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:
Grandparents'
Day is this Sunday! – September 8, 2013
1. TCR
EDITORIAL – LET ME SAY THIS, YET AGAIN:
Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III
The 20th Editor of
The Christian Recorder
We all have heard jokes. I
have heard jokes that made me laugh, others were not so funny and still others didn’t
make sense.
Many times I have heard a
great joke and when I try to retell the joke, for the life of me, I cannot
remember it. I seem to forget more jokes than I can remember.
Years ago, I heard a joke and
I have no trouble remembering it. I believe I heard it while I was still in
Seminary.
Here is the joke I have never
forgotten; and I hope I don’t blow the punch line: “A preacher was called to a
church and his first sermon was a knockout and the talk of the town. The
members of the church were ecstatic and word spread around town about what a
dynamic sermon he preached. It turned
out that the minister was an outstanding pastor and he moved about community
getting to know the members of his congregation. The people were happy with their new pastor. The next Sunday, the church was full and
over-flowing. The preacher stood up to preach and “lo and behold,” he preached
the same sermon the second Sunday that he had preached the previous Sunday. It
seemed a little strange, but the officers talked and thought that the preacher
may have forgotten that he had preached the same sermon the previous Sunday.
The officers commented on how involved the new preacher was in the community
and with the congregation. On the third Sunday in his new parish, the preacher
preached the same sermon. At this point the officers and member of the
congregation became concerned and called for a congregational meeting after
church (at this point, we should know that it wasn’t an AME Church); and the
pastor readily agreed to the meeting. The head officer told the preacher that
they loved his preaching and appreciated how quickly he got involved in the
life of the church and in the community, but they were concerned that he had
preached the same sermon three Sundays in a row. The officers of the church and
congregation anxiously awaited the pastor’s reply. (I hope I don’t blow
this). The pastor responded, “I have
gotten involved in the community and in the life of this church and, yes, I have
preached the same sermon three times. After the first sermon I moved around the
community and I saw you all doing the same things you did before the sermon.
The sermon didn’t change your behavior.
After the second sermon, still no change; you all just continued with
the same behavior. I decided that I would preach the same sermon again and
again until you obey the message of God’s Word that was preached in my first
sermon.”
The point
Sometimes preachers preach
and there just doesn’t seem to be any noticeable changes in the behavior of
congregations.
Sermons are delivered about
love and obedience; and love and obedience seem to be absent. Preachers preach about discipleship and
parishioners act as if “discipleship” is a foreign word. Sermons, delivered
about tithing and stewardship, seem to fall on deaf ears.
One of the most discouraging
things about the pastoral ministry is to feel that the sermonic message and
example fall on deaf ears.
The pastor in the joke is not the only one…
I am sure many pastors feel like
doing what the pastor in the joke did when he preached the same sermon Sunday
after Sunday because he saw no change in the behavior of his parishioners as a
result of listening to the sermon.
I admit…
I suspect the reason I
resonated with and remembered the joke is because I get frustrated when I know
that change would make a difference and people refuse to change, even when it
is to their benefit. I had the feeling
when I was a parent helping to rear children, when I was a pastor, when I
served in the military and when I taught at Hampton University. Some things we
say over and over and children and people just being human don’t respond as we
believe they should.
We have addressed hacked
emails and local church scams and people don’t seem to respond; and email
addresses continue to get hacked and local churches continue to be
scammed.
The good news
The AME Church is doing
better with technology. Many of our
congregations are effectively using technology. Some of our churches are
embracing technology and are growing.
The bad news
Some of our churches are not
using technology and they are missing the convenience and the cost-savings of
technology. Many of our churches are not using technology and they continue to
do things the same old-fashioned ways.
And, to make the bad news worse, too many of our churches refuse to make
small changes in the use of technology, e.g., teleconferences and automated
calling services like Calling Post.
For the umpteenth time…
Every week, notices are
received about hacked email addresses that have been “hijacked” by unscrupulous
individuals.
The hacked email issue has
been addressed repeatedly in The
Christian Recorder.
Unscrupulous individuals
obtain our information because of our carelessness. Moreso because of our carelessness rather
than our ignorance, because we have addressed the issues numerous times.
We still have a problem
I still receive
multiple-addressed emails from bishops, general officers, presiding elders, pastors,
connectional officers, and laity. I have received more than several
multi-addressed names exposed emails this week; not only from AMEs, but from
other denominations; emails with scores of exposed email addresses.
The issue is a three-lettered term - Bcc
In email parlance, Bcc means “blind carbon copy” that
allows the sender of an email message to send a copy of an email message to a
recipient whose email address does not appear and cannot be seen in the message
header.
In contrast, the names and
email addresses in the "To"
and "Cc" header boxes are shown and can be seen by every recipient of
the message, but the email addresses of
the Bcc recipients are not shown and
cannot be seen by anyone.
So, how are email messaged scammed?
I am happy to answer the
question.
When multiple-addressed email
messages are sent with exposed email addresses in the “To” or “Cc” header boxes, the exposed
recipients’ email addresses are put at risk because unscrupulous people can
easily gain access to email addresses and other personal information.
But how?
We all get messages, say from
AT&T, Verizon, Banks, PayPal and other legitimately-named entities that
tell us that we need to update or confirm our settings and passwords. The
messages will often say that our email or bank account will be shut-down if we
don’t reply.
All it takes is for one
person to succumb to the scam and reply to the unscrupulous message and the
unscrupulous person has, not only the information of the person who replied to
the message, but also the unscrupulous person has access to all of the exposed
email addresses in the “To” and “Cc” headers and the address book of the
scammed person. It might not be worth it for unscrupulous individuals to bother
with the address book, but “mining” the exposed email addresses would be “a
piece of cake.”
By the time the scammed
person calls his or her email provider to report the scam, it’s already too
late; the damage will have already been done.
The Solution is so easy
When you forward messages,
remove all email addresses before you forward messages. Use the Bcc field when sending
multiple-addressed email messages; and use the Bcc field when forwarding email messages to several people.
When a message is sent with a
lot of exposed email addresses, some of the recipients might forward that
message along with other exposed email addressees to someone else and they, in
turn, might forward the message; and, if you think about it, it’s easy to see
the dangers of exposed email messages.
Who would do such a thing?
People who into sexual
misconduct, people wanting to sell something (use your imagination), people who
have particular political agendas, people trying to get money from gullible people,
religious organizations trying to get donations; organizations promoting one
cause or another who are too lazy to develop their own mailing lists, so they
get names and email addresses any way they can; political candidates, social
networking organizations, people who are trying to amass email addresses so
they can sell them to vendors looking for multiple email addresses.
Ever Wonder…
Ever wonder why you get so
many email messages from people you don’t know; email messages from
organizations that you are not affiliated with; pharmaceuticals with whom you
haven’t dealt; offers for personal relationships and dates; emails extending
offers that are too good to be true and emails offering to enhance your sexual
prowess?
I will say this again
Most likely it has something
to do with unwanted and unsolicited emails and probably has something to do
with someone replying to, or forwarding your exposed email address.
Don’t put yourself at risk
The adage goes, “Curiosity
killed the cat” and that’s a great message to remember as you utilize the
internet and exchange emails.
If you don’t recognize an
email address, don’t open it. Do not reply to unsolicited email offers. Don’t
let curiosity “kill” or “harm” your computer; and don’t put others at risk.
I will say this again
Unless you have a MAC, you
must purchase virus protection. Virus protection blocks harmful email messages
every day. If you don’t have virus protection, your computer is infected; take
my word for it! And, of your computer is infected; you will infect other
unprotected computers.
Let me say this again
When you forward messages,
remove all email addresses before you forward them. Use the Bcc field when sending
multiple-addressed email messages; and use the Bcc field when forwarding email
messages to several people.
Don’t know how to do set up Bcc
Any teenager or young person
can show you how to do set up Bcc.
Let me say this again
Never sign into any message
that asks you to sign in with your email address. And never, ever provide your password to
anyone; and never in response to any email message.
If a message looks
suspicious, don’t open it!
For at least the 26th time
Put all multiple addressees
in "Bcc" format and delete
all previous addresses.
When you forward email
messages, delete the forwarding history as a courtesy to others who may not
wish to have their email address sent all over the world. Erasing the history
prevents spammers from “mining” email addresses.
We have mentioned local church scams time and time
again
Scams have targeted all of
the black Methodist bodies, but this week it seems that scam artists are
targeting the United Methodists.
The scam targeting the United
Methodists are similar to those used with AME churches.
A person claiming to be
United Methodist Bishop Earl Bledsoe, who happens to be black, calls to say
that his daughter, niece, or friend has broken down in the town of the person
called. The caller claims that he needs help getting his relative a prepaid
credit card to get back on the road; and we know the rest of the story. The
niece, or another relative, is a great musician, etc.
Let me say this again
No bishop will ever call your
church in an emergency and ask you to send a prepaid credit card or ask you to
give them a check for his or her niece or any other relative.
Any American who travels
overseas and has his or her passport stolen can go to the U.S. Embassy for
assistance. I am sure other countries provide the same assistance.
Like the pastor in the joke
who preached the sermon time after time, I am willing to write time after time
until our readers stop sending multiple-addressed emails and our local churches
stop falling for the internet and telephonic scams.
2. READER RESPONSE TO EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES:
-- To the Editor:
RE: TCR Editorial – Too Many of
Us Wait Until the Last Minute
You hit the nail squarely on
the head in your discourse about waiting till the last minute. We have gotten into a syndrome of waiting till
the very last minute on every thing--planning for special programs, registering
for meetings, making reservations, studying SS lesson--and the list goes on and
on.
For too long I have said we
are being unfair to our children by given them speaking parts at the last
moment and then they cannot work learning the speech in with school work, so
the speech is put on their back burners and then they try to learn it two days
or the night before the program and show they know it but do not, and some just
go ahead and pull out their paper and read it, even then stumbling over
words. It makes it look like our
children are incapable of learning, when the real problem is not enough prior
planning by our leadership.
I like your tips on when we
should start planning for the various important events and the emphasis that
should be placed on them. I will share
this with my youth leaders and SS staff and leaders.
Thanks for this
enlightenment.
Mrs. Billie Dixon Irving
--To the Editor
RE: TCR Editorial – Too Many of
Us Wait Until the Last Minute
I was captured by your editorial about us
waiting too late to start and get ready for our events and holiday
preparations. Too many of us wait until the last minute.
I know now that the
anticipation is just as glorious as the event itself and sometimes even more
pleasurable. I have to get to church on
time otherwise I will miss the lighting of the Advent Candles or miss hearing
the choir sing, “O' Come all Ye Faithful.”
I remember telling my fine pastor we want to hear the Christmas story
every yea because it's a part of us just as much as the beautiful Advent and
Christmas decorations.
So yes, when we wait until
the last minute the supplies we need may be may be gone. Or we can't find the
right candles, or members may plan to go out of town because nothing is
happening at their home church.
So I did fuss when I walked
into Garden Ridge and there was a line of multi-pastel colored Christmas trees
in a row; and Labor Day was a week away. But what an impact as soon as you walk
in the door for those who want a change and boom! There it is!
So we must also be ready for
impact in our churches, because sometimes we need “A boom! There it is,” too.
Mrs. Faith
"Danielle" White
3. ANNUAL CONFERENCE NECROLOGY INFORMATION:
The fall series of annual
conferences have begun and each annual conference will be conducting memorial
services. Annual Conference
Statisticians putting together memorial services need not scurry from one
person to another trying to insure they have the names of all of the deceased
because they can easily find the names of the deceased clergy in one location.
The information can be found on the Clergy Family Information site. Simply go
to www.amecfic.org.
Mrs. Ora L. Easley,
Administrator of the AME Church Clergy Family Information Center said, “The
purpose of our website is three-fold: 1) To make necrology information easily
available to annual conference
statisticians concerning clergy families , episcopal families, general officer
families and connectional officer families deaths; 2) Spread the ministry
message to a more global audience via cyberspace and, 3) To provide a
communication medium ‘Message board’ for persons who wish to extend public
words of thanks to the AME Church Family for kindnesses rendered or for posting
of prayer request.”
When the site is accessed,
General officers and their families are recorded in blue font and Bishops and
their families are in recorded in purple font.
4. CELEBRATION AT THE WHITE HOUSE:
*Dr. PAM DeVeaux
August 27, 2013
My grandson William P DeVeaux
III and I were the first in line at the West Gate of White House. We wanted to savor every moment of this
night. The gate was to open at 5 p.m. and we arrived at 4:40. The invitation had was sent to Bishop
William P. DeVeaux, but because of the kind of man he is, he suggested it would
be a wonderful experience for Baby Billy (although he just turned 17, we still
call him Baby Billy).
I complimented Billy on his
black pinstriped suit and crisp white shirt and shining DeMatha High School
senior class ring.
"My dad said since I was
coming from school I could wear my school uniform but I decided to go home and
change into my church suit. I'd rather be overdressed than underdressed” Oh
yes, he got my fashion genes - Hallelujah!
We showed our photo
identification documents to the security guard, and cleared the screening
without any buzzers sounding-off and walked through corridor on the first floor
then climbed the stairs to the second floor where the celebration of the 50th
Anniversary of the March on Washington was going to be held.
As we climbed the stairs, the
lilting strains of the Negro National Anthem floated down the marble staircase
and reverberated with melodious majesty.
In the foyer a choir dressed
in formal black gowns and tuxedos wowed us with their version of this musical
treasure.
White-gloved butlers offered
us water or wine in sparkling crystal glasses.
Billy said "I guess I should pick water." He has his grandfather's humor genes.
Then we went into the Blue
Room, the Green Room and the Red Room. These rooms are adorned with magnificent
oil paintings of former presidents and first ladies. Throughout our self-conducted tour Billy was
taking pictures constantly with his phone as I snapped pictures with my iPad.
Thank God for technology.
Next we headed to the room
where the food was being served. Finger foods of pizza, beef barbecue, mini salads,
chicken bits, cup cakes, pralines and candies adorned the festively decorated
table. Billy of course was taking
pictures of the food. It seems teenagers love to photograph their food and send
it to friends via social media. The size
of the small plates did not deter Billy's appetite. He made numerous trips to the table for
refills especially the pralines which he declared awesome.
Moving to the hall where the
program was scheduled to take place, we realized being first had its benefits.
We ended up standing in the front row of the rope which was to separate the
audience from the president. Behind our row people were filling in and there
stood more than three-hundred people.
There were several
celebrities and Civil Rights icons including the Reverend Al Sharpton, Star
Jones, Angela Bassett Cris Tucker and Ernest Green. We took our place at the rope at 5:50 and the
President actually entered to speak at 7:50. While we were waiting we were
entertained by a youth choir, a soulful singer who led us in a stirring
rendition of "We've Come this Far by Faith." Next Martin Luther King III spoke of the
legacy of his dad and how proud he would be at this moment in history.
We saw the butler bring out a
glass of water and place it on a small table to the podium. “He's on the way; he’s coming" was the
phrase that begin to be echoed throughout the room.
I was really glad because I
was beginning to lose feeling in my feet. I rejoiced that I had wore flat shoes
and that I did not have to use the restroom Once you lost your space at the
rope there was no getting it back.
John Lewis, the man many
describe as the bravest person in the Civil Rights Movement entered from the
right of the stage, strode to the microphone to introduce the President. Tears
filled the eyes of many of those in attendance as Congressman Lewis proclaimed
passionately that because of the sacrifices of that day fifty-years ago, we
have arrived at a place where we now have a great human beings as President
Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
The President spoke with
humility and eloquence and thanked us for coming.
As he was leaving the room,
he walked by our section of the rope, shook Billy's hand asked him what grade
he was in and then said to him, “Billy you are a very well-spoken young
man!"
Also shaking hands and
hugging people in the crowd was Michelle. When she saw Billy, she stopped and
hugged him and also had a conversation with him. After she had moved on Billy
said to me if she were thirty something years younger and not married to the
President I might have a chance.
What a thrilling evening we
had. In all the things I heard and saw that night that occurred, the finest for
me was when Billy said, "Pam-Pam
thank you for giving me this great experience." He inherited his loving
spirit from the Lord.
*Dr. PAM DeVeaux is the
Episcopal Supervisor of 2nd Episcopal District
5. SECOND DISTRICT RECEIVES $175,000.00 GRANT
TO IMPLEMENT PRESIDENT OBAMA’S AFFORDABLE CARE ACT:
The District of Columbia
Health Link awarded the African Methodist Episcopal Church Second District
(SED) Religious, Educational and Charitable Development Projects, (RED) Inc., a
grant in the amount of $175,000 to enroll uninsured and hard to reach residents
in health coverage. We count it a marvelous blessing to among the 35
organizations chosen to play a direct and hands on role in making affordable health insurance a reality
for numerous persons who suffer and perhaps die from preventable illness simply
because they lack coverage, says Presiding Bishop William Phillips DeVeaux.
Specifically, the purpose of
the grant is to train and deploy In Person Assisters (IPAs) to inform, educate
and enroll District of Columbia residents without coverage in obtaining insurance,
under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) initiated by President Obama. The program
will officially begin on October 1, 2013. Eight AME churches located in the
District of Columbia will participate including:
Allen Chapel, Campbell,
Christ Our Redeemer, Hemingway Temple, Galilee, Metropolitan, Pilgrim, Ward
Memorial
God has further blessed
Second District, as three of other AME Churches have also received individual
grants including: Brown Memorial and St. Paul in Washington, DC; as well as St.
Stephen’s in Essex, MD.
Please visit the 2nd Episcopal District blog: http://2nddistrictwms.blogspot.com
6. PATRICIA RUSSELL MCCLOUD SPEAKER, OCTOBER
10, 2013, FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY:
To commemorate 80th year of
service, the members of Beta Zeta Chapter at Kentucky State University will
host a dinner, on Thursday, October 10, 2013, 7:00 pm at the Capital Plaza
Hotel, located at 405 Wilkinson Blvd., in Frankfort, Kentucky. The speaker for
the occasion will be Patricia Russell McCloud, J.D.
With more than twenty years
on the lecture circuit, she is categorized as being one of the nation’s best.
Her speaking style is engaging, highly substantive, well researched, pertinent
to her audiences, and entertaining. Born in Indianapolis, IN, and graduating
from Kentucky State University, she knew that her true career connection was to
prepare meaningful presentations for diverse audiences and to meet them at
their point of need. She has received many honors and more than 300 keys to
American cities.
A resident of Atlanta, GA,
Russell-McCloud is married to Bishop E. Earl McCloud Jr., the 127th elected and
consecrated Bishop of the AME Church, 15th Episcopal District, Resident Bishop,
Cape Town, South Africa.
The members of Beta Zeta
Chapter are excited about this very special occasion.
Submitted by Ms. Veda Shelton
7. “CELEBRATING ANOTHER YEAR”
By Sister Delanda S. Johnson
Last Sunday, August 25,
Johnson Chapel AME Church celebrated its Church Homecoming. The church was established in 1897 in the
Cedar Creek bottom under a brush arbor on the Abe Johnson’s farm.
Throughout its existence, the
church has gone through many disasters.
In 1926, the church was divided because of high water and bad
roads. Johnson Chapel members remain in
the same church building. Others
established a church in Trinidad, Texas that’s known today as Mt. Vernon AME
Church for convenience.
In 1938, the Johnson Chapel member
tore down the church and built a small church in Malakoff, Texas; with kerosene
lamps for lighting.
In 1944-45; the Rev. S. V.
Johnson was assigned as pastor. Since he
was a carpenter, he began to rebuild the church and modern conveniences were added. In 1969, the church was destroyed by fire in
which Rev. J. R. Roberts was Pastor and services were held at New Hope CME
Church in Malakoff.
In 1970, the Rev. L. R.
Kindred was assigned as pastor and he called the members together to discuss
the building of a new church. The new
church was completed on November 9, 1970 and it still stands today better that
ever.
Today, Johnson Chapel AME
Church has the Rev. I. B. Wells, Jr. as its Pastor. The Rev. Wells has been at Johnson Chapel
since 2010.
With the congregation singing
praising songs onto the Lord in celebration the program move forward with a
warm greeting from Sister Coella Wells.
The Rev. Rick Barnes from Ft.
Worth, Texas; a descendant of the Abe Johnson family expressed his excitement
for being at Johnson Chapel. “This is my
first time coming to this event and I am happy to be here to see the legacy go
on,” said the Rev. Barnes.
Other descendants of Abe
Johnson present and acknowledged the passing of Sister Carrie Morgan who was
the matriarch of the family.
The speaker, the Rev. Ray C.
Emanuel from Rice Chapel AME Church in Dallas questioned the congregation with
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” The answer is evident: after 116 years, the church
is yet still alive and well.
Even though the Rev. Emanuel
was to speak, due to illness he passed torch on to one of his associate
pastors, the Rev. Robert Jackson. The
Rev. Jackson, a well-seasoned minister, spoke from Genesis 4:9-10.
The Rev. Jackson let our
spiritual minds go to Cain and Abel. This
was about the battle of two brothers which ended up in murder. The Rev. Jackson asked the congregation if
they take time out of their busy schedule to check on other church members; to
see if they are in need of help. Do you
have the Cain and Abel attitude?
Are you looking out for
others or are you “killing” the church by only thinking of yourself?
“God sees all and knows
all. You can't hide from God. We must have the attitude of “He ain’t heavy,
He’s my brother,” said the Rev. Jackson.
At the end of the program the
Rev. Wells presented the Rev. G. B. Bailey award to Sister Nettie Bea Anderson
for her community service and helping Johnson Chapel whenever there is a need.
8. 2013 CLERGY AGE TRENDS REPORT SHOWS OLDER CLERGY
BUBBLE GROWING LARGER:
WASHINGTON, DC – The number
of older clergy continues to grow according to the Clergy Age Trends in the
United Methodist Church report released today by the Lewis Center for Church
Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary. The annual report is prepared with
assistance from the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits of the United
Methodist Church.
Older Clergy Reach Historic High as Share of Elders
• Elders between ages 55 and
72 comprise 54 percent of all active elders, the highest percentage in history.
This group reached 50 percent for the first time ever in 2010. This age cohort
represented only 30 percent of active elders as recently as 2000. Previously
their percentage of the total was even lower.
• This oldest cohort of
active elders makes up 59 percent of elders in the Western Jurisdiction and 58
percent in the Northeastern Jurisdiction.
• The median age of elders
remains at 55 in 2013, the highest in history, reached first in 2010. The
median age was 50 in 2000 and 45 in 1973. The average age remains at 53, an
historic high, and the mode age (the single age most represented) is now 61,
also a high.
The Percentage of Middle Age
Elders Continues to Shrink
• The percentage of elders
aged 35 to 54 continues to shrink, from 65 percent of all active elders in 2000
to 39.81 percent in 2013. In addition, the total number of active elders
decreased again in 2013 and all the loss took place in the middle age group,
with modest increases in actual numbers for both young and older elders.
The Number of Young Clergy Stays about the Same
• There are more young
elders, deacons, and local pastors than ten years ago, though the percentage of
young elders remains low compared to historical patterns, though the trend line
is up modestly but consistently.
• For example, there are more
young elders than since before 2000, and the percentage of young elders is
higher than since before 2000. Young elders as a percentage of all elders
stayed in the 4 percent range in the first half of the 2000s and since then have
made steady progress in the 5 percent range, moving closer to the 6 percent or
higher range last seen in the 1990s.
Full Report Available for
Download
Much more information is
available in the complete Clergy Age Trends report, which is available as a
free PDF download at http://www.churchleadership.com/clergyage. It shows the
average and median ages of elders by United Methodist conference and features a
breakdown of young, middle age, and older clergy by conference for elders,
deacons, and local pastors.
The Lewis Center for Church
Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary is pleased to provide this report as
a service to the church
9. BOOK REVIEW - JO A. BALDWIN. BIBLE VERSES GIVEN TO ME: A MEMOIR:
In her book, Bible Verses Given
to Me: A Memoir, The Reverend Doctor Jo A. Baldwin shares her insight and
compelling calling to obey God’s call on her life. She shares her revelation of
the Godhead; the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Doctor Baldwin reveals her inspiration to write this work and the
meticulous preparation that resulted in its completion. It presents a
thought-provoking, uniquely different view of the Godhead. In support of her
work, Bible verses which span a period of over 9 years are also shared. She
concludes her work with a sermon.
In her memoir Doctor Baldwin
presents a challenging view to traditional thought regarding the Godhead. She
speaks of her revelation of the Godhead as “thought”, “word” and “deed”. In her
work she chronicles prophetic messages that were shared with her by the
Reverend George Witmer a number of years before she was inspired to write this
book. Doctor Baldwin uses the Bible as the main source of support for her book.
She explains the scriptures and uses her personal revelations from Jesus to provide
enlightenment and clarity. She also speaks of her prayer language that helps
her understand the scriptures directly from the Holy Ghost praying through her.
In her book the author
achieves her purpose. The challenge is to the reader to view with an open mind
the revelations presented in this work. Because it is a departure from
traditional thought, the explanation of the Godhead challenges each of us to
search the scriptures so that we may better understand truly who the “Father”,
“Son” and “Holy Spirit” is.
The Reverend Doctor Jo A.
Baldwin holds a Master of Divinity from United Theological Seminary, Dayton
Ohio. She also holds a Master’s in Creative Writing from the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a Master’s in Speech/Theater from Marquette University,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a Ph.D. in English from the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She was ordained an
Itinerant Deacon in The African Methodist Episcopal Church on October 10, 2004
in the Eighth Episcopal District, by the Right Reverend Cornal Garnett Henning
Sr. and ordained an Itinerant Elder by Bishop Henning November 17, 2005. She is
currently the pastor of Kosciusko AME Church in Kosciusko, Mississippi and
serves as an Associate Professor of English and Director of the Writing Center at
Mississippi Valley State University in Etta Bena, Mississippi.
Dr. Jo A. Baldwin’s book, Bible Verses Given To Me: A Memoir. United
States of America is published by the AMEC Sunday School Union and may be
purchased from the AMEC Sunday School Union in Nashville, Tennessee.
Book reviewed by Janet Brown,
Greater Disney Chapel AMC, Greenville, MS
10 GETTING TO ZERO: THE DIS-EASE OF MENTAL ILLNESS
*Dr. Oveta Fuller
In a rare moment, I watched
Zambian television that features movie selections from all around the world.
This choice “One Heart Broken into Song” is from the Canadian Broadcast
Network. It is about young romance of people of African descent who live in
Canada during the Great Depression. It subtly focuses in on social issues of
the time, especially for people of color. Recently, sister friends in Lusaka
have come over to watch the powerful, highly acclaimed Public Broadcast Service
documentary “Half the Sky.” Later this week, the U.S. Embassy in Zambia is
hosting a reception and showing the film, “The March” to commemorate the 50th
Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
What do these have in common?
One is fictional, the other
two are documentaries. One occurs in a town in Nova Scotia, Canada, another in
various places in the United States. The other is about people, especially life
for girls and women, all around the globe. Each movie depicts the human
condition in emotions, daily life needs of income, dignity and connections
among us, or lack thereof. All illustrate challenging aspects of deeply
ingrained social systems that affect people in profound ways.
Themes featured in these
movies include toxic homemade beer and economic pressures that led to
bootlegging, the trauma and inhumanity of sex trafficking of young females, the
horrors and family destruction of gender-based violence, race-, gender- and
class-based discrimination and cultural expectations, life pressures from
social inequities and financial need, and the many varied impacts of lack of
access to education and opportunity.
Someone once said, “Real life
is more entertaining than fiction.” In a fictional movie, the writers,
directors and producers can make the ending as they wish. In real life, events
are not so easily managed.
Life happens. Dealing with real
life issues and experiences and with potential effects of physiological
imbalance and genetic factors can bring about emotional and mental challenges.
What is mental illness?
Mental illness is as real as
any physical dis-ease. Mental illness
is something that usually we do not openly discuss. Mental illness was once
thought of by some as something that is experienced mostly by other people.
Mental illness is something that people, especially in the church, typically do
not talk about. In reality, most of us have one or more immediate or extended
family members who we know will “act out” doing a family function or holiday
gathering. Many of us have referred to someone or their actions as “they just
crazy” or “that is insane!” Maybe such is said by others about us. Where is the
dividing line between sanity and insanity, normal and just crazy?
A mental illness can be
defined as “a health condition that changes a person’s thinking, feelings, or
behavior (or all three) to cause the person distress and difficulty in
functioning.”
1) Another definition is “any of various
conditions characterized by impairment of an individual's normal cognitive,
emotional, or behavioral functioning, caused by social, psychological,
biochemical, genetic, or other factors, such as infection or head trauma.”
2) These also are often
called emotional illness, mental disease, mental disorders,
neurological conditions or psychotic episodes.
How prevalent are mental
disorders?
In the USA, it is estimated
that one out of every four persons is affected directly or indirectly by mental
illness. As advancing biomedical research technologies reveal more about how
the brain and neurological systems function and how these physically are
connected to emotions and cognitive input, the distinctions between mental
illness and neurological disorders fade.
The Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mental_disorders (Yes, Wikipedia) contains a list that includes over 400 mental
disorders recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (DSM) of
the American Psychiatric Association as a standard reference for psychiatry.
The International
Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD),
published by the World Health Organization is another well recognized
source for diagnostic criteria and information.
Admittedly, I do not know
much about the biomedical or other aspects of neurological or emotional
disorders. There are experts among TCR readers and elsewhere who can better
inform about these. I do know that mental disorders affect overall wellness of
many people and of families. I do know that as clergypersons and church leaders
we are responsible for helping or seeking help to support, at the least, and at
best, to heal illness that fits this category.
What can we do?
For years many people of
color, especially Black folk in the USA and I suspect on other continents, have
dealt with depression, anxiety attacks, phobias, autism, alcoholism and
addictions to food, sex, drugs and forms of escape, schizophrenia, bi-polar
disorder, Alzheimer’s and age-related mental decline (disguised perhaps in part
as senility from aging) and other disorders.
An editorial in The Christian Recorder (TCR) in the last
year addressed the issue of emotional and mental wellness among clergypersons.
Where do clergy go to for counseling when life happens to and around us? Are
clergy and people of faith immune to issues that bring about emotional and
mental challenges? Hardly.
The same question can be
asked for other professions. “Physician, heal thyself,” is a valid command that
may have come from recognizing wellness needs of those whose regular
responsibilities include working with physical, mental or spiritual wellness,
or lack thereof.
A first step to healing of
any type of illness, disorder or dis-ease is to recognize, admit or acknowledge
that something is not right. A second step is to use available resources to get
an understanding of the nature of the illness(es) whether physiological,
neurological or based in the psychic or emotions. A third step is to provide
caring support and take effective actions to prevent, reduce or eliminate
causes and impacts.
Moving forward
In pursuit of greater
wellness, as part of seeking healing and wholeness in the body of Christ and
also for those not yet a part of the Church, we recognize the prevalence of mental
diseases. We appreciate that from Biblical days into now mental illness is a
frequently seen “normal” challenge to overall health and wellness. Experts
among TCR readers, or those you may know, are invited to share relevant
experiences, insights or resources that can inform on this topic. As with
physical illnesses, many impacts and the progression of mental illness can be
reduced or prevented if symptoms are detected early and effective help is
engaged.
For starters in learning
together, here is a link to one insightful reference.
*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.
11. iCHURCH SCHOOL LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY SEPTEMBER
8, 2013- LOVE & MARRIAGE -GENESIS 2:
Bill Dickens, Allen AME
Church, Tacoma, Washington
Basic Need
Loneliness is an outcome not
envied by many. The need for
companionship is the root cause for why we seek relations with people. People choose to become involved with social
organizations like fraternities/sororities, churches and social clubs because
they have a sense of belonging to that group.
People choose to become pet owners because they want to share their love
and attention to animals. Few, if any,
desire to be the ‘Lone Ranger’ and opt for a life of going solo. The origin of human companionship and
compatibility is the focus of our Adult AME Church School Lesson for September
8, 2013. God correctly perceived that his creation of Adam was incomplete
because he was alone in the universe.
While he was surrounded by animals he lacked a human companion. God recognized this void and met the need by
providing the perfect complement – a female for Adam. Adam’s life and the history of humanity are
about to take a profound change. Let’s
see how!
Basic Lesson
Today’s lesson finds Adam
interacting with God’s material and non-human creative products. Adam has busied himself with naming the many
animals at his discretion. He is passionately
involved in the agrarian duties necessary for a fertile and productive
lifestyle. In short, Adam is a
workaholic. Chapter 2 of Genesis
captures the compassion of God by invoking poetic language and prose. The author of the book states that God
perceived that it was not good for Adam to be alone. Our Creator decided that Adam was in need of
a “help-mate.” Note that we don’t find
Adam asking specifically for a companion but the prose used in Chapter 2
clearly resonates with God’s perception that Adam wanted to have a
partner. The Christian experience
confirms that God knows the desires of our heart without us verbally
translating those desires. God responds
to Adam’s “silent request’ and in another poetic passage describes how the
companion was made as a derivative of Adam.
Eve is created thru divine surgery by using Adam’s rib cage. She is “bone of my bone and flesh of my
flesh.” And shortly after her divine
creation the two are joined together in union as husband and wife. The union is described by yet another
profound poetic phrase in Chapter 2. Let
the husband “cleave or cling to the wife” with fidelity and selfless love by
forsaking others including his own parents.
This union is paramount for the establishment of the most important
institution in social history – the family.
Tina Turner once posed the provocative question: “What’s Love Got to do with it?” Adam and Eve’s rejoinder would be more
profound – love has everything to do with “it.’
Basic Application
The institution of marriage
is currently under attack and experiencing significant change in the USA. Divorce rates are skyrocketing. Reality TV shows like Housewives of Orange
County, Housewives of Atlanta and Wives of celebrity athletes make a mockery of
marriage. What was once considered a social stigma (being divorced) is now
accepted as a rational social norm. The
Church of God appears equally divided about marriage. Clergy and lay alike no longer consider
divorce taboo and in fact do not exalt marriage as the preferred status for
human social intercourse. To compound
matters the US Supreme Court has affirmed the rights of gay and lesbian couples
to marry and enjoy the same rights and privileges that accrue to married
heterosexual couples. What happened to
the orthodox definition of marriage? Why
the changes? The AME Church has been
clear and consistent in our church law that we do not recognize gay marriages
in our churches. We take the strict
Biblical approach that marriage is defined by a union between a man and a woman. This is modeled after the story of Adam and
Eve in our lesson. Our Zion affirms
heterosexual marriage. We extend the
love of Christ to all but our theological principles do not allow us to make
compromises to satisfy a particular group.
As Paul stated in the New Testament, ‘marriage is honorable and the bed
undefiled.’
*Brother Bill Dickens is
currently the Church School Teacher at Allen AME Church in Tacoma,
Washington. He is currently a member of
the Fellowship of Church Educators for the AME Church.
12. MEDITATION BASED ON DANIEL 6:1-10
Three years ago today, I was
in the hospital recovering from colorectal cancer surgery successfully
performed by Dr. Samuel Hazel just before his retirement. What I now celebrate every September 3 is
that the surgery left me cancer-free. I remember
the day of my diagnosis and the weeks of oral and intravenous chemotherapy and
radiation leading up to surgery, but what I most remember is my first visit to
my Oncologist, Dr. Robert Wall.
I was more than a little bit
anxious about the road ahead, but Dr. Wall told me something that lifted my
spirits. He outlined the course of
treatment, told me to watch my diet and get regular exercise, and he then said,
“Beyond that, Reverend, do what you normally do. Don’t just sit around and feel sorry for yourself.”
That advice terrified my
wife, who knows how busy I can be, but I reminded her that it was “doctor’s
orders” and I continued to be an active pastor with considerable community
involvement. As a result, chemotherapy went
well (and temporarily turned my grey hair black again), radiation left me with
no ill-effects, and my only time away from the pulpit of Morris Brown AME
Church and my regular community activities was the month or so that I spent
recovering from major surgery. I even
went for a walk in the hospital corridor, met the physical therapist sent to
help me to walk again, and led her back to my room!
I firmly believe that Dr.
Wall’s advice made a major difference in my course of treatment and eventual
successful outcome, because he told me in medical terms what I’ve often told
those going through life’s changes in pastoral terms - stand on your faith, go
ahead with your life and leave things in God’s hands.
I share my experience with
those who read this as I celebrate three years “cancer-free.”
We all face unexpected
trials, challenges and difficulties that leave us anxious about what lays ahead
- some major and some minor. While it
may be tempting to dwell on those things and let them shape our lives and hinder
us, we’d do well to remember that this is still God’s world and that regardless
of what life throws at us, God is still in control.
When we remember that, face
life with faith and leave things in God’s hands, God will bless, comfort,
strengthen and keep us and never fail to inspire us each day - regardless of
what we have to face - to say with one songwriter, “Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to understand, but I know who holds tomorrow and I know who holds
my hand.”
Get Ready for Sunday, and
have a great day in your house of worship!
13. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We sadly inform you of the
passing of Mr. Harold L. Coulter Sr.
Mr. Coulter is the father of the Rev. Marla Coulter-McDonald, Dr. Cora
Coulter Bolden, and Mr. Harold Coulter, Jr.
The Rev. Marla Coulter-McDonald is Manager of Spiritual Care and
Chaplaincy Services and Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisor at Indiana
University Health Hospital Systems, and associate minister, St. John AME
Church, Indianapolis. Mr. Coulter made
his transition Monday afternoon, September 2, 2013 at the age of 101.
During his active years,
(1955 - 1998) Mr. Coulter was an active member of Bethel AME Church Little
Rock, Arkansas. He served as the assistant superintendent of the Church School,
steward board, class leader, and Men of Bethel.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, the late Yvette
Jefferson Coulter.
A Celebration of Life Service
will be held for Mr. Coulter on Friday, September 6, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at
Bethel AME Church in Little Rock, Arkansas where the Rev. D. Lavel Crawford is
the Senior Pastor.
Expressions of sympathy may
be sent to:
The Rev. Marla
Coulter-McDonald
3808 Langston Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46268
Fax: 317-688-2668
Mobile Telephone:
317-313-7296
Funeral Services provided by:
Dubisson Funeral Home
Address: 1851 Marshall
Street, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72202
Telephone: 501-374-2891
14. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to announce the
passing of Mrs. Cornelia Norwood Powell, mother of the Rev. Melodie P. Boone
(former coordinator of the Western North Carolina Conference Women in Ministry)
and mother-in-law of the Rev. Tony D. Boone, pastor of New Covenant AME Church
in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Funeral Arrangements for Mrs.
Cornelia Norwood Powell:
Family visitation hour will
be Saturday, September 7th at 11:00 a.m. followed by a Celebration of Life
Worship Service at noon at Smith Memorial United Methodist Church, 426 Woodsway
Lane, Lenoir, NC 28645, (828) 758-2757, with the pastor, the Rev. Charles
Rivens officiating and the Rev. Tony D. Boone, the eulogist.
Cards of sympathy can be
mailed to the Boone family at 309 Woodward Ridge Drive, Mt. Holly, NC 28120
Burial will follow at Blue
Ridge Memorial Park Cemetery in Lenoir.
A luncheon will be served at the Viewmont Recreation Center for the
family and all out of town guest.
For those planning to attend
who are flying, please note it is an hour and a half drive to Lenoir, after
landing in Charlotte.
Wayne Russell Funeral Service
is assisting the Powell and Boone family: 4000 Tuckaseegee Rd, Charlotte, NC
28208, (704) 910-0656
For more information, please
contact the Boone family via email at revmelodieboone@gmail.com or
by phone at (704) 827-6902.
Please remember our WIM
sister and her family in your prayers during their time of bereavement.
15. THE PASSING OF RETIRED PRESIDING ELDER S.W. WICKER
OF THE 6TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT:
The Christian Recorder and the AME Church Clergy Family Information Center
are saddened to announce the passing and funeral of retired Presiding Elder
S.W. Wicker. A Clergy Family Bereavement
Notice was not received.
The funeral service for
retired Presiding Elder Samuel W. Wicker was held today, Saturday, August 31,
11 a.m. at Turner Monumental AME Church where the Rev. Jai Haithco is the
pastor. Retired Bishop Frank C. Cummings was the eulogist.
Presiding Elder S.W. Wicker
pastored many churches in the Sixth Episcopal District and retired as the
Presiding Elder for the North Atlanta District of the Atlanta North Georgia
Annual Conference. He leaves to cherish is memory and ministry his wife Mrs.
Ruth Wicker, many other family members, friends and members of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church family.
16. 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
17. 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.
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