The Right
Reverend 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
AME Church Connectional Day of Prayer – April 13, 2014
Easter: April 20, 2014
1. TCR EDITORIAL – ONE-LINERS - “THE
SYMPTOMS OF A HEALTHY CHURCH”
Dr.
Calvin H. Sydnor III
The
20th Editor of The Christian
Recorder
Last
week we shared “one-liners” of the symptom of failing churches, and, in a sense
that was the bad news. In most situations
where there is bad news, there is also some good news. The person in a car wreck is bad news. The person in a car wreck who isn’t seriously
hurt and who survives the wreck is good news.
Failing
churches, of course is bad news, but the good news is that most churches are
not failing. And, that is good news.
In
the interest of fairness and giving both sides of the issue about failing and
successful churches, let me give some “one-liners” about the attributes I see
in healthy successful churches.
I
would suggest the list might be a useful tool in evaluating your church. Simply post a letter grade or a Pass/Fail grade
next to each line and share it with your pastor and stewards; and doing so,
might give your church a starting point in identifying problem areas and making
needed corrections.
Church
leaders need feedback and concerned and competent church leaders actively seek
feedback.
One-liners - symptoms
of healthy churches
-
Consistent worship attendance of parishioners
-
Excited parishioners willing to work in the local church ministry
-
Consistent and generous stewardship of the laity and clergy
-
Church organizations’ consistent in support of the ministry
-
Choir members attend choir rehearsals
-
Choirs rehearse
-
Choirs willing and anxious to learn new songs
-
Choir directors and musicians insist on scheduled choir rehearsals
-
Musicians take time to learn how to play hymns
-
Musicians take the time to learn contemporary music
-
Musicians arrive early or at least on time, for worship services
-
Musicians complement worship
-
Ushers take their duties seriously and arrive on time.
-
Usher boards willing to rehearse and practice
-
Ushers are people-friendly and helpful
-
Ushers are professional and knowledgeable about their tasks
-
Presence of an active and vibrant church school
-
Youth participation in the religious program / worship services
-
Structured ongoing youth programs
-
Structured ongoing programs for the elderly
-
Structured training for new members
-
Structured Bible study
-
Scheduled prayer meetings or structured prayer sessions
-
Formal training for stewards, trustees and other church officers
-
Social interaction between pastor and church officers
-
Respect for authority at all levels of the ministry
-
Constructive strategies for addressing conflict
-
Openness and transparency about the financial affairs of the church
-
Parishioners aware of the strategy and plan for the ministry
-
Active and energetic pastoral leadership
-
Active and energetic local church officers’ leadership
-
High-energy church officers
-
Church officers read and understand The
Doctrine and Discipline 2012
-
Church officers’ willingness to follow The
Doctrine and Discipline 2012
-
Church officers’ willingness to read and understand the Bible
-
Church officers read and love the Bible
-
Church officers concerned about the ministry rather than the position
-
Church officers qualified and committed to ministry
-
Church officers follow pastoral leadership
-
Pastor follows the leadership of the presiding elder and bishop
-
Pastor has vision and energy
-
Pastor insists that musicians and officers be committed to ministry
-
Pastor takes responsibility for ministry
-
Pastor insures that the pulpit and sanctuary are respected
-
Pastor knows how to encourage and reenergize him or herself
-
Pastor care for his or her family
-
Pastor who provides self-care, i.e., medical, dental, rest, physical activities
-
Pastor takes a vacation and time off
-
Pastor well-read and stays abreast of the changes in ministry
-
Pastor constantly seek ways to enhance church growth and evangelism
-
Pastor listens to his or her church officers and welcomes feedback
-
Pastor takes the time to prepare relevant sermons
-
Pastor teaches and trains
-
Pastor mentors subordinate clergy and colleagues
-
Pastor mentors church officers and parishioners
-
Pastor is patient, seeks wisdom and listens to advice
-
Pastor is faithful in the prophetic and priestly functions of ministry
-
Pastor provides community-based ministry
-
Pastor regularly visits the sick and shut-in church members
-
Pastor always seeks to grow theologically, biblically and academically
-
Pastor is skilled in interpersonal relationships
-
Pastor is skilled in worship and liturgy
-
Pastor is always in a posture of a willingness to learn
-
Pastor willing to delegate
-
Pastor appoints / nominates competent church officers
-
Pastor is trusting of the local church leadership
-
Pastor is well-grounded in the Bible
-
Pastor follows The Doctrine and
Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church- 2012
There
are probably other one-liners that some of you can add. We invite you to do so.
We
always invite op-ed (opposing editorials) to this and other TCR editorials.
2. READER RESPONSE TO
EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES:
-- To the Editor:
Every tine I read The Christian Recorder (either on line
or hard copy), I am filled with pride, wonder and knowledge. I thank God
for your leadership, your candor and truth about "The Church God
Blesses" and your missives on growing our Zion to excellence.
I recycle my hard copy to young
students at my home church -- our history and what we stand for is too
important to take lightly.
I grow in his Power, grace and mercy
-- daily!
Tina Louise Stephens
The Historic Ebenezer African
Methodist Episcopal Church
Detroit MI
3. I ASK:
*Bishop
Carolyn Tyler Guidry
-- I Ask
A
few weeks ago The Christian Recorder
has an article on Communion.
I
would like to know what you and the African Methodist Episcopal Church think
about the requirement of women covering their heads when they take
communion. Many years ago, the Rev.
George H. Matthews and the Rev. J.P. Ashworth taught the stewardesses and
members that women should cover their heads when taking Communion.
I
am a
member of Burks
Chapel in Paducah, Kentucky and
we, stewardesses, wear lace prayer-caps. We keep extra prayer-caps to cover the
women's heads when they take communion.
I cannot remember
why we were taught
that women should have their heads
covered.
We
are not having any problems; I just want to know your thoughts on this.
Do
you have an answer?
Sister
Frances Williams
Stewardess
and West Kentucky Conference Lay President
Bishop Guidry’s
Response to the Question:
Doilies
The
"required" covering of women's heads with Doilies has never been a
"rule" or practice in the AME Church in general. In a few congregations in the past some very
"liturgical" pastors put the practice in place because of the
practice in other denominations; and based on their understanding of I
Corinthians 11:5-6, while ignoring verse 15; “...her.....hair is given to her as
a covering." Paul was also
following a teaching from his Jewish tradition which said that women were
subjected to men. And some theologians believe Paul was speaking to the
practice of those who were "pagan temple prostitutes" before
receiving Christ and becoming believers. The pagan temple prostitutes shaved
their heads and were identified in that way because of what they did.
Paul's
teaching in Galatians 3:27-28, identifies the standing of each believer in
Christ: “...for all of you who were
baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor
free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
So
women, who believe in Christ, like men who believe, are "covered" by
Christ.
Thank
you for the question and I hope this helps to clarify the issue of the covering
for women taking Communion.
*Retired Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry is the
122nd Elected and Consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
4. REMINDER MESSAGE
CONNECTIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH:
Friday,
April 11, 2014
From
Bishop McKinley Young
May
the good company and fellowship of our suffering Lord be with you and yours
during this Lenten season.
Please
join us on our Prayer call in observance of the Annual Connectional Day of
Prayer for the African Methodist Episcopal Church on Friday, April 11, 2014 at
High Noon - Eastern Time Zone.
Call
In Number: 605-475-4850 Access Code: 357450 #
Please
note that this call initiates a season of prayer which begins on Friday, April
11 and continues through Palm Sunday, April 13, 2014. Additional calls for prayer will hopefully
continue on Saturday and Palm Sunday.
Friday,
April 11th has been chosen because it denotes the election and consecration of
our beloved founder and first bishop, Richard Allen. As global sons and daughters of Richard and
Sarah Allen we look forward to sharing our prayer time in our own unique time
zones.
We
thank God for the life and Episcopal ministry of our "Prayer Bishop,"
the late Bishop Sarah Frances Taylor Davis, whose life and prayers inspire us
today.
Bishop
McKinley Young
Third
Episcopal District Office
288
South Hamilton Road
Columbus,
OH 43213
614-575-2279
Phone - 614-575-2375 Fax
Bishop
McKinley Young, Presiding Prelate
Dr.
Dorothy Young, Episcopal Supervisor
5. AFRICAN
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH SOCIAL ACTION COMMISSION MESSAGE OF THANKS:
-- Call to Action
I,
along with Sistah “Jackie” Dupont-Walker, Director of the Social Action
Commission, want to thank the leadership and membership of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church for your cooperation and support in informing and
enrolling members of our congregations and communities in the Affordable Care
Act, referred to by many as “Obamacare.”
Despite a disappointing and horrendous roll out and many untruths put
out by opponents of the Affordable Care Act more than 7.1 million people signed
up for the Affordable Care Act, which does not include many more who signed up
through state exchanges. This defies the projections of many pundits who
declared that the number of people who signed up would be far short of the goal
of 7 (seven) million people set by the Obama Administration.
The
Affordable Care Act or “Obamacare” is a godsend and major blessing to millions
of Americans who did not have or could not afford healthcare. Previously the US
healthcare system worked against many American citizens with prior conditions,
young adults over 18 years of age, citizens with low incomes and so many
others. But today, you cannot be denied because of prior conditions, young
adults up to 26 years of age can be covered on their parents insurance and
persons with low incomes can get health insurance, this includes millions who
previously worked at jobs which did not provide healthcare benefits. Today, the
United States joins other industrialized nations around the world which
provides national healthcare for its citizens.
More
than fifty times some in the Congress have tried to repeal the Affordable Care
Act, claiming it is bad for America, will destroy the US healthcare system,
cost millions of Americans their jobs and increase the cost of healthcare; not
to mention create death panels. All of which are false. The real reason
opponents of the Affordable Care Act wanted to repeal it and have been so
derisive in their criticism of it, is because they know that once the Affordable
Care Act begins to take effect American citizens will embrace it and support
it. We are already beginning to see this, with latest polls showing support for
the Affordable Care Act increasing to 49% the highest percentage since the law
was enacted. Support for the Affordable Care Act will follow what happened with
Social Security and Medicare, both opposed when they were passed, but try today
to take either one of them away.
The
African Methodist Episcopal Church did a tremendous job and set the example for
other communions. Thanks to the Bishops who organized their Episcopal Districts
to educate and enroll congregants, families and communities. Many of them
arranged for personnel to visit each church to promote the Affordable Care Act.
Thanks as well to Presiding Elders who organized churches on their Districts
and to pastors who each week encouraged and organized to assist congregants in
enrolling for the Affordable Care Act. We give special thanks to Senior Bishop
John Bryant, who represented us in meetings with President Obama and other
officials in the administration. The church offers great thanks to Sistah
“Jackie” Dupont-Walker who led our webinars, participated in conference calls,
coordinated with the church, attended meetings with administration officials,
and a host of other things. I want the
members of our Zion to know that The AME Church played a leading role in
promoting the Affordable Care Act and should be proud of what we have done to
assist as many people in getting healthcare.
Our
efforts on behalf of the Affordable Care Act are an example of what the church
can do to make a difference and promote social justice. We are God’s hands and
feet and voice in the world. The Social
Action Commission applauds Bishop Adam J. Richardson and the Eleventh Episcopal
District for its leadership and efforts against the “Stand Your Ground” law in
Florida. There are so many issues in our nation and globally to which the
church must speak and act. Let us pray that God will use African Methodism to
His glory and the promotion of His kingdom in the earth.
Bishop
Reginald T. Jackson
Chair,
Social Action Commission
6. NEWLY ELECTED
PRESIDENT OF THE CONNECTIONAL MINISTERS' SPOUSES, WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS
ORGANIZATION PLUS PK'S:
Bishop
Richard Franklin Norris, Mother Mary Norris and the Seventh Episcopal District
of the African Methodist Episcopal Church salute and congratulate Mrs. Lula
Shaw Cleckley on becoming the newly elected President of the Connectional
Ministers’ Spouses, Widows and Widowers Organization Plus PK’s.
Mrs.
Cleckley, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, is married to the Reverend
Robert L. Cleckley, a long serving pastor in the Columbia Conference. They are
the parents of two children, Licentiate LeBrian D. Cleckley, a seminary student,
and Robin D. Cleckley, a kindergarten teacher and a PHD candidate. They are also proud grandparents of five
grandchildren.
Mrs.
Cleckley received a B.A degree from Claflin University, Orangeburg, South
Carolina and a Masters of Education from South Carolina State University,
Orangeburg, South Carolina. She did
further studies at Columbia College, College of Charleston and the University
of South Carolina. She is also a graduate
of the South Carolina School of Real Estate.
Mrs.
Cleckley is a retired Public School teacher. Since retirement, she has served
as Vice President of Student Life at Allen University and is presently a
realtor with Russell and Jeffcoat Real Estate, Inc., Columbia, South Carolina.
Being
a lifetime active AME Church member, Mrs. Cleckley has served as Women’s
Missionary Society local president, Conference YPD director, Episcopal Standing
Committee Chairpersons and Episcopal Third Vice President. She was recently pinned Life Member of the Women’s
Missionary Society.
She
is definitely an active member of the Ministers’ Spouses, Widows and Widowers
Organization Plus P.K’s. She has served
as Conference treasurer; Conference president; and Seventh Episcopal District
President. On the Connectional Level,
she has served as Chairperson of the Evaluation Committee and the Historian.
The
Seventh Episcopal District pledge our continued support to Mrs. Cleckley as she
enters a new realm of service in the AME Church.
Mrs.
Cleckley thanks the Seventh Episcopal District leaders, Bishop Richland
Franklin Norris, Mother Mary Ann Norris, the M-SWAWO Plus PK’s and all others
districts for their prayers and support.
7. HUD SOUTHEAST
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR ED JENNINGS JR., NAMES AME PASTOR AS HUD’S JACKSONVILLE,
FL FIELD OFFICE DIRECTOR:
MIAMI
- U.S. Housing and Urban Development Southeast Regional Administrator Ed
Jennings, Jr., today announced the selection of Dr. Alesia Scott-Ford to serve
as HUD Field Office Director for the northern part of Florida with base in
Jacksonville. The swearing in ceremony will take place on April 14th
at 11:00 a.m.
As
the field office director, Scott-Ford will serve as HUD's liaison to mayors,
city managers, elected representatives, state and local officials,
congressional delegations, nonprofit groups, private entities, faith based
groups, other stakeholders and individual Americans. She will be responsible
for overseeing the delivery of HUD programs and services to communities and
individuals, as well as evaluating their efficiency and effectiveness.
“Alesia
is a dedicated public servant with a strong skill set, making her the ideal
person to address HUD’s mission and assist communities in need” said
Jennings. “We are extremely fortunate to
have such an experienced hand to address the challenges ahead and nurture
partnerships that will enhance the delivery of services and programs to the
communities that rely on them.”
“I
am honored to be selected as the Jacksonville FL Field Office Director” said
Scott-Ford. “I look forward to working
with HUD’s stakeholders to fulfill our mission of creating strong, resilient,
inclusive communities and quality, affordable housing for all.”
Scott-Ford
has been with HUD for 15 years, most recently as Director of Project Management
in the Multifamily Division with responsibility of Asset Development for the
State of Florida and Asset Management. Previously she was a community builder,
a closing coordinator, a mortgage credit analyst, and project manager in HUD’s
Jacksonville, Florida office, where she has established herself as a community
leader.
Prior
to HUD, Scott-Ford served as Founder and Executive Director of two Community
Based Organization in Tampa, Vice President for Grants at the University of
South Florida, owned a Consulting Firm; was a Professor of Gerontology at the
University of South Florida (USF). And
later was the Founding Chair of the Gerontology Department at Edward Waters
College (EWC).
Alesia
Scott-Ford graduated from the University of Florida with a Degree in Religion
and a minor in Chemistry. She went to pursue her graduate education at Atlanta
University studying Sociology with a concentration in Gerontology. She obtained a Ph.D. from the University of
South Florida in Applied Anthropology with a Specialization in
Gerontology. She has the distinct honor
of being the First African American in the United States with a Ph.D. in
Applied Anthropology. After obtaining her doctorate degree she completed
post-doctoral work at the University of Michigan and Harvard University. She also started a Doctorate of Ministry
Program at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio. Dr. Scott-Ford is married to
Winston Burse and they have four children, Tracey, Ann, Tarsha, and Kenneth.
**Written
by Gloria Shanahan, Public Affairs, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands
About the Rev. Dr.
Alesia Scott-Ford
The
Rev. Dr. Alesia Scott-Ford is a graduate of Turner Theological Seminary at the
Interdenominational Theological Center and is the pastor of St. James AME
Church in Orange Park, Florida. St. James just acquired 10 acres of property
with 70,000 square feet of buildings and will open the first Charter School in
Clay County Florida called the Orange Park Performing Arts Academy. Under her
leadership at St. James, the church purchased multiple properties. She was
appointed to the church 10 years ago by Bishop John Adams. Bishop Adam
Jefferson Richardson is her current bishop.
.
Gloria
Shanahan, Public Affairs, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,
Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands
8. BUILDING UPON
OUR LEGACY:
The
Rev. Linda E. Mouzon
Bishop
William P. DeVeaux and Supervisor Patricia PAM DeVeaux, Second District
Episcopal team, recognized the importance of accepting the social justice
mantel that began with the Free African Society. To this end, they scheduled a
series of A.M.E. Days in the state capitols of Maryland, Virginia, and North
Carolina based on the Biblical principles caring for the poor, needy, and
oppressed. The first A.M.E. Day convened
by Bishop and Supervisor DeVeaux took place in Annapolis Maryland on Monday
February 17, 2014.
At
a breakfast sponsored by Governor Martin O’Malley and organized by Delegate
Adrienne A. Jones, Pro Tem Maryland House of Delegates (member Union Bethel
A.M.E. Church Randallstown), the Second District Episcopal Team was joined by
Presiding Elders Goodwin Douglas, Ernest Montague, Louis-Charles Harvey, and
Cornell Hunter, Pastors Wendell O. E. Christopher (Chair Second District Social
Action Committee), Frank Madison Reid, III, and Charles T. Sembly, and Senator Catherine E. Pugh, Deputy Majority
Leader (member Bethel A.M.E. Church , Baltimore). Candid discussions focused on
ensuring African American businesses receive an equitable share of state
contracts, partnerships with government and churches to meet the needs of the
working poor, services to children who truant or runaway, and emphasizing
academic achievement for young people involved in the juvenile justice system.
After
breakfast, over 250 clergy and lay members from the Baltimore and Washington
Conferences met at the Miller Senate Building.
Senator Catherine E. Pugh, host of the event provided greetings and
information on the importance of presence during legislative sessions. Governor O’Malley reiterated the importance
of participation in support of social justice issues. He shared that bills
ending the death penalty in Maryland and providing voting rights for former
“felons” resulted from support by the A.M.E. Church.
Bishop
and Supervisor DeVeaux decided that commitment to the advancement of social
justice occurs when next steps are clearly articulated. To maintain involvement
of those attending A.M.E. Day in Annapolis, didactic presentations gave an
overview of various opportunities. Ms.
Johanne Holmes Greer, Library Director, Department of Legislative Services
shared the process for an idea to evolve into a bill and then into a law. Ms. Susan Cochran, President, League of Women
Voters of Maryland advanced the importance of membership on committees,
commissions, study groups, and boards as a proactive avenue to advance change.
High school students from Carver vocational technical high school students
served a delicious lunch hosted by the Episcopal Office.
Wanting
this President’s Day even to remind participants of the importance continuing
Bishop Richard Allen’s legacy of promoting the social welfare of all people,
position papers were presented to the members of the legislature advancing
education over incarceration and expunging of misdemeanor records. Articulation
of these positions afforded the DeVeauxs an opportunity to give voice to
concerns of the working poor, minority business owners, children and young
people who need counseling and specialized educational services. In addition, Elder Cordell Hunter presented
Bishop DeVeaux’s testimony that supported increasing the minimum wage in
Maryland. In the Second District social justice continues.
*Submitted
by the Rev. Linda E. Mouzon, pastor New Birth AME Church in the 2nd Episcopal
District
9. PASTOR ROSALYNN
KYLE BROOKINS INVITED TO THE 1ST WORLD CHRISTIAN LEADERS’ WORKSHOP:
Please
print in the Christian Recorder. The widow of the late Bishop Hamel Hartford
Brookins, Rev. Rosalynn Kyle Brookins, M.Div. Senior Pastor of Walker Temple A.
M. E. Church in Los Angeles California, has been invited to Korea by Pastor Ock
Soo Park to the ‘1st World Christian Leaders’ Workshop(WCLW)’ that will be held
in Busan, Korea from July 6 - 11, 2014..
Pastor
Ock Soo Park is the Founder and Senior Pastor of the Good News Church.
The
Rev. Rosalynn Brookins, M. Div
10. THE CME CHURCH
HAS ONE CONSOLIDATED MEETING TO PROVIDE EDUCATION, TRAINING AND NURTURING
MINISTRIES:
The
Third Annual CME Unity Summit will be held Tuesday, September 23, 2014 through
Saturday, September 27, 2014 at the Sheraton Memphis Downtown located at 260
Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee.
Bishop
and Mrs. Lawrence L. Reddick III and the members of the First Episcopal
District will host the CME Unity Summit. This message will provide you with
general information concerning this year's Unity Summit.
One Meeting for
Everyone
The
CME Unity Summit is a consolidated meeting to provide education, training and
nurturing ministries for: Clergy, Lay, Missionaries, Presiding Elders,
Christian Educators, Young Adults, Ministry to Men, Ministers' Spouses Widows
& Widowers, Women in Ministry and Local Church Officers.
Registration &
Hotel Information
The
registration fee is $150 - one fee for all meetings! Tickets for special events
are available for purchase now (see information below). The room rate at the
Sheraton Memphis Downtown is $110 per night plus tax.
Online Registration
You
may register online and purchase event tickets at www.thecmechurch.org/UnitySummit
Mail-in
Registration
You
may mail in your registration form and pay your registration fee, purchase
tickets and secure your hotel room by check or money order. Download a
registration form at www.thecmechurch.org/UnitySummit.
Ticketed Events
Tickets
for the Unity Summit Luncheon and Unity Prayer Breakfast are available for
purchase and on site five (5) days before the event and based on availability.
These events are sponsored by the Women's Missionary Council.
Unity
Summit Luncheon: $50
Thursday,
September 25, 2014
Unity
Prayer Breakfast: $40
Saturday,
September 27, 2014
*Generally, no offerings are
taken at the CME Unity Summit
Discounted Rates
for Air Travel on Delta Airlines
The
Group Code for Delta Airlines is NMJ4Z.
Reservations can be made at no charge at www.delta.com. When booking
online, select Book a Trip, click on More Search Options and enter the meeting
code (NMJ4Z) in the box provided on the Search Flight page. Reservations made
at Delta Meetings (1-800-328-1111) will incur a $25 service fee.
Additional
information about the Third Annual CME Unity Summit will be provided as it
becomes available and posted to the official CME Web site at www.thecmechurch.org/UnitySummit,
and sent via email to our connectional members and friends. Or you may call the CME Unity Summit
information line at 1-855-CME-1870 for updated information.
Please
pray for the planning and the success of the Unity Summit!
The
CME Unity Summit Executive Committee, Bishop Thomas L. Brown, Sr., Chair,
Senior Bishop Paul A.G. Stewart, Sr., Program Chair; Bishop Henry M.
Williamson, Sr., Finance Chair; Dr. Tyrone T. Davis, Executive Director; Dr.
Jeanette L. Bouknight, Executive Secretary; and Ms. Theresa Duhart, Registrar
11. PROFESSIONAL
POSITION OPENING AT THE BREAD FOR THE WORLD ORGANIZATION: ASSOCIATE FOR
NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH ENGAGEMENT:
Position Title: Associate for
National African American Church Engagement
Department: Church Relations
Reports To: Director of
Church Relations
Primary Objective: Deepens the
engagement with national African American church leaders, denominations,
mission societies and para-church networks that are committed to advocate on
domestic and international hunger and poverty issues and which can lead their
constituencies toward using the powerful advocacy voice to influence Congress
and the administration.
Primary
Responsibilities/Activities:
•
Maintains, deepens and expands Bread’s current relationships, partnerships and
engagement with historic African American denominations, mission societies and
church networks as well as strengthens relationships with African
American-focused units within mainline Protestant and Catholic churches.
•
Works to catalyze and mobilize African American denominations, para-churches,
and national church leaders to advocate directly on hunger and poverty policy
issues, consistent with Bread for the World’s mission, and to engage their
constituency.
•
Provides leadership in the cross-departmental effort to further develop,
organize and mobilize African American Voices for Africa on foreign assistance
issues, building on work that was started in 2011.
•
Works in conjunction with Bread for the World’s organizers and other department
staff to recruit regional and local African American church leaders to Bread
for the World’s advocacy agenda.
•
Supports Government Relations staff to build relationships and collaborate with
the Congressional Black Caucus.
•
Develops educational and worship resources that are tailored for African
American engagement that inform communication vehicles such as Offering of
Letters, Bread for the World Sunday, and other resources.
•
Regularly contributes fresh materials to online vehicles such as the website,
Facebook, and Twitter to engage African American congregations.
•
Regularly participates in social, radio and written media outreach to African
American church constituencies.
•
Identifies opportunities to engage national African American leadership around
Bread’ advocacy agenda, including strategic attendance at national conferences,
convocations, and planning meetings of organizations such as AME Women’s
Missionary Society, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, United Church of
Jesus Christ, United Holy Church of America, Hampton Minister’s Conference, and
The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference as well as mainline, Catholic, and
evangelical gatherings.
•
Designs and leads workshops and makes presentations at Bread events and
trainings such as those mentioned above, in addition to Bread’s National
Gathering and Bread for the World Hunger Justice Leaders’ Conference.
•
Actively participates in departmental planning and strategizing of the Church
Relations department to accomplish Bread’s mission and goals.
•
Supports the organizational effectiveness of the Church Relations department
and Bread as a whole.
•
Performs other duties as assigned.
Secondary
Responsibilities/Activities:
•
Contributes to cross-departmental initiatives in church strategy development,
educational resource development, and hospitality.
•
Participates in the ongoing evaluation and assessments of the organizational
African American engagement strategy and the implementation of its goals related
to current organizational planning.
Supervision
Exercised:
None
Skills/Knowledge
Required:
•
A Bachelor’s Degree and 10 years or more experience in outreach and related
work, specifically with historic African American denomination church leadership.
Ordination consistent with denominational polity is preferable. A master of
divinity degree or master of theology degree is desirable.
•
Broad Christian theological knowledge and extensive experience working with
church leaders and African American churches, church organizations and
networks.
•
Demonstrated experience in how the church can inform public policy and engage
in advocacy, especially related to domestic and international hunger and
poverty.
•
Demonstrated experience with African American national, denominational and
local churches.
•
Ability and experience in coordinating events, including planning meetings,
making travel arrangements, and adhering to a budget.
•
Proven ability to organize and build a network of leaders.
•
Strong understanding of African American church culture and denominational
governances.
•
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
•
Valid driver’s license and ability to be insured at a reasonable cost.
Work Environment
Issues:
Up
to 50% overnight travel.
Disclaimer:
The
information in this job description indicates the general nature and level of
work expected of employees in this classification. It is not designed to contain, or to be
interpreted as, a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities,
qualifications and objectives required of employees assigned to this job.
How to Apply:
Please
submit a cover letter and resume to Careers.CR@bread.org or fax these materials
to the attention of Latonya Carter at 202-688-1155. Preference will be given to
candidates who apply no later than April 25, 2014. Visit our website http://www.bread.org/about-us/jobs/
for a full listing of open positions.
Bread
for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision
makers to end hunger at home and abroad.
By changing policies, programs and conditions that allow hunger and
poverty to persist, we provide help and opportunity far beyond the communities
in which we live.
Bread
for the World Institute provides policy analysis on hunger and strategies to
end it.
Additional
information may be found on the Bread for
the World Website: http://www.bread.org/.
12. “FROM WHERE I
SIT …”
*The
Rev. Tyrone T. Davis, D.Min
In
Defense of the Earthen Vessel (And the Treasure Within)!
Now
that I have officially passed my 65th birthday, I am legitimately a Senior
Citizen and can now begin to enjoy the benefits of this new age. Of course the first and foremost benefit of
becoming a senior citizen is the blessing of being yet alive. I know that the Bible refers to three score
years and ten and even four score years, but I am very happy to have been
blessed to attain these sixty-five years.
This
special age did not arrive unexpectedly.
In fact, fifteen years ago when I turned 50 and received the opportunity
to enroll in AARP (American Association for Retired People), I began to look
forward to age 65 because between the ages of 50 and 65, a member only receives
a small portion of the benefits afforded to “senior citizens.” With an AARP membership, I was able to secure
hotel reservations and automobile rentals at a discount with many hotels and
rental car agencies simply because I was old enough to be a member of
AARP. Additionally, AARP promoted home
and auto insurance and long-term care insurance for their members at a
competitive premium although we were always able to get home and auto insurance
at a lower rate from other companies and we are only now entering the market
for long-term care insurance.
In
addition to AARP, some restaurants have offered what I will call “pre-age 65”
benefits to some of their patrons. I
encourage anyone over the age of 50 to ask if a restaurant offers a “Senior
Citizens” rate and, if so, for what age.
Movie theaters also promote a seniors’ rate which is often a pre-age 65
benefit. The bottom line is that it
doesn’t cost you anything to ask because, in many cases, “We have not … because
we ask not!”
Even
though there are pre-age 65 benefits available, the best benefits begin at age
65! In addition to all of the pre-age 65
benefits, at age 65 you can choose to sit in some of those seats reserved for
seniors without feeling guilty that you are exploiting an unfair
advantage. At age 65, if a seniors’ rate
is offered, you know in advance that you are automatically eligible. And at age 65, you don’t really have to try
to keep up with younger people because “it’s perfectly alright to act your
age.”
One
of my greatest benefits at age 65 is the opportunity to retire. Although I am not planning to retire for
another eight years (at age 73), the law of our Church permits me and other
clergy members, the right to retire at the age of 65 if I have at least 10
years of service in the itinerancy.
Having this right to retire gives me the privilege to exercise it at any
time prior to mandatory retirement at the conference of authority nearest my
74th birthday. If the CME Church
continues to let me serve as a General Officer until mandatory retirement, it
will occur at the General Conference of 2022.
Another
tremendous benefit of this age is the opportunity to draw on my earned Social
Security retirement benefits. For people
like me who were born in 1948, I could have begun drawing Social Security at
age 62, but it would have been for an amount much lower than I would have been
entitled had I reached the age of full benefits which for me would be age
66. Persons, who begin drawing Social
Security retirement benefits between age 62 and the age of their full
retirement, not only suffer a reduction in benefits, but are also penalized in
their benefit payments if they continue to have earnings above a minimal
amount. However persons, who wait to
receive Social Security retirement benefits after attaining their full
retirement age, receive full benefits and are not penalized for additional
earnings regardless of the amount. Hence
my intent not to retire at my current age of 65.
Another
benefit of age 65 is that I am one more year closer to age 70 for Social
Security retirement benefit purposes.
Even though in my case, at age 66 I will
be eligible for full Social Security retirement benefit payments; for
every year thereafter that I defer receiving payments, my monthly Social
Security retirement payment will increase up to a maximum amount when I reach
age 70. So for me, the logical option is
to continue working until age 70 when I can receive the maximum Social Security
retirement payment without any penalty for my continued employment. This would mean working until 2019; the
quadrennium of 2018-2022 which explains my earlier comment about not planning
to retire until 2022 when I will be 73.
Now
someone might ask the question, “Why would a person who has worked all of his
life and who has reached the retirement age of 65 want to continue to work for
another 8 years?” Well my answer would be
this, “What else is there for someone like me to do?” The work for which I have prepared myself all
of my life has been to serve my Church at the connectional level. The work for which I have prepared myself has
been to make a difference in the life of the Church. Yes, I could retire. I could give up the daily regimen. But I have the “benefit” of being age 65
which gives me the option to retire or to continue to be active. Even as a “senior citizen” I still have the
benefit of options, I still have the benefit of choices. This may not seem important to you, it may
even seem insignificant; but to me it is extremely important because it is
about the rest of my life. And after a
lifetime of service, the rest of my life has to be important. Or at least that’s the way it looks to me
“From
Where I Sit”
*The
Rev. Tyrone T. Davis, D.Min is the General Secretary of the Board of Personnel
Services (Copies of earlier articles may be found on the Personnel Services
Webpage of the CME Website at www.thecmechurch.org
**Used
with permission. This article appeared
the print edition of The Christian Index,
the official newspaper for the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church
13. THE TRUTH IS
THE LIGHT:
*The
Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr.
Based
on Biblical Text: Luke 19:39-40: "And
some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke
thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if
these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out!"
Palm
Sunday is a vivid portrait of the revival we seek. It represents a sure anchor
of hope. Jesus dramatized the surest hope that we can ever anticipate. It is
the hope that God will appear among the communities of earth, healing,
renewing, restoring and establishing His abiding with people.
Palm
Sunday however does not present a utopian fantasy. Rather it is a realistic
picture of the culmination of history. As a matter of fact, the Bible tells us
that Jesus weeps because many of the key leaders then, just as today, still
reject him. Jesus had always had those who opposed Him from diverse corners of
society. There were those who didn’t understand Him, those who feared Him and
different groups of Jewish leaders who didn’t like Him. Just after Palm Sunday,
when He had cleaned out the temple, His enemies coordinated their efforts to
get rid of Him. Eventually they plotted in a manner that involved Roman forces,
which in turn, engaged the Herodian government which had done away with John
the Baptist.
Palm
Sunday is a grand day of celebration in our church however it is anything but a
rosy picture of long-drawn-out church services. If Palm Sunday foreshadows any
kind of result of great open movements to Christ, it certainly suggests that
evil influences will unite and be at their worst when Christ's discernible
presence unites people in transforming, healing power.
The
Scripture says that, "As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of
the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God
joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, shouting:
"Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest!"
Jesus
was asked to silence His followers. What they were shouting was not a
politically correct statement. In fact it was actually tantamount to
insurrection. There could be a great deal of trouble for all involved. However
Jesus refusing to cooperate let the adoring crowd shout on.
The
praise was joyful thanks for a massive move of God upon entire communities. Joy
erupted as the people began to add up all the different miracles wrought and
the acts of God's hand which had come about by Jesus. The raising of Lazarus
initiated the gathering of people to Jesus. It was probably then that people
began to verify all the stories of what had been done in Jesus' name. Now it
was not just miracles heard about, it was miracles seen.
God
intends to be glorified by prayer in Jesus' name. Miracles, which are simply
answered prayers, are significant because God is glorified. God loves to work
in conjunction with our prayers. This is
why we are challenged to follow Christ's lead to pray for everyone in our
community. Our prayers may very well lead to a significant mass of answered
prayers, which can ignite a community- stirring outburst of glory.
Why
does Jesus talk about stones? Jesus' statement about stones crying out can only
suggest that this kind of praise must come about. This praise was not just
good, it was destined. There will come a time when there will not merely be
infrequent and sporadic answers to prayer. A time will come when God will
answer prayers on a community-wide level. We are God’s praying people and we
will instinctively become a praising people. We will begin to thank God for far
more than the personal assistance we have received. We will praise God loudly
for all that He has done.
God
will not impose the authority of His Messiah on us by force. Instead, there
will be a rising movement of loving devotion, welcoming Him. Nor will God bring
about His day of peace and glory as a result of our finally achieving a time of
good economies and our electing decent government leaders. We will praise
loudly thanking God for that however there will be widespread recognition that
all of heaven is moving on all of the earth.
What
can we learn from this praise? First, we need to be the type of people who are
focused on the hope that God is giving us. God wants us to be busy praying for
our church and our community in Jesus' name. If we give Him many prayers to
answer, He will be able to answer many thousands of prayers at the same time
and again bring about a situation similar to that which we find on Palm Sunday
morning. On that beautiful morning there were many prayers answered, and the
people who had prayed them were among the most overjoyed.
Secondly,
we should be encouraged that Jesus will manifest His kingdom and His leadership
so greatly that we will hail Him as the leader God is giving us. When we pray
for His kingdom to come, we are really crying out that He will come. Our
assurance is not based on who we are but whose we are. Ultimately our hope is
not in what will happen. Our hope is in He who will make it happen. This way of
focusing our hope on the One who comes in the name of the Lord will encourage
us to do what we do in his name, like garments laid on the ground before him.
We are reminded that the garments and palm branches laid down did not make
Jesus come, but they beautified his coming. It is so liberating and refreshing
to realize that we can do something to signify His kingdom, but ultimately this
will be the work of God.
Finally,
we can find ourselves emboldened in hope that Christ will transform things so
drastically that heaven will feel the reverberation and hear the echo of peace
and glory. Palm Sunday becomes a guarantee that God does not merely intend to
do miracles or feats of supernaturalism just to amaze our friends and his
enemies. God loves to answer prayers so that great outbreaks of glory may come.
And we can look forward to the day when the earth will resound with the
acknowledgement and rejoice in the overflow of His overwhelming peace.
What
does this mean to us on Palm Sunday? Like the ordinary people on Palm Sunday,
we find God lifting our hearts and our hopes in expectation of His arrival to
fill the entire earth with His glory. We dare to believe that He will come. We
shout our welcoming worship! Welcome King of glory! “Who is this king of glory?
The Lord of hosts! He is the King of glory!”
Let
us not cause the stones to cry out in our day. God is intending great glory to
come to His Son. God is going to do great miracles and bring about peace and
glory. We are challenged to achieve what we were made for as people. We are
called to be a people of prayer and praise, and to celebrate in hope with the
Lord.
On
this Palm Sunday, let us worship secure in the hope that the long struggle with
evil will soon be over. The Lamb who was slain will have born our sorrows and
redeemed the brokenness of entire races of people. There shall be glory where
there once was terror, grief and sin. Jesus Himself will so tenderly dry our
tears. He will bring glory, because He is the King of glory.
On
this Palm Sunday, as we shout “Hosanna!” We proclaim His victory is sure and we
exclaim our blessing, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
*The
Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., is the pastor of Morris Brown AME Church
in Charleston, South Carolina
14. GUESS WHO’S
COMING TO DINNER:
*The
Rev. Jarrett Washington
“Thou preparest a
table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with
oil; my cup runneth over.” -- Psalm 23:5
Just
the other day my wife and I were engaged in a very lengthy discussion over
dinner about how there are some people we have encountered in our marriage that
seem to be in our camp but never in our corner.
Those people are the kind of people who seem to only come around in
seasons of problems but the very same people are never accessible in times of
praise. I contend there exists a small
contingency of people in our lives who just don't have the ability to process
the good things God continues to do.
Could it possibly be a spirit of envy or jealousy, or rather could it be
spiritually rationalized and reported to simply be God's purpose in God's
attempt to prosper you? The reality is
we all have to experience negative people and circumstances, otherwise known as
enemies, to produce the level of anointing (and access) God has purposed for
our lives.
In
reading Psalm 23 beyond the words, "the Lord is my shepherd" the
reader is exposed to the psalmist's, David, inner thoughts and spiritual
revelations on the idea of God's protection and God's ability to take you
through trial and tribulation and still place you on top. After reading this text, every believer ought
to understand no matter how many valleys of shadows of death you must pass, God
will still be right there with you. Furthermore,
no matter how many times you have been stressed out of your natural mind asking
God 'why me' you leave the text knowing His divine rod and staff are still
comforting you. To bring some sense of finality to this Psalm David argues that
even after all you have been through, if you learn how to hold on and hold out
God's goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life.
The
table in and of itself was designed to be a place of meeting, eating and
discussion. In our natural human state no
one real wants to experience conflict at the table. However, in reading Psalm 23 and 5 one can
leave the text understanding confrontation, or at least a meeting with one's
enemies at the table, is necessary to one's Godly purpose(s) being
fulfilled. When God prepares a table in
the presence of your enemies, God is really setting you up to go to the next
level in your life, relationships, business, and/or ministry. Do not forsake the table. Do not allow people to impregnate your mind
with a spirit of fear, realizing God does not give us fear, but God gives
power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).
When
I sit at the table prepared for me by God, I can tell every hater, devil, and
circumstance the way you see me now does not compare to the greater God is
purposing me to be. Too often in the
body of believers we choose to avoid our tables. We choose to go in a different direction
because we are certain that idea of sitting with our enemies will somehow
deteriorate are destiny, but the truth is, sitting at the table in the face of
an adversary, while still maintaining your countenance and God given authority
sets up to be blessed more than you could have ever thought. You ought to let the enemy know no matter what
you thought about me, God thinks better.
In fact, when God thinks better of you, God anoints your head with His
oil and your cup runs over.
Many
people yearn for the overflow of the cup, but they avoid their table. Today, you ought to make the decision in your
heart, mind and soul my table is too important to avoid. I don't know what your table is, but guess
what...we all have a table. Face it
today and be exceedingly glad. Recall,
it was Jesus who also made some important reflections at the last supper, or
what we consider His table. You recall
how Jesus said the one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will
betray me (Matthew 26:23). If it wasn't
for the betrayal of Jesus by his disciple named Judas Jesus' crucifixion may
have never happened. Therefore, I am of
the opinion that we ought to thank God for every Judas in our life that pushed
us towards our resurrection. Then and
only then, can you agree with the Psalmist that God's goodness and mercy are
following me because I sat at the table.
*The
Rev. Jarrett Washington is the pastor of St. James AME Church on Johns Island,
South Carolina
15. THE GRAMMAR
HAMMER:
The
mispronunciation of key words can cause the ‘grammar hammer’ to fall. Many
persons, mainly black people, have used this word incorrectly so much, that it
has most likely become part of that dreaded Ebonics Dictionary. I have heard it
used all of my life; some adults in the church, from the pulpit to the pew,
still use it—knowing it is wrong.
The
Correct Word (verb): ASK
Correct
Pronunciation — [ˈask, ˈäsk, ahsk]
Correct
Definition: to make a request of or for...
The
utterance has been used so much, so long, by so many people, that the online
Merriam-Webster dictionary actually shows the mispronunciation as an added
dialect pronunciation: [ˈaks]
Although
the incorrect pronunciation has been placed in the dictionary as a ‘dialect’
one, it is still incorrect! I literally cringe when I hear someone use it that
way; the pronunciation belongs to a different word that has a totally different
meaning:
Word
actually being used (noun): AX
Pronunciation
same as dialect ask: [ˈaks]
Correct
Definition: cutting tool; abrupt removal
Ask
is simply a one syllable word in which people must enunciate all of the letters
to say it correctly. I’ve heard excuses such as: “It’s a bad word!” or, “I have
a lazy tongue.” I can not understand why the persons who use the incorrect or
dialect pronunciation: ‘aks, are so passionate about the way they say it and
most of them continue to use it!
A
few years ago, I was led—by God, to discuss the word with a dear friend who
uses the dialect version most of the time. I know that it was God-guided
because I would “Never” solicit a ‘correcting’ conversation with an adult about
anything, unless I was led through prayer, to do it. God spoke when the time
came; I said a prayer and was extremely nervous, but “walking” in obedience.
Our very short conversation accomplished what God set it up to do: inform.
Although
we did not ‘fall out’ about it, things were a bit quiet between us for awhile.
Since then, my friend has mentioned the situation around others in my
presence—sarcastically but approvingly, and often pronounces it correctly.
The
Grammar Hammer smashes the incorrect pronunciation of the word ‘Ask’ as ‘Aks’
and asks those who use it to Please try it the correct way.
16. THE THIRD
EPISCOPAL DISTRICT 2014 SCHEDULE OF ANNUAL CONFERENCES:
Bishop
McKinley Young, Presiding Prelate
Dr.
Dorothy Young, Episcopal Supervisor
JULY 14-17, 2014
Tawawa CED Congress
Denison
University
Granville,
OH
September 3-6, 2014
106th
Session Of The
West Virginia
Annual Conference
WMS Annual Meeting
St.
Matthew AME
103
Mills Avenue
Beckley,
WV 25801
The
Reverend Dr. Debra Smoot, Host Pastor
The
Reverend Alton Dillard, Host Presiding Elder
September 16-20,
2014
147th Session Of
The
Pittsburgh Annual
Conference
September 15, 2014
WMS Annual Meeting
St.
Paul AME
16
Ridge Avenue
Washington,
PA 15301
The
Reverend Dr. Samuel Ware, Host Pastor
The
Reverend James H. McLemore, Host Presiding Elder
The
Reverend Eric L. Brown, Assoc. Presiding Elder
September
30-October 4, 2014
63rd Session Of
The
South Ohio Annual
Conference
September 29, 2014
WMS Annual Meeting
Brown
Chapel AME
2804
Alms Place
Cincinnati,
OH 45206
The
Reverend Elmer Martin, Host Pastor
The
Reverend Wilton E. Blake, I, Host Presiding Elder
The
Reverend Earl G. Harris, Assoc. Presiding Elder
October 14-18, 2014
184th Session Of
The
Ohio Annual
Conference
October 13, 2014
WMS Annual Meeting
Central
Chapel AME
411
South High Street
Yellow
Springs, OH 45387
The
Reverend Timothy Liggins, Host Pastor
The
Reverend Betty W. Holley, Host Presiding Elder
The
Reverend Anthony L. Gatewood, Assoc. Presiding Elder
October 28-November
1, 2014
133rd Session Of
The
North Ohio Annual
Conference
October 27, 2014
WMS Annual Meeting
Warren
AME
915
Collingwood Blvd.
Toledo,
OH 43604
The
Reverend Dr. Otis J. Gordon, Jr., Host Pastor
The
Reverend James H. Harris, Host Presiding Elder
The
Reverend P. Robert Tate, Assoc. Presiding Elder
November 13-15,
2014
Third Episcopal
District Planning Meeting
Renaissance
Columbus Hotel
50
North 3rd Street
Columbus,
OH 43215
614-228-5050
17. BLACK PEOPLE:
IT’S TIME-OUT FOR EXCUSES:
*Jeffrey
L. Boney
Can
somebody within the Black community please tell me why we, as a collective
group of people, continue to make excuses for other Black people within our
community who consistently make poor decisions and detrimental choices that
contribute to their overall plight? I really need an answer from someone who
can explain this peculiar phenomenon to me.
And
for those of you who are reading this, and find it applicable, let me first
start off by saying that this isn’t an attempt to throw any "I’m better than
you" or "I have arrived" statements in your face. On the
contrary, I am directing this commentary to the many African Americans within
our community who continue to make every kind of excuse to justify why we
should not challenge our people to collectively do better and act better. Most
people call it "judging," but I call it an unforgiving necessity.
Too
many Black people have the ability to do better, yet they choose not to. Many
members of the Black community need a serious kick in the behind, but who in
the Black community is prepared to do it? I believe that there is only a
remnant of Black people who truly care enough about their own collective
community that they are willing to challenge the current warped paradigms that
plague the community and are prepared to face the consequences of speaking out
because of it.
We
can’t continue to look to the government to solve our social and economic
problems, because the majority of the people in elected office who make the
decisions and craft the legislation that impact our collective community don’t
look like us; so why should they be obligated to care?
Black
people need to stop encouraging this ignorance that we regularly celebrate and
we need to immediately refrain from being a collective community of enablers of
ignorance and apathy. The bottom line is; Black folks need to stop making
excuses for those who remain trapped on the hamster wheel of poor choices and
negative circumstances, especially when we know that those same Black people
have the ability to do better for themselves, yet choose not to.
I
grew up in the inner-city of Houston, Texas, and I had a number of friends
whose family relied heavily on government assistance; so much so, it was as if
they were addicted to it like a drug.
Years
ago, I can recall one of my childhood friends’ mother, who used to sell her
food stamps (what they had before they switched to the Lone Star Card) for cash
and then turn around and use the money she got from the transactions to gamble.
This was a regular occurrence. As if it were yesterday, I can vividly remember
being over my friends’ house one day and hearing his mother become irate with
the government employee she was with on the phone, because she had gotten a
letter letting her know that there was a new law that required her to search
for gainful employment and get off of welfare. Yes, you heard me right. She was
pissed because she didn’t want to work for her money, but would rather have the
government take care of her every day. She was an able-bodied woman, who had no
disabilities and could easily find some form of gainful employment, but became
so comfortable with the comfort of being dependent on the government that she
was forced to deal with this challenge to her adopted paradigm. Sadly, instead
of going to work, she opted to hook up with a couple of "sugar
daddy’s" who paid some of her bills and gave her some occasional spending
cash, in exchange for a lack of emotional and physical stability for her and
her family.
Even
when challenged by family members and friends to do better, many African
Americans with this mindset refuse to change and tend to raise children who
grow up to adopt a similar mindset, unfortunately. It becomes a sad and vicious
cycle. I know there are many enablers out there who will say, "You just
don’t understand. You’ve got to be patient with Black people and meet them
where they are, because they are still dealing with the effects of slavery and
everybody isn’t as resourceful and knowledgeable as you are."
That’s
about as foolish of an argument that I have ever heard. Now, I will be as
straight-forward and direct as I can, when I tell you that there is absolutely
no way that will ever accept that type of asinine and excuse-centered argument,
when I know that we have so many tools and resources available to us and at our
fingertips. Let’s be real for a second.
Almost
all of us have smart phones and other forms of technology that accesses
information these days. According to the global information company Nielsen,
71% of African Americans own smartphones, compared to 62% of the total
population. So, when it comes to seeking out information, there really is no
excuse. There is no excuse for ignorance in this technological society,
especially when there are tons of resources and a boatload of information on
the Internet that can better our lives and help us in many ways. All a person
has to do is seek it out.
Why
should I accept an excuse from somebody who refuses to do better, especially
when I know they can do better? I mean, besides, they use their smart phones
and other forms of technology to access all other types of information, such as
– knowing when "Love & Hip Hop" or "Basketball Wives"
comes on; figuring out how to set up direct deposit to get their government
assistance; finding out what day the new Jordan’s are coming out; knowing what
time the championship game comes on; or finding out when the concert, party or
comedy show starts.
Look,
I know everyone is different and I understand that you can’t group everyone together.
However, we live in an information age where Black people can retrieve all
types of information at the touch of a button. For those that don’t have smart
phones, a Black person can still access the information, because they can
access the Internet, either at home or through a local library.
Many
of the poverty pimps of today promote the downtrodden nature of Black people
and our communities, hating to see progression because that impacts their
bottom line. If you didn’t know, there is a lot of money in trapping people in
a cycle of poverty, government dependency, illiteracy, limited education and
health disparities. Open your eyes.
We
need to put an end to this foolishness of making excuses for people and step up
and challenge ourselves to do better and act better. It’s a shame that so many
other groups have taken the Civil Rights blueprint that Blacks designed to rise
from the ashes of slavery and Jim Crow, and have used it to advance their own
causes and agendas, as we remain stagnant.
*Jeffrey
L. Boney serves as Associate Editor and is an award-winning journalist for the
Houston Forward Times newspaper. Jeffrey is a Next Generation Project Fellow,
dynamic, international speaker, experienced entrepreneur, business development
strategist and Founder/CEO of the Texas Business Alliance. If you would like to
request Jeffrey as a speaker, you can reach him at jboney1@texasbusinessalliance.org.
18. THE 37th
QUADRENNIAL SESSION AND 38th GENERAL CONFERENCE OF THE CHRISTIAN
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH:
The
Thirty-Seventh Quadrennial Session and Thirty-Eighth General Conference of the
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church will be held June 28 through July 4, 2014
at the Baltimore Convention Center located at 1 W Pratt St in Baltimore,
MD. Bishop and Mrs. Marshall Gilmore and
the members of the Seventh Episcopal District will host the General
Conference.
This
announcement will provide updated information about the arrival date for
delegates and alternates, general registration and hotel lodging, the
Commemorative Souvenir Journal, discounted travel rates on Delta Airlines,
airport transportation and the rental of electric mobility scooters.
Arrival Date for
Delegates and Alternates
Delegates
and alternates to the General Conference are requested to arrive on Friday,
June 27, 2014 in time to pick up registration materials and check in their
hotel room before the Episcopal District Caucus meetings at 7:00 p.m.
Registration and
Hotel Reservations
Register
now for the General Conference! The registration fee for the General Conference
is $100. Many hotels in the local area
of the Baltimore Convention Center will be used for housing. Please carefully
read information about registration processes.
Registration for
Delegates and Alternates
The
Presiding Bishops will register delegates and alternates from their respective
Episcopal Districts and reserve hotel rooms for them. Delegates and alternates do not have to
register for the General Conference or reserve their hotel room.
Registration
for All Other Persons (CME Members, Visitors, Guests and Observers):
CME
members, visitors, guests and observers may register for the General
Conference. You may register online and
immediately reserve your hotel room. Or
you may download a registration form and mail it in. A hotel registration form
will be mailed to you.
Online
registration is available at:
Commemorative
Souvenir Journal
We
invite you to participate in capturing this time in our Church’s history by
placing a tribute, commemoration or memorial ad in the Commemorative Souvenir
Journal. The amounts for ads are
reflected on the Souvenir Journal Contract available here, with instructions of
where the ad and payment should be sent.
All tributes, memorials and commemorations must be received no later
than May 1, 2014. We urge your compliance
with the deadline and contract instructions.
Discounted
Rates for Air Travel on Delta Airlines
The
Group Code for Delta Airlines is NMJ2U.
Reservations can be made at no charge at www.delta.com. When booking
online, select Book A Trip, click on More Search Options and enter the meeting
code (NMJ2U) in the box provided on the Search Flight page. Reservations made
at Delta Meetings (1-800-328-1111) will incur a $25 service fee.
Transportation
Borden
Transportation is extending a price of $30 for one-way transportation from the
BWI Airport to downtown Baltimore hotels or $55 roundtrip for any attendees.
This price is for sedan or van service.
Luxury SUV service is available at a reduced rate of $60 for one-way
transportation to or from BWI Airport to a downtown hotel or $110
roundtrip. Limousine service is
available.
Borden
Transportation will also provide transportation to conference attendees for
dinner, sightseeing or an event out. Transportation must be pre-arranged at
least 24 hours in advance to honor prices. Please provide the discount code
CMEC when booking transportation.
To
arrange transportation, please call 410-379-1550; e-mail info@bordentransportation.com
or visit www.bordentransportation.com.
Airport
shuttle service can be arranged from other various local companies. Additional
information about transportation is available here.
Electric Mobility
Scooters
Wheelchairs
and electric mobility scooters are available for rent from local companies. A
listing of the companies is available here.
You may contact the vendor directly to make arrangements.
Additional
information about the General Conference will be provided as it becomes
available and posted to the official CME Web site at www.thecmechurch.org/GeneralConference2014,
and sent via e-mail to our connectional members and friends.
Bishop
Paul A.G. Stewart, Senior Bishop and CEO; Bishop Teresa E. Snorton, Chair,
College of Bishops; Bishop Marshall Gilmore, Host Bishop and Presiding Prelate
of the Seventh Episcopal District
Dr.
Jeanette L. Bouknight
Executive
Secretary
Christian
Methodist Episcopal Church
19. WHAT
YOU SHOULD KNOW IF YOU NEED MORE TIME TO FILE YOUR TAXES:
The
April 15 tax deadline is approaching. What happens if you can’t get your taxes
done by the due date? If you need more time, you can get an automatic six-month
extension from the IRS. You don’t have to explain why you’re asking for more
time. Here are five important things to know about filing an extension:
1) File on
time even if you can’t pay. If you complete your tax
return but can’t pay the taxes you owe, do not request an extension. Instead,
file your return on time and pay as much as you can. That way you will avoid
the late filing penalty, which is higher than the penalty for not paying all of
the taxes you owe on time. Plus, you do have payment options. Apply for a payment plan
using the Online Payment Agreement tool on IRS.gov.
You can also file Form 9465, Installment Agreement Request,
with your tax return. If you are unable to make payments because of a financial hardship, the IRS will work with
you.
2) Extra
time to file is not extra time to pay. An extension to file will give you six more
months to file your taxes, until Oct. 15. It does not give you extra time to
pay your taxes. You still must estimate and pay what you owe by April 15. You
will be charged interest on any amount not paid by the deadline. You may also
owe a penalty for not paying on time.
3) Use IRS
Free File to request an extension. You can use IRS Free File to e-file your extension
request. Free File is only available through the IRS.gov website. You must
e-file the request by midnight on April 15. If you e-file your extension request,
the IRS will acknowledge receipt. You also can return to Free File any time by
Oct. 15 to prepare and e-file your tax return for free.
4) Use Form
4868. You can also request an extension by mailing a Form 4868, Application for Automatic
Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. You must submit
this form to the IRS by April 15. Form 4868 is available on IRS.gov.
You
don’t need to submit a paper Form 4868 if you make a payment using an IRS electronic payment option. The IRS will
automatically process your extension when you pay electronically. You can pay
online or by phone.
5) Electronic
funds withdrawal. If you e-file an extension request, you
can also pay any balance due by authorizing an electronic funds withdrawal from your
checking or savings account. To do this you will need your bank routing and
account numbers.
Visit
IRS.gov for more information about filing an extension and the many options you
have to pay your taxes.
IRS YouTube
Video:
IRS
Podcasts:
20. GETTING TO
ZERO: WE MUST PAY ATTENTION:
*Dr.
Oveta Fuller
Can
we talk? The goal to eliminate HIV/AIDS,
or at least to end its major impacts on individuals, families and communities,
requires interfering with the limited modes of spread of the relatively fragile
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV spread is limited because of the fatty
lipid membrane that surrounds the virus. This layer must be protected by thick
and neutral pH fluids if the HIV particle is to remain infectious during
transport from one person to another. A specific goal by 2015 of the UNAIDS
“Getting to Zero” campaign is to reduce new HIV infections by one half through
preventing exposure to and transmission of HIV.
It
is not enough to talk only about the issues that are easier to discuss.
HIV/AIDS (or any acute or chronic disease) will be controlled only by
understanding its biology and consistently using effective ways to address a full
spectrum of situations that allow successful virus transmission. Transmission
impacts disease burden. I am convicted.
News about HIV in
2010
The
2010 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 1 paints
a vivid picture of HIV/AIDS prevalence for African Americans. We are 13% of the
USA population. In the USA, black folk account for 44% of the persons living
with HIV and 44% of all reported new HIV infections. In 2010, for example, for
every 100,000 African Americans there were 103 new HIV infections diagnosed to
add to the numbers of persons infected with HIV/AIDS, whether they are living
with HIV or deceased.
The
2010 report has some positive news. It says, “While African Americans face the
most severe burden of HIV and AIDS of any racial/ethnic group in the USA,
prevention efforts have helped to maintain stability in the annual number of
new HIV infections.” This means that although there are many new infections
each year, there were not more new infections in 2010 than in 2009. There were
not more new infections in 2009 than in 2008. With diligent broader continuous
efforts, among black folks the tide may have turned from the previous
increasing numbers of new HIV infections each year.
What
is the take home point? Progress IS evident. Fewer new infections are a result
of many initiatives. These efforts have intensified (I believe, but some doubt
this) especially since CDC declared a heightened alert in 2007 for African
Americans and HIV/AIDS. While progress is slow, there is increased engagement
of many networks, including the African Methodist Episcopal Church, to
accurately inform and positively influence communities.
The
2010 report for the USA communicated several MUST NOT MISS findings. It states,
-
In 2010, 20% of new HIV infections occurred in women and 80% in men.
Of
every 100 women newly infected with HIV, 68 were black women. (Thus, African
American women comprise 68% of the women in the USA who were newly infected
with HIV in 2010.)
There
is progress. Fewer black women (6,100) were newly diagnosed with HIV infection
in 2010 compared to new infections (7,700) in 2008. This is movement in the
right direction. Even so, the chances of HIV infection for black women remain
20x higher than for white women. Clearly, more effective education for
prevention and increased routine screening tests are required.
Here
is the place of deep conviction. G20 and TCR have failed to talk about the area
of the most fiercely increasing HIV prevalence in the USA. Guilty!
The CDC report for
2007-2010 states,
-
In 2010, black men who are roughly 6.2% of the population accounted for almost
one-third (31%) of all new HIV infections in the US. This is more than 6x the
rate among white men.
Among
black men, the majority of new infections occur among men who have sex with men
(MSM).
-
MSMs represent about 4% of the male population in the USA. But in 2010, they
accounted for 78% of new HIV infections among males. MSMs (all
races/ethnicities) account for 63% of all new HIV infections (men and women).
-
In 2010, 10,600 black MSMs were newly diagnosed with HIV infection compared to
a total of ~11,200 white MSMs, 5,300 black heterosexual females and 1,950 black
persons (male and female) who are intravenous drug users.
-
Young black MSM are severely affected. There were ~4,800 young black MSMs
(under 30) in the USA who were newly diagnosed with HIV infection in 2010.
What Do We See
Many
people notice that there are young African American males who, in popular
vernacular, are “gay”. Or in politically correct terminology, we notice men who
are same gender loving males or men who have sex with men (MSM). Some clearly
are out of the closet and don’t care who knows. Some are maybe same gender
loving, but are not so easily identified as such. For others still, one would
never know their sexual preference by outward appearances. Being gay,
homosexual, same gender loving, or men who have sex with men today seems to be
just another part of society.
Is
this new? Yes and no. Growing up in North Carolina in the last half of the 20th
Century, I knew there were men who seemed slightly different. I have heard
stories from my husband, uncles and brothers about how they learned to stay
clear of certain places and certain men in the mostly black communities. Are
there more gay men today?
Presence
of males who outwardly are more feminine or less masculine is more evident.
Then there are males with no obvious outward indicators that they enjoy same
gender sex. In 2014, same gender loving men are in the workplace, in the media,
in families, in church, in schools, in the military, in the neighborhood. Is
there actually a higher prevalence of gay men today? Or, are more gay men more
out of the closet now? I don’t know. I can sincerely say that I am more aware
of what seems to be a broader presence of black males who likely would be more
sexually attracted to males than to females.
Look
around. Observe. Don’t point fingers or judge. Just observe.
Who We Are
Attaining
pleasure at multiple levels from sexual engagement is a unique trait given to
human beings. As a procreation process, sex is how more humans are made. The
physiological (and emotional) pleasure from sexual engagements is a universal
trait that extends beyond fulfilling procreation requirements. Everyone wants
and needs love and affection. Most people want/like/appreciate sexual
gratification from physical engagement with another. This holds true even if
engagement is not always an expression of human love as some believe is the
most satisfying. Human beings are sexual creatures- made that way. It is in the
DNA- God created.
What Do We Do
What
do we do then with what we see? How do we respond to the facts such as:
-
African American men who are ~6.5% of the USA population are 40% of almost 2.1
million inmates in jail or prison in the USA (US Dept of Justice, 2009)
-
Black men are 31% of the new HIV infections in 2010
Due
in part to physiology of the reproductive organs, HIV can be transmitted more
easily from a male to a female through heterosexual sex and from a male to male
through homosexual sex.
Are these facts
related?
Perhaps
by now we are becoming more comfortable as clergy and lay persons connected in
a faith community that can and will talk about HIV/AIDS. More people know that
it is a mostly sexually transmitted preventable virus infection. Can we afford
to ignore, put our head in the sand, and not deal with the high presence of HIV
among black men regardless of who they have sex with?
Let
me be clear. The focus to end HIV/AIDS must include the brothers, sons, uncles
among us whether heterosexual, homosexual or for some, men who are bi-sexual.
Some, but not all, bi-sexual men may be on “the down-low” to use a term made
popular a few years ago. “Down-low” refers to a man who secretly enjoys sex
with men, but is married or appears to enjoy engaging in sex only with women.
Regardless of gender inclination or preference, the topic that demands
attention (to control and eliminate HIV/AIDS) concerns our brothers, our sons,
our uncles, our fathers, our grandfathers, and our nephews-- family.
The take home
message
HIV/AIDS
is highly present in and outside of the USA. In the USA, HIV infection is
spreading rapidly among men (older and young) who have sex with other men. Of
black folk in the USA who were newly infected with HIV in 2010, 51%
self-identified as MSMs compared to 25% of the newly infected who are
heterosexual women, 13% who are heterosexual men and 9% who are intravenous
drug users. 51% of newly HIV infected black folk in the USA in 2010 are MSMs.
Can
we talk? We must.
(To be continued)
*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, Michigan 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.”
21. iCHURCH SCHOOL
LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2014:
Dr. Bill Dickens is away on business in Houston and will be unable
to submit this week’s column. His column will be on track next week.
22. MEDITATION
BASED ON ISAIAH 40:21-31:
*The
Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby
I
gave thanks to God for auto warranties when I recently had to replace my
vehicle’s “brake booster,” which makes braking easier and stopping distances
shorter. The repair was quickly done and
I pulled away without paying a cent, but when I drove a couple of blocks, I
felt my vehicle slowing down when I tried to accelerate. By the time I pulled off the road, my vehicle
wouldn’t move an inch when it was in “drive, in reverse, or even in neutral!”
I
called the repair shop and they immediately sent the shop foreman, who checked
things out and got me going in less than 5 minutes. He apologetically explained that the
technician forgot to reset the switch that “tells” the brakes to release. My vehicle stopped moving because the brakes
kept on braking - even with my foot off the pedal - until he reset the switch
in question by doing something very simple - he pulled up on the brake pedal,
there was an audible “click” and the problem was fixed!
What
I thought was probably a major problem that would require a “tow” back to the
shop and further repair was easily fixed by someone who knew my vehicle and
knew what he was doing.
God
can do the same thing with the problems in our lives that the repair shop
foreman did with my vehicle. Try as we
may to move toward success and well-being, we all get “stuck in place”
sometimes. Life’s unexpected challenges,
trials, burdens and obstacles can impede our progress and leave us wondering
what to do or where to turn for relief.
When
we have the faith, however, to trust in the Lord to come to the rescue, God
will show up right on time, fix things and enable us to get back up to speed
and to keep pressing on. The God who knows us and knows what we need can still
provide simple remedies to complex concerns, repair our hope and restore our
joy and mobility when we call on God in prayer.
Look
to and trust in the God who knows us best and knows how to repair our lives -
in your best and worst times. You’ll
find new strength, new direction and new appreciation for the words of a
familiar hymn - “If you trust and never doubt, God will surely bring you out,
take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.”
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
23. GENERAL OFFICER
FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
are saddened to inform you of the passing of Mrs. Carol W. Hillery, the sister
in law of the Rev. Dr. Jeffery Cooper, the General Secretary/CIO of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mrs.
Hillery was very active in her church and was a member of Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority, Inc. She was the sister of
Dr. Joanne Williams Cooper, M.D., wife of Dr. Jeffery B Cooper, General
Secretary and CIO.
Services
for Mrs. Carol W. Hillery will be held:
Thursday,
April 10, 2014 at 11 a.m.
St.
Ignatius Catholic Church
740
N. Calvert St
Baltimore,
MD 21202
Care
of the remains has been entrusted to:
Mitchell-Wiedefeld
Funeral Home
6500
York Road
Baltimore,
MD 21212
Telephone:
(410) 377-8300
FAX:
(410) 377-8302
The
wake and recitation of the rosary will be held on Wednesday evening, April 9,
2014 at the funeral home.
Dr.
Joanne W. Cooper, M.D. can be reached at jwill05@emory.edu
24. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
are saddened to announce the passing of Brother Morris H. Gunn, the brother of
the Rev. Wallace Gunn, and brother in law of Mrs. Merilyn Gunn, pastor and
first lady of Saint James AME Church in Covington, Kentucky, who transitioned
from earth’s sorrows to heaven’s joys on Saturday, April 5, 2014.
The
Visitation:
Friday
April 11, 2014 from 12 p.m.-1 p.m.
Smith
& Gaston Funeral Services, Inc.
102
6th Ave. SW
Birmingham,
Alabama 35211
205-322-3581
205-322-4868
- fax
Funeral
Service: Saturday, April 12, 2014 - 12:00 Noon
St.
Paul Lutheran Church
132
6th Ave. S
Birmingham,
Alabama 35205
Condolence
may be sent to:
Email:
wgunn@twc.com
25. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
regret to inform you of the passing of Lavern Gatson, of Winnsboro SC., the
brother of Presiding Elder Eddie C. Gaston, Jr. of the Manning District,
Central Annual Conference, 7th Episcopal District. Mr. Gaston was a member of Mt. Zion AME
Church in Winnsboro South Carolina.
Funeral
& Visitation Services for Mr. Gaston:
Family
Visitation, Monday, April 7, 2014, 2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Nelson's
Funeral Home
370
North Dogwood Ave.
Ridgeway,
SC 29130
Telephone:
(803) 337-4500
FAX:
(803) 337-4503
Email:
lagato222@aol.com
Funeral:
Tuesday, April 8, 2014 - 3:30 p.m.
Mt.
Zion AME Church
324
Honeybee Circle
Winnsboro,
SC 29180
Condolences
may be sent to:
The
Rev. & Mrs. Eddie C. Gaston, Jr.
229
Canaberry Circle
Summerville,
SC 29483
Telephone:
(843) 873-0191
Book
of Condolence:
26. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
are saddened to inform you of the home going of Mrs. Emily L. Johnson, the
mother of the Rev. Dr. Walter Bruce Johnson Jr., pastor of Greater
Institutional African Methodist Episcopal Church in Chicago, Illinois.
She
will lie in state at the Leak and Sons Funeral Home, 7838 South Cottage Grove
on Sunday, March 30th all day.
A
Repast/ Wake will be held on Monday, March 31st from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00
p.m. The Service of Life Celebration
will begin at 7:00 p.m. at Greater Institutional African Methodist Episcopal
Church, 7800 South Indiana Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60619. The telephone number of the church is (773)
873-0880.
The
Interment will be Tuesday, April 1st at 10:00 a.m. The location is Burr Oak Cemetery, 127th and
Cicero, Alsip, Illinois.
Expressions
of love, cards, and condolences may be sent:
The
Rev. Dr. Walter B. Johnson, Jr.
913
Willow Road
Matteson,
Illinois 60443
Telephone:
(312) 953-3669
Email:
revdrwbj@yahoo.com
27. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
It
with heartfelt sympathy that we announce the home going from labor to reward of
Sister Geraldine Hughes, the beloved mother of the Rev. Robin Hughes Crawford,
former California Conference Women in Ministry Coordinator.
Funeral
Arrangements for Sister Geraldine Hughes are as follows:
Wednesday,
April 9, 2014 at 11:00 a.m.
First
AME Church
3701
Telegraph Ave.
Oakland,
CA 94609
Telephone:
(510) 655-1527
The
Rev. Dr. Harold R. Mayberry, Sr. Pastor
Services
are entrusted to:
McNary
Williams & Jackson Mortuary
3630
Telegraph Ave
Oakland,
CA 94607
Telephone:
510-848-1238
Fax:
510-848-1239
Email:
dgreene@mwjmortuary.com
Expressions
of sympathy may be sent to:
The
Rev. Robin & Brother Keith Crawford
51
Edgemont Way
Oakland,
CA 94605
Telephone:
(510) 332-2969 or (415) 565-4746
28. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
are saddened to inform you of the passing of Mother Winnie Reece, mother of the
Rev. Joyce Reece Kitchen, Senior Pastor of Emmanuel Turner AME Church, Los
Angeles, CA and grandmother of Rev. Charles Lee Johnson, Senior Pastor of
Corona Community AME Church, Corona, CA.
Arrangements
for Mother Winnie Reece:
Viewing:
Thursday,
April 3, 2014, 12:00 noon - 8:00 p.m.
Harrison
Ross Mortuary
4601
South Crenshaw Blvd.
Los
Angeles, CA 90043
Telephone:
(323) 584-1230
Fax:
(323) 293-3958
Funeral
Service:
Friday,
April 4, 2014
10:00
a.m.
Emmanuel-H.M.
Turner AME Church
5200
Compton Avenue
Los
Angeles, CA 90011
Telephone:
(323) 232-6322
Internment:
Veteran's
Memorial Park
Sawtelle
West
Los Angeles
Expressions
of sympathy may be sent to:
The
Rev. Joyce Reece Kitchen, Senior Pastor
Emmanuel
Turner AME Church
5200
S. Compton Avenue
Los
Angeles, CA 90011
Telephone:
(310) 261-7001 Cell #
Email:
ehmtamec@aol.com
The
Rev. Charles Lee Johnson, Senior Pastor
Corona
Community AME Church
321
East 6th Street
Corona,
CA 92879
(310)
261-6994
29. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
are saddened to announce the following: Mr. George "G.G." Johnson
transitioned from this life to his eternal rest on March 29, 2014. He was born
in Columbus, Georgia, the son of the Late Reverend George Johnson and Deaconess
Johnnie Mae Johnson of the Sixth Episcopal District; and had been an active
member of Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Louisville,
Kentucky, until illness caused his moving to Atlanta, Georgia.
Brother
Johnson was the first and only African American Head Golf Professional in
Kentucky, managing as the Head Pro at Bobby Nichols Golf Course in Waverly
Park, Louisville, Kentucky, since 1997.
George became a Professional Golfer in 1964, qualifying for the U.S.
Open in 1965. In 1971 he won the Azalea Open and became the fourth African
American to win a PGA Tournament. Johnson is a lifetime member of the PGA Tour.
In 2008, George Johnson was inducted into the African American Golfers Hall of
Fame. His spirit for life was contagious, a wonderful witness for God and the
Church! He was a Christian Gentleman!
He
leaves to cherish his memory, his wife, LaJune Johnson; daughter, Kristi
Johnson; brothers: Charlie W. Johnson of
Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church, Louisville, Kentucky; Harold (Etta) Anderson of
Romulus, Michigan; Johnny (Mattie) Johnson of Dallas, Texas; and a sister,
Gwendolyn Johnson Williams of Greater St. Mark A.M.E. Church in Columbus,
Georgia; as well as countless nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Service
arrangements are as follows:
VIEWING:
Friday, April 4, 2014, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Gus
Thornhill Funeral Home
1315
Gus Thornhill Jr. Drive
East
Point, Georgia 30344
(404)
768-2993
Service
of Celebration:
Saturday,
April 5, 2014, 11:00 a.m.
Hoosier
Memorial United Methodist Church
2545
Benjamin E. Mayes Drive, S.W.
Atlanta,
Georgia 30311
Expressions
of Love, Cards, and Messages of Condolence may be sent to the Family of Mr.
George Johnson:
Mr.
Charlie W. Johnson
1400
Willow Avenue, #1801-1802
Louisville,
KY 40204
Mrs.
LaJune Johnson
2860
Brookford Drive
Atlanta,
Georgia 30331
30. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICES AND CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:
Ora L. Easley, Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family Information Center
Email: Amespouses1@bellsouth.net
Web page: http://www.amecfic.org/
Telephone: (615) 837-9736 (H)
Telephone: (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
31. 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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