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
February – Black History Month
January - Cervical Health Awareness Month
Lent 2012 begins on Ash Wednesday - February 22, 2012
1. EDITORIAL – WE HAVE THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO TELL OUR STORY:
The
20th Editor, The Christian
Recorder
This
editorial began as a call a "Great Awakening” in the African Methodist
Episcopal Church. I wanted to write about the need for a denominational revival
and a call for a return to our theological roots and a call for authenticity
and denominational integrity.
Some
religious historians identify four “Great Awakenings” in the United States,
periods of significant spiritual renewal and transformation; and since I had
been out of seminary for a number of years, I thought it best to reacquaint
myself with the “Great Awakenings,” the first, which began around 1740; the
second “Great Awakening” that began around 1800-1820; the third, according to
Wikipedia, from the late 1850s to the early 1900s; and the fourth Great
Awakening that some scholars say took place in the United States in the late
1960s and early 1970s, while others look at the era following World War II,
according to Wikipedia.
I
looked through several textbooks and searched the Internet and read about the “Great
Awakenings” and to my surprise I saw no references to Richard Allen, the
founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church; or any reference to the
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and its founder, James Varick; or
anything about “Black Harry” Hoosier (1750-1810) who was born a slave in North
Carolina, who towards the end of the American Revolution obtained his freedom,
converted to Methodism, and became a great revival preacher; and, of course,
nothing about Jarena Lee or any other Black female.
I
have read nothing about the contributions of any African American preachers
during the first or second “Great Awakening.”
It’s as if Black American religious leaders did not make any significant
contributions to American and global religious life; it’s as if they never
existed.
So
this editorial was going to be devoted to the need for a Great Awakening in the
African Methodist Episcopal Church, but this editorial will have to wait.
I
was excited about outlining areas where we needed to have a great awakening and
I'm not talking about a three-night revival with some praise songs, a prayer,
Scripture, the sermon, and an invitation to discipleship.
I
wanted to address a Great Awakening across the African Methodist Episcopal
Church, but that will have to wait until the next editorial because my feelings
about being left out of history has preempted the Great Awakening editorial I
had hoped to write.
The absence
When
I perused the materials about the Great Awakenings, at first I was
flabbergasted, then I was disappointed, then I got angry about the absence of
Blacks in the Great Awakenings that took place in America. But, after thinking
about it, I thought; we have no one to blame but ourselves because if we want
our story told, we have to tell it ourselves.
For
instance, during Founder’s Day weekend, I read about several churches that were
observing sweetheart observances and Valentine's Day instead of Founder’s Day.
Several people wrote to say that their local churches had no Founder’s Day
observance and made no mention of Founder’s Day, Richard Allen, or anything
about the history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Founder’s
Day is an opportunity to tell our story, but so many congregations let the
opportunity silently pass and in those instances, we have no one to blame but
ourselves for not telling our story.
February
is also Black History Month and apparently some local churches are oblivious to
Black History – not even taking the time to sing, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
The
stories of Black people are important, not only the stories of Blacks in
America, but also the stories of Blacks in Africa, the Caribbean, and South
America; and the contributions of blacks in the Europe and in Asia. There is a
black presence on every continent.
Sometimes,
we think of Blacks only in relationship to slavery and oppression. I suspect
that we rarely think of the vast contributions blacks have made throughout
history and across the globe in the areas of science, mathematics, the arts,
religion and technology. We ignore the presence of Blacks in the Bible and in
early church history.
Now, pay attention
Many
of us are not aware of the importance of Africa in church history. I could
recite the names, but it's more believable if I quote Wikipedia or one of the
other sources: "Important Africans who influenced the early development of
Christianity includes Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Origen of Alexandria,
Cyprian, Athanasius and Augustine of Hippo."
Check it out
Many
of you pictured European images of those church fathers. And, still others of
you will check it out. Go ahead and check it out!
We expect others to do what we
should be doing ourselves
We
have allowed others to put us in "a box" and we can't seem to get out
of “the box” because we won't tell “our stories” and so many of us become
offended when others fail to tell “our stories.” We criticize them for not including us in
their stories, when we should be criticizing ourselves for not taking the time
to tell our stories.
Wen
we don't tell our stories, we become “the victims” of how others tell our
story.
The
African Methodist Episcopal Church has a great story, but I'm afraid that we
neglect telling our story or we allow people who do not have our interests at
heart, to tell our story. And, sometimes
we do not accurately tell our story.
March
is Women’s History Month – a great opportunity to tell our stories about the
significant women of the global African Methodist Episcopal Church and in our
various communities – abroad and in the United States.
And, while we are telling the AME
story, let’s get one thing straight
The
African Methodist Episcopal Church was not founded in 1787. The AME Church may
have had its genesis in 1787, but the AME Church was not established in
1787. In 1787, or somewhere around that
time, and Richard Allen and others withdrew from St. George's Methodist church
in Philadelphia and the Free African Society (FAS) was established. According to the Encyclopaedia of African Methodism published in 1948 (Bishop R. R.
Wright, Jr., Compiler) states that Richard Allen purchased the lot for a church
at 6th and Lombard Streets in 1791. Richard Allen, according to
Bishop Wright was ordained a deacon in 1800 in the Methodist Episcopal Church
by Bishop Francis Asbury, so the AME Church had not been founded at that time.
The
founding date of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, if were honest, was in
1816 and thus we will celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church at the 50th Quadrennial Session of the
General Conference that will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in
2016. The African Methodist Episcopal
Church was organized in April 9 – 11, 1816.
Bishop
Allen was consecrated the first Bishop in 1860; he was not the first person
elected to be Bishop, but he was the first elected and consecrated Bishop of
the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Daniel Coker was first chosen as bishop
but he did not last more than a few hours and Richard Allen was elected and
consecrated the first Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
(Freedom’s Prophet, Richard S. Newman). If you haven’t done so, you should read
about the events of that first Conference… we have a great and interesting
history!
Our story is important
The
African Methodist Episcopal Church story is important because of the great
contributions made, first in America and around the world. The AME Church was a
leader education, medical care, social action, the Civil Rights movement,
religion, and yes, a major player in the Great Awakening.
The
story is ours to tell!
2. READER
RESPONSE TO EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES:
-To the Editor:
RE:
TCR News Break: May the Love of God be
with Each of You this Day - The Birthday of Richard Allen, the founder of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church!
A wonderful expression of remembering the birthday of Bishop Richard Allen.
Thank
you so very much for sharing it. It is
so refreshing and revitalizing to know that we cannot forget from whence we
have come as the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Virginia
Langford
3. FLORA ALLEN’S PARTICIPATION IN
THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICAN METHODISM IS TO BE NOTED AND CHERISHED:
The
Rev. Anne Henning Byfield
Flora
Allen was Richard Allen’s first wife. No children were known to have been born
to the union. She was a slave in Virginia when the Abolition Society of
Philadelphia purchased her freedom. Brought to Philadelphia, she joined St.
George Methodist Episcopal Church. She is listed as a member of the Black Class
Number One in 1785 with Richard Allen. Allen and Flora purchased a lot in 1791
and later sold that lot to the Trustees of the AME Church in 1794.
4. CELEBRATION OF RICHARD ALLEN AND
ABSALOM JONES
By
Charles Hallman
St.
Paul-Minneapolis District Reporter
Most
AMEers probably know about Richard Allen, and others can tell you that he was
forced to leave while praying in St. George’s Methodist Church in Philadelphia
in the late 18th Century, and ultimately founded the African Methodist
Episcopal Church, the first independent Black church in the United States.
“Most of our AMEers who haven’t gone to new members’ class and just go to worship service don’t know the rich history of the AME Church,” believes the Rev. Joseph Baring, pastor of St. James AME, St. Paul. The actions of Allen “and all the people of African descent, and what they did to get our church 225 years later and still be standing as a beacon in this nation” should be more recognized, he says, adding that Ebony Magazine once listed the founding of the AME Church as one of the 100 most significant events in American history.
However,
when asked about Absalom Jones, blank stares and “I don’t know” responses often
are the result: he and Allen “founded the Free African Society” in 1787, noted
Baring.
We
haven’t spend a lot of time telling the story” of Allen and Jones in both
churches, believes Father James Wilson, the pastor of St Phillip and St. Thomas
Episcopal Church, St. Paul, Minn. “I’m not sure that a lot of our congregations
understand or know the story or history.”
He recalls a few years ago when his members balked at the idea of renaming the church after Absalom Jones. “I have been doing a lot of teaching about him the last two years,” admits Wilson.
A
brief reenactment of the historical event in which both Allen and Jones were
told by White church members that they had to end their prayers and go to the
balcony where the Black church members were forced to sit took place during a
combined worship service of the congregations of St. James and St. Philip and
St. Thomas Episcopal Church, St. Paul was held February 12 at St. James.
Jones
(1746-1818) was born in slavery in Delaware and was sold to a Philadelphia shop
owner. Allen (1760-1831) also was born
in slavery in Philadelphia and was sold to an owner in Delaware. Both men purchased their freedoms: Jones in 1783, and Allen in 1783, and later
became lay ministers at St. George’s Methodist Church in Philadelphia.
Unable
to finish their prayers, Allen, Jones and the other Black members walked out of
St. George’s and never returned. They
instead worshiped at the Free African Society, which Allen and Jones co-founded
to assist Black men and women who also became free as well.
Baring
points out that Allen and Jones later “went their separate ways.”
Allen
wanted to remain affiliated with the Methodist Church and later founded the
African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1816.
Jones
renamed the Society to the African Church, then later as St. Thomas Episcopal
Church of Philadelphia. He was ordained
first a deacon in 1793 and as a priest in 1805.
“Allen
and Jones walked by faith and sacrificed for people of color,” noted Father
Wilson who delivered a 20-minute sermon at St. James. Both men brought about “transformation and
freedom,” he preached. They “had great
compassion for those of African descent.
They were social justice advocates ... but more important, they were
believers in the Lord.”
Wilson
began his sermon by joking that “you can easily tell” that AMEers and
Episcopalians are alike “by the empty pews in the front. This is common among all Episcopalians – they
always go to the back (of the church).”
Then
the St. Philip and St. Thomas pastor seriously told the joint AME and Episcopal
congregants that because Allen and Jones are forever linked, so should be the
two churches as well. “Our congregations
are falling apart,” he sadly points out.
“Where are they going – have they forgotten where we came from?”
Both
churches nonetheless still “have an obligation” to work together and help
eliminate differences, stressed the Liberia-born Wilson. These differences “shouldn’t come in the way
because of Jesus’ commandment to love one another.”
Baring
says he previously met Father Wilson at a couple of funerals. “We talked about fellowshipping one day,” he
recalls. “Then about two months ago, he
called me and said why we don’t sit down over lunch and talked about some
ideas.”
The
two churches in the past worked together in the past prior to their appointments:
“After that, I was told they went their separate ways,” believes Wilson.
The
February combined service “is not going to be a one-shot idea. We are going to do something together for the
young people in the community. I’m hoping
and praying that this is an ongoing thing,” says Baring.
“We
are now going to form an outreach mission to reach out to the African-American
community in an after-school program (for youth),” concurs Father Wilson. “We are trying to build a new leadership, a
mutual partnership.”
“We
have so much in common,” concludes the Rev. Baring.
5. THE REV. DR. CECIL “CHIP” MURRAY SPEAKS ON AME CHURCH HISTORY
Click
Here:
Or type the address in your browser.
6. FIRST AME, LAS VEGAS TOOK TO THE
STREETS AND GAVE-AWAY FOOD AND CLOTHING:
First AME Church
in Las Vegas, Nevada honored the legacy of Richard Allen and Founder’s
Day by taking to the streets with clothing and food giveaway
**Submitted
by Dr. Daryl Ingram, Secretary-Treasurer, Christian Education Department
7. BISHOP E. EARL MCCLOUD TO PREACH IN CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEEE:
In observance of Black History Month Bishop E. Earl McCloud, Jr. will be the Special Guest to Preach God’s uncompromising Gospel at Warren Chapel AME Church, 503 N. Market Street in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Sunday, February 19, 2012 at the 10:00 a.m. Worship Service
Submitted by the Rev. Dr. Terence L. Mayes, Sr., pastor
8.
PASTORAL APPOINTMENTS MADE IN THE WEST KENTUCKY ANNUAL CONFERENCE
- The Reverend Kenneth Paris has been appointed to St. Paul AME Church in Louisville, Kentucky
- The
Reverend Nigal Felder has been appointed to Embry Chapel AME Church in
Elizabethtown, Kentucky
**Submitted
by the Rev. Ralph E. Johnson, Presiding Elder of the West Kentucky Annual
Conference
May the Love of God
be with Each of You this Day – The Birthday of Richard Allen, the founder of
the African Methodist Episcopal Church!
As we celebrate the
birth of Bishop Richard Allen, let's remember to honor his legacy of
service and dedication to God and Humankind. Bishop Allen dedicated his
life to being a servant for Christ and was committed to making a
difference in the lives of all he touched. On this day, take a minute to reflect
on the life of this great leader, his accomplishments, the mission and
purpose of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Today, February 14,
2012, the Birthday of Richard Allen - Challenge and recommit your
life to living your best life as a servant of God and as a
son/daughter of Richard, Flora and Sarah Allen.
The Mission of the African Methodist Episcopal 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.
(1)
preaching the gospel
(2) feeding the hungry
(3) clothing the naked
(4) housing the homeless
(5) cheering the fallen
(6) providing jobs for the jobless
(7) administering to the needs of those in prisons, hospitals, nursing homes, asylums, and mental institutions, senior citizens’ homes; caring for the sick, the shut-in, the mentally and socially disturbed
(8) encouraging thrift and economic advancement
(2) feeding the hungry
(3) clothing the naked
(4) housing the homeless
(5) cheering the fallen
(6) providing jobs for the jobless
(7) administering to the needs of those in prisons, hospitals, nursing homes, asylums, and mental institutions, senior citizens’ homes; caring for the sick, the shut-in, the mentally and socially disturbed
(8) encouraging thrift and economic advancement
May the love of God be with each of you this day – The Birthday of
Richard Allen, the founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church!
The African Methodist Episcopal – Today, Tomorrow, and Always!
Brown, Eric L.
Cooper, Jeffery B.
Tyson, Albert D. III
Episcopal Committee Chair
Mayberry, Harold
General Officers
Sunday School Union Executive Director
Barbour, Johnny Jr.
Treasurer/CFO
Lewis, Richard Allen
Department of Annuity Investments and Insurance
Harris, Jerome V.
Department of Christian Education
Green, Vivian
Ingram, Daryl B.
The Christian Recorder Editor
Sydnor, Calvin H. III
Global Witness and Ministry
Flowers, George F.
Church Growth and Development
Mayes, Terence L. Sr.
Wade, James C.
Brown, Teresa L. Fry
Grant, Sharon J.
Judicial Council
Clergy Member
Byrd, Vernon R. Jr.
Hill, Vonciel JonesHodges, Glenda F.
Kelly, Leeomia W.
Clergy Alternate
Sherrod, Frederick D. III
Lay Alternate
Bowden-Lewis, TaShun
Bishop
Anderson, Carey
Arnell, James E.
Beaman, Silvester
Brailsford, Ronnie E. Sr.
Bupe, Paul
Calloway, Kelvin T.
Dickerson, Dennis C.
Fugh, Clement W.
Jackson, Reginald T.
Kataka, Francis
Mitchell, Michael Leon
Natter, Theophilus A.
Pierson, Mark S.
Richburg, Caesar R.
Seawright, Harry Lee
Wade, Robert C.
Wicker, Stafford J.
11. THE
LITURGICAL YEAR - YEAR “B”:
Dr.
Calvin H. Sydnor III,
The
20th Editor, The Christian
Recorder
a.
ADVENT is
celebrated the four Sundays before Christmas Day. Color: Purple (or Blue).
b. THE
CHRISTMAS SEASON BEGINS ON CHRISTMAS DAY. There are twelve days of the Christmas Season, which
begins on Christmas Eve and goes to Epiphany (January 6). Color: White
c. EPIPHANY Begins on January 6
The
Epiphany of Our Lord (January 6). Color: White. The second through
the eighth Sundays after the Epiphany (Sundays always referred to as the
Sundays AFTER the Epiphany - Color: Green. The last Sunday of the Epiphany (The
Transfiguration of Our Lord) Color: White
d.
THE LENTEN SEASON BEGINS ON ASH WEDNESDAY
Ash
Wednesday and the 5 Sundays OF Lent (Referred to as the Sundays OF
Lent) - Color: Purple;
Palm Sunday (Sunday of the Passion) and all of Holy Week (Monday - Maundy
Thursday) - Red. Good Friday - Black (or wear no stole or coverings in
the chancel area)
e. THE
EASTER SEASON BEGINS ON EASTER SUNDAY
Beginning with Easter Eve and all of the Sundays
of Easter - White (Gold may be used on Easter Day and Easter evening
f.
PENTECOST SEASON BEGINS FIFTY DAYS AFTER EASTER DAY
The Day of Pentecost - Color: Red; The Sundays after the Pentecost
(excluding the first Sunday AFTER the Pentecost - see # 7 below) Color:
Red (or Green). Note: Methodist Churches historically have used red
throughout the Pentecost season. Some are now using green throughout the
Pentecost Season, which we used to refer to as Whitsuntide.
12. A
TRIBUTE BY A LOVING WIFE AND A CARING DAUGHTER TO THE REV, BENJAMIN PHIPPS:
The Rev.
Benjamin Phipps: June 14, 1922 – January 17, 2012
The
Reverend Benjamin Phipps was the eighth of seventeen children born in Samana,
Dominican Republic to James Adolphus Phipps and Edna Augusta Williams
Phipps.
The
Reverend Benjamin Phipps answered God’s call to ministry when he was nine years
old by gathering the neighborhood children for Bible study and using his
breakfast to administer “holy communion” to them. He lived his life by ministering
to those around him. He leaves his cherished wife of 56-years, Mercedes
Phipps, four daughters, Doris, Uesky, Esther, and Noreem; and sisters, Amanda
and Ula; brother, Lincoln and many loving family members.
- In
Memory of My Honey – Mrs. Mercedes Eustaquio Phipps
Seven
pastors married us. The wedding certificate holds the names of the seven
officiating pastors. They respected and adored “Benito,” as he was known
to our family and friends; the pastors who knew him wanted to participate in
our wedding ceremony and we wanted each of them to participate. “Honey,”
my name for my beloved husband, joke about the seven pastors who officiated at
our wedding.
One day I
said, “If we ever get divorced we will need seven pastors to make it
legal.” Honey responded, “We can’t get divorced because most of them are
dead.” Sometimes I would threaten to divorce him and he’d say “Well, go
find all seven pastors!”
We had two
weddings. Wedding number-one was a civil wedding performed at the courthouse in
Samana, and wedding number-two was a church wedding performed in San Pedro de
Macoris. We had two weddings so that both sides of the family could
attend. The people in Macoris loved Honey so much that we had to have the
two ceremonies. After wedding number-one, Benito returned my home to my
Mom, Prieta, who asked Benito, “What are you doing here?” Benito
responded, “We have not been married by the church; she is not mine yet.”
Prieta laughed and really fell in love with Benito!
A
Daughter’s Tribute: My Dad Has No Legs – Mrs. Esther Eustaquio Phipps
Malone
I idolized
my father, the Reverend Benjamin Phipps. Growing up, I worked beside him
in the yard, breaking bricks, planting tomatoes and repairing fences. He
put out my flaming-gown with his bare-calloused hands when it caught fire while
I was standing to close to the heater. He never took us to the
emergency-room because he always knew exactly what to do to care for his
girls. He taught me to do things right the first time by taking my time
and not rushing.
His sure
footsteps caused the house to creak and moan as he moved about checking windows
and doors, making sure his girls were safe and secure before he went to bed.
The sounds of daddy moving throughout the house lulled me to sleep every night.
This man
who taught us self-preservation advised us, “Always pay attention to your
surroundings so you know who is watching you. If someone passes you on
the street, look at them straight in the eyes because it lets them know that
you see them. When they pass by you, glance back a couple to times to see
where they went. Don’t allow yourself to be an easy target.”
This man,
up until 5-years ago would challenge and match me in a duel of military pushups
and beat me in jumping jacks!
This man
with no more than an eighth-grade education taught us the importance of
cash-flow and entrepreneurship. He would say “When you see a need, fill
it.” He said on more than one occasion, “There is always something you can
do. A person should go to bed tired from a full day’s work.”
My dad
worked as pastor, carpenter, barber, custodian, landlord, and even as a
cook. He noticed that the campus athletes were always hungry on weekends
because the cafeteria was closed. Dad took fruit, a large thermos of steaming
hot delicious irresistible Dominican coffee, milk and gigantic sandwiches made
with peanut butter, jelly & cheese; yes peanut butter, jelly & cheese.
Those fellas were looking for my daddy every weekend.
I emulated
this man, watched carefully through the years; though without total awareness
of his impact on my life.
I saw my
dad, the man that I loved dearly lying in bed, with no legs, having to wait for
someone to care for his basic needs.
My dad
always took care of those around him. He ministered, mentored, doctored,
clothed and fed so many lives.
When he
became bed-ridden, he had to wait for someone to bring him his meals, provide
personal grooming, and had to wait for friends and family to visit him; and for
someone to scratch his back when it itched.
It broke my
heart - past tense because you see my daddy now has legs. God has gifted
him with strong, beautiful, agile, swift, perfect legs and shoes because he
wanted shoes and a flashlight. You see from the time he was amputated to the
time he died, he asked for his shoes because he could still feel his
legs. And a few days before he went to meet his Maker, dad began asking
for his flashlight. I guess he wanted to make sure God could see him
coming.
We love you
Daddy!
Editor’s Note: I tried the peanut butter, jelly
and cheese sandwich and it was delicious. I was hesitant when I first read
about the sandwich, but I thought I would give it a try and I am glad I did!
13. MRS. CAROL ISABELLA MESSIAH
RESPONDS TO TCR NEWS BREAK:
Mrs. Carol
Isabella Messiah Responds to TCR News Break – “May the Love of God be with Each of You this Day –
The Birthday of Richard Allen, the founder of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church!” submitted by Ms. Ametta Lorene Reaves
I just read your article in The Christian
Recorder on our founder, Bishop Richard Allen. Thank you very much. I am
proud to be a member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In this 21st
Century as we experience Twitter, FaceBook, myspace, emails, bbm's, touch
phones, iPads, 4G, and a host of other communication apparatuses. I want to
remember what brought us to the place where we are.
Richard Allen, I believe was anointed by
God to be the founder and leader of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church. As he experienced slavery and the harshness of being treated as though
he were not a human being, and remembering his African roots, he
chose to work out his pain at the altar of St. George's Methodist Episcopal
Church. I believe in the final prayer at the altar of St. George's, he received
with clarity his purpose.
As he was forcibly removed from the altar at
prayer, in deep humility, he rose to his feet, understanding who he was
and to whom he belonged, he, along with others, silently walked out of St.
George's Methodist Episcopal Church. What identifies Richard Allen as an
ultimate hero to me and deserving the titles "Founder, Leader,
Bishop" was that as he walked out, my spiritual imagination
tells me that his head was held high, not boastful and not with false pride.
He never said to the pastor, stewards, trustees or even the members in
attendance that he wanted his tithes or my offerings back; nor did he say
that he wanted them to give back the prayers that he prayed at the altar,
nor did he say, “I want your buildings or a part of your legacy.” Never
did we hear that he brought the Church into disrepute. It was never reported,
nor did we hear that he had sown dissention in the Church. We never heard that
he had damaged the property or taken the Church to court. He simply walked out.
I believe in the light of his humility, God saw
that he could entrust Richard Allen with the birth of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church. God has truly enlarged his territory. Today we
celebrate the birth of a man who, not through his own knowledge, might, or
power, but through the hand of God; was instrumental in the growth and
development of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. As a result, the first
female South African, Charlotte Manye Maxeke was educated at Wilberforce University, near
Xenia, Ohio and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. It
was this woman through the African Methodist Episcopal Church, who brought
African Methodism to the Continent of Africa and had the tenacity and
vision to be the founder of the African National Congress (ANC)
Women's League in South Africa.
I
pray that we will never forget what Richard Allen means to the African
Methodist Episcopal Church, what it means to be a member of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church; and that we will, in future, do more to appreciate
and honor the Legacy that we have inherited.
God
Bless the sainted memory of Bishop Richard Allen and God Bless the African
Methodist Episcopal Church.
Yours
for Christ, Church and Community,
Carol
Isabella Messiah
Brother Ashley Ballard stated in the anniversary occasion
how the church has served as a nucleus for the family and brought unity within
the community; has served as a training ground for youth, educators, and
doctors; and has served as a place for all generations. The A.M.E. Church has
stood on a firm foundation and “Stood the Test of Time.”
Highlighting the anniversary observance were the
presentation of the M.E. Singleton Award and the Community Award given annually
in memory of Brother Singleton. He was the epitome of an unassuming, yet loyal
servant to Saint Peter and Peach County Community.
The recipient of this prestigious award was Laurone
Pete. Sister Odessa McNair stated in her
presentation that Brother Pete is always dedicated and willing to volunteer for
whatever tasks are needed in the church.
Brother Ashley Ballard and Sister Willie M. Johnson
presented the “Community Award” to Sister Annie Marshall. Brother Ballard stated in his presentation
that Sister Marshall was deserving of this award because of her outstanding
service to the community. Each recipient
was presented with a lovely plaque which echoed their Christian endeavors.
The anniversary speaker for the occasion was the Reverend
Nathaniel Neal.
The Rev. Bertram Smith had the pleasure of introducing him
as the speaker of the hour. The Rev.
Nathaniel Neal is the Presiding Elder of the Savannah District of the Georgia
Annual Conference of the Sixth Episcopal District of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church. His subject was
centered on the key points that will enable a Christian to stand the test of
time: Let God in, prepare yourself for more than a regular fight, properly
dress in the physical as well as the spiritual; and when you dress make sure
you follow Ephesians 6:13 and, “Put on the whole armor of God.”
Following this worship experience, a fellowship hour and a
scrumptious dinner was served to the worshippers.
On Sunday, January 29, 2012, an impressive number of well-wishers
gathered at Murdock Chapel AME Church in Pike Road, Alabama for the church’s
groundbreaking ceremony.
Murdock Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Pike Road,
Alabama is in the Alabama River Region of the 9th Episcopal
District.
The crowd, members, friends, and visitors, was excited as they
gathered in Pike Road, Alabama for a worship service of praise and worship in
celebration of a historical groundbreaking event of Murdock Chapel AME
Church. The Reverend Letitia Watford, the pastor of Murdock Chapel AME
Church was excited and Pastor Watford said” “If God wasn’t steadying my feet I
would be levitating right now.”
The Rt. Reverend James Levert Davis, Servant Bishop of the Ninth
Episcopal District delivered the message from the text Mark 11:15-18. The
Subject of his sermon was, “A Holy House Inspection.” He related the biblical
account when Jesus drove out those who were buying and selling in the temple.
Bishop Davis’ three points were “Obstruction to worship – the selling of doves
for sacrifices; prostitution of purpose – the exchange of money or “check
cashing” service being brought into the temple; and Irreverent trespassing –
allowing anyone to carry wares through the temple.” Bishop Davis preached a
powerful sermon and impressed upon the congregation the sacredness of God’s
house and the responsibility to maintain the sacredness of the church.
The guest-list read like a “Who’s Who” in the Ninth Episcopal
District. The distinguished dignitaries included retired General Officer,
the Rev. Dr. Anderson Todd; Presiding Elder Albert L. Hyche, Montgomery-Selma
District, Alabama River Region Conference; candidate for the Episcopacy, the
Reverend James E. Arnell; and the Mayor of Pike Road, Alabama, Gordon Stone.
At the crescendo of the unveiling of the vision by Mr. Colin
Adendorf, designer of the project and Mr. John Whaley, the builder; the
General’s Men Glee Club of Lee High School under the direction of the Reverend
Brenda Shuford, sang a soul-stirring rendition of “I Will Sing Hallelujah!”
Brother Kenneth Wiggins, trustee and administrator of “Build 2012”
said, “The new sanctuary will be more than a building; it is also a testimony
to how faith in God works when you trust Him.”
Bishop Davis said, “In the past, the community surrounded the
church, Murdock Chapel, but now the church will be better able to serve the
surrounding community.”
Elder Hyche noted, "This will be the first church in the
Alabama River Region built under the leadership of a woman pastor and that in
itself is historic.”
The groundbreaking of Murdock Chapel African Methodist Episcopal
Church drew a crowd.
*E. Ann Clemons is the 9th Episcopal District
Reporter
President Barack Obama to deliver remarks at the groundbreaking
ceremony for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and
Culture (NMAAHC) on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012 at 10 a.m.
The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at the construction site of the
NMAAHC, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue N.W. (on the National Mall between
the Washington Monument and the National Museum of American History).
Other participants include: Wayne Clough, Secretary, Smithsonian Institution Lonnie G. Bunch III, director, NMAAHC; France Córdova, chair, Smithsonian Board of Regents; Laura Bush, member, NMAAHC, Advisory Council; Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.); and Phylicia Rashad, who will serve as the emcee.
Musical performances will be given by Denyce Graves, Thomas
Hampson, jazz pianist; Jason Moran, Stanley Thurston and The Heritage Signature
Chorale, Howard University Jazz ensemble-Afro Blue, The Madrigal Singers of St.
Albans and the National Cathedral Schools, and the U.S. Navy Band.
At least two AMEs, William "Bill" Ayers and his sister,
Ms. Miriam Ayers will be participating in the ground breaking for the new
National Museum of African American History and Culture. “Bill” Ayers will be in attendance as a board
member of the Heritage Signature Chorale - one of the singing groups. He is the
co-chair of the AMEC Connectional Lay Organization Centennial Celebration
Committee. Miriam is a singing member of
the Chorale and the business manager and she has also been invited to attend
the reception at the White House with the President and his guests.
William "Bill" Ayers and his sister, Miriam Ayers are
members of Ward AME Church in Washington, DC.
The event is by invitation only and will not be opened to the
public; the ceremony will be webcast at
http://nmaahc.si.edu/Events/Groundbreaking.
Submitted by Paulette Coleman, PhD
Read More:
The NMAAHC will be the only national museum devoted exclusively to
the documentation of African American life, art, history and culture. Scheduled
to open in 2015, the museum will be the first green building on the National
Mall. Building designed by Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup; construction by
Clark/Smoot/Russell.
17. VOTER ID LAWS: WHAT THEY ARE AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THEM:
*John Thomas III
We greet 2012 with an air of hope
and anticipation. In addition to the AME
Church General Conference, 2012 features the United States Federal elections
for President and the Congress. The
rollercoaster towards November 6th will have many ups and downs as
the Republican Party struggles to pick an electable nominee and President Obama
attempts to convince the nation to renew its hope in him and his
administration. A new twist in this
process is the advent of voter identification laws. Proponents (largely Republican) argue that
these measures are necessary to guard against voter fraud. Opponents (largely Democrat) contend that the
voter id legislation is nothing more than a thinly-veiled attempt to
disenfranchise marginalized groups—particularly poor persons, minorities and
senior citizens. So, who’s right and
what can the Black church do about it?
The issue of mandating that United
States voters provide photo identification when casting ballots dates back to a
1999 pilot program in Virginia that was opposed by Democrats and the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and eventually ended
via court order. After the 2000
Presidential election and the razor-thin vote margin in Florida, public opinion
became more receptive to voter identification.
In 2002, then President Bush signed the “Help America Vote Act”
mandating the presentation of voter identification for all first-time voters in
Federal Elections. According to the
National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL), approximately 1000 bills in 46
states addressing some type of voter identification.
The following eighteen (18) states
have passed major legislation regulating voter IDs:
(2003) Alabama, Colorado, Montana,
North Dakota and South Dakota;
(2005) Indiana, Georgia, New Mexico
and Washington;
(2006) Ohio;
(2009) Utah;
(2010) Idaho and Oklahoma;
(2011) Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri,
Montana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, South Carolina,
Tennessee, and Texas.
The photo identification laws vary
on two grounds: 1) Whether one needs a government issued identification or any
photos identification and 2) Whether one can or cannot cast a provisional ballot
without photo identification. At the
time of passage, Democrats controlled the legislatures of Alabama, New Mexico
and Rhode Island with Republicans controlling the rest. Democratic governors vetoed the voter
identification measures in Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire and
North Carolina. The South Carolina law
could not be enacted because the Federal government denied preclearance under
the 1965 Voting Rights Act; Texas is awaiting a decision on preclearance
(According to the 1965 Voting Rights Act, several states and voting
jurisdictions must have preclearance from the Federal government to make
changes to voting requirements). In sum,
Republican legislatures are more likely to pursue voter identification laws
than those controlled by Democrats.
Now, let’s look at the arguments and
supporting data for and against voter identification laws. Proponents for voter identification laws have
stated one or several of the following:
1) Voter fraud is a real threat;
3) States are providing the services
for voters to obtain identification.
In an editorial letter to the Wall
Street Journal on May 23, 2011, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach
argues for the voter identification laws in Kansas (the most stringent in the
nation) and shares statistics of non-citizen immigrants who have either
registered to vote or actually voted in Kansas and Colorado. Furthermore, a 2010 Rasmussen survey in
which 83 percent of those polled supported voter identification laws. Also, a recent brief by The Heritage
Foundation in January 2012 detailed voter fraud incidents in several states
and the District of Colombia.
Opposition to voter identification
laws is grounded in one of the following arguments:
1) Voter fraud is not as pervasive
as voter identification proponents suggest
2) Voter identification laws will
disproportionately affect minorities, the physically disabled and poor
people—in other words, groups already marginalized.
In its December 2011 report
“Defending Democracy”, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund referred to voter
identification laws as a “coordinated and comprehensive assault against our
voting rights”. A study by University
of Chicago researchers from the Black Youth Project demonstrated that as
many as 850,000 African-Americans could be disenfranchised in Kansas, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. These estimates hinge upon a New York University
Center Brennan Center study which estimates that 25% of African-Americans do
not have some form of government-issued voter identification readily
accessible. Regarding voter fraud, the
Brennan Center published a comprehensive survey of voter fraud (The Truth
about Voter Fraud) in several states concluding that fears of fraud were
unrealistic and overhyped.
As with any hot-button issue, both
sides can readily point to statistics and facts. The Brennan Center study with its troubling
finding for African-Americans merit a closer methodological review and to this
author, its reliability is debatable.
If the study is indeed true, then the voter identification laws could
have a dramatically negative impact on minority voter participation in key
states as predicted by the University of Chicago researchers. By placing the voter identification laws
against a backdrop of other initiatives by several of those states (e.g.
decreasing early voting periods, changing registration requirements,
lengthening the process for ex-felons to have their rights restored), it is not
far-fetched to view these laws as part of a troubling pattern of Republican
controlled states making it more difficult for persons to vote. While some cite the passage of the voter
identification laws by several Democratic legislatures as signs of bi-partisan
appeal, in all three cases the laws were either softened or phased in after
initial passage.
So, what can we, the Black church,
do? First, we should support efforts
by the NAACP and other civic organizations to examine voter identification laws
to ensure they do not unduly hamper free exercise of the right to vote. Second, education is the most powerful
weapon we have to make sure that our members (particularly Senior Citizens) understand
the new requirements in that may be present in their state. The NAACP Report
(available at http://www.naacp.org/pages/defending-democracy)
and the NCSL website (http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=16602)
have comprehensive information on the state requirements. Also, churches should hold voter education
drives and education seminars beginning with the primary season (A blank for
“Registered Voters” appears on the Annual Conference Report Form, so why not
take the time to actually see if the information is correct?) Lastly, the following checklist by the NAACP
should be widely distributed in all churches and prominently displayed with
special attention paid to Senior Citizens:
Essential Questions
Voters must be able to answer in advance of Election Day:
1. Am I registered to
vote?
a. If not, where and
when can I register to vote, and what must I bring to register?
b. If so, does my
voter registration file include my current address? If not, how can I update my
address?
2. When is the next
election in my city, county, state?
3. When does the voter
registration period close for the next election cycle?
4. After I register to
vote, how do I verify my registration?
5. If I was convicted
of a criminal offense, did I lose my voting rights? If so, how do I apply to
have them restored?
6. If I am currently
incarcerated awaiting disposition of a criminal charge, am I still eligible to
register to vote? If yes, how do I apply for an absentee ballot?
7. Am I eligible for
an absentee ballot? If so, how and when do I request one? When can I cast my
absentee vote?
8. Does my state
require government-issued photo identification or proof of citizenship to
register to vote and/ or to vote?
a. If so, which forms
of identification are acceptable?
b. If the form of
identification I have is not acceptable, where can I obtain an acceptable one?
c. What documents do I
need to get the required identification?
d. Is it free? If not,
can I apply for a fee waiver? Note that many offices wait for you to ask for a
fee waiver, and will not offer it themselves, even though you may be entitled
to one.
9. Does my state offer
early voting? If so, what is the early voting period, and where do I cast my
early vote?
10. If I am voting in
person on Election Day, where is my polling place? What if I moved since I last
voted?
*John Thomas III is a PhD Candidate
at the University of Chicago
18. LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
*The Rev. Dr. Joseph
A. Darby
The Black History
Month 2012 theme is “Black Women in American Culture and History.” Appropriate
consideration of that theme has to include Rosa Parks. Her courageous decision
not to sit in the back of a Montgomery, Alabama city bus touched off the 1955
Montgomery Bus Boycott that set the pace for the mid-20th century civil rights
movement and brought a preacher named Martin Luther King, Jr. to national
prominence.
The remarkable thing
about the effective and successful protest touched off by Mrs. Parks was that
it happened in 1955 – before cell phones, text- messaging, email, FaceBook or
Twitter. People who often had limited resources and little formal training came
together, changed a city and ultimately changed a nation with the involvement
and leadership of the church.
Churches hosted
strategy sessions and coordinated alternative transportation in Montgomery and were
the staging grounds for protests in places ranging from Birmingham, Alabama to
Charleston, South Carolina. Marches were led by Dr. King and other clergy, and
diverse people of faith fought together for freedom and equality. The unifying
thread in the civil rights movement was the involvement of people of faith, and
the work of Mrs. Parks, Dr. King and the heroines and heroes of the movement
contain four lessons for people of faith today.
The first lesson is
that people of faith and conviction can accomplish great things when they work
together. On her own, Mrs. Parks was a seamstress, Secretary of the local NAACP
and a Stewardess in the AME Church. On his own, Dr. King was a well educated
but very young and very “green” Baptist pastor, but they came together with
like minded clergy and laity to lead a quiet revolution. When today’s churches
and clergy come out of our denominational comfort zones and go beyond our
intra-church agendas, we can make the societal changes that are needed today.
The second lesson is
that working for change may require sacrifice. Mrs. Parks was arrested for
taking a stand and eventually compelled to leave her native Alabama, Dr. King
was repeatedly arrested and vilified and eventually murdered, but they both
chose to do what was right instead of what was safe.
Today’s churches and
clergy must have the same willingness to sacrifice. Too often, we “get our
Sunday praise on” and offer aid to the needy but don’t challenge systems that
keep the needy on the bottom rung of society. We sometimes quietly accommodate
to evil out of fear that we’ll lose favor with people in high places who can be
financially beneficial to us. If we are to change things for the better, we
have to shake off our complacency and fear and follow the God whose perfect
love casts out fear.
The third lesson is
that not everyone will applaud or support our actions. Dr. King penned his
“Letter From a Birmingham Jail” to answer critical black and white clergy in
that southern city. A major reason for the establishment of the Progressive
National Baptist Convention was the National Baptist Convention’s reluctance to
embrace the civil rights movement. Those who stand for freedom and justice
today will sometimes be criticized for saying too much, pressing too hard or moving
too fast, but there’s never a wrong time to do the right thing.
The fourth lesson is
that churches and clergy partnered with the NAACP, Congress of Racial Equality,
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and other like minded organizations.
They laid their agendas aside and worked for a common goal without regard for
who got the eventual credit. When we look beyond who gets the credit and work
together today for a common goal, our blessings will be shared blessings.
The evils of racism
and division are more subtle and nuanced but no less real or dangerous today.
The Tea Party movement, the coordinated regressive actions taken in many state
legislatures and the rhetoric of the GOP Presidential Primary remind us of
that. When we speak truth to power with one voice and address those present day
challenges as our ancestors in the struggle fifty years ago, we can assure that
the gains in freedom and equality that they won aren’t lost and that the civil
rights revolution wasn’t simply the second Period of American Reconstruction.
*The Rev. Dr. Joseph
A. Darby is the senior pastor of Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston, South
Carolina
19.
THE 2012 FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT SCHEDULE OF ANNUAL CONFERENCES:
Bishop Richard Franklin Norris,
Presiding Prelate
Mrs. Mary Norris, Episcopal
Supervisor
The
Bermuda Annual Conference
March 6, 2012 – Evangelist Day
March 7, 2012 The W.M.S. Conference Branch Annual Meeting
The Missionary Sermon: The Rev. Lorne Bean
The Annual Conference: March 8-11, 2012
The Fairmont Southampton Hotel &
Spa
South Shore Road Southampton, Bermuda
Presiding Elder: (441) 239-0194
Host: Ministerial Alliance
The Host Presiding Elder: The Rev. Betty Furbert-Woolridge
The Annual Sermon: The Rev. Jahkimmo Smith
The
Delaware Annual Conference
March 27, 2012 – Evangelist Day
March 28, 2012The W.M.S. Conference Branch Annual Meeting
The Missionary Sermon: The Rev. Idola J. Batson
The Annual Conference: March 29, 2012
Asbury African Methodist Episcopal
Church
1712-28 Providence AvenueChester, Pennsylvania 19013
Church: (610) 874-2110
Pastor: (856) 384-0381
The Host Pastor: The Rev. Janet J. Sturdivant
The Host Presiding Elder: The Rev. Richard Worthy
The Annual Sermon: The Rev. Janet J. Sturdivant
The
New Jersey Annual Conference
April 9, 2012 – Evangelist Day
April 10, 2012The W.M.S Conference Branch Meeting
The Missionary Sermon: The Rev. Ronald Slaughter
The Annual Conference: April 11, 2012
Sheraton Hilton and Convention
Center
2 Miss America WayAtlantic City, New Jersey
The Presiding Elder: (908) 754-0166
Host: Atlantic City District
The Annual Sermon: The Rev. H. Holland Fields
The New England Annual Conference
April 17, 2012 – Evangelist Day
April 18, 2012
The W.M.S. Conference Branch Annual Meeting
The Missionary Sermon: The Rev. Viola Morris-Buchanan
The Annual Conference: April 19-22
Charles Street African Methodist
Episcopal Church
551 Warren StreetRoxbury, MA 02121
Church: (617) 442-7770
Pastor: (617) 541-5848
The Host Pastor: The Rev. Gregory G. Groover
The Host Presiding Elder: The Rev. Herbert L. Eddy
The Annual Sermon: The Rev. Ron McCune
The New York Annual Conference
April 23 – Evangelist Day
April 24, 2012
The W.M.S Conference Branch Annual Meeting
The Missionary Sermon: The Rev. Ella Brandon
Annual Conference: April 25-29, 2012
Bridge Street African Methodist
Episcopal Church
277 Stuyvesant AvenueBrooklyn, NY 11221
Church (718) 452-3936
Pastor (914) 576-7442
The Host Pastor: The Rev. David B. Cousin, Sr.
The Host Presiding Elder: The Rev. Alvan N. Johnson
The Annual Sermon: The Rev. Floyd F. Flake
The
Western New York Annual Conference
May 8, 2012 – Evangelist Day
May 9, 2012 The W.M.S. Conference Branch Annual Meeting
The Missionary Sermon: The Rev. Frances Lewis
The Annual Conference: May 10-12, 2012
Baber African Methodist Episcopal
Church
550 Meigs StreetRochester, NY 14607
Church (585) 461-1395
Pastor (585) 461-9186
The Host Pastor: The Rev. James C. Simmons
The Host Presiding Elder: The Rev. Carlton Gibson
The Annual Sermon: The Rev. Robert Reynolds
The Philadelphia Annual Conference
May 21, 2012 Evangelist Day
May 22, 2012The W.M.S. Conference Branch Annual Meeting
The Missionary Sermon: The Rev. Jacqueline Capers
The Annual Conference: May 23-27, 2010
Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church
419 Richard Allen Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Church (215) 925-0616
Pastor (267) 324-5980
The Host Pastor: The Rev. Dr. Mark K. Tyler
The Host Presiding Elder: The Rev. Jocelyn K. Hart
The Annual Sermon: The Rev. Ron Sparks
Recap:
Conferences:
W.M.S. Day - Conference Dates
Bermuda: March 7, 2012 - March 8-11,
2012
Delaware: March 28, 2012 - March
29-31, 2012New Jersey: April 10, 2012 - April 11-15, 2012
New England: April 18, 2012 - April 19-22, 2012
New York: April 24, 2012 - April 25-29, 2012
Western New York: May 9, 2012 - May 10-12, 2012
Philadelphia: May 22, 2012 - May 23-27, 2012
20. MEDITATION ~BASED ON MATTHEW
6:25-34:
*The Rev.
Dr. Joseph A. Darby
When I was
a child, breakfast cereal manufacturers had a marketing strategy that also
taught an unintended life lesson. They
put “prizes” in their cereal boxes and sometimes offered “special prizes” for
sending in a certain number of cereal box tops.
I didn’t bother with the obviously cheap prizes in the boxes, but one of
their advertised special prizes - an Official Police Detective Kit, complete
with a whistle, badge, magnifying glass and handcuffs - caught my eye.
I ate a lot
of cereal to accumulate enough box tops to get my special prize - my mother
wouldn’t just let me throw it in the trash and cut up the boxes. I mailed in those box tops and was excited
when my Official Police Detective Kit finally arrived, but when I opened the
package, my excitement turned to disappointed confusion. The whistle was a plastic toy, the badge was
made of tin foil, the magnifying glass was one inch in diameter and the
handcuffs were just the right size to fit the family dog! I ate all of that nasty cereal just to learn
a valuable lesson - things aren’t always what we expect them to be.
That lesson
is still worth remembering today. Life
teaches us to pursue what we want and to measure success in the positions we
hold, the possessions we accumulate, the people we know and the good times we
experience. We often learn later,
however, that those things can be fleeting and illusory and sometimes lose
their meaning when sickness, sorrow, stress and disappointment come our way -
that the things that we work hard to get can sometimes become cumbersome
burdens.
This
world’s joy and well-being sometimes aren’t all that we expect them to be, but
when we trust in the Lord, we’ll find joy in waking up each day, well-being in
life’s simple things and peace of mind in knowing that we serve a Savior who
brings us daily blessings that the world can’t match and who stands by us in
our toughest times.
We should
all work hard to achieve and seek the best that things life offers. We should also, however, keep things in
perspective and find our ultimate joy in the God who enables us to achieve and
gives us priceless and intangible blessings.
We can then lay aside anxiety and disappointment, stop getting caught up
in keeping up, and understand why one writer said, “I’d rather have Jesus more
than anything this world affords today.”
Get Ready
for Sunday!
If you are
in Charleston, South Carolina join us for Worship at 8 am and 11 am on the
Third Sunday in February, when we’ll also celebrate Afrocentric Dress Day for
Black History Month and celebrate Transfiguration Sunday, which heralds the
coming of the Lenten Season.
The Eight
O’clock Choir will offer praise at 8 am and the Combined Choir, Praise Dance
Ministry, Voices of Promise and our new choir - the Generation of Praise - will
offer praise at 11 am.
Sunday’s
Scripture Lessons are:
Exodus 34:27-35
II Corinthians 4:1-7
Luke 9:28-36
Sunday’s
Sermons are:
8 am –
“Reflect God’s Light”
11 am – “Let
God’s Light Shine Through You”*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby is the pastor of Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina
21. GENERAL OFFICER FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret
to inform you of the passing on February 15, 2012 of the Rev. Pretty Harrison,
pastor of Bethel AME Church, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa, Mokone
Conference of the 19th Episcopal District. The Rev. P Harrison was the current
chair of the MM Mokone Conference Board of Examiners, the 19th Episcopal
District; Chair of WIM and member of the current General Board. She was the
wife of the Rev. Dr. F.C. Harrison, retired General Officer.
The
Celebration of Life for the Rev. Pretty Harrison is as follows:
Memorial
Service
Thursday,
February 23, 2012
1:00 p.m.
Ebenezer
AME Church
Atteridgeville
The Rev. MJ
Modibedi
(+27) 84
632 3535
Funeral
Proceedings
Saturday,
February 25, 2012
4125
Emsanwini
P.O.
NkulumaneBulawayao, Zimbabwe
Mrs. Judith
Chipeta
Tel:
00263733584386
Fortune
Chipeta
(+27)
0711799391
Condolences
and expressions of sympathy may be sent to:
The Rev.
Dr. Reverend Fred Harrison
543 Leyds
StreetStandard Court
Sunnyside, RSA
Tel:
(+2712) 3434326
Submitted
by the Rev. Gaborone P. Lesito, Silverton, RSA, for the family of Pastor Pretty
Harrison.
22. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT
NOTICE:
We regret
to inform you of the passing on February 12, 2012 of Mr. Edward Mncedisi
Nconco. He is the brother of the Reverend Andrew Bhekumuzi Nconco, Local Elder
of Mt. Sinai AME Church, Mamelodi, Republic of South Africa, Mokone Conference
of the 19th Episcopal District, Bishop Jeffrey N. Leath, Presiding Prelate.
The
Celebration of Life is as follows:
Saturday,
February 25, 2012
07:00 a.m.
Msogwaba,
Nelspruit
Condolences
and expressions of sympathy may be sent to:
The
Reverend AB Nconco
Tel: (+27)
76 923 3581Email: jael@vodamail.co.za
Submitted by the Rev. Gaborone P. Lesito, Silverton, RSA, for the family of Rev. Andrew B. Nconco.
23. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT
NOTICE:
We are saddened
to announce the death of Mrs. Regina P. Ceacal, a paternal aunt of Dianna B.
Golphin, president of the 13thEpiscopal District M-SWAWO + PK's, who two weeks
ago lost a maternal uncle, Liesbon Frazier. Mrs. Regina P. Ceacal, spouse of
Deacon Junior Ceacal, died on Sunday, February 12, 2012. Mrs. Golphin is the
spouse of the Reverend Kenneth J. Golphin, pastor of Asbury Chapel AME Church
of Louisville, Kentucky, who will officiate. Pastor Arthur B. Glover will
deliver the eulogy.
Services
for Mrs. Regina P. Ceacal:
Wake:
Friday, February 17, 2012, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Greater Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church,
McClellanville, South Carolina. The Reverend Arthur B Glover, Pastor
Vewing:
Saturday, February 18, 2012, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. at Greater Mt. Zion A.M.E.
Church, McClellanville, South Carolina
Celebration
Of Life Service: Saturday, February 18, 2012, 11:00 a.m. at Greater Mt. Zion
A.M.E. Church, McClellanville, South Carolina
Burial:
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at Old Board Cemetery, McClellanville, South
Carolina
Professional
services provided by:
Gethers
Funeral Home
200 Grace
StreetMoncks Corner, South Carolina 29461
Phone: 843-761-8519
Fax: 843-761-1860
www.gethersfuneralhome.com
Dianna B.
Golphin
760
Statesman WayLexington, Kentucky 40505
Email: MrsGolphin@aol.com
24. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT
NOTICE:
We regret to
inform you of the passing of William E. McEachern, Sr., the father of the Rev.
Richard O. McEachern, pastor at Macedonia AMEC, Flushing, NY (New York Annual
Conference, Brooklyn/West Chester District).
The
following information has been provided regarding funeral arrangements.
Viewing and
Funeral - Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Viewing:
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Funeral:
11:00 a.m.
Shaw Temple
AME Zion Church
775 Hurt
RoadSmyrna, GA 30082
Phone: 770-801-8185
Fax: 770-801-9750
Email: arichardson@shawtemple.org
The Rev.
Dr. George D. Crenshaw, Sr., Pastor
Condolences
may be faxed or emailed to the church or to:
The Rev.
Richard McEachern
C/o Willie
A. WatkinsFuneral Home, Inc.
1003 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd, SW
Atlanta, GA 30310
Director: Joslyn McLain
Phone: 404-758-1731
Fax: 404-758-3246
Cell: 404-775-9992
Email: jmclain@williewatkins.com
25. 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
26. 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
26. 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.
