Bishop T.
Larry Kirkland - Chair, Commission on Publications
The
Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The
Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, the 20th Editor, The Christian Recorder
Mark
and Save Date in your Calendars:
July Is Faith-Based Wellness, Health,
Nutrition & Fitness Month
1. TCR EDITORIAL – WHY DON’T BISHOPS JUST
SAY…:
Dr. Calvin H.
Sydnor III
The 20th
Editor of The Christian Recorder
This will not be a
popular editorial. There will be clergy
and maybe some laity who will disagree with the position of this
editorial.
Let me digress
When I use to do
family and marriage counseling sometimes we would be in a situation that if the
person was being counseled had said “No” they would not been in their present
situation. I found it amazing how hard it was for some people to say,
“No.” I developed an exercise where “no”
was always the appropriate response. It was amazing how many people were
uncomfortable saying “No.”
Sometimes a “no”
can be uncomfortable and even inappropriate as when a child says “no” by word
or action in response to a parent’s decision.
There are other
times when a “no” is appropriate as when someone asks or tries to entice one to
do something wrong.
Sometimes a “no” is
just as difficult for the person uttering the word as it is for recipient of the
word, “no.”
I suspect we have
that problem in relationships, family systems, on the job and even in churches.
Some parents find
it hard to say “no.” Young people,
influenced by peer pressure often find it hard to say “no.”
Even in the Religious realm
Apparently pastors,
local churches, presiding elders, quarterly conferences, district conferences,
annual conferences, boards of examiners, ministerial and lay delegates at the
annual conference and even bishops find it hard to say, “no!”
The word “no” has
not been banned, it can still be a relevant word.
“No” and “yes” keep
organizations functioning more efficiently. For example; “‘No,’ you are not
qualified and we will not hire / promote you” or “‘Yes,’ your qualifications
meet our standards and you are hired /promoted.”
In the secular world
Financial
institutions and other lenders say “no” to people with poor credit. Colleges
and universities say “no” to low-achieving students. Employers say “no” to unqualified job
applicants. Married couple and lovers sometimes say “no” to each other.
Students say “no” to their teachers, most often not doing their homework.
State Bar
Associations say “no” to law graduates who cannot pass the Bar Examination.
Accrediting agencies say “no” to those entities that fail to meet accreditation
standards.
A “Yes” or “No” makes a difference
Every “no” in not
inappropriate and every “yes” is not appropriate.
In ministry a “yes”
or “no” can make a difference; and as a matter of fact a “yes” or “no” can make
a “world of difference!”
This is not the
first time I have addressed this ministry issue and I don’t mean to sound like
a “broken record” or a CD playing the same thing over and over again. I feel
strongly about the itinerant ministry.
The itinerant
ministry of the AME Church is compromised because we have too many
itinerant-credentialed preachers serving in local relationships or not doing
any ministry. We have itinerants who
have never served a day in Itinerant ministry; not even one day as an itinerant
preacher; and sitting in the pulpit on Sundays is not itinerant ministry.
In some areas local
preachers are serving as itinerant preachers and the AME Church refuses to
reobligate them as itinerants; while at the same the time the AME Church
refuses to reclassify itinerant- credentialed preachers as locals.
It’s not all their fault
I am sure there are
itinerant-credentialed preachers willing to serve as itinerant ministers, but
they haven’t been given an opportunity to do so. It’s not their fault that they do not have a
pastoral appointment.
It’s the fault of a
flawed system that the AME Church has let “get out of control” in ordaining
preachers without regard to pastoral appointments. The foundation of the
itinerant system or Itinerancy 101
has been a pastoral appointment or its equivalence for ordained as itinerant
preachers.
And sad to say, a
lot of women
have made sacrifices earning seminary degrees and going through the ordination
process, only to be denied pastoral appointments. In many cases, women clergy
have not been given pastoral appointments commensurate with their theological and
academic training, and abilities.
Too many inappropriate “yeses”
The Church has
allowed too many cowardly inappropriate “yes” responses to persons seeking
Itinerant Orders. The Church has said,
“Yes,” when it should have said, “No.”
Of course there are several ways to say “no” and the polite way to say
“no” is to say, “No thank you” with an explanation of why and how the
itinerancy works and why they may not be acceptable as ordinands.
The cowardly “yes”
responses begin with the local church pastor, the local church conference, and
the quarterly conference. I suspect some local churches give a cowardly “yes”
even when they are not confident that the applicant would make an effective
itinerant pastor.
If an applicant has
a high-paying job and seems to be firmly settled in his or her career and the
community, it might be more appropriate and courageous to recommend that person
for local orders. Church pastor should have courageous “heart-to-heart”
conversations with those who aspire to the ministry.
A part of the problem
We, the clergy and
members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, have, by our “thoughts,
word, and deed,” subordinated the local-track ministry to “second-team”
ministry. Nobody wants to be on the second-string; everybody wants to be on the
first-string. Somehow we treat local
deacons and local elders as second-class clergy. We have a culture of
celebrating the itinerant ministry and ignoring the local-track ministry.
Very little vetting
When a person
acknowledges what he or she thinks is a call to the ministry, very little
vetting is done. We rejoice and accept
their word and get the ball moving as quickly as we can. I suspect there is not
enough “eyeball to eyeball” contact, not enough deep questioning and
counseling. I further suspect that even if the pastor or any of the
parishioners thought the person was not acceptable for ministry, no one would have
the courage to raise objections. Across the AME Church, we let people “slip
through” the church conference, quarterly conference, district conference and
the annual conference and many bishops just won’t say, “No” and they slip past
the bishop, the “gatekeeper.”
The work of
ministry is just as important as the medical, legal and other professions and
we should carefully vet and scrutinize those we approve for ordination.
A glut
We have a glut of
itinerant elders and in any profession or business, extreme surpluses are
indications of lowered standards or not high-enough standards. Surpluses are
eliminated by more stringent scrutiny and higher standards. Top-tier schools
have rigorous entry standards and that’s how they maintain their standards, and
their reputations.
If the AME Church
is going to correct the itinerancy, there has to be a systemic change from top
to bottom; from Episcopal Districts 1 – 20; and everybody has to be on the same
“sheet of music.” The decision to “attack” the issue has to be uniform across
the church.
The most sacred duties of
bishops
The
most critical responsibility and commitment of the episcopacy is the bishops’ answer
and promise in response to the question, “Will you be faithful in ordaining or
laying hands upon others?”
The
local church, the quarterly conference, district conference, board of
examiners, the annual conference all bear blame for abdicating their
responsibilities in allowing persons to be ordained who should not be in the
ministry.
I
will say it again, the bishop is the bottomline and it is the bishop who
promised to “be faithful in ordaining or laying hands upon others.” The bishop is the “gatekeeper” of the
itineracy. The bishop is the “doorkeeper” and the “doorkeeper” is the person
who allows or denies entry. The door to the itineracy must not be a revolving
door, but a door that requires the highest theological, spiritual, academic,
ethical and moral standards.
“No” needs to be heard more
often
It’s
hard to say “no,” but sometimes a “no” today is better than the heartache of
dealing with extended legal and negative ecclesiastical issues, which a simple
“no” could have prevented.
Not enough “no”
And,
I will say it again, it’s hard to say “no” to a son or a daughter of one of the
“old saints” of the Church; and it’s hard to say “no” to the son, daughter or
grandchild of a pastor, presiding elder or bishop. It’s hard to say “no” to a
person who seems excited about ministry. Yes, it is hard to say “no,” and it
takes courage, but bishops need to just say, “No” when they know that “no” is the appropriate response.
Things that can help bishops
and Boards of examiners say “no.”
Bishops and boards of examiners should require official
transcripts sent directly from academic institutions directly to the office of
the presiding bishop. Photocopied or scanned documents are not “official” and
should not be accepted.
Anyone who says he or she has served in the military should be
required to provide an “official raised copy” of the DD Form 214, which shows a
complete “picture” of person’s military service and the type of discharge.
Background checks and credit-checks should be required. A person
who enters the ministry should be able to pass the scrutiny of a background and
credit check. Poor credit risks and people
who don’t pay their bills will probably not be exemplary members of the clergy.
Vetting and scrutiny must
be ongoing throughout ministry
The AME Church should raise the bar of professionalism by
rigorous training, supervision and accountability and dealing forthrightly with
pastoral issues and accusations. There should be mandatory recertification
training for all members of the clergy.
Let me say this again
The biggest challenge for those being ordain itinerant elder is
their response and intention to the question in The Ordination of Elders: “Will you reverently obey your chief
ministers to who is committed the charge and government over you, following
with a glad mind and will their godly admonitions, submitting yourselves to
their godly judgments?
We have too many preachers who refuse to be obedient to their
bishops and we have too many parishioners who refuse to be obedient to their pastors.
Pastors must trust God and commit themselves to reverently
obey their chief ministers to whom is committed the charge and government …following
with a glad mind and will their godly admonitions, submitting to their godly
judgments. Pastors can only do this if they sincerely believe that God is
ultimately in charge of their ministry.
The challenge for bishops
If the itineracy is going to survive, the African Methodist
Episcopal Church must have bishops who will be committed to their promise to
“be faithful in ordaining or laying hands upon others”; that is “guarding the
gate” for those wishing to be ordained itinerant elders.
And, when guarding the gate, bishops will sometime need the
courage to say, “No!”
2. TCR OP-ED - AFTER
THE ELECTION:
Ms. Ametta Lorene Reaves
In a few days, the members of
the Laity will arrive in Atlanta, GA for the 33rd Biennial session
of the Connectional Lay Organization. The delegates received campaign material
from many of the candidates and a great deal of focus has been on the upcoming
elections.
It is critical that the 33rd Lay
Biennial session should not be remembered just for the officers reelected or
elected, but also for the relevant training and meaningful discussions about
how we make our church better.
It is my prayer that the
delegates will consider how we are using our financial resources. Should we
continue to spend over $600,000 every two years or should we spend over
$600,000 for a meeting every four years? What are we really getting for the
$600,000 dollars being spent at this biennial session? If we are the “training
arm” of the church, how many hours are devoted to training versus eating or entertainment
events? Should we consider being better
stewards of the money entrusted to us and reallocate our resources to develop
and implement meaningful training programs.
With the money received from the connectional church, what percentage is
being used for training and how much is used for stipends, executive board and
biennial meetings? Why should we continue to receive money from the
connectional church but provide little or no justification for how the money
will be used?
The Lay Organization should
consider moving from a biennial to a quadrennial connectional meeting and
allocating more financial resources to training. If we continue to receive support from the
connectional church, the money should be designated for training only and not
used for meetings, stipends, and etc. The money should be used to develop and
implement meaningful online and in-person training programs and materials. The
money could be used to develop training materials that are printed in the
diverse languages of our membership. It
could be used to purchase Bibles and other training tools for new followers of
Christ. The money could also be used to
provide uniform training and materials for general/annual conference delegates,
lay leaders, stewards, trustees, officers and other leaders of the church.
It is time for the Connectional
Lay organization to rethink our true mission and stop duplicating the mission
and goals of the WMS, Christian Education and Evangelism departments. We must
seek ways to support the efforts of other organizations and departments to
ensure the continued growth of our great Zion.
We are at a critical time in the
life of our church. Our financial resources are limited in the local church but
the needs are great. The need to minister to the spiritual, emotional and
physical development of our communities is great in every Episcopal
district. The Connectional Lay
Organization should consider collaborating with the existing departments and
organizations to address the vital needs of the people in our various Episcopal
districts.
The Connectional Lay
Organization must rethink how we help to promote the overall goal of our church
to enhance Christian discipleship and work in partnership with our bishops,
presiding elders and pastors to increase the number of conversions, baptisms,
and accessions in our local church, thus increasing the overall membership. As
members of the Laity, we should be very uncomfortable when we hear annual
conference reports which include no church growth over the last twelve months.
We must ask what is it that I can do to assist with seeking lost souls and
sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.
It is time for the Connectional
Lay Organization of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to be the Christ
centered leaders that God has called us to be. It is time for us to stop
focusing on who will be re-elected, elected or what position we want to hold
within the organization. We must stop thinking about having our names called,
listed in the protocol, sitting at the bishop’s table or being a general
conference delegates. We must allow our voices to be heard on critical issues
facing our community like quality education for every child, ending racial
discrimination and senseless violence in our neighborhoods.
The impact of the 33rd Lay
Biennial is the hands of each delegate who will attend this historic event. It
is my prayer that we will leave the 6th Episcopal District with
helpful and relevant ways to make our church better and with less talk about
who won the election on Monday or who is planning to run in the next
election.
*Submitted by Ametta Lorene
Reaves, a dedicated follower of Christ, a loving, faithful member of the AME
Church and the Lay Organization.
3. TOMBSTONE FOUND AT BETHEL BURIAL GROUND:
As the
archaeologists were digging the last trench at the former Mother Bethel Burial
Ground on Thursday, July 25, 2013, they unearthed the headstone of Amelia
Brown, a 26 year old woman who died on April 3, 1819. This is incredible when you think that Amelia
was only an infant when Bishop Allen and the founding members erected the
Blacksmith Shop in 1794. Perhaps her parents were with Allen when he walked out
of St. Georges? Who knows, but it is a great find. The stone was not connected
to any active grave. It had been moved years ago and then reburied.
Here's a story
that ran with WHYY this morning about it: http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/57756-seeking-to-preserve-sacred-ground-of-bethel-graves-beneath-queen-village-playground?linktype=hp_topstory
The Rev. Mark
Kelly Tyler, Ph.D., Senior Pastor of Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal
Church
4. TULSA, OKLAHOMA AME CHURCH DAMAGED BY
STRONG WINDS:
Vernon AME Church
in Tulsa, Oklahoma was severely damaged by a strong wind and rain storm this
week. Vernon received the worst damage;
other churches had some minor damages.
Please keep Vernon and the Oklahoma Churches and families in prayer as
they prepare for another storm today.
Check out this
story from the News On 6:
5. WHITE HOUSE COMMENT
LINE - COMMENTS WELCOME:
The White House has a Comment
Line where persons can call in and comment on the President's policies or
actions. While we have historically
encouraged letter writing to our elected officials, the realities of life
prevent most of us from doing this. Calling
the Comment Line might be easier and quicker if you have something to say.
The President receives a list of
the most commented on subjects at the end of the day, be they good or bad.
If you have something to say,
feel free to call.
The number is 202-456-1111.
6. EVERY BLACK BOY IS
ENDANGERED LIKE TRAYVON MARTIN:
*James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.
Wake up everybody no more
sleeping in bed, no more backward thinking time for thinking ahead. These timeless lyrics by singer Teddy
Pendergrass certainly ring true today. I
am still reeling from the verdict rendered on Saturday, July 13th in the
Trayvon Martin case. The backdrop is
that Trayvon Martin was followed after he purchased an ice tea and a bag of
candy from the store. George Zimmerman
who followed him was told by authorities not to pursue Trayvon Martin when he
called them. Zimmerman decided not to
take the directive and pursued him anyway.
The rest you would say is history.
The downward spiral resulted in the death of a 17 year old African
American male. Young Trayvon had his
whole life ahead of him but one deadly night in Sanford, Florida changed that
forever. Was it because he wore a hoodie
or was it because he was black? You
could hear Zimmerman making some disparaging comments on the tape so you could
make the argument that Trayvon Martin was pursued because he was black. The jury that brought the guilty verdict had
two other options. They could have found
George Zimmerman guilty of second degree murder or manslaughter. I was pretty sure that the manslaughter
charge, at least, would land at his door.
It was again my opinion that at the end of the hearing, Zimmerman would
not be able to walk away a free man.
I always remember my mom telling
me to be careful when I left the house.
She sent me to the store a lot, especially during the summertime. What I wore varied depending upon the weather
but I never feared for my life. Quite
honestly, my friends and I walked everywhere, downtown, across town and in our
neighborhood. We weren’t fearful and in
retrospect, we should not have been. In
fact, we had more miles on our shoes that some used cars back in the day. We always ended up back where we started and
that was home.
When Trayvon Martin left his
house that evening, his expectation was that he would end up back at his
house! I mean, when you go out with the
intention of getting a bag of Skittles and an ice tea, you don’t expect to lose
your life. It doesn’t matter whether you
have on a hoodie or not. And you
certainly don’t expect to be followed by a man with a gun. Now as the record shows, this was not just
any man. Zimmerman was a neighborhood
watch person whose charge it was to report, not to apprehend and shoot a boy
with no weapon. What gave him the right
to chase down and track down Trayvon Martin?
Maybe he just felt self-appointed.
Maybe he felt it was his right to extricate all young boys wearing
hoodies from his neighborhood. I watched
an interview conducted by Piers Morgan of CNN with Zimmerman’s brother. Much to my utter disbelief, Zimmerman’s
brother said that Trayvon Martin had a weapon.
He said that the weapon Trayvon Martin had was the concrete. You read this correctly, the concrete. This baseless theory was initially brought
into the courtroom by Zimmerman’s defense team.
So if we follow this crazed assertion whenever we walk on concrete, we
have a weapon! Do you hear how
ridiculous you sound when you read that sentence out loud? In courtrooms across America, do juries
listen to implausible theories and take them seriously? Obviously, they did in this trial.
George Zimmerman stood stoically
as the verdict was announced. There were
no visible signs of emotion. What was
going on inside of his head, we will never know. We do know that his hands, his body and his
mind will be forever tainted with the blood of a seventeen year old African
American boy named Trayvon Martin. While
Zimmerman has been exonerated by the court system, he will never be free in his
mind as he will be held hostage for life.
He will be haunted and traumatized by this event for as long as he has
breath. Every second, every minute and
every hour of each day will sit the still frame in his mind of that fateful
night when he cut short the life of a boy with a bag of candy and a promising
future.
When our children and
grandchildren ask us about this case, what do we tell them? Do we tell them that a young African American
boy went out one evening to buy a bag of candy and an ice tea and was killed
because someone didn’t like the way he looked?
Do we tell them that being black and male in this country is a dangerous
combination? Or do we tell them to pray
for this country and that better days are ahead?
Were there racial overtones in
this case? Here are the facts! Trayvon Martin was a 17 year old African
American male with a bag of Skittles and an ice tea and George Zimmerman was
not African American, 28 years old and had a gun. You decide!
Here is what I know. Our African
American boys are in danger every day.
If you are the parent, grandparent or love provider of a black boy
please love them, teach them and guide them.
But even when you do that it may not be enough to save their life!
*James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D is the
President Emeritus of Teen Mentoring Committee (TMC) of Ohio
7. DIVINITY STUDENTS
RESPOND TO ZIMMERMAN VERDICT WITH THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE AND A CALL TO ACTION:
Yale black divinity
students respond to Zimmerman verdict with theological perspective and a call
to action for Yale Divinity administration and national clergy.
There are times that compel this nation to pause and reflect
on the implications of a single event. The assassinations of political leaders
in the 1960s, the Rodney King verdict, the events on September 11, 2001, and
the Sandy Hook Tragedy last December, all serve as such instances of
significance. On July 13, 2013, the
acquittal of George Zimmerman for the death of unarmed Trayvon Martin was yet
another moment where this country has been called to stop and reflect on the
sad reality that Black and Brown people encounter and live every day.
While some may debate the appropriateness of the verdict, we
should accept that a clear message was sent to communities all across the
country. Black Americans were painfully reminded of the precarious nature of
their safety. Young black boys and men, including the ones who will matriculate
through this Divinity School and schools across the country, will inevitably
move throughout life with more hesitancy and even fear as they confront the
challenges of being Black in America.
As Black seminarians, we focus not solely on the social,
political and legal implications of this tragedy, but also on the theological
underpinnings and ramifications. This
case makes clear that racism and discrimination are systemic and institutional
evils that are deeply embedded in the American social fabric. As a prophetic voice, we must speak to these
and other injustices and call upon all people of faith to address these
challenges with boldness, courage and honesty.
Let our faith unite us in common spirit to collectively organize and
fight against injustice wherever we find it.
Contrary to what some may say or think, our faith in God does not call
us to inaction, but demands that we take action!
The Yale Black Seminarians call on the administration of Yale
Divinity School, Yale University, and all clergy to officially and publicly
acknowledge the injustice of Trayvon’s death by joining advocates around the
country on August 24th, 2013 for the 50th Anniversary of the March on
Washington, and join in the campaign to repeal all “Stand Your Ground” laws
around the country by contacting appropriate state legislators. We encourage us all to shoulder the burden of
proof for all young Black and Brown men we interact with. For those seen and
unseen, dead and alive, at Yale or at home, we must prove to them, their
families, and in some cases, to ourselves, that their lives have value. They
are worth fighting for. They are worthy
of life simply because they are God’s perfect creation! Let this moment serve
as a constant reminder that the burden falls on us, people of faith, to show
the world that our young people have inherent, God-given value.
We leave you with these words from the great activist Ella
Baker, “Until the killing of black men, black mothers' sons, becomes as
important to the rest of the country as the killing of a white mother's son—we
who believe in freedom cannot rest until this happens.” As people of faith this
must be our stance. As young Black
seminarians, we will not rest until this comes to pass.
Derick D. Dailey (AME) and Brooke Girley
Yale Black Seminarians Co-Presidents
The views in this letter are those of the authors and do not
necessarily reflect the views of Yale University and its affiliates. If you’d
like more information on this topic please contact Derick Dailey or Brooke
Girley for questions at the numbers above or via email at
derick.dailey@yale.edu or brooke.girley@yale.edu
8. THE RESULTS OF THE
TRAYVON MARTIN COMMUNITY CONVERSATION:
*The Rev. Melvin E. Wilson
This past Thursday night, July 18, 2013, a cross-section of
the Cambridge, Massachusetts community gathered at the Cambridge Citywide
Senior Center on Massachusetts Avenue to have a conversation about the Trayvon
Martin verdict. There were approximately
100 people in attendance, which I thought was excellent given the relatively
short notice about the meeting.
The conversation was facilitated by me, representing the
Cambridge Black Pastors' Alliance, Brian Corr of the Cambridge Peace
Commission, and Deputy Commissioner Christine Elow of the Cambridge Police
Department. Several other Cambridge
elected officials and city department heads also attended.
The purpose of the gathering was to create a safe space for
conversation and sharing, and to see what we as a community could do to make
sure that something like this never happens in Cambridge.
After several comments were made on a variety of
perspectives, the focus of the conversation turned to the racial realities of
our nation and the Cambridge community.
Many persons shared their experiences, their fears and their
concerns. I believe I can safely say
that we all agreed that racism continues to be an issue that should be
addressed, although we did not determine specifically how we would address it.
The evening concluded with many of the attendees breaking up
into small groups and sharing their personal stories, hopes and desires.
We are grateful for the marvelous support and response of
the community to this quickly called conversation, but we ended up with the
same question we started with, "what now?"
If the Cambridge community is serious about having an
extended, detailed and personal conversation on race in America and race in
Cambridge, I suggest that we immediately schedule and plan follow-up
conversations and meetings to begin the discussion.
This won't be quick, simple or easy, but it is clearly
necessary.
*The Rev. Melvin E. Wilson is the Pastor/Teacher of St. Paul
AME Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts
9. WHAT I SAW TODAY:
Lorenzo T. Neal
I saw something today that almost took my breath away
I saw children. Beautiful black children alive and well.
I saw them swimming in the pool having fun with no cares in
the world.
I heard them laughing. I saw them running, diving, and
dunking.
I saw something.
I saw hope.
I saw a future.
I saw joy.
I didn’t see fear of someone snatching them away.
I didn’t hear the sounds of screaming as if running away
from gun shots or violence.
I didn’t see future drop outs, or baby mamas and daddies.
I didn’t see a loss of direction or rejection because of the
color of their skin.
I didn’t see the dark nights of the soul that breathed into
them a reluctant hope for tomorrow
I didn’t see grieving mothers and fathers lost in the despair
of death’s deception and decay.
I didn’t see the flashing blue lights escorting the young
black boys into the back seat of the cruiser for simply being young, slightly
devious, and black.
I didn’t see politicians campaigning to promise a brighter tomorrow
for their pocketbooks and continued neglect for everyone else.
I didn’t see the Trayvons of the world cascading into the
bleakness of a world marred by tension and division because one’s skin is
fairer than another.
I didn’t see white or black adults profiling children as
they ran around with sagging swimming trunks saying they’d never amount to
anything.
I didn’t see the preachers pimpin’ their prosperity with
hopes of gaining fortune and fame.
No. I saw children being children.
I saw a tomorrow that says today and yesterday may be
forgotten but not lost altogether.
I saw something that took my breath away.
I saw tomorrow today.
*The Rev. Lorenzo T. Neal is the pastor of New Bethel AME
Church in Jackson, Mississippi
10. AME, MS. JACQUELINE
DUPONT WALKER, APPOINTED TO LOS ANGELES METRO BOARD:
Message from Ms. Jacqueline Dupont Walker -
"In my life's walk, God has placed me in many arenas to
raise the tough questions, to represent those whose perspective needs to be
heard at the table of critical decision making, to create a 'new' process that
embraces voices from the people, and be prepared to stand, even if it means
standing alone. God has never left me
without support, or comfort…, fully acknowledging the moments - some very long-
when I waited for God's direction.
Today, after being briefed about the tasks at hand and the
journey ahead, I feel a need for your prayers, as I prepare for my first board
meeting on Thursday morning at 9 a.m. I
join a body that has tremendous responsibility and whose work will have
significant impact on the quality of life in our communities and
neighborhoods. I join a discussion that
is robust, has many stakeholders with non-compatible needs, and the potential
for conflict is anticipated because of limited resources."
"Jackie"
For more information about Mayor Garcetti's appointments,
please see article appended below:
Garcetti appoints
three L.A. city representatives to Metro board
By Laura J. Nelson
July 18, 2013, 2:01 p.m.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Thursday appointed three
Los Angeles representatives to the board of the county’s transportation agency,
one of the biggest decisions the new mayor has made so far that will influence
his administration’s transportation projects.
Garcetti’s appointees to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority are Los Angeles City Council members Mike Bonin and
Paul Krekorian and South Los Angeles housing advocate Jackie Dupont-Walker. As
mayor, Garcetti automatically has a seat on the board.
"Between the four of us, we have great geographical
coverage," Garcetti said of the appointees. Garcetti lives in Silver Lake.
Bonin represents a Westside district and Krekorian represents parts of the San
Fernando Valley. Garcetti added that all three will be expected to help raise
the national profile of Los Angeles transportation issues.
The city of Los Angeles has the biggest voting bloc of any
municipality on the board, which often provides an advantage during votes on policies
that would help — or hurt — the city. The Metro board's other members are the
five Los Angeles County supervisors and four elected officials from other
county municipalities.
Dupont-Walker is the head of Ward Economic Development
Group. She was a major force in recent city redistricting efforts. She joined
with other black leaders to fight for political gains that she said would have
been wiped out when the lines for voting districts were redrawn.
She also chairs the USC Master Plan Advisory Council. She
represents West Adams residents as USC plans a multibillion-dollar
redevelopment of some areas near the campus.
“A world-class [transportation] system should be accessible
to every L.A. neighborhood," Dupont-Walker said in a statement. "New
hubs and corridors are opportunities to spark much-needed job creation and
neighborhood revitalization by spurring local economies.”
Bonin's City Council district stretches from Los Angeles
International Airport to Pacific Palisades. He replaced his former boss, former
council member Bill Rosendahl, as the head of the council’s transportation
committee.
"We on the Westside are especially eager to get moving
with real solutions that give us back the family time and dollars we lose while
we are stuck in traffic and gridlock,” Bonin said in a prepared statement.
Bonin is also vice chairman of the board of directors for
the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority. The second phase of that
light-rail line, expected to open in 2015, will connect downtown L.A. and Santa
Monica.
Krekorian heads the council's budget and finance committee
and is a member of the transportation committee. Formerly, as an Assemblyman,
he voted to include Measure R on the 2008 ballot. The half-cent sales tax
measure is expected to generate more than $30 billion for county transportation
projects over the next 30 years.
"Through innovation and efficiency, we need to get more
for our transportation dollars and accelerate MTA's work toward enhanced
mobility throughout the entire region," Krekorian said in a statement.
"This is a critical moment in our pursuit of a seamless public
transportation system that cost-effectively reduces congestion in the San
Fernando Valley and all of Los Angeles.”
When former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa left office in June,
his appointees were Council member Jose Huizar, businessman Mel Wilson and
former Assemblyman Richard Katz.
11. METROPOLITAN AME
CELEBRATES 175 YEARS:
The Washington Post article:
Click on Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/metropolitan-ame-celebrates-175-years/2013/07/18/8f6048fe-ecde-11e2-a1f9-ea873b7e0424_story.html
12. THE BIGGEST
RACIAL PROBLEM NO ONE TALKS ABOUT:
By Josh Boak, The
Fiscal Times
July 23, 2013
The wealth gap—it’s the biggest racial issue that nobody is
talking about.
It colors the controversy of Detroit filing for bankruptcy. Motown
was forever scarred by the 1967 race riots. More than 80 percent of its
citizens are African-American, and 36 percent live below the poverty line,
according to the Census Bureau.
It went unmentioned during President Obama’s impromptu
remarks about the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, after a Florida jury
returned with a verdict of not guilty. Obama spoke of the legacy of racism and
discrimination that can exist in the criminal justice system, noting the subtle
way a woman can clutch her purse when an African-American steps into an
elevator. The president ended his comments with a sense of hope.
“I don't want us to lose sight that things are getting
better,” Obama said. “Each successive generation seems to be making progress in
changing attitudes when it comes to race.”
Attitudes are evolving, but African-Americans have not
enjoyed the same level of prosperity as the rest of the country, according to
multiple studies. Their net worth has trailed that of white households,
creating the kind of inequality that politicians seem reluctant to acknowledge
in a post-civil rights era.
Obama was willing to speak about evidence of bias in the
criminal justice system on Friday, yet it remains to be seen as to whether the
wealth gap will appear in his upcoming speech on Wednesday about the economy.
“People have a hard enough time talking about race,” said
Dedrick Muhammad, senior director of economics for the NAACP. “People have a
hard time talking about money. And to put those conversations together … Those
in the political field have found these are things to generally stay away
from."
This is about cold, hard data, not the subtle biases of a
car door being locked when an African-American man—even a future
president—walks by. It is an uncomfortable trend for a society that prides
itself on becoming colorblind.
The Institute on Assets and Social Policy at Brandeis
University tracked 1,700 families between 1984 and 2005. It reported in
February that the wealth gap between white and black households had tripled—a
$152,000 increase—during that time.
An average African-American family was worth just $5,781 in
1984, while a white family had $90,851 in assets.
By 2009, that exact same African-American was worth $28,500.
The white family had accrued a total of $265,000. African-Americans did narrow
the size of the gap as a ratio. But in terms of actual dollars, the racial
disparity in wealth had reached an eye-popping $236,500.
Several factors contributed to this increase—income,
unemployment and education—but home ownership was the dominant force, according
to the study.
Compared to an African-American family, a typical white
family had an eight-year head start on buying a home. Census figures show that
almost 70 percent of whites own their homes, while just 43.4 percent of blacks
do. Interestingly, the study found that marriage did not have a “statistically
significant impact” on the wealth of African-Americans.
The Urban Institute released its own study in April based on
a survey of consumer finances by the Federal Reserve. It found that in 2010,
whites had an average wealth of $632,000, compared to $103,000 for blacks and
Hispanics. At the median, the disparity
jumps to eight-to-one.
The Pew Research Center put that gap as high as 20-to-one,
based on its own polling.
So, what gives? Even if people are judged on the content of
their character, society still tends to value the size of their stock portfolio
more.
Part of this stems from decades of racial segregation.
Whites are five times more likely to inherit money from their relatives than
African-Americans, explained Signe-Mary McKernan, a senior fellow at the Urban
Institute and co-author of the study. This amounts to a tremendous advantage in
paying for college or making a down payment.
The irony is that much of this difference—already entwined
with slavery—snowballed after 1945.
“We do know that there is this legacy of discrimination,”
said McKernan. “The GI Bill was a huge wealth building mechanism after World
War II. It was a terrific bill. But many African-American veterans were denied
home and business loans. We gave this big boost that really helped wealth
building in this country, but many African-Americans were denied admission.”
The question remains at to when, if ever, the gap will close.
McKernan noted that current government attempts to help lift
people out of poverty deny benefits to families with a few thousand dollars in
savings. The social safety net encourages them to spend money, instead of
investing it.
The president suggested on Friday that hope rests with
younger generations to overcome racial disparities. That might be true on
questions of tolerance, but when Gallup asked African-Americans about how
satisfied they were with their treatment in U.S. society the most pessimistic
answers came from 18 to 34 year-old women.
Almost two-thirds of women in that age bracket described
themselves as “dissatisfied,” compared to 52 percent of all African-Americans.
Women aged 18 to 34 were more negative on housing and
schools as well. A similar trend applies
to Hispanic women. When asked why younger African-American women feel so
dissatisfied, Gallup editor-in-chief Frank Newport said he did not know.
“I’m not able to determine from the data,” Newport said.
13. THE PECULIAR
LOGIC OF BOYCOTTING FLORIDA:
Some Americans in the wake of the George Zimmerman acquittal
have suggested a form of economic punishment on the state of Florida as a
protest sign about their disagreement with the verdict. The economic punishment would consist of
punitive measures that would result in a cessation of spending and boycott of
key Florida industries like tourism, agricultural goods and leisure
activities. This plan, aptly called
Divest Florida, seeks to use economic leverage as a tool to bring about
positive change given the apparent dysfunctional state of affairs in the
Sunshine State as witnessed in the alleged ‘unjust verdict.’
Populist proposals typically are long on rhetoric, sometime quite
useful, but in many instances there is a dearth of analytical reasoning used to
support the proposal. Music legend
Stevie Wonder has joined the fray by declaring he will boycott Florida by not
performing in the Sunshine State until the Stand Your Ground law is
repealed. This is a noble endeavor by
the 8th Wonder of the World but I “wonder” if anyone informed him
prior to his public statement that nearly 50% of US States have some type of
‘Stand Your Ground’ law. If Mr. Wonder
chooses to isolate Florida while ignoring the statutory reality in the other 24
states, his selective boycott would come across as brazenly unfair.
The key question that Florida sanctions proponents must
answer is this: Who will compensate low-income, black and brown workers laid
off or fired due to implementation of the "economic justice"
plan? Economists have typically been
skeptical about attempting to use economic coercion to achieve some desired
social/public goal. Yale economist
Phillip Levy demonstrated in the early 90s that the tool of economic sanctions
to force change in apartheid South Africa had exaggerated influences. External sanctions or boycotts foster a
reduction in economic efficiency which restricts choice and communicates price
distortions in the market place. First
year graduate economics students can easily see this as the failure of the
Pareto welfare criterion - a policy change which makes some one worse off than
before. The economic collateral damage
caused by a boycott can also yield deleterious impacts on equality. As inefficiency is exacerbated this will
result in reduced job and income opportunities.
A decline in economic activity will disproportionately impact those who
least can afford the economic shutdown, e.g., workers in low-paying industries
and the current pool of unemployed job seekers.
Taken to its logical end, the proposed boycott would lead to
reduced external expenditures on iconic Florida activities like Disney World
vacations, visiting Cape Canaveral, Florida oranges and create an embargo on
college football games featuring University of Florida, Florida State
University and the all important Florida Classic with Florida A&M
University and Bethune Cookman University.
These home games support local businesses promotes employment and
provides scholarship opportunities for future students. Boycott proponents employ a logic laced with
counter-intuitive reasoning combined with counter-productive results. This dual strategy should be unequivocally
rejected as reckless and irresponsible.
An economic boycott of Florida as a symbol of public anger
about the Zimmerman verdict is appealing because it has the appearance of
citizens taking constructive action.
Unfortunately this is a superficial appearance of constructive
action. A basic economic understanding
of the knee-jerk reaction to target Florida for economic punishment reveals the
‘plan’ is ill-conceived and misguided. The road to hell is paved with good
intentions. Reasonable men and women can
disagree about the merits of economic boycotts.
Policy evaluation however must be based on results. In many cases these results come with
unintended consequences that promote more harm than good.
Dr. Bill Dickens
University Place, Washington
14. CHURCHES BEWARE:
LIABILITY INSURANCE A MUST:
*By Paul Stephens
While a contractor can tell with some certainty the cost per
square foot to rebuild a burned church building, a defense attorney cannot tell
you with certainty what to expect in a serious liability lawsuit.
The worry of fire or natural disaster that destroys the
property is easy for church stewards to recognize, but the concerns of
potential liability actions charging physical or mental damage are not always
as obvious until the unanticipated occurs.
General liability insurance is necessary for any business,
with or without a storefront. That is true for churches as well.
Most general liability insurance policies for nonprofit
organizations — which is where churches are categorized — protect the corporate
entity, its subsidiaries and affiliates, its executive officers, employees and
volunteers for their actions on behalf of the organization. These policies are
designed to protect against civil liability for bodily injury, property damage
or personal injury to others.
These are the assumptions in this kind of policy:
The claim in a lawsuit must seek compensation because of
injury or damage.
The injury or damage must have been fortuitous and have
occurred during the policy term.
The policyholder must be liable for the injury or damage.
There also are costs that most churches would not think
about. For instance, a general liability policy also covers funds required to defend
the insured policyholders, such as legal and expert-witness fees, reasonable
costs to secure other witnesses for court appearance, post-judgment interest
and appeal-bond premiums. These “supplementary payments” are normally payable
in addition to the stated limit of liability. A conventional general liability
policy has no deductible.
Premises, contracts, injuries and more
What to consider
Church leaders should purchase liability coverage only from
companies that specialize in church risks. Some of these companies are United
Methodist Insurance, Cincinnati Insurance, Church Mutual, Brotherhood Mutual
and GuideOne. These carriers understand the intricacies of church claims and
coverage issues.
After narrowing the field to church carriers, the congregation
should determine minimum liability insurance requirements in terms of what
constitutes acceptable coverage limits. United Methodist Insurance suggests the
minimum liability insurance requirements as a guideline for congregations.
The ideal general liability policy provides a broad range of
coverage for a variety of operational risks. That is why it is called a
broad-form contract. This type of policy commonly includes:
- Premises and operations liability, attributable to aspects
of the physical plant or daily operations. Examples: A visitor trips on a
cracked sidewalk (premises liability) or boisterous, unsupervised children
knock down an older parishioner (operations liability).
- Contractual liability for injury or damage assumed by oral
or written contract. Example: The municipal parks and recreation department
asks the church to defend and pay a bodily injury claim pursuant to signing a
facilities-use agreement for a church picnic at a city park.
- Personal injury liability for false arrest, detention or
malicious prosecution; libel, slander or defamation; and invasion of an
individual’s right of privacy. Example: A community member sues after the
church newsletter publishes controversial statements about her.
- Advertising injury liability for plagiarism or piracy of
one’s copyright or trademark. Example: Another business claims the
policyholder’s logo is confusingly similar to its own.
- Legal liability for fire damage to someone else’s property
while the policyholder is occupying it. Example: A cabin sustains fire damage
originating from a smoldering cigarette during a retreat.
Incidental medical malpractice liability for a non-medical
professional’s rendering of, or failure to render, medical aid. Example: A
pastor administers cardiopulmonary resuscitation with an adverse outcome.
- Products liability for injury or damage caused by a
“product” made or sold by the policyholder. Example: A child sustains an injury
by a pre-owned toy purchased at a church rummage sale.
- Medical payments liability for cost of medical treatment,
payable without regard to or concession of policyholder’s liability. Example:
The church offers to cover emergency-room bills after a parishioner falls on
icy steps.
Churches must be even
more specific
Churches must expand a broad-form general liability policy
to address significant church-related exposures:
- Pastoral counseling liability risk is physical or
emotional injury attributable to a clergyperson’s acts, errors or omissions
during counseling of a spiritual nature. Example: A couple alleges that marital
counseling further injured their relationship.
- Sexual misconduct liability risk is physical or emotional
injury because of sexual abuse, molestation or exploitation. Example: A
minister initiates a sexual relationship with a parishioner to whom he or she
has provided pastoral guidance.
- Cemetery operations (including columbaria) liability risk
is physical or emotional injury because of an act or omission in connection
with the cremation, burial, disinterment or temporary care of any deceased
human body. Example: Cremains held for temporary safekeeping until burial are
misplaced.
- Teachers’ liability risk is bodily injury or property
damage arising out of teaching activities, including the administration of
corporal punishment.
Some things not
covered
Although the typical general liability policy contains a
variety of situations not covered by the contract, here are some of the most
noteworthy exclusions:
- Liability arising in connection with ownership,
maintenance, operation, use, loading or unloading of automobiles, aircraft and
large watercraft.
- Employment-related liabilities, including obligations
under Workers’ Compensation, unemployment or disability benefits laws and
work-related claims under common law by employees or their family members.
- Damage to property owned, used or occupied by the
policyholder, or property in an insured’s care, custody or control.
- Liability resulting from the willful violation of laws
addressing discrimination, humiliation, harassment or wrongful termination
because of race, creed, age or sex.
- Fines, penalties, punitive or exemplary damages typically
awarded to punish willful, wanton or reckless behavior (gross negligence).
- Liability arising from pollution, nuclear energy or
asbestos.
Finding the right insurance is a challenge. As your guiding
principle, remember the words once told me by a wise trustee:
“All insurance policies are the same until you have a
claim.”
*Stephens is vice president of marketing and risk-management
services for The Church Insurance Agency Corporation, a service provider to
United Methodist Insurance. United Methodist Insurance is a wholly owned,
nonprofit subsidiary of the General Council on Finance and Administration of
The United Methodist Church.
**Used with permission of the United Methodist News Service
15. DEMENTIA IS A
HEALTH CHALLENGE AS WELL AS AN EPIDEMIC:
There have been quite a number of articles published in The
Christian Recorder about several health challenges or health epidemics
affecting the general population. The most frequent submissions seems to
address the HIV/AIDS virus, its symptoms, impact on those affected as well as
possible ways to treat or delay the progression of this deadly disease.
Not much has been written in the AMEC publications (at least
not that I have read) about a disease that has been afflicting many for decades
but often overlooked by family members as well as the individuals affected.
That disease is dementia, which is defined by the Alzheimer’s Foundation as “a
general term that describes a group of symptoms-such as loss of memory,
judgment, language, complex motor skills, and other intellectual
function-caused by the permanent damage or death of the brain's nerve cells, or
neurons” (Alzheimer’s Foundation www.alzfdn.org).
Alzheimer’s and other dementia related disease are predicted
to be the most aggressive illness that will affect individuals that are
considered part of the “baby boom” population. Baby boomers include those that
are born during the period of 1946 and 1964 and not only is there a possibility
that these baby boomers will be affected by the disease but in most cases,
these individuals will often times be the primary caregivers for those with the
disease.
As a member of the baby boomer generation, a minister within
the AME Church I am writing this article as one who has been the primary
caregiver for a parent that is afflicted with dementia. In other words, I am
trying to send out a clear clarion call (sound the alarm).
The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s, (typically
incorrectly referred to as “altimers” or “old timers”) and prior to my mother
receiving the clinical diagnosis of dementia; my family and I were attributing
her odd and sometimes strange behavior to her advancing age.
The Scripture states that one should love the Lord with
heart, mind and soul (Matthew 22:37). The mind is the intellectual part of an
individual and its deterioration is the crux of Alzheimer’s and other dementia
related illnesses. With the disease, the individual (depending on the rapid
advance of the disease) loses mental acuity and then physical deterioration.
The disease in the initial onset stage is too often ignored
as just memory loss associated with aging and thus is usually not diagnosed or
treated until the disease is beyond treatment.
If the disease is professionally diagnosed in the early stages, the
better the chances of combating or treating the illness. Ignoring or discounting
symptoms, which are sometimes camouflaged by other illnesses does much
detriment to the affected individual, the family and eventually the local
church (after all local churches are comprised of individuals and families,
right?).
Studies have shown that along with prescription medication,
other factors are vital to treating the disease. Factors such as diet, exercise
and mental stimulation are necessary treatments. A diet rich in antioxidants
includes foods high in vitamins E and C and Beta-carotene. Exercise not only
helps the physical body but it also plays a significant role in mental health.
Mental stimulation includes completing daily crossword puzzles, utilizing games
that challenge the mind as well as reading books (including the Bible), magazines,
articles and newspapers. These activities keep the brain active and working.
The earlier the church addresses or begins to highlight the
disease and provide resources for the afflicted as well as the caregiver, the
more pro-active congregants can become and therefore begin a regimen that would
promote healthy brains and minds. There
is a strong likelihood that both the afflicted and the caregiver will be
members of a local church congregation especially since the medical community
predicts a steady increase of cases and not a decrease in those affected by the
disease.
The June 2013 edition of the John’s Hopkins Health Alerts
states that “more than 5 million Americans are currently afflicted with
Alzheimer’s disease, and the Alzheimer’s Association expects those numbers to
rise to 14 million by 2050, with one diagnosis every 33 seconds”
Those startling numbers in turn affect local faith based communities
including the AMEC. The article continues by giving a graphic view of what the
above numbers represent “Want to know what 14 million people with dementia will
look like? The population of the states of Pennsylvania and Illinois are
currently 13 million each, while Ohio has 11 million citizens and Georgia a
million less. Pick a state. Now imagine that everyone is demented. That’s the
scope of Alzheimer’s. That’s what the disease will look like in just four
decades.”
In four decades (which does not seem like a very long time),
the general population will be grappling with dementia and the church will be
grappling with not only the disease but also the physical, spiritual, mental
and financial issues that affect the caregivers of those with the disease.
Those caregivers usually cannot maintain adequate or any employment due to the
demanding schedule that is required to care for someone with dementia.
Again, the disease affects the mind and eventually the
physical body of an individual and should be a focus not just for the medical
community but also for the Church (the community of faith). It should be a
focus for the community of faith for many reasons including the fact that the
affected and those who care for the affected are a part of the community of
faith. It should be a focus for the
church so that the church can address or implement policies or procedures to
assist the congregation in the event that the pastor or other leader is
affected with the debilitating disease.
It seems that the church has a way of “sweeping things under
the rug” or act “ostrich like” and hide in the sand rather than have meaningful
dialogues about issues at hand. How will the AMEC address the issue if the
afflicted is the Bishop, General or Connectional Officer, Presiding Elder,
Pastor or local church leader who is exhibiting signs of the disease? Will
there be an attempt to disguise, ignore the symptoms and proceed with a
“business as usual” mentality?
Will there be open and progressive dialogue that binds individuals
together as a true community? Will there
be established measures already in place to not only encourage the well being
of the individual but to also safeguard the wellbeing of the AMEC or local
congregation? Yes, health issues are
personal issues and with the current HIPAA Laws (Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act) which protect the privacy of an individual’s health
information, this article is not encouraging the blatant disrespect of an
individual’s right to privacy. The article seeks to bring awareness to the
disease and eventually perhaps support to some and healing to others.
Although there is no present cure, one can only pray and
believe that a cure will be located in the future that will eradicate the
disease or make the disease more manageable.
In addition, prayerfully, within four decades the church will be beyond
discussing the disease and at a stage where the church will be a valid
contributor to the physical and of course spiritual healing and well-being of
both the afflicted and the caregiver.
Who knows, maybe the person who develops a cure is now a youngster or
medical student in the confines of the AMEC.
After reading this article, the next step is to begin a
dialogue, assist someone who is exhibiting signs of dementia, identify and
schedule visits to medical practitioners that can provide a clinical diagnosis
(primary care physician, neurologist, etc.). Let the healing begin!
Ten Warning Signs of
the Disease (The Alzheimer's Association):
• Memory changes that disrupt daily life.
• Challenges in planning or solving problems.
• Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or
at leisure. (**or the church)
• Confusion with time or place.
• Trouble understanding visual images and spatial
relationships.
• New problems with words in speaking or writing (or
preaching).
• Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps.
• Decreased or poor judgment.
• Withdrawal from work or social activities (** or church
activities)
• Changes in mood and personality.
**Note: Additional items above added by the writer of this
article
Quick Resources
Alzheimer’s Foundation of America www.alzfdn.org
Alzheimer’s Association www.alz.org
www.Medicinenet.com/dementia/article
www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/alzheimers-dementia
Johns Hopkins Health Alert Posted June 17, 2013
(http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/alerts/memory)
16. GETTING TO ZERO:
AFTER THE SILENCE:
*Dr. Oveta Fuller
The last G20 column was dedicated to those young adults, and
those who are almost young adults, who are gone too soon. These are young
brothers and sisters like Trayvon Martin and all those who die at a young age
for whatever reasons. This includes avoidable HIV infection and the
complications from AIDS that can result. For all these, we asked that you
observe a tribute of 3 minutes of silence…
We are promised in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “if my people who are
called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn
from their wicked ways, then I will heal the land”. Silence can take us into fervent prayer to
engage in the Spirit realm, to function in faith, to feel, to speak truth to
pain, and most importantly, to hear and be about what is heard. James 2:26
explains that, “… faith without actions is dead.”
Did you take the time for silence in the midst of outcries
all around? What do you do when it seems that pieces of the world are falling
down all around you? What do you do with a gnawing fear that perhaps a piece of
a world that has gone wrong will fall and crush your head like your heart has
been crushed?
After silence and prayer comes listening and doing. There
are avenues to help change laws that allow people to carry guns under the
banner of self-protection. There are ways to help to recognize and face the
innate biases that every person has. I have them, you have them and George
Zimmerman has them. Trayvon Martin had them. For most, they do not result in
rapid loss of another person’s life. Each person has biases. It is part of
being human in whatever culture we live.
A lifelong task is to grow in awareness and desire to
purposefully reduce or get past innate biases and perceptions so they do not
limit our possibilities, or limit those of others we encounter. The challenge
is to recognize and counter bias so we are not driven by them into places we do
not want or need to go.
What shall we do?
The 2011 CDC HIV report found at www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/resources/reports
documents the increase in diagnoses of HIV infection among young adults ages
20-24 and 25-29. All three of my biological children are in this age range.
The report also shows that HIV/AIDS is disproportionately
high among African Americans (AA) and among people who live in any one of the
13 southern states of the USA (see http://aidsvu.org/map/). Put this together
and the picture emerges that African American young adults living in the USA,
and especially those who live in the southern 13 states, are highly vulnerable
to exposure and infection with HIV infection.
The infection numbers reported from 2008-2011 indicate that
HIV is well established among young African Americans who live in southern states.
This is us. My three biological young adult offspring are African American; two
of these three live in a state of the southern region of the USA where HIV
infection is high. For me, stopping HIV/AIDS is personal!
It is not only good to take intentional actions to stop
HIV/AIDS. It is not only important, as a responsible leader, to understand the
virus and disease and their impact. It is personal! It directly affects my
people and also my offspring who are flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone, those
we hold most dear. What am I doing? Is it making a difference?
What are you/we doing to “Get to Zero” new infections with HIV?
What are you/we doing to “Get to Zero” deaths from AIDS related complications?
What are you/we doing to “Get to Zero” stigma and discrimination against persons who live
with HIV infection?
After a tribute of silence, after a time of stillness ,
after praying and crying out in outrage, after marches and signing petitions,
after writing columns and launching campaigns, after attending workshops and
learning of new interventions- comes personal action. Who will you speak to
about these avoidable reasons why young lives end too soon? What limb will you
venture out onto in manifested outrage? What will it take to move out of our/my
comfort zone?
No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.
Some ideas for moving towards eliminating HIV/AIDS which is
the focus of this column- get tested to know your HIV status and act
responsibly with either of the two possible infection results. Take or
accompany someone else to get tested. Form a support group in your church or
community or place of work. Invite a guest, perhaps a person who is living with
HIV/AIDS, to talk about their experiences with HIV. Speak openly with someone
who has dealt with mental illness or some of the other things we as “good
church folk” at one time did not talk about.
Feel the outrage. Ask God to channel it to productive
action.
It’s personal! After silence must come responsible effective
actions.
*The Rev. Dr. A. Oveta Fuller is an Associate Professor in
Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Michigan Medical School and
Adjunct Faculty at Payne Seminary. She served as pastor of Bethel AME Church in
Adrian, MI for seven years before primarily focusing on global HIV/AIDS
ministry. Currently, she serves at Brown Chapel AME Church in Ypsilanti,
Michigan in the 4th Episcopal District while continuing HIV/AIDS
research in parts of Zambia and the USA.
17. iCHURCH SCHOOL
LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, JULY 21, 2013 FASTING & PRAYING - EZRA 8:21-23:
Dr. Bill Dickens’ iChurch column will be in next week’s
issue. He is preparing for the Lay Biennial that will meet in Atlanta.
18. MEDITATION BASED
ON ROMANS 8:28-39:
*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby
I've just returned from Orlando, Florida where my Bishop,
Richard F. Norris, preached for the AME Church’s Eleventh Episcopal District
Christian Education Congress on Tuesday night.
The drive from Charleston to Orlando took me past the smaller city of
Sanford, Florida. I've made that drive
plenty of times, but this was the first time that I actually noticed the
Interstate Exit for Sanford.
I noticed it this time because George Zimmerman racially
profiled, confronted, shot and killed an unarmed child named Trayvon Martin in
Sanford, Florida. That typical small
city is now, unfortunately, historically associated with a senseless act of
violence and a resultant trial that many people view as an outrageous
miscarriage of justice.
I mentioned that to a couple of central Florida AME clergy
yesterday, and they had an interesting perspective. Their hope is that what happened in Sanford
might lead to a national conversation on race that would foster new
understanding and new laws that would lessen the future possibility of such an
outrageous act. Their hope was that
Sanford might eventually be known not as the scene of a horrific act and a
young life cut short, but the place that reacted to a tragedy by changing
racial relationships in America for the better.
My Florida colleagues' refreshingly hopeful perspective
extends beyond what happened to Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida. All of us face our share of unexpected
trials, troubles and tragedies as we travel life's roads, and we often allow
those things to define our lives and restrict our hopes and dreams for the
future.
When we remember, however, that this is still God's world
and that the God we serve is still able to turn trials, troubles and tragedies
into triumphs, we can gain new perspective and find new inspiration as we
travel life's roads. We can be assured
that the God we serve still has the power to change lives, heal hurts, restore
hope and turn us in the right direction.
Remember that when life's unexpected circumstances intrude
on your life and knock you for a loop.
The question of "why" difficulties intrude on our lives isn't
nearly as important as our faith driven assurance of "Who" rules this
world and our lives, and can still make a way out of no way.
Lean on The Lord and face life not with fear, but with the
faith that led those who dealt with the trials, troubles and tragedies of
slavery and Jim Crow racism to stand their ground and fight for change, looking
to The Lord and singing, "He's got the whole world in His hands."
Get Ready for Sunday, and have a great day in your house of
worship!
*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby is the Presiding Elder of the
Beaufort District of the South Carolina Annual Conference of the Seventh
Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
19. CLERGY FAMILY
CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS:
-- Mrs. Ella Belle
Richardson Couch, Minister's Widow Thirteenth Episcopal District to Celebrate
103rd Birthday
Mrs. Ella Belle Richardson Couch, widow of the late Reverend
W. T. Couch of the Tennessee Annual Conference, Thirteenth Episcopal District,
will celebrate her 103rd Birthday on Friday, August 2, 2013.
Mrs. Couch is currently the oldest member of St. Peter's
African Methodist Episcopal Church, Clarksville, Tennessee. She continues to
play the organ at the church located at 518 Franklin Street, Clarksville,
Tennessee as she has done for fifty plus years. Every Sunday morning finds her
pulling herself up the long banister staircase at St. Peter's AME Church to
reach her appointed destination at the organ.
Mrs. Ella B. Couch takes pride in being a lifelong member of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church and a Life Member of the Women's Missionary Society.
Birthday cards and messages may be sent to:
Mrs. Ella B. Couch
722 Main Street
Clarksville TN 37040
Telephone: (931) 645-6965
-- The Rev. Dr. Elvin
J. Parker III, united in Holy Matrimony to the Rev. Gewanda C. Johnson
The Rev. Dr. Elvin J. Parker III was united in Holy
Matrimony to the Rev. Gewanda C. Johnson on June 15, 2013 in Auburndale,
Florida. The officiates solemnizing the marriage were the Rev. Douglas O.
Townley, the Rev. Dr. Cynthia L. Hale, and the Right Reverend Robert V.
Webster, retired AME Bishop.
The Reverend Dr. Elvin J. Parker is the son of the late
Reverend Dr. E. J. Parker, who served as the Presiding Elder of the Fort
Lauderdale District of the South Florida Conference and the late Gloria Griffin
Parker; and step-son of Dr. Ginger A. Parker, former Connectional Treasurer of
the Women's Missionary Society of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
The bride, the Rev. Gewanda C. Johnson, the daughter of Ms.
Alberta Johnson and Mr. Willie Smith, is a United Methodist Church cleric.
Congratulatory messages may be sent to:
The Reverend Dr. Elvin J. Parker III & Pastor Gewanda J.
Parker
Visit our Wedding Website:
20. EPISCOPAL FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
- Celebration of Life Service, former Episcopal Supervisor
Helene W. Brookins
We will celebrate the life of former Episcopal Supervisor
Helene W. Brookins on Saturday August 3, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at First AME
Church, 2270 South Harvard Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90018. The Rt.
Rev. Theodore Larry Kirkland, Presiding Prelate of the 5th Episcopal
District will preside. The Rev. Dr. J. Edgar Boyd is the pastor.
The family is deeply grateful for your prayers, kind words, and
expressions of sympathy and concern.
Condolences may be sent to:
Steven H. Brookins
10080 Hermit Rapids Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89148
Telephone: (702) 523-5433
21. EPISCOPAL FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
Mr. Tommy Kennedy Topoe, the uncle of Bishop David R.
Daniels, Jr., Presiding Prelate, Fifteenth Episcopal District and Supervisor
Irene M. Daniels, died Wednesday, July 24, 2013 in Monrovia, Liberia after
battling with Prostrate Cancer for two years. He was 97 years old. The Home
Going Celebration of Mr. Tommy Kennedy Topoe will be on August 17th.
Please keep Mr. Tommy Kennedy Topoe' family in your prayers.
Don't forget to pray especially for Bishop Daniels as he is contemplating on
making plans to travel to Monrovia, Liberia to attend the funeral Services of
his Uncle from Cape Town, South Africa if possible.
Contact for Bishop and Supervisor Daniels
Bishop David R. Daniels, Jr. and Supervisor Irene M. Daniels
39 Kasselsvlei Road
Bellville South, 7530
Cape Town, RSA
Email: rwysayma@aol.com
Cellphone: 011-2783-701-7019
22. EPISCOPAL FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
Daisy Williams McGill, 96, of Orlando, Florida transitioned
from labor to reward on Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Daisy was born April 13, 1917
in Apalachicola, Florida to the late Mr. and Mrs. Judge and Manervia Williams.
Daisy later moved to Orlando, Florida where she attended Jones High School.
Early in life, Daisy received Christ as her Savior and was a faithful member of
New Bethel AME Church - Revered Kirk Bogen, Pastor.
She leaves to mourn her passing, her son: Chester McGill Jr;
her devoted sister: Mrs. Mary Allen; 4 Grandchildren: Brenda Faye McGill,
Regina McGill, Yvonne McGill, Aaron McGill; and a host of Great Grandchildren, Nieces,
Nephews (Presiding Elder Henry E. Green, Jr., Dean John F. Green, Bishop Samuel
L. Green, Sr., and Dr. David W. Green, Sr.), Cousins and sorrowing friends.
Visitation will be held on Friday, July 26, 2013 from 5-8
p.m. at New Bethel AME Church in Orlando. A service of Celebration will be held
on Saturday, July 27, 2013 at 11:00 am at New Bethel African Methodist
Episcopal Church, 4201 West Columbia Street, Orlando, with Pastor Kirk R.
Bogen, Presiding and Presiding Henry E. Green, Jr., Eulogist. Earthly Bed of
Slumber: Washington Park Cemetery, Orlando, Florida.
23. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to inform you of the passing of Mrs. Gloria Janet
Parks Doolin-Prim who passed on Thursday night, July 18, 2013. She was the mother of the Rev. Travis L.
Doolin, pastor or First AME Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and the sister of
the Rev. Ouida Parks-Pierson of Cooper Chapel AME Church in Bristow,
Oklahoma.
Funeral:
Saturday, July 27, 2013, 11:00 AM
St. James AME Church
104 East 6th Street
Arcadia, OK 73007
Services have been entrusted to:
Pollard Funeral Home
2626 N. Post Road
Oklahoma City, OK 73141
Telephone: (405) 769-6719
Fax: (405) 769-2720
Sign Guest Book:
Condolences may be sent to:
The Rev. and Mrs. Travis L. Doolin
8640 Hillridge Drive
Oklahoma City, OK 73141-2228
Or
The Rev. and Mrs. Travis L. Doolin
C/o First A.M.E. Church
3309 N. Kelley Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73111
Telephone: (405)
424-3226
24. CONNECTIONAL
LEADERSHIP FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
It is with deepest sympathy that we inform you of the
passing of Mother Johannah Gaanakgomo, the maternal aunt of Brother Abednigo
Makiti, 2nd Vice President-Connectional Lay Organization of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mother Johannah Gaanakgomo was a preacher and WMS member at
SP Maaroganye AME Church. She was called home last Saturday.
The funeral service will be held on Saturday, 27th July 2013
from 07:00.
Brother Makiti's contact details are:
Email: makiti.abe@webmail.com
Telephone: 082 511 2577
* The Connectional Lay Organization
25. CONNECTIONAL
LEADERSHIP FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regretfully inform you that Mrs. Ruby Brown, the mother
in-law of the Rev. Dr. Cornelius Hudson (10th District) transitioned
from earthly labor to eternal rest on Tuesday, July 23, 2013 in Norfolk, VA.
Dr. Hudson is married to Prophetess Felicia Hudson. Dr. Hudson is the former
pastor of Bethel Temple AME Church on Fort Worth, Texas (Northwest Texas Annual
Conference) and a member of the Executive Board of the Connectional Music and
Christian Arts Ministry (MCAM) of the AME Church. Services are pending.
Condolences may be sent to:
Dr. Cornelius Hudson
P. O. Box 50702
Fort Worth, Texas 76105
Email: cornelius.hudson@gmail.com
26. CONGRATULATORY
ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:
Ora L. Easley, Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family Information Center
Email: Amespouses1@bellsouth.net
Web page: http://www.amecfic.org/
Phone: (615) 837-9736 (H)
Phone: (615) 833-6936 (O)
Cell: (615) 403-7751
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMEC_CFIC
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-AME-Church-Clergy-Family-Information-Center/167202414220
27. CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FROM THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER:
The Chair of the Commission on Publications, the Right Reverend
T. Larry Kirkland; 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.
Did someone you know pass this
copy of The Christian Recorder to you? Get your own copy HERE
*You
have received this message because you are subscribed to The Christian Recorder Online
Forward
to Friend
Copyright
© 2012 The Christian Recorder, All rights reserved.
You are
receiving this email because you are a current subscriber to The Christian
Recorder.
Our
mailing address is:
The
Christian Recorder
500
Eighth Avenue, South
Nashville,
TN 37203-7508
Add us
to your address book
Unsubscribe
from this list Subscribe to TCR/
Update subscription preferences
