The Right Reverend
T. Larry Kirkland - Chair, Commission on Publications
November is Diabetes
Awareness Month
Thanksgiving – November
28, 2013
Advent begins on Sunday
December 1, 2013
1. TCR
EDITORIAL – IF EVER A “WHY GOD?” - JOB / HABAKKUK MOMENT:
Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III
The 20th Editor of
The Christian Recorder
On Saturday, November 9,
2016, when I got word of the passing of Bishop Sarah Frances Taylor Davis, I
had a “Why God?” moment. I was shocked to the core. I had just moments before
called her name in prayer and then a telephone call and an email message that
confirmed her death. I asked, “Lord, why?” It was not that I wanted God to take
someone else. I certainly did not have anyone else in mind. I was just stunned
and had to take a moment to catch my breath.
I admit that I had a long
“Job” and “Habakkuk” moment of asking God “Why?”
Both Job and Habakkuk could
not understand why God allowed things to happen, but both decided to accept
God’s will.
After catching my breath, I,
recalled the words of the Apostle Paul “But
we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have
died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we
believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring
with him those who have died.” I Thessalonians 4: 13-14, NRSV.
I know in whom Bishop Sarah
believed and trusted. So I caught my breath and thanked God for her ministry,
witness and example for all of us, especially the members of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church, the episcopacy and those in the pastoral ministry.
Not only was Bishop Sarah the
126th Elected and Consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church, President of the Council of Bishops, the Presiding Bishop of
the Sixteenth Episcopal District and a staunch prayer warrior, she was just a
good person. Back home “Bishop Sarah,”
the email term she used in her personal
email signature block; the folks “back home” on the corner would have said,
“Bishop Sarah is good people.”
She was a good person and there is so much love “out
there” for “Bishop Sarah Frances Taylor Davis.”
I
went upstairs to share the sad news with my wife, Charlotte and she just
stopped in her tracks and exclaimed, “Oh no!”
She had to sit down and we shared memories of “Bishop Sarah.”
When
the news of her death was posted on TCR
Online and on FaceBook, the reaction
of people from all over the world was one of shock, disbelief and a sharing of
love for her and the work she did.
I
suspect that I was not the only person who experienced a “Why God?” - Job and
Habakkuk moment.
The
FaceBook posting lit up and people
were exchanging email messages and sharing memories.
I
first heard about “Bishop Sarah” from a clergy friend of the CME Church who
called me when I was working at Hampton University. He told me that he had met
a woman pastor who was going to be a bishop in the AME Church. He didn’t say
that she was “running to be a bishop,” he said that he had met a woman who was
going to be a bishop in the AME Church. He told me her name was Sarah Davis.
My
CME friend knew before I did that there was a woman pastor in Texas from the 10th
Episcopal District who was going to be an AME bishop.
It
was shortly thereafter that I met the Rev. Dr. Sarah Davis and I knew for
myself that she was going to be a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal
Church. We campaigned for our respective offices at the same general conference
– the 47th Quadrennial Session of the AMEC General Conference that
was held in Indianapolis, Indiana.
I
remember so vividly the support Bishop McKinley Young, the Presiding Prelate of
the 10th Episcopal District gave to “the Rev. Dr. Sarah Frances
Taylor Davis,” the Rev. Dr. Daryl Ingram and to me. Bishop Young and the 10th
Episcopal District were so instrumental in our election victories. Her
acceptance and thank you speech at that general Conference was an indication
that she was committed to the task of being an outstanding bishop.
She
and her life-partner, Brother Claytie Davis, were a unique team. They were
given the hard assignments.
No
“one-term in Africa” and then back to the United States.
She
and Brother Claytie were sent to the 18th Episcopal District where
they did a herculean job of episcopal ministry.
They
returned to the 48th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference
that was held in St. Louis and were assigned to the 16th Episcopal
District. The earthquake in Haiti was a major game-changer in an already
difficult assignment covering the areas of the Caribbean, South America, Great
Britain and Europe. She worked
diligently and called upon people to help with the situation in Haiti. It had
to be tough and Brother Claytie was by her side.
Bishop
Sarah returned to the 49th Quadrennial Session of the General
Conference in Nashville, Tennessee and when episcopal appointments were read,
she was reassigned to the 16th Episcopal District. No drama, just a dedicated commitment to go
back and minister to the wonderful people of the 16th Episcopal
District. And, Episcopal Supervisor
Claytie Davis, her life-partner stood by her side.
Bishop
Sarah Frances Taylor Davis was a model for ministry. She was
spiritually-focused and accepted her pastoral and episcopal appointments with
commitment to do God’s Will. She was committed to missions and committed to
church growth and development. She was ministry-focused,
a servant-leader, and a dedicated minister of the Gospel. She was a
“straight-up” woman of God. She was a prayer-warrior and she made others want
to pray and because of her commitment, we became a more prayer-focused church.
Our General Conferences became more prayer-focused. She established April 13 as
the Connectional Day of Prayer.
Bishop
Sarah Frances Davis Taylor Davis’ unselfish work and commitment to prayer
endeared me and others to her spirit; and I am so honored that we were elected
on the same evening in July 2004.
Bishop
Davis grew up in Port Arthur, Texas, a medium/small city of about 50,000. She
graduated from North Texas University, earning her degree in mathematics. Upon
accepting her call to ministry, she earned her Master of Divinity degree from
the Houston Graduate School of Theology and a Doctor of Ministry from Southern
Methodist University. Before being elected to the episcopacy, she served as
pastor at the historic Bethel AME Church in San Antonio.
The
late Dr. Benjamin Mays, President of Morehouse College was correct when he said
at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “It not how long one lives, but
how well!”
Bishop Sarah Frances Taylor
Davis lived well!
2. A FEW OF THE TRIBUTES TO THE MEMORY OF BISHOP SARAH
FRANCES TAYLOR DAVIS:
TCR Editor’s Note: Appended below are the
early postings and comments in memory of Bishop Sarah Frances Taylor Davis.
There are too many posting to include them all. The FaceBook posting could fill
a book.
Earlier today, Bishop Sarah
Frances Taylor Davis, 126th Bishop, President of the Council of Bishops,
Presiding Bishop of the Sixteenth Episcopal District, and Vice-President of the
World Methodist Council, transitioned from time to eternity. Let us be in
prayer for Supervisor Claytie Davis and the family, each other, The Sixteenth
Episcopal District, The African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the larger
ecumenical community.
Gracious God, we give you thanks
for the life and labors of our sister, Sarah Frances Taylor Davis.
We have been encouraged by her holy service and her life devoted through
prayer. We now stand firmly upon our faith as we seek comfort and strength for
Brother Claytie and the bereaved family and friends. Make easy the
necessary preparations for the celebration of her life. Bless them with
wisdom during this time of pain and stress.
Bless Your church, O God!
Anoint us with Your oil of comfort. Smooth over us with Your peace.
Be with us as we grieve in faith and go forward with holy purpose.
In the name of Jesus, the
Resurrection and the Life, we ask these things by faith in love. Amen. Bishop Jeffry N. Leath, Secretary,
The Council of Bishops
“If ever there was a saint in the AME Church,
Bishop Sarah Frances Taylor Davis is a saint.
She was a woman of deep prayer and commitment.” The Rev. Dr. Charlotte Ann Blake Sydnor
“My heart is heavy! This is a sad moment for the African
Methodist Episcopal Church. Bishop Sarah Frances Taylor Davis was a champion
for Jesus and a staunch Prayer Warrior.”
The Rev. Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III
“Oh my! In the strong name
of Jesus we lift up this situation to you our God! Touch, please bring your
peace your strength, your countenance that is beyond our understanding to all.
Amen.” A.
Oveta Fuller, PhD, 2012 J William Fulbright Scholar
“My heart is heavy too. Bishop Sarah was a dear person and great
asset to the church. I am glad I knew her and learned so much from her
prayer ministry.” Retired Judge
Loretta Moore
“It is with mixed feelings I write this message. Bishop Sarah was the
epitome of kindness. She loved people and never ceased to help whenever a
situation arose. She believed in prayer and I believed even during her last
moments she was interceding to God for the church.
Even as Jesus gave us the Commission to ‘Go, make
disciples,” she too echoes for us to go and do as The Word commands. We need to
demonstrate that quality of praying that she exemplifies. Let us pray for
strength for Supervisor Claytie and family, unity of our people and the
determination to make disciples for Christ and continue the work Bishop Davis
started.
Let us pray that even as the Bishops’ Council meets
that the Holy Spirit will give Divine direction for appointing the Bishop to
lead us. Let us pray, pray, pray.” Sister Maylene Loncke, President, Sixteenth Episcopal
District Lay Organization
“The pastor,
officers and members of St. John AME Kensington wish to extend their sincerest
condolences to Episcopal Supervisor Claytie and the family of Bishop Sarah
Davis with her passing after a short illness. His ways are not our ways, or His
thoughts ours; one thing we know is what He allows is always for our
edification.” The Rev. Clive Pillay, Pastor of St. John AME Church
Kensington, Cape Town, Republic of South Africa
Bishop Sarah Frances Davis,
President, AME Council of Bishops, Dies
African
American Prelate’s Career Marked a Trailblazing Ministry - by AFRO Staff
Bishop
Sarah Frances Davis, president of the Council of Bishops of the African
Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, and vice president of the World Methodist
Council, died Nov. 9 after a brief illness, the World Methodist Council said in
a statement.
A clerical trailblazer, she was only the third woman in the 218-year history of the AME Church to reach its highest level, the office of bishop on July 6, 2004, and at the time of her death was the presiding prelate of the 16th Episcopal District. That district is made up of churches and schools in South America (Guyana and Suriname); Windward Islands (Trinidad, Tobago, Barbados and Grenada); the Caribbean Islands (Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Virgin Islands); and Europe (London, the Netherlands and France).
She was known as the “Prayer Bishop” because of her consistent emphasis on the importance of prayer in the life of the Church.
Her ministerial career included several “firsts” beginning with her appointment by AME Bishop John Bryant as the first female pastor of the 115-year old Bethel AME Church in San Antonio, Texas, making her the first female in Texas to be named to run a major AME church.
In 1997 she became the first woman in the Connectional AME church to be appointed chair of a board of examiners, serving as chair of the board for the Tenth Episcopal District.
In 2004, she was singled out by Ebony Magazine as one of the 50 Most Intriguing Persons for 2004.
She was a member of the Board of Trustees for the Houston Graduate School of Theology; served as Chair of the Global Development Council (GDC) of the AME Church (2009-2011); was a member of the Jamaica Council of Churches at the time of her death.
In August 2011, she was elected vice president of the World Methodist Council, linking Methodist, Wesleyan and related Union churches in more than 132 countries, representing nearly 43 million members worldwide.
In October 2012, Bishop Davis represented the World Methodist Council as a guest of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI at the XIII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome, Italy. The meeting held under the theme The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith, addressed the call of the Church to its original missionary goal and sought to rekindle the original fire in Christians worldwide, according to the World Methodist Council website.
She earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Southern Methodist University Perkins School of Theology, a Master of Divinity from the Houston Graduate School of Theology, a Master of Science from Pace University in New York, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Texas.
“In October [World Methodist Council Youth and Young Adult Coordinator] John Thomas III and I had a chance to visit Bishop Davis on behalf of the World Methodist Council. We found her to be in great spirits and excited that her hopes for the Council meeting in London were realized,” remarked General Secretary Ivan Abrahams.
Bishop Davis is survived by her husband, Claytie Davis Jr., her sons Corey B. Davis, Dr. Claytie Davis III and his wife Yolanda, and a grandchild, Alexandra Morgan Davis.
Social media outlets began to crackle within hours of her death. AME Bishop John Bryant tweeted, “This day a great woman has fallen in Zion, Bishop Sarah Frances Davis of the 16th District of the AMEC.” The Rev. Frank M Reid III, pastor of Bethel AME Church in Baltimore, tweeted, “Please pray for the family of Bishop Sarah Davis who died this morning! Pray for the 16th Episcopal District and their healing!”
A clerical trailblazer, she was only the third woman in the 218-year history of the AME Church to reach its highest level, the office of bishop on July 6, 2004, and at the time of her death was the presiding prelate of the 16th Episcopal District. That district is made up of churches and schools in South America (Guyana and Suriname); Windward Islands (Trinidad, Tobago, Barbados and Grenada); the Caribbean Islands (Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Virgin Islands); and Europe (London, the Netherlands and France).
She was known as the “Prayer Bishop” because of her consistent emphasis on the importance of prayer in the life of the Church.
Her ministerial career included several “firsts” beginning with her appointment by AME Bishop John Bryant as the first female pastor of the 115-year old Bethel AME Church in San Antonio, Texas, making her the first female in Texas to be named to run a major AME church.
In 1997 she became the first woman in the Connectional AME church to be appointed chair of a board of examiners, serving as chair of the board for the Tenth Episcopal District.
In 2004, she was singled out by Ebony Magazine as one of the 50 Most Intriguing Persons for 2004.
She was a member of the Board of Trustees for the Houston Graduate School of Theology; served as Chair of the Global Development Council (GDC) of the AME Church (2009-2011); was a member of the Jamaica Council of Churches at the time of her death.
In August 2011, she was elected vice president of the World Methodist Council, linking Methodist, Wesleyan and related Union churches in more than 132 countries, representing nearly 43 million members worldwide.
In October 2012, Bishop Davis represented the World Methodist Council as a guest of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI at the XIII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome, Italy. The meeting held under the theme The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith, addressed the call of the Church to its original missionary goal and sought to rekindle the original fire in Christians worldwide, according to the World Methodist Council website.
She earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Southern Methodist University Perkins School of Theology, a Master of Divinity from the Houston Graduate School of Theology, a Master of Science from Pace University in New York, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Texas.
“In October [World Methodist Council Youth and Young Adult Coordinator] John Thomas III and I had a chance to visit Bishop Davis on behalf of the World Methodist Council. We found her to be in great spirits and excited that her hopes for the Council meeting in London were realized,” remarked General Secretary Ivan Abrahams.
Bishop Davis is survived by her husband, Claytie Davis Jr., her sons Corey B. Davis, Dr. Claytie Davis III and his wife Yolanda, and a grandchild, Alexandra Morgan Davis.
Social media outlets began to crackle within hours of her death. AME Bishop John Bryant tweeted, “This day a great woman has fallen in Zion, Bishop Sarah Frances Davis of the 16th District of the AMEC.” The Rev. Frank M Reid III, pastor of Bethel AME Church in Baltimore, tweeted, “Please pray for the family of Bishop Sarah Davis who died this morning! Pray for the 16th Episcopal District and their healing!”
3. A MESSAGE FROM THE COUNCIL OF BISHOPS OF THE
AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH:
Bishop Jeffrey N. Leath, Secretary
Bishop Sarah Frances Taylor
Davis, 126th Elected and Consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church, President of the Council of Bishops and Presiding Bishop of
the Sixteenth Episcopal District transitioned from time to eternity on 9
November 2013.
The Council of Bishops mourns
the loss of our leader, colleague, friend and inspiration.
Bishop Sarah Davis brought
unique gifts to the Council. Her dedication to prayer and commitment to the
progress of our Zion will ever resonate in the heart of the Council of Bishops.
Elected from the Tenth
Episcopal District (Texas) in 2004, Bishop Davis was the third woman elevated
to episcopal service in our Zion. Before her assignment to the Sixteenth
Episcopal District (The Caribbean, South America and Europe) she provided
exemplary leadership in the Eighteenth District (Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique,
and Swaziland).
Bishop Davis was invested as
the President of the Council of Bishops in June 2013.
The Bishops of the Church
extend condolences to her husband / Episcopal Supervisor Claytie Davis and the
Davis Family. We solicit prayer for Supervisor Claytie Davis, Jr. and Family.
We also lift in prayer The
Sixteenth Episcopal District, The African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the
larger ecumenical community.
Preparations are being made
for a Service of Celebration of the life of Bishop Sarah Frances Taylor
Davis. The details will be forthcoming;
however, the observance will be in Houston, Texas on Saturday, 16 November
2013.
We ask the membership of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church to duly observe the death of this leader
with respect and prayer. Join with us
with faithful resolve to exemplify the hope and love of those who walk in the
light of Christ.
“Gracious God, we give you thanks for the life and
labors of our sister, Sarah Frances Taylor Davis. We have been encouraged by
her holy service and her life devoted through prayer. We stand firmly upon our
faith as we seek comfort and strength for Brother Claytie and the bereaved
family and friends during this time of pain and stress. Amen”
4. BISHOP SARAH FRANCES TAYLOR DAVIS - TRIBUTE FROM
THE CONNECTIONAL WOMEN IN MINISTRY:
November 11, 2013
We thank and praise God for
the life and ministry of Bishop Sarah Frances Taylor Davis, the 126th elected
and consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E.
Church). Bishop Sarah served as the
Commission Chairperson on Women in Ministry from 2004-2008 and was an active
member of Women in Ministry. She served
on the Executive Board of Women in Ministry as Financial Secretary under the
presidency of Rev. Lillian Friar Webb. As Chairperson of Women in Ministry
Bishop Sarah’s leadership provided the Board an opportunity to examine its
ministry and its mission as women in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Bishop Sarah was known as a
person who believed in the power of prayer and that prayer should be an
essential element in all that we do. She
implemented prayer time and devotions in the Meetings of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church. Through her efforts,
in 2008, the Council of Bishops approved April 13 as the Connectional Day of
prayer. She was an advocate for justice
and for education. She was concerned
about the people and the churches in the Districts that she served. She loved people and made everyone that she came
in contact with feel like they were special and important. She challenged the church to honestly look at
the state of its affairs. She was
dedicated, humble and never wasted time.
Bishop Sarah was always
looking for ways to make her people better and her District stronger and self-
sufficient. Among her many contributions,
after the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, she convened a summit of
connectional church pastors and lay leaders to share the needs of Haiti to get
their support on rebuilding Haiti with emphasis on health, education and job
training. She raised funds and provided
financial assistance for people who were living in tents and did not have food
or shelter. Bishop Sarah purchased mules
to get pregnant women to the clinics in mountain areas. She provided salary assistance for SADA
doctors and nurses for the first year after the earthquake. She funded a school to help young adults to
learn about construction to help young adults to obtain construction jobs. She worked on rebuilding the churches that
had been destroyed by the earthquake.
She was a great supporter of Women in Ministry. Her counsel and her wisdom will be sorely
missed.
Upon her elevation to the
Episcopacy in 2004 she was appointed to serve the 18th Episcopal District,
which is comprised of the South African countries of Lesotho, Botswana,
Swaziland, and Mozambique. At the time
of her death, Bishop Davis served as the presiding prelate of the 16th
Episcopal District, comprised of churches and schools in South America (Guyana
and Suriname); Windward Islands (Trinidad, Tobago, Barbados and Grenada); the
Caribbean Islands (Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Virgin Islands); and
Europe (London, the Netherlands and France).
On June 24, 2013 in Kingston, Jamaica many witnessed her investiture as
President of the Council of Bishops for the African Methodist Episcopal
Church. Her investiture in Jamaica,
West Indies was the first time that the General Board Meeting had been held
outside of the United States in a very long time. We remember her pride at the hosting of the
meeting and the support that she received from the 16th Episcopal District.
She also served as
Vice-President of the World Council of Churches and was a member of Alpha Kappa
Alpha Sorority.
Prior to her election as
Bishop, Bishop Sarah served as the first woman pastor of Bethel A.M.E. church,
San Antonio, Texas in its 115 year history.
She became the first woman to be appointed to a major church. She earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from
Southern Methodist University Perkins School of Theology, a Master of Divinity
from the Houston Graduate School of Theology, a Master of Science from New York
Pace University, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Texas.
We thank God for her life and
the impact that she has had on the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the
worldwide church. We thank God for her
love and the shining light that she was in the midst of our church. Let the light that she has been to us, not
be snuffed out. Let us carry the torch
and pass on the baton so that the glory of God might be revealed in us as it
was in her life.
Please keep Supervisor
Claytie Davis, Jr., her sons Corey B. Davis, and Dr. Claytie Davis, III his
wife Yolanda and granddaughter, Alexandra Morgan Davis and Bishop Sarah’s twin
sister, Dr. Carol Mitchell in our prayers.
We send our love and our heartfelt condolences to the family.
“The LORD is my light and my
salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom
shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1
The Rev. Kimberly L.
Detherage, Esq.
Connectional President, Women
in Ministry
Bishop Clement W. Fugh is the
Commission Chair for AMEC Women In Ministry
5. TRIBUTE TO THE LATE RT. REV. SARAH FRANCES TAYLOR
DAVIS:
Tribute to the late Rt. Rev.
Sarah Frances Taylor Davis, Prelate Bishop of the 16th Episcopal District and
President of the Council of Bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church
By the Rev. Teboho G. Klaas
When the news about the
passing on of Bishop Sarah Frances Taylor Davis reached us, in South Africa, a
part of the 19th Episcopal District constituency was at work in its 116th
session of the West Annual Conference. It was receiving stewardship reports and
determining work for the year ahead
We were alerted by a Facebook status, written by the Rev. Dr.
Timothy Tyler of the shocking news. Bishop Paul J.M. Kawimbe was preparing for
the ordination service on the afternoon of Saturday, November 9, 2013.
We were shocked and
devastated by the news, did not believe whether what we read and heard was
correct or not. The shock and devastation was so real and could seen in the
facial expression of Bishop Kawimbe, her classmate and colleague with whom they
served together, since 2004, in the Global Development Council’s (GDC)
Episcopal Districts.
Bishop Sarah Davis is dear to
us and she has proven has desire to serve the Lord, sharing her talents and
gifts with the constituency of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the
GDC Districts.
Together with her life
partner in mission, Supervisor Claytie Davis, Jr., her leadership was defined
by attributes critical to inspire any people to remain hopeful and to work for
the Lord in the and through the church; namely, fervent prayer and a passionate
smile. In the GDC, we are witnesses to these and we will miss her
forthrightness which has enabled to transit beyond the glory of the 2004
General Conference and seek to meet its purposes.
At the 5th Biennial session
of the GDC meeting, in February 2013, in Johannesburg, she presented an
delivered a six point plan which was adopted to define GDC going forward;
namely,
i. To increase membership by
10%, through Christian Education and Evangelism
ii. To tell our story
iii. To develop leadership at
all levels
iv. To intentionally develop
ways of attracting, keeping and nurturing young people
v. To jointly determine
proposed Connectional Budget for Episcopal Districts 14-20
vi. To produce denominational
materials in indigenous languages
In fact, the best tribute for
us in the GDC is to see every element of this six point plan carried out. While
her passing on pains us, her legacy is too rich to leave us debilitated because
she heard Christ admonish us, “As long as it is day, we must do the works of
him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work (John 9:4, NIV).”
She has been sensitive to the
overwhelming needs of the people she served in the 18th and the 16th
Episcopal Districts and to the development of clergy and laity, leaving
developmental legacies in these Episcopal Districts. It is, especially, the
needs of children that she would not ignore but was spent contributing to their
futures being brightened, regardless of what their pasts were. Consequently,
she leaves behind orphanages, providing shelter and homes to orphaned and
vulnerable children in both Episcopal Districts.
Her Episcopal ministry was
brief but so meaningful.
We mourn her loss eve as we
celebrate her commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, expressed in the
African Methodist Episcopal Church and in the World Methodist Council, where
she was the Vice President and was elected during its Assembly in Durban, South
Africa. We are encourage by the knowledge that she believed and surrendered
herself in the Lordship of Jesus Christ, who declared that whoever believes in
Him will pass from the dead to everlasting life.
We pray comfort for
Supervisor Claytie Davis, Jr. and his family, at this time of their loss and
mourning. We are indebted to them for create space that allowed her to be
shared by many of us in the developing world. Their sacrifices, making their
mother and grandmother, to be spent for us, will surely be rewarded.
We pray the Lord that, at
this time, Supervisor Claytie Davis, Jr.,
his family and their friends, as well as the AMEs and all the
Methodists, will remain strong in the Lord and the power of His might (Eph.
6:10, NIV).
6. READER RESPONSE TO EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES:
-- To the Editor:
RE: TCR Editorial – “The Discipline 2012” is ready – please
no “assume” mentality:
I must say I really
appreciate what The Christian Recorder teaches us on daily basis and the
information we receive through it. I must, however, air my concern regarding
how sometimes writers tend to be more personal on things that shouldn‘t be
personalised or sensationalized.
Regarding The Discipline,
assume mode mentality emphasized, I agree but the TCR must also appreciate and
salute AME parishioners, officers, pastors who make an effort to study the
discipline and train its members. The opinion raised here is only one sided and
it annoys me.
It is also disturbing to me whenever
I hear anyone of TCR writers say it's
"Time to stop singing and do teaching." Let me remind anyone holding on to this
opinion that it doesn’t matter how well justified, to me, singing and praises
is what elevates some of us to higher understanding of God. Singing and praise
is what motivates us to learn more of Him through studying His word; and some
of us believe every Hymn or Chorus sung in our place of worship each Sunday is
influenced and sung on the basis of a scripture in the Bible.
With any hymn or chorus that
is biblically inspired, we believe "when praises goes up, blessings come
down."
Stay Blessed & Balanced
in the Lord!
The Rev. Tshepo Sebakile
Motswedi Wa Botshelo
7. TRAYVON MARTIN SUNDAY COMMUNITY FORUM,
NOVEMBER 17, 2013:
- A day of worship, education, inspiration and
reflection
Cambridge, Massachusetts -
St. Paul AME Church in Cambridge and the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for
Race and Justice are presenting a community forum November 17, 2013 with the
family and attorneys of Trayvon Martin. Moderated by Professor Charles
Ogletree, Harvard Law School, the forum will examine the issues surrounding the
circumstances that led to the death of Trayvon Martin and a not guilty verdict.
“Trayvon Martin’s death
started the debate about violence against black youth and is a reminder of how
the nation reacted to the brutal murder of Emmett Till in 1955 and the
acquittal of his killers, which became a national story. The Trayvon Martin
case has once again propelled race relations and racial profiling into the
national and international spotlight,” states Professor Ogletree. The Trayvon
Martin family has launched efforts to address the popular “Stand Your Ground”
law that has been implemented in 46 states in the country. Members and
attorneys of the Martin family are coming to Massachusetts to address the issue
of racial profiling in Massachusetts.
Sybrina Fulton, the mother of
Trayvon Martin, will be making remarks at the 8:00 a.m. worship service and
Professor Charles Ogletree will be the speaker at the 11:00 a.m. service.
The community forum will
bring to light the current environment that young black males need to contend
with and what this Florida case means for the future.
The discussion will include
the “Stand Your Ground” laws, violence in our cities and neighborhoods, gun
control, and race relations.
Everyone is invited to attend
the Sunday worship services at St. Paul AME Church, 37 Bishop Richard Allen
Drive and the community forum at the St. Paul Christian Life Center, 85 Bishop
Richard Allen Drive, Cambridge at 3:00 p.m.
The program is free and open
to the public. For more information, call 617-661-1110 x 101.
8. KEEP DRIVING, BUT STAY IN YOUR OWN LANE:
Wayman Chapel, New Brighton,
Pennsylvania is known as “The friendly little church behind the Post Office.”
Under the leadership of the Rev. Samuel W. Chambers and First Lady Erma J.
Chambers, the congregation, which consists of predominantly senior citizens of
age; small in number.
Wayman Chapel assumed the responsibility
of hosting the 146th Session of the Pittsburgh Annual Conference!
It was the first time an
annual conference had been dawn to Beaver County, area of which New Brighton is
a part.
Committees were formed and meetings
were held to insure the successful hosting of the annual conference. The
driving force at every meeting and planning details was “prayer” and the
reminder, “Keep driving, but stay in your own lane!”
Each committee and group
“stayed on their own lane” and there were not too many “crashes.”
This high-functioning and
humble group of believers, led by God, hosted the 146th Session of
the Pittsburgh Annual Conference and left no stone unturned!
The Presence of the Holy
Spirit was evident in a mighty way in every session of the annual conference,
directed by Bishop McKinley Young and Episcopal Supervisor, Dr. Dorothy Jackson
Young.
Ministers came from far and
near to share in this experience.
One of the many highlights
was the fellowship and sharing with the Rev. Tracey Cox and her wonderful
congregation, the New Brighton United Methodist Church. Her Bishop, the Right
Rev. Thomas Bickerton and representatives from his cabinet also were in
attendance.
The Opening Service was so
special to have both Bishops, representing both the African Methodist Episcopal
Church and the United Methodist Church, present to share and partake of the
Blessed Sacrament!
Because of the overflow
crowd, the Opening Service and two other worship services were held at the
United Methodist Church located adjacent to Wayman Chapel.
The oneness in Christ was
truly displayed!
Praises go to God for the
success of the Pittsburgh Annual Conference from the souvenir journal to the
Missionary luncheon, Lay night, Sons of Allen and the Ecumenical night, YPD
night, Wilberforce, and CONN-M-SWAWO Luncheon.
Each of the planning entities
stayed “in their own lane,” and “kept driving” performing their functions
efficiently from beginning to the ending of the annual conference.
This little congregation of
Wayman Chapel AME Church in New Brighton, Pennsylvania accomplished what some
thought to be impossible, but with God’s help, which the Rev. Chambers called,
“A Beaver County Experience” set the historical mark of efficiently hosting the
146th Session of the Pittsburgh Annual Conference!
Wayman Chapel AME is a part
of the Allegheny/Scranton District of the Pittsburgh Conference, dynamic Third
Episcopal District!
Bishop McKinley Young is the
Presiding Prelate of the 3rd Episcopal District; Dr. Dorothy Jackson
Young is the Episcopal Supervisor; the Rev. Dr. Eric L. Brown is the Presiding
Elder of the Allegheny/Scranton
District; Margo Allen Brown, District
Administrator; the Rev. Dr. James H. McLemore, Pittsburgh District Co-host;
Mrs Donna McLemore, President of the Pittsburgh Annual Conference Ministers’
Spouses, Widows and Widowers Organization; and the Rev. Samuel W. Chambers is
the pastor of Wayman Chapel.
*Mrs. Erma J. Chambers is the
First Spouse of Wayman Chapel AME Church
9. THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HATH MADE. LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD. PS. 118:24:
With great joy and
thanksgiving to God, we announce the centennial birthday of Mrs. Mary Mitchell
Hughes on 21 November 2013. We ask you
to join us in prayer and good thoughts as we approach this special time in her
life.
Mrs. Hughes is the widow of
the Reverend Suspencer Mitchell Hughes, whom she stood beside and supported –
not as “first lady,” but as his loving wife and friend - for nearly 35 years of
ministry in the 7th Episcopal District.
During most of this time, she built her own career in the field of
education as a teacher and mentor.
Mrs. Hughes is a native of
Kingstree, SC. She graduated (class
valedictorian) from Tomlinson High School (Kingstree, SC) and received a BS in
Elementary Education from Allen University (Columbia, SC). Being a proponent of
continuous education and in her quest for excellence for herself and her
students – “lifelong learning” - she did further study at various institutions
of higher education in SC, attaining certifications in several different areas
of teaching. She taught briefly in the
elementary schools of Williamsburg, Berkeley, and Florence counties (SC), but
spent the bulk of her career as a 1st grade teacher at Rosemary School in
Andrews, SC (Georgetown Co.). She
retired in 1977 with 27+ years of service to the public schools of SC.
She was an expert 1st grade
teacher, but, her son quipped in his remarks at her retirement ceremony, she
was a slow-learner and never made it out of 1st grade. Still, she nurtured children and their
families, mentored student and beginning teachers, and collaborated with her
colleagues as a vital team member with a firm belief in the familiar adage that
“together, we stand; divided, we fall.”
Her involvement in education
was not limited to the classroom. Mrs.
Hughes served as church reporter to “The Palmetto Leader,” an African American
publication (1925-1966). As a
teacher-advocate, she sought to improve conditions for present and future
educators through active participation in her professional organizations, the
all-black American Teachers Association (now the National Education
Association-NEA) and the all-black Palmetto Education Association (now SC
Education Association-SCEA). After many
years of struggle for fairness and justice for ALL teachers and students (though the struggle certainly did not end
there), along with the teachers of SC, she marched proudly into the annual
meeting (Township Auditorium, Columbia, SC) of the newly-merged PEA/SCEA in
1967, celebrating a “giant leap” for public education in SC. She is a Life Member of NEA/SCEA and
continued active involvement in the local/state affiliate of the Retired
Teachers’ Association until her relocation to NYC.
Other active community
involvement included Allen University Alumni Association (Lake City Chapter),
NAACP Life Member, Church Women United, Williamsburg Co. Arts Council, Friends
of the Library, Mental Health Group, and Voter Registration Poll Worker,
National Council of Negro Women, League of Women Voters, YWCA, March of Dimes
Mothers March volunteer, American Cancer Society (15 yrs.), International
Yuletide Mother of the Year Award (Dr. James Hicklin’s “The Other Wise Man”), Chicago,
IL.
Mrs. Hughes accepted Christ
as her personal Saviour when she was very young and by His loving power,
dedicated her life to serving and pleasing Him. Her love for God’s and His
people resulted in church work being a priority for Mrs. Hughes. She distinguished herself as the consummate
Missionary on all levels, particularly in the 7th Episcopal District. She was recognized for “25 years of
continuous meritorious service in the Women’s Missionary Society” for Life
Membership (an honor that is bestowed upon a select group of missionary workers
in the AMEC) in 1994, under the leadership of Episcopal Supervisor Dr. Dolly
Adams. Currently, Mrs. Hughes is an
affiliate member of the Janie B. Fortune WMS, NY Conference Branch.
Although Mrs. Hughes resides
(for the past 12 years) in Rosedale, NY, with her younger daughter, Gwen (and
family), she maintains her membership at her home church, Greater Bethel AMEC
(Kingstree, SC), where she has been a member since childhood. She resumed full membership at Greater Bethel
after years spent complementing her husband’s pastorate.
At Greater Bethel, she was
active at every level of church life (beginning as a Jr. Missionary) from the
ACE League and choir to the Stewardess Board, Adult Sunday School Class teacher,
and Finance Committee. She served in
many capacities prior to her 8-year tenure as President (add’l yr. as interim)
of the Hicks-Rush-McClam WMS. At the
conference (Palmetto) level, she served as vice-president to Mrs. Flossie
Wilson Conyers (4 yrs.), Historiographer (7 yrs.), PME Chairperson, and
Research/Status of Black Women Committee Member. Her service extended to the Episcopal
District level, too, where she served under the leadership of Supervisor Theresa
James as Chairperson of the Nominating Committee and Worship Leader (8
yrs.). Mrs. Hughes’ legacy continues
through a family scholarship established in her name, but which she unselfishly
chose to share with two other missionaries in the Palmetto Conference. Also, one of the units of the Hicks-Rush-McClam
WMS at Greater Bethel is named “Mary M. Hughes Unit.”
What began as a by-product of
being a pastor’s wife, but has continued for a lifetime because her love for
the AMEC, Mrs. Hughes has attended nearly every General Conference and Missionary
Quadrennial since 1950, as well as occasional Lay Biennial conventions,
including the 2013 gathering in Atlanta.
Additionally, she rarely misses her son’s 4th Episcopal District
(Chicago) Annual and (South) District conferences.
Mrs. Hughes is an affiliated
member-in- good- standing at First AME Church-Bethel (Harlem, NY), under the
pastoral care of the Rev. Henry Allen Belin III. There, she participates in Sunday School,
Missionary, and Lay activities and was honored by the Lay Organization (under the
leadership of Mrs. Edith Cartledge) in October, 2011, at their 7th
Annual Awards Luncheon as one of two of “Bethel’s Very Own Special Women.” Her greatest joy, however, lies in watching
and encouraging her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and grand-nephew,
Clayton, as they are regularly involved in the life of the First AMEC-Bethel.
Yes, family – particularly
her grand and great-grandchildren – friends,
church/church work, and education are the leading priorities in Mrs.
Hughes’ life, but make no mistake about it:
The Lord and Father of Mankind,
Jesus’ blood and righteousness, the Cross of Calvary, and the Fount of
every blessing – THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY - has ALWAYS been the King of my (her)
Life. There’s Nothing between my (her) Soul and my
(her) Saviour – Nothing! A lover of
the great hymns of the church, the hymn titles/phrases listed are among many
that Mrs. Hughes would be heard humming as she performed various chores,
duties, activities at home, and sometimes, in the workplace. This is a practice that she says kept her
mind “Stayed on Jesus” when Satan might have tried to devour her. Mrs. Hughes loves - and has always loved the
Lord - and tries to reflect that love in her living.
Mrs. Hughes is the mother of
3 children: Presiding Elder Thomas M.
Hughes (Mary) of Chicago, IL, Wilhelmena Sapp (Fred) of Fayetteville, NC, and
Gwendolyn McCottry (Matthew -“MD”) of Rosedale, NY; proud grandmother of 5:
Fred and Andrew (Orlando, FL) and Atyia (Alexandria, VA) Sapp, and Marquisha
Dawson and Mishonna McCottry (Rosedale, NY); prouder great-grandmother of 2:
Kyla and Karimah of Rosedale, NY.
Congratulatory messages may
be sent to:
Mrs. Mary Hughes
230-46 147th Avenue
Rosedale, NY 11413
718-978-4626
Email messages may be sent to
Mrs. Hughes at: whs1746@aol.com or petmhughes299@sbcglobal.com
10. NO LAUGHING MATTER:
*The Rev. Renita Marie Lamkin
Recently I was at a meeting and
the presenter of a report spoke about the ministry readiness exam that new
admits to ministry has to take. As the exam and the issue people have with
taking the exam was spoken of those in attendance broke out into laughter.
I was stunned.
A statement to the effect of,
“We just want to know what kind of crazy you are” is what generated the
beginning of the laughter. Of those sitting near me there were several comments
made, jokes bouncing around and a few numb faces. I was mortified.
I realize that sometimes we
laugh about that which makes us uncomfortable and that we make joking comments
to cover our own uneasiness—or to put others at ease—with a subject. I joke a lot—I get it.
But mental wellness is no
laughing matter.
Maybe I am super sensitive
because my own family has members who have struggled with a scale of depression
diagnosis. My own child attempted suicide while in high school following the
gruesome suicide of her very good friend. From visiting way too many people on
the psych floor of the hospital to the suicide of members of our Celebrate
Recovery group my sense of compassion is huge and my sensitivity is high.
Mental wellness is no
laughing matter.
Faith leaders are in position
to talk positively about mental wellness. When we perpetuate the stigma
associated with mental health care we neutralize the hope and the power of
information that needs to infiltrate the faith community.
Last year I sought out and
was able to connect with licensed therapists who were willing to provide counseling
for members of our faith community—particularly those in our recovery
program—at no charge. I was talking about this in a meeting and someone,
jokingly, said something like, “that’s your white side coming out.” Really?
One of our Women in Ministry
workshops at the Missouri Annual Conference was “QPR Gatekeeper Training.” This
is a training to equip folks to “Question, Persuade, and Refer” those who
express suicidal thoughts. Only one male clergyperson attended.
Of those sitting around me
who were laughing and joking around this issue at that meeting none were
women—I’m just saying (I should also say that not all of the men sitting near
me were laughing either).
Mental wellness is no
laughing matter. It’s our issue—it is a genderless, race-less, classless issue.
Mental wellness impacts our entire community.
I’ve come to understand
mental health care as part of a holistic approach to overall strength and
wellness. Being created in the image and likeness of God we, too, are tri-union-ish—we have an eternal (soul),
a spirit (personality/emotions) and flesh (includes our brain and its
functioning).
As a clergy person I can help
folks with their soul issues—issues of theology and theodicy. I can help folks
process the spiritual impact of behaviors and the impact of the Spirit on our
lives—the evidence of God’s presence, a larger sense of meaning and purpose.
That’s my role.
A therapist can help folks
with their spirit (personality, emotions). We sometimes need help processing
events of our past and the impact the past has on the present. The therapist
can help us develop action plans, coping skills, gain confidence in self and
self-expression.
A psychiatrist is for the
physical aspect of our being. Sometimes the physiological functions of our brain
do not work right or the stresses of life have caused a malfunction of some
sort. Sometimes a tiny little pill can bring our physical being back into
balance. This is a physical issue, not a
spiritual issue and not an issue of one’s will or intention. In other words, we
can’t cast this out or just get it together—we need help.
Holistic treatment is
essential to achieve mental wellness.
Faith leaders must work
diligently to reduce the stigma associated with mental health through our own
education and through our personal presentation.
We must educate ourselves
about the differences between situational depression and chronic/clinical
depression. We must know how to talk to people with mental health conditions
and build a trusted referral system for our community. We must know how to
support a family in crisis, how to recognize a mental health issue and how to
respond. There’s likely a lot more we also should know...
Faith leaders must stop
laughing at jokes made about mental health issues and those needing mental
health care and we must challenge each other to be sensitive and compassionate
publically and privately. As I sat in that meeting looking around, seeing the
numbness on faces, some of whom I know have struggled themselves, I felt like I
was melting away.
How will people trust us
privately when we laugh at them publically?
Mental wellness is no
laughing matter.
I spoke up to a couple of the
leaders who were sitting near me laughing and joking at that meeting. These two
justified their jokes as just messing with each other and were totally unaware
of how those sitting around them may have been impacted by their comments to
each other. I didn’t back down with my challenge, they were uncomfortable and I
was too. Faith leaders, in particular, must be sensitive and aware.
At some point I realized that
the intensity I directed their way was really what I wanted to say to the
larger body—I backed off and resolved to write this blog. This week there was a
tragedy in Macon, GA—a pastor committed suicide after church. As I perused Face
Book I saw lots of empathetic and passionate comments—even some from those who
were joking at that meeting.
How many people have to die
before we realize mental wellness is no laughing matter? How close to home does
suicide or homicide or pedophilia or narcissism or depression or compulsive
disorders have to hit before we realize mental wellness is no laughing
matter?
From the pulpit to the pew
people are struggling in silent shame.
Our laughter and our silence shames people into believing that mental
illness is their own “fault” and makes us believe that mental wellness is not
‘our’ issue.
Our words must intentionally
speak life and healing and hope—blessings and curses cannot proceed from our
tongue. We must weep with those who weep. We must be the extension of Jesus’
mercy and compassion. We must
intentionally empower and encourage our community toward holistic healing and
we must do more than rebuke the spirit of shame—we must stop perpetuating it by
our actions, words, laughter, inactions and silence.
Mental wellness is no
laughing matter.
*The Rev. Renita Marie Lamkin
is pastor of St. John AME Church, St. Charles, Missouri
11. CHRISTIANITY'S CORE MESSAGE HAS BEEN WATERED DOWN:
Rubel Shelly served as minister
of Woodmont Hills Church of Christ here in Nashville for about 27 years before
going on to serve as the president of Rochester College in Michigan.
He has a book titled “I Knew
Jesus Before He Was a Christian … and I Liked Him Better Then.” His basic claim
is that the Jesus of history and the Jesus of common public perception are two
very different people. And he feels that the church has done a poor job of
representing Jesus and his message over the past 2,000 years, to the extent
that he has become unattractive to many, many people today.
He quotes American scholar
Sam Pascoe, who said, “Christianity was born in Israel, only to be taken to
Greece and morphed into a philosophy. From there it was taken to Rome and made
into an institution of civil power. Eventually, it migrated into Europe, where
it was developed into a culture. And later, it was brought to America and made
into an entrepreneurial business enterprise.” These are strong words, but they
ring true in many ways.
Shelly says that when we
institutionalized Jesus, we watered down core parts of his message and we
started to become more concerned with maintenance, doctrine, correct beliefs,
power and blending Jesus with the culture. And so, now, what we have in our
culture is a lot of people who really don’t know what Jesus was all about
because the church has misrepresented him for so long. We’ve made him into what
we want him to be rather than allow his message to speak for itself. We have
tried to put Jesus in a box. In some ways, we have tried to put words into his
mouth.
Mark tells us in chapter 12
of his Gospel that a scribe comes along and asks Jesus, “Which commandment is
the first of all?” And Jesus responds: “Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the
Lord is One,” and then he says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your
strength. And the second commandment is like it: you shall love your neighbor
as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”
That’s it. That’s what the
Christian life is all about. It is very straightforward. Yet, if we are honest,
we know that we have a hard time following these two commandments. They are
simple, and we know them by heart, yet they are very difficult and complex at
the same time.
Methodist pastor Martin
Thielen has said this: “Of all the things that clamor for our time, energy and
attention, what matters most? What is the bottom line? It’s a crucial question.
We are all constantly bombarded with dozens of concerns, including our job,
career, marriage, children, home, friends, faith, church, community, health and
finances. And these concerns often compete with one another for our time and
energy. So how do we figure out what matters most? What is primary? What is
secondary? What really counts? That’s what this scribe in Mark 12 is trying to
figure out. He wanted to know, what is the greatest priority in life?”
And Jesus answers him by
saying that our lives should be focused on having a relationship with God and a
relationship with others. And it should happen in that order.
So before we get too wrapped
up with doctrine, biblical literalism, worship styles, social issues and church
shopping, we should ask ourselves, “How are we doing when it comes to following
these two commandments?” That will tell us a lot about our life and our faith.
I grew up as a preacher’s kid
hearing my father talk about the cross. The vertical bar represents our
relationship to God (worship, prayer, Bible study, stewardship, etc). The horizontal
bar represents our relationship to others (mission, service, outreach,
kindness). Without both bars, we don’t have the cross. Without both aspects of
the faith, Christianity is incomplete.
The Rev. Clay Stauffer is
senior minister of Woodmont Christian Church
Used with permission of the
Rev. Clay Stauffer
12. GETTING TO ZERO: GRATEFUL FOR AFFORDABLE CARE:
*Dr. Oveta Fuller
There are lots of thoughts
this week including the continuing series on cancer. It is the second week back
in the USA. It is good to be home. It is different to back in the USA after
living outside of its boundaries for the major portion of the year.
Adjustments to the
differences are necessary. Perhaps among the most striking adjustments required
is about what is carried on the news and in the media.
While I was away, due to
elected legislators’ actions or lack of action, sequestering happened, the
government shut-down happened, the opening of enrollment to select a health
care insurance plan made available by The Affordable Health Care Act happened.
Spring, summer and now autumn in Michigan happened.
As pastors, ministers,
officers, missionaries - mere Christians all, most TCR readers have worked with
or been around people whose lives are profoundly shaped by whether or not they
can go to a doctor, visit a medical facility or get treated at a clinic when
they are sick. Most of us have been to an emergency room. We see the usually
high number of individuals there, many of whom are people of color. Yes, we
know how access to health care, or lack of access, can dramatically affect
daily life.
We understand why that in the
USA - one of the most developed countries in the world if not the most
developed; it is a sad witness, perhaps a crime against humanity, that a person
cannot get medical care when needed. Why should medical care be denied because
of a pre-existing condition or because one does not have the funds to pay,
today. Is access to healthcare a basic human right? Is access to health care a
reasonable expectation for people living in such a great country?
At a basic instinct level,
most people would answer yes. It gets complicated only when the costs and who
pays the costs are factored in. How much are you, am I, are others, willing to
pay so that medical care is broadly available? How can resources be provided to
support access to preventive and early care for everyone rather than later
required support of attempts at life-saving remedies once an advance stage of
disease develops. “An ounce of prevention is worth much more than a pound of
cure.”
Before I left the USA, The
Affordable Health Care Act was passed. When I was leaving it was being
challenged at the Supreme Court level. For this passed and approved legislature
that is a law of the land, it is time to act. Yes, there are complications with
the enrollment process. There are already, and will be more people who are
getting or will get access to preventions, screenings and much needed
treatments.
Soon pastors, clergy,
ministers, officers, missionaries will not have to hesitate as much in
recommending that a person or family seeks medical attention whether for a
physical or mental disorder. We will not have to wonder, what should I do? Does
or should my church or I have a means to provide some of the cost to get this
person seen or into treatment or to therapies that are available?
I know that our country will
wade through the current complications of signing up for a health insurance
plan. We will move towards the condition where every citizen and occupant of America
will have some assurance of access to health care. While we wait and wade
through, let’s remember why access to health care matters.
Remember those who did not
get their children immunized, who did not get the annual physical, who did not get
the test that would detect breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon-rectal cancer,
diabetes, heart disease and pending stroke, lung disease, asthma, obesity,
liver disease, HIV/AIDS, herpes virus, human papilloma virus and cervical
cancer- while something could be done to arrest disease progression. Remember those who just did not have the
income to spare for health insurance. Remember those who bet on being young and
healthy and thus hoped that they would not need medical care. Remember those
with addictions who were afraid to get therapy to learn how to manage the
addiction and to help recognize the pain that likely is numbed by an addictive
agent. Remember those who may have died from something that could have been
handled with current medical developments, if they had only sought help earlier
or at all. Income should not be the deciding factor.
Members of the community of
faith in America are in an ideal position to move forward with The Affordable
Healthcare Act. Find out what you can do
for you, what you can do for someone else. It may be a family member, a
neighbor, a church member, your congregation, your pastor or other leader who
could use some assistance with navigating the enrollment process for themselves
or for those whom they influence. An encouraging word or helping hand can move
someone to get enrollment done.
The Social Action Director,
Rev. Valerie Toney Parker of the 4th Episcopal District has provided a
communication that includes a toolkit of websites with resources and insights
especially for communities of faith. If you do not have such information yet
from your Episcopal District or for questions contact socialaction@ame4th.org.
Below are some useful links (click on the links or paste the URL into an
internet browser) to get moving in the right direction.
I am grateful that the time
to act, the time to enroll, is now.
*The Rev. Dr. A. Oveta Fuller
is a tenured professor in Microbiology and Immunology and faculty in the
African Studies Center at the University of Michigan. An Itinerant Elder in the
4th Episcopal District, she served as pastor of Bethel AME Church in
Adrian, MI for seven years before focusing fully on global health research in
Zambia and the USA for HIV/AIDS elimination. At Payne Theological Seminary she
teaches a required course, “What Effective Clergy Should Know about HIV/AIDS.”
13. iCHURCH SCHOOL LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, NOVEMBER
17, 2013 - FROM DESPAIR TO DELIVERANCE Exodus 14: 21-30:
*Bill Dickens, Allen AME
Church, Tacoma, Washington
Church School Lesson Brief
Bill Dickens’ Special Note: “This lesson is dedicated to the memory and
legacy of Bishop Sarah Frances Davis, the 126th Elected and
Consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She fought a good fight, she kept the faith
and now she has finished the race.”
The human experience is
filled with many ups and downs. We are
not immune from experiencing the thrill of victory and the agony of
defeat. Our roller-coaster lifestyle
prepares us for disappointments with the anticipation we will eventually
“overcome” the obstacles.
The Adult AME Church School
Lesson takes a close look at how the Israelite Nation survived an experience of
gloom and doom only to be followed with joy and jubilation. Our Bible story from Exodus Chapter 14: 21-30
is rich in history, theology and social justice symbolism. Pharaoh and his band of Egyptian soldiers
have finally capitulated to the demands of Moses by granting the Israelites
their freedom to leave Egypt after the devastating tenth plague which killed
the first born male for humans and animals.
Regrettably, Pharaoh reneges on his word and dispatches his military
commanders to track down the Israelites with the goal of re-enslavement. The arrogant decision by Pharaoh would prove
fatal for his army.
The epic story of God separating
the Red Sea by allowing the Israelites to cross along the ocean floor with the
waters standing at attention on the left and right provokes incredible
imagery. The pursuing Egyptians however
were neither blessed nor highly favored in the eyesight of the Lord God
Almighty. Their fate culminated in a
horrific drowning in their attempt to re-enslave God’s chosen people.
While the world mourns the
loss of lives at the hand of the devastating typhoon which caused thousands of
Philippines to perish last week, we should not confuse what happened in the
Philippines with the outcome of the Egyptians in our lesson text. The Egyptians were driven by greed and human
exploitation of slave labor. The Lord
God sought protection for His people in the presence of evil. Many Israelites were likely feeling all hope
was lost as the Egyptians were in fast pursuit with their chariots. However, just when we think our “backs are
to the wall,” God intervenes and brings deliverance out of the midst of
despair. This is the message of the Red
Sea experience. It is comforting to know
when we think the outlook looks bleak; God is unlimited in providing a miracle
to see us thru the obstacle. The Negro
Spiritual sums it up best – "I'm so glad that trouble don't last always;
Hush, Hush, somebody’s
callin’ my name.”
*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.
14. MEDITATION BASED ON JOHN 10:1-10:
*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby
I’m writing this week’s meditation a couple of day
after the closing of the Coastal Carolina Fair. Over the past couple of
weeks, people from across the South Carolina Lowcountry flocked to the
fairgrounds - some of them putting off paying a few bills so that they’d have
“Fair money” - for grandstand entertainment, rides and games, and “fair food”
that we never eat at any other time of the year.
Tens of thousands of people attended the Fair, but
only a fraction of them checked out the arts and crafts, farm product and
livestock exhibits. State and County Fairs were created in the mid-1800's
to promote agriculture, and carnivals were added later as American society
became less agricultural and more urban. In theory, the Fair is still
supposed to promote agriculture, but in fact and in advertising, the emphasis
is on having fun.
There’s certainly nothing wrong with having fun – I
usually go to the Fair and, although I’m not much of a “ride” enthusiast anymore,
I look forward to the festive fairground atmosphere and a humongous Italian
sausage sandwich smothered in peppers and onions with greasy fries and a big
Coke! I also visit the exhibit halls, though, as a reminder of the real
purpose of the Fair.
What applies to the Fair is similar to what applies
to our faith. Many people come out to enjoy worship, and there’s nothing
wrong with that, as long as we remember the essence of faith. Worship
should be enjoyable and inspirational, but real faith goes beyond weekly
worship. Real faith leads to a solid relationship with God that sustains
us when fear and frustration replace fun in our lives and gives us the
assurance that we never have to face life alone.
Real faith leads us to enjoy worship, but to also
be regularly involved in the family of God through things like Bible Study and
ministry activities. Real faith goes beyond the enjoyment of worship and
directs our lives each and every day.
Take the time to enjoy life - Jesus said, “I am
come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.” Take the time
as well, however, to count your blessings and return thanks to God by
exercising your faith in your daily life. Doing so may initially seem
like work, but it actually leads to a new and fulfilling joy that comes not
through temporary fun, but through enduring faith.
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
15. EPISCOPAL FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
It is with deep regret that
we announce the passing of Bishop Sarah Frances Taylor Davis, the 126th
Elected and Consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
- Arrangements, Logistics and other information for
the Service of Thanksgiving for Bishop Sarah Frances Davis
In order to assist persons
traveling to Houston, Texas for the Service of Thanksgiving for Bishop Sarah F.
Davis, Saturday, November 16, 2013, the following information on hotel
accommodations is being provided:
Omni Hotel
13210 Katy Freeway
Houston, Texas 77079
Telephone: (281) 558-8338
Special Rate Code: 10 Episcopal District AME Church
Room rate for Standard Deluxe
is $90. There is a limited number of Executive Kings at $105. Rate available
from Friday through Monday.
Cut-off day for a hotel reservation is this Thursday,
November 14, 2013.
This hotel facility is
conveniently located for both the airport and the church. Super Shuttle can
provide transportation from airports to hotel and return.
The service will be streamed
via the internet. The family will share the streaming link when it is
available. The service will be held at:
The Church Without Walls
5725 Queenstown Blvd
Houston, TX 77084
Telephone: (281) 649-6800
9:00 a.m. - 9: 30 a.m. -
Special Service Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Ivy Beyond the Wall.
9:30 - 11:00 a.m. - Viewing
and Family Greeting
11:00 a.m. - Service of
Thanksgiving
Bishop John R. Bryant, Senior
Bishop, Eulogist
Bishop Vashti M. McKenzie,
Officiant
Expressions of sympathy may
be sent to:
The Family of Bishop Sarah
Frances Davis
12214 Rocky Knoll Drive
Houston, Texas 77077
All expressions of sympathy are welcomed.
*Persons sending flowers or
plants should be sure to give directions for delivery to The Church Without Walls in Houston, Texas only on Friday, November
15th or early morning Saturday, November 16th.
In lieu of flowers donations
can be made to the 16th District AMEC, Haiti Orphanage, in memory of
Bishop Sarah Frances Davis. Checks or money orders are to be made payable to
the 16th District AMEC and mailed to:
16th District AMEC
Place on notation line: Haiti
Orphanage
Mail to: P.O. Box 821308
Houston, Texas 77282
Live streaming the
Celebration Service for Bishop Sarah Davis and Driving Directions to The Church Without Walls
The link for live streaming the Celebration Service
for Bishop Sarah Davis is:
2) Click on "VIEW OUR LIVE SERVICES ONLINE"),
3) Then click on the link for
the Queenston Campus
**Live Streaming will begin at 10:45 a.m. U.S. Central
Time
Driving Directions to The Church Without Walls:
From North
Drive 290 E toward downtown
Turn right on FM-1960, TX-6 -
4.0 mi
Turn right on W Little York
Rd - 1.5 mi
The church is on the right.
From South
Drive I-610 N toward
Northwest Houston
Take exit #11/1-10/San
Antonio onto Katy Frwy (1-10 W) - 10.7 mi
Take exit #751/TX-6 onto Old
Katy Rd - 1.4 mi
Turn right onto TX-6 - 0.5 mi
Continue on TX-6 - 3.9 mi
Turn left onto Kieth Harrow
Blvd - 1.3 mi
Turn right onto Queenston
Blvd - 0.6 mi
The church is on the left
From East
Take 1-10 W toward San
Antonio
Take exit #751/TX-6 onto Old
Katy Rd - 1.4 mi
Turn right onto TX-6 - 0.5 mi
Continue on TX-6 - 3.9 mi
Turn left onto Kieth Harrow Blvd
- 1.3 mi
Turn right onto Queenston
Blvd - 0.6 mi
The Church Without Walls is
on the left
From West
Drive I-10 E toward downtown
Turn left on TX-6 - 3.9 mi
Turn left onto Kieth Harrow
Blvd - 1.3 mi
Turn right onto Queenston
Blvd - 0.6 mi
The Church Without Walls is
on the left
Submitted by:
The Office of the Tenth
Episcopal District (Host for Service)
Bishop Vashti Murphy
McKenzie, Presiding Prelate
4347 S. Hampton Road, Suite
245
Dallas, TX 75232
Telephone: (214) 333-2632
16. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
It is with much sadness that
we share the news of the passing of Sister Anna Volmink, the mother of the Rev.
Joey Volmink.
We all have different
relationships with our loved ones and thus we cannot even begin to feel how
great the loss in the Volmink family is. Those who have ministering the word of
God and encouraging other are challenged at times like these to put into
practice the very hope we have been sharing with others. Age has no part in the
parting of a loved one, for it is a smile we will not see again, the warmth of
the touch of a hand we will not feel again, and a voice we will not hear again.
Praying God's promise of
never leaving or forsaking us in our hour of need become a reality in this
challenge time, and that when we look back, we are able to say that surely God
kept us and carried us through - Strength for today and New hope for tomorrow.
The wake was held at St. Paul
Malmesbury on Tuesday 12th at 7.30 p.m.
Home Going Celebration at family
home Zoar 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. from St. Agnes Anglican Church Zoar.
Contact for the Rev. Joey
Volmink: Cell: 078 551 8830
The Rev Joey Volmink is the
pastor St. Paul Malmesbury in Piketberg District of Cape Annual Conference
17. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to inform you of
the passing of the Mrs. Catherine Morongwa Maloreng (nee Tau), the wife of the
Rev. Ngaletsang Frans Maloreng, pastor in the MM Mokone Annual Conference,
pastoring Chirwa Memorial A.M.E. Church, Capital District. Mrs. CM Maloreng passed away in the hospital
on Saturday 9th November 2013. She passed on while in the office of Coordinator
of Women in the District. Mrs. Catherine
Morongwa Maloreng (nee Tau) is survived by her husband, the Rev. NF Maloreng
and six children namely, Rachel, Lebogang, Kholofelo, Kamogelo, Basiame and
Amogelang.
The funeral service will be
held on Saturday 16th November 2013 at 6 a.m. at Ludia Phiring
African Methodist Episcopal Church in Luka, Rustenburg, RSA. The Rev. Mandisi
Albert Mexico, PE, will be officiating.
Condolences may be sent to:
The Rev. NF Maloreng
Phone: +27 71 884 7398
The Rev. MA Mexico, PE
Email: Mandisi.mexico@gmail.com
Telephone: +27 71 170 1574
Bishop Paul JM Kawimbe is the
Presiding Prelate of the 19th Episcopal District.
18. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
Sister Sandra L. Cook transitioned
from this life on Friday, November 8, 2013 at the University Hospital in
Cincinnati, Ohio. She is the sister of
the Reverend Linda Murray who is an associate minister at Saint James AME
Church, 120 Lynn Street in Covington, Kentucky
Services will be held at New
Christian Life Missionary Baptist Church, 3043 Hackberry Avenue in Cincinnati,
Ohio. The service is on Saturday, November 16, 2013. The wake will be held at
9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and the service will follow.
Condolences may be sent to
the family by email, postal mail or by telephone.
The Rev. Linda Murray
2028 First Ave.
Cincinnati, Ohio 45224
Email: lmurray4@yahoo.com
Telephone: 513 541-4050
Services are entrusted to:
Walker Funeral Home
1025 East McMillian Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45206
Telephone (513) 251-6200
Toll Free: (866) 974-9111
Fax: (1-800) 307-7621
19. 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
20. 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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