. Nashville’s popular nickname “Music City USA,’ originally comes from Queen Victoria recognizing the Fisk Jubilee Singers’ hometown as ‘Music City.’  This stellar event takes place at 7 p.m. in the Delta Ballroom of the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.

The General Conference officially begins on Wednesday, June 27 with the Opening Worship Service at 10 a.m. This religious ceremony, which is open to the public, is steeped in tradition and features the AME Conference Choir, conducted by Maestro Samuel Robinson of Nashville and the sermon delivered by Bishop McKinley Young of Jacksonville, Florida.

The Connectional Lay Organization will hold its special 100^th anniversary celebration on Sunday, July 1, at 7 a.m.  Dr. Bobby Jones, Tennessee native and host of BET’s Bobby Jones Gospel Show, will serve as the worship leader.  The organization’s mission is to teach and train the laity to support the total program in the church, community and the connection through a systematic and regular study of the Doctrine and Discipline of the AME Church, and to keep alive the memory of the Church’s founder, Richard Allen. 

Camp AME is an important feature of the conference for young people between the ages of 4-17 attending with their families.  It offers special services for two age groups: Youth Camp and Teen Camp.  Camp AME provides a wide range of activities in a safe, fun-filled spiritual setting.  There will be field trips to various Nashville educational and entertainment venues, as well as special programs and presentations.

In addition to these events and other activities, the AME Mall will be a special feature during the conference.  Exhibitors ranging from career counselors to vendors of hand-made artifacts will be on site.  There will be rows and rows of learning materials, faith-based books and unique items from throughout the world. The exhibit hall will open with great fanfare and high energy with dignitaries from both the community and the Church. An official ribbon cutting will take place, Thursday, June 28, at 1 p.m. to ceremoniously open the AME Mall. 

The African Methodist Episcopal Church has a membership of more than three million people worldwide with an even broader range of influence. There are approximately 7,500 churches throughout North and South America as well as Europe, Africa and India.  The Church has established and supports 12 higher education institutions, helping those with diverse backgrounds to obtain formal educational opportunities. The Church was founded in 1787 in Philadelphia, PA, and in 1816, the AME Church became an official religious denomination.

For more information about the 2012 General Conference, contact the office of Bishop Vashti McKenzie at 615.242.6814 or go on-line to www.13thame.com or www.ame-church.com.

For additional information contact Dr. Phyllis Qualls-Brooks (615.498.4681) or Royya James 615.554.2269

6. AFRICAN AMERICANS SHOULD IGNORE THE RECENT PSA TEST RECOMMENDATION:

By: Thomas A. Farrington, PHEN President & Founder

May 23, 2012

I was in Atlanta, Georgia the past few days attending the American Urological Association's (AUA) Annual Conference. While there we heard from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) that it had ignored the voices of prostate cancer specialist, patients and patient advocacy organizations and that it was dancing to its own music by issuing a final "D" recommendation for the PSA test. This recommendation is against the routine use of the PSA test for the early detection of prostate cancer; this news made headlines across the country.

Since the draft recommendation issued by the USPSTF in October 2011, I have communicated PHEN's opposition against the draft "D" recommendation. We stand firmly against this final recommendation and with many other organizations, prostate cancer specialists and some government agencies (see here) who accept data showing that the PSA test saves lives and is the major contributor to a decline of 49% in the prostate cancer death rate since the test has been used widely.

In a "Town Hall Meeting" held at the AUA conference that included a representative of the USPSTF it was clear that any argument made in opposition to the USPSTF recommendation was simply ignored by it. The moderator asked for a show of hands of those that disagreed with the USPSTF's position and nearly all hands were raised.

At the heart of the "scientific evidence" used by the USPSTF to render its recommendation is the PLCO study. However the leader of this study, Dr. Gerald Andriole who participated on the panel for the Town Hall meeting has consistently stated his opposition to the conclusion that the USPSTF drew from this study and he supports the PSA test (see here). In addition, research experts emphatically point out that the PLCO data is too flawed to be used as the basis for a recommendation on the PSA test.

As I have pointed out since the PLCO study was released, African American men are not included in this study at a significant enough level that would allow the USPSTF to draw a conclusion on the effectiveness of the PSA test for Black men. However, the USPSTF has simply ignored this lack of data and included African American men and other high risk men in its final "D" recommendation. This action was taken in spite of calls from congressional leaders, medical specialists and patient advocates that such action would be reckless and without a scientific basis.

With its "D" recommendation, the USPSTF has issued a death sentence to those men that will need early detection of aggressive prostate cancer but will ignore their prostate health based on this recommendation.

PHEN will continue to focus on educating African American men about their prostate health and the importance of early detection of cancer. With a death rate 140% higher than for other men, Black men cannot simply ignore the killer within that is prostate cancer. PHEN will not be alone in its efforts as all of the organizations that focus on prostate cancer prevention, education and research that I have spoken with, strongly disagree with the USPSTF's "D" recommendation (see additional information below).

African American men should ignore the USPSTF recommendation against the use of the PSA test. PHEN's guidance is based on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network "Prostate Cancer Early Detection Guidelines" which calls for a baseline PSA test for African American and other high risk men at age 40 following a discussion with their doctor about screening for the early detection of prostate cancer.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) is an alliance of 21 of the world's leading cancer centers. The NCCN guidelines are widely recognized by oncology clinicians and payers. The prostate cancer early detection guidelines stress the importance of involving the patient and informing him of the implications and potential consequences that may arise from the decision to embark on an early detection pathway.

I am privileged to serve as the patient advocate member of the NCCN "Prostate Cancer Treatments Guidelines Committee" with the opportunity to work with some of the world's leading prostate cancer medical and research specialists. In consultation with these leaders and others I will continue to provide my thoughts, information, and guidance to the families most impacted by prostate cancer.

7. THE REVEREND ISAIAH J. WADDY CELEBRATES 30 YEARS IN MINISTRY:

Mrs. Loleta Green and Ms. Fredia Booker

Sunday, March 4, 2012, the members of Greater St. Peter AME Church at the River’s Edge in Jonesboro, Georgia celebrated 30 years in ministry for the Rev. Isaiah J. Waddy. The church was filled with family, friends, former members from previous churches throughout Georgia, mentors, colleagues, government officials and members of Greater St. Peter. The theme for the hour was “A Prophet of Vision” taken from Isaiah 6:8.

The afternoon service began with intercessory prayer led by Mrs. Lavonia Ferrell, and the Greater St. Peter Praise Team. U. S. Representative Sanford Bishop of Albany Georgia opened with a video greeting followed by the procession of the pulpit guests, Pastor Isaiah J. Waddy and First Lady Deborah Waddy.

The Greater St. Peter Mass Choir led the congregation in the opening hymn, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” The prayer was given by the Rev Wallace Jones, a classmate of Pastor Waddy. The scripture was read by the Rev. Mark Christmas, a son in the ministry; and Bishop Gregory Blue of the Body of Christ International, a longtime friend of Pastor Waddy, presided over the program.

The speaker for the hour was U. S. Representative David Scott of the 13th Congressional District of Georgia. He was introduced by Georgia State Senator Gail Davenport.

U. S. Representative Scott gave a powerful message entitled, “The Isaiah Waddy Instinct,” from the book of Isaiah Chapter 6. He made parallels to the work and vision of Isaiah the Prophet, with Pastor Isaiah Waddy, who he referred to as a Prophet of Vision. Representative Scott shared several milestones of Pastor Waddy's ministry of renovating and building many churches. He gave the congregation a vision of the journey of Pastor Waddy from Thomasville, Georgia to his first church in 1982 at Knights Monumental in Stockbridge Georgia; Wesley Chapel AME, in Newnan, Georgia, 1984; St. John AME Church in Fairburn, Georgia, 1988; Cosmopolitan AME, in Atlanta, Georgia, 1994; to Greater St. Peter AME in Jonesboro, Georgia in 1997. Representative Scott pointed out that Pastor Waddy has traveled from coast to coast in the continental U.S. preaching and teaching the Word of God and ministering through missions in Jamaica, Bermuda and Africa.

After receiving an inspiring Word, the celebration continued with musical selections by the Rev. James Chandler and the Marvelous Light Gospel Choir of Douglasville, Georgia and the 30th Anniversary Mass Choir. A special reflective video was presented by the Greater St. Peter Creative Services & Media Ministry. The Greater St. Peter Liturgical Dance Ministry and the Greater St. Peter Young Peoples Department ministered through dance.

The Rev. Waddy was showered with presentations and gifts from the Greater St. Peter Ministries, the Twelve Tribes of Greater St. Peter, colleagues, family, and friends.

The Rev. Waddy was presented with special proclamations, resolutions, and letters of accommodation from Government Officials and from the 6th Episcopal District of the AME Church. Proclamations were presented from Georgia U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson; Georgia U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, Georgia Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle, Georgia State Senator Gail Davenport, Georgia State Senator Valencia Seay, Georgia State Representative Glenn Baker, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, the Atlanta City Council, Commissioner Chairman Edrin Bell (Clayton County), Commissioner Wole Ralph (Clayton County), Sheriff of Clayton County Kemuel A. Kimbrough, Sr., Bishop & Mrs. William Phillips DeVeaux, Sr. (6th Episcopal District), and Presiding Elder & Mrs. Walter Daniels, (South District Supervisors of Atlanta North Conference).

8. THE WRITING PASTOR – A WORKSHOP SPONSORED BY LOUISVILLE PRESBYTERIAN SEMINARY:

October 15-19, 2012 - Louisville Seminary

This workshop is designed particularly for pastors and church leaders who are committed to the ways writing can be a spiritual practice, an expression of the pastoral imagination, and a service to the church and the world. From articles and reviews to curricula and books, from memoirs and poetry to blogs and children’s novels, the possibilities for the committed writer are wild and wonderful. In a small group setting, participants will have the opportunity to develop their skills, share ideas and drafts of work, explore possibilities for publication, and—most of all—nurture their passion for writing, while residing and working on the 67-acre park-like campus of Louisville Seminary.

The leader is Dr. J. Bradley Wigger who teaches both writing and education at Louisville Seminary. He has written for general, church, and academic audiences alike, including numerous articles and essays, books for scholars as well as for children. He was Consulting Editor for the Jossey-Bass Faith and Families book series and for many years he was the Editor of the journal, Family Ministry. Most recently he has been studying creativity and the imagination in children and hopes to write his next book on the subject. 

Louisville Seminary, in partnership with The Collegeville Institute offers this workshop tuition free, and will cover room and board at the Seminary. Participants will provide their own travel expenses to and from the workshop. Those who join the workshop will be expected to reside at Laws Lodge on the seminary campus throughout the entire week.

The program is limited to 12 participants | Application deadline is July 13.

9. KENTUCKY EDUCATOR, BETTIE L. JOHNSON

PHILANTHROPIST AND BUSINESSWOMAN DIES AT 95:

Bettie L. Johnson died Thursday, May 17, 2012. She was 95. An entrepreneur since 1977 when she became owner and administrator of the Beachland Nursing Home in Prospect, Ky., Mrs. Johnson has served as the executive director of the James S. Taylor Memorial Home since 1982.

A 1933 graduate of Central High School, Mrs. Johnson returned to her alma mater as a French and English teacher in 1938. She earned an A. B. Degree with Distinction from Louisville Municipal College (a division of the University of Louisville) and was the only student to earn a 4.0 at the school. She also received her M.A. degree from Indiana University at Bloomington and completed 48 hours of post graduate work at the University of Kentucky, Kentucky State University, and U of L. Her education career spanned 27 years at the historically Black Central High School rising from teacher to guidance counselor to assistant principal. She also worked in school administration for the Jefferson County Public Schools.

Mrs. Johnson later served as Program Coordinator and Associate Director of the Louisville/Jefferson County Community Action Agency and she was Acting Director of the Southeast Region for the U.S. Department of Justice, earning a special commendation from the department in 1972.

Mrs. Johnson served on many state and local boards including Metro United Way (past Vice President), National Council of Christian and Jews, YWCA, Kentucky Commission on the Status of Women, Kentucky Humanities Council, the Louisville and Jefferson County Board of Health, Saint Benedict Early Childhood Development Center, Kentucky Governor’s Scholars, and the Lincoln Foundation. In 1992, she was named a Lady of Distinction by the Center for Women and Families. She also was a lifetime member of the NAACP and a Trustee of Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church.

She and her husband, entrepreneur Charlie W. Johnson—co-founder of Active Transportation, one of the nation’s top 100 Black-owned businesses in 1998-2000¬--are outstanding philanthropists, giving generously to education. A dormitory on the U of L campus bears her name. She and her husband also donated generously to Benedict College, an HBCU, and were presented with the United Negro College Fund President’s Award in 2003 for their exceptional contributions to educational excellence.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her stepchildren, David Johnson (Venetia) and Charlan Johnson. A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 15, at 5 p.m., at Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church. Expressions of sympathy should be made to the Hortense Perry Scholarship Fund at Quinn Chapel.

WHAS11.com Press Release posted on May 22, 2012 at 8:46 a.m. received from the Rev. Ralph Johnson, Presiding Elder of the West Kentucky Annual. Conference

10. THE 4^TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT SCHEDULE OF ANNUAL CONFERENCES / CHRISTIAN EDUCATION CONGRESS:

Bishop John R. Bryant, Presiding Prelate

The Rev. Dr. Cecelia Bryant, Episcopal Supervisor

Christian Education Congress

July 11 -14, 2012

Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center at

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI

517-432-4000

Host Information:

Trinity AME Church – Lansing MI

Rev. Lila R. Martin, Host Pastor

The Rev. Dr. James F. Miller, Congress Director

The Rev. Dr. Reginald Blount, Congress Dean

Canadian Annual Conference

August 8 – 12, 2012

Holiday Inn Select

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

519-966-1200

Host Information:

Grant AME Church

416-690-5169

The Rev. Cory Millben, Pastor

Michigan Annual Conference

August 22 – 26, 2012

Second Ebenezer Church Conference Center

Roberts Riverwalk Hotel

Detroit, MI

313-259-9500

Host Information:

Vernon Chapel AME Church

313- 893-5275

The Rev. Larry Bell, Pastor

Illinois Annual Conference

September 5 - 9, 2012

Hilton – Springfield Hotel

Springfield, IL

217-789-1530

Host Information:

St. John AME Church

217-523-3969

The Rev. Charles Jackson, Pastor

Indiana Annual Conference

September 19 – 23, 2012

Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza

Merrillville, IN

219-769-6311

Host Information:

Gary Area Ministerial Alliance

Rev. Bonita Hawkins Whitehead, President

Chicago Annual Conference

October 10 – 14, 2012

Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield Hotel

Brookfield, WI

262-364-1100

Host Information:

St. Mark AME Church

414-562-8030

The Rev. Darryl Williams, Pastor

Planning Meeting

November 1 – 3, 2012

Marriott Eagle Crest Hotel

Ypsilanti, MI

(734) 487-0600

Host Information:

Fourth Episcopal District Michigan Conference

11. MEDITATION BASED ON PSALM 139:1-18:

*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby

I'm writing this week's thoughts while waiting in the St. Louis airport for my flight home from the AME Church's General Board meeting.  Today's airports are models of efficiency - in spite of late flights and security lines - and are sufficiently generic in layout and appearance to make it easy for most travelers to find their way.  Most modern airports are lacking, however, in what could best be called "personality."

In the days of my youth, when train travel was what air travel is today, train stations had "personality."  Each station was different, and many of them still survive as restaurants or other businesses because of their architecture.  Some of them were works of art, others were display places for actual art, and each reflected the personality of the surrounding community.  The essential function, as with today's airports, was to get you from point "A" to point "B," but the unique personality of each station made travel a more pleasant visual experience and an adventure in itself.

Those who created those old train stations did something similar to what God did in creating us.  We're all the same under the skin in terms of physiology, but each of us, as the Scriptures say, are "wonderfully made."  People come with varying colors of skin, eyes and hair, we vary in height and weight, and each of us has our own unique skills, talents and abilities.

That's worth remembering in a world where some people measure human worth by how we look, by what we do and by what we've accomplished.  Many people go through life unhappy with their appearance or worried that they don't meet this world's standards of acceptance and success.  Rather than fretting over what we see as our shortcomings, we'd do well to be the unique people that God made us and celebrate who and what we are, for God made all of us uniquely beautiful, capable and useful.

Don't let what people say about you get them down - those who are most critical are often trying to mask their own insecurity!  Serve the Lord, be the unique person that you are and use your skills, talents and abilities to the glory of God.  You'll make a difference in the world and in the lives of others, and be the affirming embodiment of the song of my ancestors in the faith.  They look beyond the chains of slavery and the indignities of segregation and sang, "Jesus made me what I am - nothing but a child of God."

If you are in the Charleston, South Carolina area this Sunday, please join us for Church School at 9:45 a.m. and for Pentecost Sunday Worship at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.  The Eight O’clock Choir will offer praise at 8 a.m. and the Combined Choir, Mime Ministry and Young Adult Choir will offer praise at 11 a.m.

           

Sunday’s Scripture Lessons are:

Joel 2:28-32

Acts 2:1-13

John 14:15-26

Sunday’s Sermons are:

8 a.m. - “A Spirit Led Church”

11 a.m. – “Let the Spirit Shape the Church”

*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby is the pastor of Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina

12. EPSICOPAL AND CLERGY FAMILY CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS:

- Bishop Robert V. Webster Announces the graduation of his Son, the Rev. Wendell Webster and granddaughter, Ms. Angela White

Bishop Robert V. Webster is pleased to share the good news that on May 18, 2012 his son, the Rev. Wendell Webster, pastor of Historic Macedonia A.M.E. Church in Fernandina Beach, Florida, graduated from Payne Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree. On the same day his granddaughter, Ms. Angela White, received her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Supervisor Carole Webster is smiling from heaven.

Congratulatory messages can be emailed to:

The Rev. Wendell Webster: wwebster64@yahoo.com

Ms. Angela White: angwhite28@gmail.com

- The Rev. Sharon Grant, “Making History!”

The Rev. Sharon Grant, Candidate for Historiographer/ Executive Director for Research & Scholarship received her Ph.D. with double honors in the History of the Christian Tradition from Southern Methodist University (SMU) on May 12, 2012. Dr. Grant was the first African-American woman to be admitted into the Graduate Program of Religious Studies in the history of SMU, and is currently the only African-American female to hold a terminal degree in Methodist Church History. She is on a quest to serve the African Methodist Episcopal Church full-time as "Today's Historian for Tomorrow's Church." 

Congratulatory messages can be emailed to: sharong@mail.smu.edu

- Mrs. Ashkea Herron McAllister, daughter of the Rev. Darlene Easley, earned Juris Doctor degree

Belated congratulations to Mrs. Ashkea Herron McAllister of Rockville, Maryland, who graduated from the Howard University School of Law on May 14, 2011, earning her Juris Doctor Degree. Mrs. McAllister passed the California State Bar Exam and is employed with the United States Department of Labor in Washington, DC. Mrs. McAllister also had the distinction of spending her spring 2011 semester working in one of the most sought after internships in the country, as a White House intern. She is the daughter of the Late David Herron and the Reverend Darlene Easley, pastor of Bethel AME Church, Hutchinson, Kansas.

Congratulatory messages can be emailed to:

The Rev. Darlene Easley: d.easley2@att.net

- Congratulations to Dr. Vanessa E. Cleaver, 2012 President-elect of The Benjamin Banneker Association, Inc.

Congratulations to Dr. Vanessa E. Cleaver, 2012 President-elect, of The Benjamin Banneker Association, Inc. The Benjamin Banneker Association, Inc. is a national non-profit organization dedicated to mathematics education advocacy, establishing a presence for leadership, and professional development to support teachers in leveling the playing field for mathematics learning of the highest quality for African-American students.  Dr. Cleaver serves as the Director of Mathematics of the Little Rock Arkansas School District. Her Candidate Statement stated: "The greatest reward for me as an educator is to see students actually "get it". In my job as director of K-12 mathematics, I see a number of mathematics classrooms. The common thread of effective classrooms (besides good instruction) seems to be motivation. Students, especially African American students, learn best when the instructor is caring and holds high expectations. I believe that all students can learn mathematics, and I am committed to identifying best practices for teaching mathematics. As many states are adopting the Common Core State Standards, it is imperative that BBA provides support in terms of research, leadership, and professional development for teachers of African American students. As President-elect, I will work very closely with the president and executive board to increase membership in BBA and to provide resources and support for its members."

Dr. Cleaver is the mother of Elyse Cleaver, Timothy Cleaver and former Connectional President of YPD-Reginald Cleaver, Jr. She is the daughter of Mollie White and the late Learrie White, Sr; her sister is the Rev. Beverly R. White, all of the 12^th Episcopal District, Bishop Samuel Green, Presiding Prelate. Dr. Cleaver is also the Music Director for her church, Union AME Church, The Rev. Chestine Sims, Pastor. 

Congratulatory messages can be sent to: vancleaver@sbcglobal.net

- AME Pastor Receives Seminary Degree from Saint Paul School of Theology

On Friday, May 18, 2012, Keith Cordier received his 90-hour Master of Divinity degree from Saint Paul School of Theology during the seminary's fifty-first commencement convocation.  Keith Cordier serves as pastor of Christ Our Redeemer AME Church in Kansas City, Missouri.

Congratulatory messages can be sent to: heatherc@spst.edu

-  Desir'ee L. Robinson received the Master of Science Degree in Health Communication from Boston University

Mrs. Pearlie H. Robinson, widow of the late retired Presiding Elder Edsel F. Robinson, State of Georgia, is pleased to announce the graduation of their daughter, Desir'ee L. Robinson who received her Master of Science in Health Communication from Boston University, Saturday, May 19, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. in Boston, Massachusetts.

Congratulatory messages can be emailed to:

Mrs. Pearlie Haynes Robinson: efmrs@bellsouth.net

- The Rev. Lula Marie Martin-Sanderson to marry Jamal Lee Sanderson

The Rev. Lula Marie Martin-Sanderson, daughter of Presiding Elder Linda F. Thomas-Martin, Presiding Elder South Memphis District, West Tennessee Conference, 13^th Episcopal District and Rev. and Mrs. Elmer S. Martin, Pastor of Brown Chapel AMEC, Cincinnati, Ohio, 3^rd Episcopal District will marry Jamal Lee Sanderson of Holly Springs, Mississippi on Saturday, May 26, 2012.

Congratulatory emails can be sent to: PE Thomas-Martin at pesouthmemphis@aol.com

- Herman Osby Kelly, III, received Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology from the University of Tampa

Herman Osby Kelly III, son of Dr. and Mrs. Herman O. Kelly, Jr. pastor and first lady of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, graduated from the University of Tampa, Tampa, Florida on Sunday, May 6, 2012 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology. He was also given the senior award for Basketball.

Congratulatory emails can be sent to: hokellyj@yahoo.com

13. EPISCOPAL FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

The Celebration of Life arrangements for Bishop Hamel Hartford Brookins, the 91^st Elected and Consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

The Service Arrangements are as Follows:

The Private Family Service
Wednesday, May 30, 2012, 6:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m.
The Allen House Chapel
2249 South Harvard Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90018
*Invitation only.

The Public Viewing

Thursday, May 31, 2012, 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
The Allen House Chapel
2249 South Harvard Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90018

The Public is invited to pay final respects to Bishop H. Hartford Brookins as he lies in repose at The Allen House Chapel of First AME Church of Los Angeles. Bishop Brookins Visitation will end at 7:00 p.m.

The Celebration of Life
Friday, June 1, 2012, 11:00 a.m.
First AME Church of Los Angeles
2270 South Harvard Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90018
Telephone: (323) 730-7750

* Final Public Viewing from 9:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. prior to service *The public is invited to attend the Celebration of Life Service

The Interment
Inglewood Park Cemetery
720 East Florence Avenue
Inglewood, California 90301
* Immediately following Celebration of Life

The Hotel Arrangements
Hilton Los Angeles Airport
5711 West Century Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90045
Telephone: (310) 410-4000

Booking Code: HGC at the rate of $109.00.
Contact Hilton Reservations 1-800-445-8667

Ground transportation for Bishops of the AME Church, General Officers and Connectional Officers

Please send Ground Transportation emailed to:

episcoapltransportation@famechurch.org by Tuesday, May 29, 2012.

Condolences:
The Reverend Rosalynn Kyle Brookins and Family
3210 West Adams Boulevard, #304
Los Angeles, California 90018

In lieu of flowers kindly make contributions to the Education Fund of Bishop H. Hartford Brookins, youngest child, Sir-Wellington Hartford Brookins, age 14.

Mail to: Post Office Box 8492, Los Angeles, California 90008

Condolences may also be made at: www.famechurch.org/bishop-brookins

Services Entrusted to:
Angelus Funeral Home
3875 Crenshaw Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90008
(323) 296-6666

14. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to announce the transition of Brother Otis Carlton Wallace, Jr., the brother of the Rev. Ocelia Whitehead Wallace. The Rev. Wallace is the pastor of Mt. Olive AME Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Brother Otis Wallace died on Saturday, May 19, 2012.

Funeral services will be held:

Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at 6 p.m.

Creal Funeral Home

1940 7th Ave South

St. Petersburg, FL

(7270 896-2602

Fax (727) 821-9486

Family Burial will be held Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at the National Cemetery in Sarasota, Florida. Please keep the Wallace family lifted in your prayers.

Contact Information for the Rev. Ocelia Whitehead Wallace:

The Rev. Ocelia Whitehead Wallace, pastor

Mt. Olive A.M.E. Church

841 Franklin Street

Jacksonville, Florida 32206-5736

Telephone: 904) 354-6085 - Office

Email: mtolive_amec_jax@aol.com 

15. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We share with regret that Mrs. Christine W. Felder transitioned from this life on Tuesday May 20, 2012 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Mrs. Felder is the mother and mother-in-law of the Rev. Nigal D. Felder and the Rev. Lindoria B. Felder who currently serve in the 13th Episcopal District, West Kentucky Annual Conference. The Rev. Felder is the pastor of Embry Chapel AME Church in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Bishop Vashti M. McKenzie is the Presiding Prelate of the 13th Episcopal District and Presiding Elder Ralph Johnson, Louisville-Paducah District.

Visitations:

Thursday, May 31, 2012

6 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Greater Second Baptist Church

810 Shallowford Road

Chattanooga, Tennessee 37404

Homegoing Services:

Friday, June 1, 2012

11 a.m.

Greater Second Baptist Church

810 Shallowford Road

Chattanooga, Tennessee 37404

The Reverend Steve Caudle, Pastor

The Rev. Nigal D. Felder

211 Marksfield Circle

Louisville, Kentucky 40222

Email: dwaynenikinelle@aol.com

16. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to inform you of the passing of the Rev. Samson T. Spencer, retired pastor of the Southwest Alabama Conference. The Rev. Spencer passed on May 19, 2012.

The Rev. Spencer is former pastor of Metropolitan AME Church in Mobile, Alabama, former State Accountant of the 9th District, Former Presiding Elder of the Birmingham-Florence District of the North Al Annual Conference, member of the General Board from 1992 to present - Commission of Statistics and Finance, member of the Pastor / Presiding Elder Retirement Board.

He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Nancy L. Archer, age 98; wife, the Rev. Cheryl Spencer; children: Samson Jr., Celeste, Christian, Cherish, Caitlyn Spencer-White, and Brenda Walton-Poellnitiz.

Funeral services for the Rev. Samson T. Spencer:

Friday, May 25, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.

Metropolitan AME Church

750 Dr. Martin L. King Drive

Mobile, AL. 36603

Telephone: 251-433-4282

Bishop James L. Davis, Eulogist

The Rev. Dr. E.A. Rouse, Presiding

The Rev. Dr. W.E. Marshall, Pastor

Condolences can be sent to his wife:

The Rev. Cheryl Spencer

958 Watergate Ct.

Mobile, Al 36693 -2906

Email condolences may be sent to his daughter: Cherish.Spencer@gmail.com 

Services are handled by:

Christian Benevolent Funeral Home

201 N. Hamilton St.

Mobile, AL  36603

251-432-6528

Email: CBFH@Comcast.net

17. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

The Rev. Bernard James Mareka transitioned from this life on the 18th of May 2012 after a long illness. The Rev. Mareka is a retired Itinerant Elder in the 19th Episcopal District, East Annual Conference. He served at Mokone Memorial AME Church under Presiding Elder JB Motaung after his retirement. Bishop Jeffrey N. Leath is the Presiding Prelate of the 19th Episcopal District. The Rev. Bernard James Mareka is survived by his loving wife Eva and their four daughters.

The homegoing celebration was held on Thursday 24th of May 2012 at Mokone Memorial AME Church Soweto.

Contact for Condolences:

Mrs. D. Motaung

Diana.motaung@ekurhuleni.gov.za

The Rev. JB Motaung

bjmotaung@webmail.co.za

18. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to inform you of the passing of The Reverend Tommy Hagler, pastor of Ward Chapel AME Church, Bessemer, Alabama.

Funeral Services for the Rev. Tommy Hagler was held on Monday, May 21, 2012 at Bryant Chapel AME Church in Birmingham, Alabama.

Expressions of sympathy may be emailed to his wife, Mrs. Phyllis Hagler: Haglerp@bellsouth.net

Expressions of sympathy may also be sent to:

The family of the Rev. Tommy Hagler “in care of” Faith Memorial Chapel Funeral Services.

Faith Memorial Chapel Funeral Services

600 9th Avenue North

Bessemer, Alabama 35020

Telephone: (205) 425-8437

FAX: (205) 425-8707

Email: FaithMemorial344@cavtel.net

19. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICES AND CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:

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  

20. 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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