9/11/2015

THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE ENGLISH EDITION (09/11/15)


The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, the 20th Editor, The Christian Recorder

Thought for the Week: If it’s wrong, it’s wrong even if everyone else is doing it!



1. TCR EDITORIAL – TEN THINGS PASTORS NEED TO REMEMBER:

Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III
The 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder

I have been writing TCR Editorials for 11 years and just when I think I have heard it all, something quirky comes across my desk and I SMH (Shake My Head) in disbelief. But, not only do I hear about issues across the Church, sometimes I am subject of the things I write about. At least one of the things I am addressing in this editorial was precipitated by my behavior. And, to be honest, I have been guilty of all of the SMH issues I address.

Last week, I drove from Nashville to Hampton, Virginia and had planned to stay about 4 days. Why 4 days? I don’t know. After arriving in Hampton, I drove to the Washington, DC area to attend the promotion ceremony for my friend Brigadier General (Reverend) R. Scott Dingle and then drove back to Hampton. Somehow in my mind I wanted to be home for Labor Day. I didn’t have anything planned for Labor Day; I just thought it would be nice to beat the Labor Day traffic and be home in Nashville before Labor Day. As you have probably figured out by now, I was “cramming” a lot of activity in 4 days.

Well, we were having so much fun with family in Hampton when my wife, Charlotte asked me when we were going home; I generously responded that we would drive back to Nashville on Sunday instead of Saturday.

Well, our son and daughter-in-law had planned a Labor Day family barbeque and of course they wanted us to stay and celebrate Labor Day with them and the grandchildren.  I was determined to return to Nashville, but had the presence of mind to think about it and had an epiphany.

I preach and rant about the importance of clergy taking time for themselves and their families. I have a two-hour presentation solely focused on clergy self-care, but here I was in a rush to leave my family and get back to Nashville.

It also occurred to me that this past summer has been busy with the Hampton University Ministers’ Conference, the funeral in Charleston, the General Board Meeting in New Orleans, and other meetings and day to day to day work trying to stay ahead in getting The Christian Recorder Online out each week, while at the same time submitting the articles for the print edition. (And let me say here that the AMEC Publishing House early this summer had a breakdown of the four color press, which affected all of the periodicals, but subscribers will get all of the print issues.)

Let me get back to my epiphany. It also occurred to me that we had not taken a vacation this summer – and to be honest didn’t take one last summer. I have to remind myself that even though some of our AME meetings are held in exotic locations, General Board and other AME meetings are not vacations! After attending an AME meeting, the first order of business is “rest.”

It is so easy for clergy to preach to others, while at the same time failing to follow our own teaching.

My decision

I decided that I was not going to return to Nashville on Sunday or Monday! I decided that I needed time off and decided to wait until Tuesday to return to Nashville and I felt good about my decision and my family felt good about it too.

This message is also for me

Too many times preachers fail to take time for themselves. Don’t follow the model I had planned in rushing to do what I was going to do and rush back to my daily routine.

One, take time for you

Take time to celebrate you!  I call it “me time.” You are important.  When you take time for you, you will take time for your family. Carve out “me time” and family time - and let me be redundant, “each and every week.”  Carve out vacation time, even if you haven’t saved for a vacation; even if it is just to stay home away from the congregation. You need a break from your congregation and your congregation needs a break from you!

As a matter of fact, not only carve out time each week, but carve out some “me time” every day! I can “stick my chest out” because I am a stickler about “me time.” I spend time with “me” everyday. As the Army jody-call says, “Up in the morning before the break of day…” my “me time” involves a 2-3 mile walk, prayer and scripture time.

This prayer from Brother Louis G. Reaves who is a member of St. Paul AME Church in Newport News, Virginia says it best: "Spend a little time each day taking care of your own physical and emotional needs and the rest of your day will be more effective.  Lord, help me to enrich and care for myself so that I am not depleted of energy and health and have something within that I can use to enrich others."

My “me time” involved learning to play the guitar, which I had always wanted to play. I decided that I was going to learn and I did. I approached learning to play the guitar with the attitude that one is never too old to learn. And then I decided if I could learn the guitar, I could learn to play the ukulele. I will say it again, if there is something you always wanted to learn, stop and take the time for you to do some things for you.
 
Two, it’s not “your church”

The local church to which you have been appointed or where you serve is not “your church.”  It disturbs me to hear pastors refer to “my church.” It is not “your church,” it is “our church.”

When a pastor refers to “my church” it seems to presuppose that he or she can do as they please because their attitude is the church belongs to them. 

“The church” belongs to the people and what I mean about “the church” is not the building, but the ministry. The local church ministry is not the exclusive domain of the pastor. The local church ministry is a corporate or shared activity. 

Some pastors are anxious to make ministry exciting and sometime get way out ahead of the people. If ministry is a shared activity then it is important for clergy to take the time to facilitate congregational “buy-in” or ownership of the religious program. It’s a special gift when pastors can make the congregation feel that the religious program is “their program.” It takes special skill for a pastor to get parishioners to take ownership for the religious program.

Sometimes it means that a pastor needs to “step back,” take the time to develop professional pastoral relationships with, not only the parishioners, but with the ministerial and congregational lay leadership. In every congregation there is a person or a group of persons who are respected and have congregational influence.

If a pastor can get the influential persons on board with the religious program, the likelihood for success is substantially greater. It takes time to develop pastoral relationships.  And, sadly some pastors won’t take the time to develop intimate professional pastoral relationships. The operative words are “professional pastoral relationships.”

Three, you can’t do it all

One of the first lessons a pastor needs to learn is that there is “more than one way to skin a cat.” You might have a good idea about how something should get done, but some of your leaders might have ideas about how to accomplish various tasks.

Don’t be hard-headed and stubborn and insist that “it’s my way or highway.” A local church religious program is not a “one man or one woman show,” or at least it shouldn’t be. Give some latitude and let the people take ownership.  They have ownership in the local church religious programs, or at least they should have some ownership.

If members of the congregation get the idea that “you want to be a one woman or a one man show,” they will step back and let you run the program. Here is a little secret: Parishioners “vote” with their feet and with their pocketbooks. 

Let the stewards and trustees have a meeting without your presence and you might be surprised at what they can accomplish.

A lot of time the presence of clergy inhibits initiative. Some people like to “read” the pastor’s mind and function at the level of “go along to get along.” And when they do, initiative and creativity are absent.

“Go along to get along” church officers do not stand up for their principles; they function in a manner of avoiding any kind of disagreement. They are more interested in being liked rather than being creative and possibly being challenged. Unfortunately, some pastors nurture getting things done “their way” and in the process reject creativity.

Sometimes is might be interesting to hear all sides of issues and smart pastors create an environment of openness and creativity.

Four, learn new things

We are never too old to learn. I learn from our children and our grandchildren.  I remember that I couldn't distinguish the difference between Taliban and Al Qaeda and our grandson, Antoine Smith, Jr, rattled off the difference in language I could understand and he was in middle school and I have never forgotten the distinction. I learned something from him. 

Take some courses at a seminary or local college. It can be any course.  If you are not up to writing papers, audit the course and don’t worry about writing the papers.  Some institutions will let you audit course for free or for very little cost.

Do some things to widen your intellect. Take a basket weaving course or a music theory class or just any course.  Join a book club. Join the YMCA or another athletic club. Widen your horizons beyond church!

I am always amazed that the only thing some preachers can talk about is church. And, most often church discussions turn negative. Have you ever heard a church discussion that stayed positive from beginning to end?

If that caught your attention, look at some of the televangelists and turn the sound off and observe how angry they appear to be when they are supposed to be preaching “the good news of Jesus Christ.”  Some of them look like they are “cussing out” the congregation.

If you haven’t learned to use the computer or a smartphone, pull a youngster aside and let them help you to transition into the 21st Century; it’s not rocket science. If you don’t have any young people nearby, go to the internet and take the time to learn. Go to the library. Books hold a wealth of information.

Hopefully everyone is reading the Bible, but take time to read something other than the Bible.  Read newspapers, read magazines, and read books. Read all kinds of books. Here is another secret: The folks sitting in the pews can quickly tell when a pastor is well-read or if he or she “shoots for the hip” Sunday after Sunday. 

For instance, certainly you have read or heard about Homo Naledi, the new species in human lineage that has been found in a South African Cave. Have you read enough to have an intelligent conversation if a parishioner, this Sunday, asked you about it?  Can you articulate Homo Naledi discovery without clichés, and juxtapose the finding with the biblical account of creation.

The point is that a 21st Century pastor needs to be well-read because...

To be continued…

2. NEWS AROUND THE AME CHURCH:

-- Emanuel AME survivors feel forgotten as life moves forward


3. THE AMEC COLLEGE CORNER:

The Christian Recorder recently implemented a new column, The AMEC College Corner and we are blessed with three excellent writers. We welcome other writers to share with the subscribers and readers of TCR. Three articles appear below.

-- College Corner Response to the Charleston Massacre

*Rachel Kenlaw, Howard University, B.B.A. in Supply Chain Management and pre-Medical Track

The evening of June 17, 2015 will be forever memorable. A routine glance at my cellphone during an impromptu study break swiftly shook my world. A notification from the CNN newsbreak stated that an AME church had been this country’s latest victim of gun violence. Disbelief overtook me, dread gripped my heart, and fervent prayer ensued immediately.

As the daughter of two AME pastors, I automatically contacted my parents upon seeing the initial news alert. Once their safety was ensured, my anxiety quickly melted away, and once the reality of the situation sank in, I was overcome by nausea and indignation.

A place of worship and sanctity has been violated. A historical landmark is forever marred by the bloodshed of innocent lives. Although Black lives have been stolen since the inception of this country, the loss of these nine deeply perturbed me. Later on, the refusal to acknowledge Dylan Roof as a terrorist or the crime as one of hate, and the chalking up of the cold blooded massacre to mental illness was perplexing. Racial tensions have always existed in the United States, why was there such an extreme push to separate Dylan Roof from the racial prejudice that fueled his grisly crime?

The simplest answer I could settle upon is this: the United States of America was not created for the progression of people of color, and 239 years after its creation, we are still fighting tooth and nail for our most basic human rights. The deaths of Cynthia Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lance, the Rev. DePayne Middleton, Rev. Clementa Pinckney, Tywanza Sanders, the Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr., the Rev. Sharonda Singleton, and Myra Thompson serve as our wakeup call.

The late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “... you cannot preach the glories of heaven while ignoring social conditions.” Dr. King’s sentiments hold true today as racism has become a subliminal and systematic tool of oppression that is conveniently masked by a media and propaganda culture promoting the image of a “post racial society.” The church has to strive to be more intentional in acknowledging the injustices plaguing society, and identifying the connection between societal conditions and mental, spiritual, and emotional health.

The church, especially the black church, has a responsibility to educate and empower the community. It is imperative that the education component of the church is neither subdued nor neglected. Children in Sunday School need to learn about the Denmark Vesey’s and Nat Turner’s in Black History, in addition to learning the Lord’s Prayer and Summary of the Decalogue. Congregations need to understand the history of race relations and its relationship to the present racial climate for viable change to occur. Security, self defense, firearm training, firearm collection, and Black history ministries are just a few program ideas that can be implemented as preventative and educational measures.

-- Our Turn

*Kandace Taylor is a graduate of Florida State University and is a member of St. Stephen AME Church in Jacksonville, Florida

Ecclesiastes 12 says, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come…when men are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets…” 

Well, I think it’s safe to say that those days are here.  As a young person, I sometimes can’t help feeling like I’m getting the dose of horror and racial injustice that I missed by not being alive during the 50s and 60s. 

Of course, racially motivated acts of violence were not restricted to those decades.  It has existed as far back as our people can collectively remember. Actually, even further back than that, but for me, in my lifetime, it has never been like this.

As I grow older I now have to carry the pain that comes with being black in the United States.  I am in pain right now.  I would wager that I’m not alone. I wrote in one of my journals the other day that perhaps understanding is seeing your pain, side by side with God’s goodness. 

At the 11th Episcopal District’s 2015 Christian Education and Youth Leadership Congress, the Rev. Dr. Carolyn McCrary emphasized the importance of not ignoring our pain. 

As people of faith we try to so hard to emotionally and spiritually fast forward – fast forward past the pain and the despair and the “Why God?” questions to the hope and peace that surpasses all understanding. 

It is true that in God there is hope.  It’s true that God is our peace.  But, we live in a crazy world and as a church and I think it’s important to remember that even though we are just lower than the angels, in God’s eyes, we are still human.  And that’s okay. 

So, yes, we as a global church do need to mobilize to fight the evils of racism and hatred that led to the Emmanuel 9 tragedy.  But, we also need to grieve.  When Jesus said “blessed are those who mourn” he said that knowing that we, his followers, would sometimes be the ones in mourning.  It’s okay. As for what to do now, I think we can take the early church as our guide.  Here is what they prayed:

“Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.  Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.” (Acts 4:27-29)

The members of the early church lived in a society that was openly hostile to their existence, even to the point of killing an innocent man.  The story was the same for the prophets who came before them. Now, it seems, unfortunately, it is our turn. I hope though that we as the Church will pull together to respond as the apostles did and pray the way they did. Lord, consider their threats. We’re not ignoring them, but bringing them to you, side by side with our belief that you will embolden your people.

-- It Is Time for a Conversation on Race

*The Rev. Lucinda V. Burgess is an Associate Minister at Greater Allen AMEC, Dayton, a middler at Payne Theological Seminary, and the 2015-2016 SGA President.

From the election of its first Bishop in 1816 to this day, the AMEC has stood and continues to stand on a platform of social justice, challenging those injustices that lead to discontent, non-cooperation, conflict, civil unrest and war; not just for members of the AMEC denomination, but for all persons regardless of their race.

Just because the AMEC does not racially discriminate, it does not mean that others do not discriminate against us.

Our biggest injustice has been that of racism whose ugly face continues to rear its head whenever blacks try to get to the next level.

It rose its head when the blacks separated and formed another denomination known as the African Methodist Episcopal Church; it rose its head during the end of slavery and reconstruction when blacks were given the legal right to stand on their own; it rose its ugly head with the rise of the Negro baseball leagues when whites were intimidated because of the success of the Negro baseball players; it rose ugly head when blacks survived the hardships of the depression, pre-segregation, segregation, and post-segregation.

Racial injustice survived with the various wars we’ve fought, veterans become heroes and then thrown away as trash because of our success. It rose with Medgar Evans, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and the sitting United States President, Barack H. Obama. And it continues to rise every time a person of color succeeds despite the adversities that society throws its way.

So why is it that racism is such a dominate factor in whether a person or group succeeds or fails? Why it is that racism tries to control those who are in power and those who have no power? Why does racism, control the financial problems that people face?

With racism comes power, the power to move a person or a group of people from one extreme to the next; the power to change one’s social, political, economic or spiritual status in life.

Although Jesus had a spiritual power given to Him by God, there were those who refused to accept His power simply because of where He was born.

According to Ethan R. Longhenry of the Expository Files, “location factors heavily into our assumptions and judgments about people.”  The people had no problem accepting the power of the Egyptian gods, because that power was given to them by the Pharaoh. They had no problem accepting the power of deities because it was given to the deities by those in authority. 

But, they did have problems accepting the power given to Jesus because it was given to Him by a God that they could not see nor was within their political sphere of influence. To them this God was not tangible. And, since they did not believe that which they could not see, they redirected their focus to the location of his birth, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46)  It is this mindset that has laid the foundation for what is seen as a formidable opposition to blacks. A result of a power struggle in which the black man/woman is made to feel inferior based on the color of his/her skin and not the content of his/her character.

Throughout history persons in political power have done their best to make blacks feel inferior. Slavery was used as a form of degradation in which the white man prospered financially and the black man was made to feel socially inadequate. In 2008, when the political tides of America took a historic change and America nominated, elected, and swore into office its first black president, Barack H. Obama, racism reared its ugly head from behind the shadows and closed doors of society to take race relations in America back to the era of segregation. Some will say this is not so, but if you really think about it, racism in America continues to be a thorn in the black man’s side. In many cases it is not blatant. Instead, racism has become more politically correct because people don’t want to be perceived as racist. Despite the racial slurs and attacks against President Obama’s character, he has maintained his integrity, taking the power away from those who were attempting to slander his character.

That is exactly what the congregation of Mother Emmanuel did in Charleston, South Carolina, when all that they knew was shaken to the core as the Charleston Nine were mercilessly slaughtered in the basement of the church. The core of who they were and what they believed in was tested as the entire country looked on to see how they would handle it. And like President Obama, the family members and congregation of Mother Emmanuel responded in a way that took the power away from their attacker. They cut the head off of racism and hatred and replaced it with love. They did what Jesus said, “To love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12) This was not and is not an easy feat for someone to do – to love the person who killed your pastor, grandmother, mother, husband, father, brother, sister, aunt, and friend.

President Obama, the Mother Emmanuel community and those who have fought this racial fight over the centuries, are all examples of how we must find a way to move forward from the constant racial attacks. As Bishop John R. Bryant stated, “The nation can no longer live in denial and act as if it does not exist.” The African American community must push back and move forward. We must stop sugar coating the issue and call things what they are. We must stop looking for outward approval or getting on our knees begging to be accepted. To put an end to this thing called racism, we must maintain solidarity. “It is time for the AME Church to join with other faith communities to stress the need for the United States to face, discuss and meet head on the problem of race in this country,” said Bishop John R. Bryant.

4. BISHOP JAMES L. DAVIS’ OFFICIAL STATEMENT CONCERNING THE UNITY DAY RALLY AND THE INAUGURAL ROSA L. PARKS PROFILE OF COURAGE AWARD:

Official Statement from the 9th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Concerning the Unity Day Rally and the Inaugural Rosa L. Parks Profile of Courage Award, which was to be awarded to Alabama Governor Robert Bentley:

The office of the 9th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church learned on the afternoon of Thursday, September 3, 2015, that Alabama Governor Robert Bentley would not attend our Unity Day Rally due to concerns for his safety. Although Governor Robert Bentley has canceled his appearance, this does not, in any way, negate the primary purpose of the rally. 

The Unity Day Rally will occur as planned on Tuesday, September 15, 2015, at noon in the Daniel Payne Community Plaza, 1500 Daniel Payne Drive, Birmingham, Alabama. 

Governor Bentley was invited to share with us and be acknowledged in the Unity Day Rally for a single act of courage. This one significant act is why we chose to acknowledge and honor Governor Bentley’s courageous stand.  He did not call together a multitude of people; but moved on the dictates of his conscious and acted through Executive Order, to remove a divisive symbol, the Confederate flag, from the State Capitol-- in the city of Montgomery; the place where Mrs. Rosa L. Parks, known as “the mother of the Civil Rights Movement,” quietly incited a revolution--by just sitting down.  We believe that the courageous step taken by Governor Bentley encompassed the courage embodied by our heroine Mrs. Parks, a lifelong member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.   The acknowledgement of this courageous act in no way desecrates her legacy.  In fact, it reinforces the idea that God in His infinite wisdom, works through individuals to accomplish His purposes for humankind.   We want to make it clear that it is for that single action and that single action alone, that we chose to recognize him. 

As we think of the Charleston 9, how can we not understand why this symbol of division needed to come down?  Governor Bentley’s presence would have sent a message to the citizens throughout the State of Alabama that we want to lead in efforts of equality and unity for all people. 

We must go forward. We are gathering as the multicultural church community -- clergy and lay, ecumenical, governmental, and educational leaders of our great state of Alabama--to engage in united prayer, which we hope, will lead toward unified strategies to leverage more effectively our influence to ignite lasting changes in our state.   The idea of a Unity Day Rally was birthed by two dynamics: the tragic killings of the Charleston 9 at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina and the outcry of faith community members to stand in solidarity with the AME Church against this “hate crime,” which occurred in June 2015. Our desire is to address and solve the ills of racism, inequality, and injustice in society. The Unity Day Rally is the first step for the state of Alabama to bring together people of good will and to make a difference in the midst of the harsh realities that would seek to divide rather than unite. Over 2,000 members of the AME Church and members of other faith traditions are expected to attend.

We pray for the Governor and his family as they grapple with their personal challenges.  The intent of the Unity Day Rally was never to condemn or condone the actions of Governor Bentley.  Those matters are best left to the legal system, which assumes innocence until proven guilty, and ultimately to the God of justice, who has the final say over all our lives.  The primary intent of the Unity Day Rally is to call attention to the ills that plague our state, and thereby inform Governor Bentley and state officials of our cause to address oppression, injustice, and inequity. 

Finally, we understand that what we do in Alabama has an impact on the mission of the AME Church nationally and internationally. This is especially important as the country prepares for a 2016 Presidential Election. God has positioned our church to take the lead in making our state and our country a better place. The mission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is to minister to the spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional and environmental needs of all people by spreading Christ’s liberating gospel through word and deed. There is much work to do and the Unity Day Rally is the first step. The state of Alabama and the people within it may very well be the voice of conscience that the nation and world need today for a wake up call. 

Servant Bishop James L. Davis, Presiding Prelate of the 9th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

5. YOU HAVE UNTIL OCTOBER 1, 2015 TO PURCHASE YOUR PIECE OF HISTORY:  

The absolute firm deadline to purchase your wall brick or paving stone is October 1, 2015 - Absolutely no exceptions or extensions!

The Historical Statue of Richard Allen isn't complete without your name in the courtyard. The unveiling will take place during the 50th Quadrennial Session of the 2016 General Conference, but you must place your order now. The Deadline is October 1, 2015, but don't wait until then or you may miss your chance. 

Visit the First District General Conference website to place your order today http://2016generalconference.org/

Richard Allen Memorial Courtyard, Philadelphia, PA

The benefits of your involvement:

- You will join supporters from around the world in this historic tribute to Richard Allen!

- You will have your name and affiliation with the AME Church visible to courtyard visitors forever!

- Your engraving will serve as a permanent testament to your generosity!

- Your wall brick or paving stone will be a historic marker on the parcel of land that is the longest to be continuously owned by African Americans in the United States!

- Your wall brick or courtyard paving stone will serve as tangible evidence of your love for our illustrious founder!

- Your place in the courtyard will connect you with Richard Allen’s remarkable life and legacy in perpetuity!

- Your place in the courtyard will be a proud reminder of your role in shaping the history of African Methodism!

6. BISHOP REGINALD T. JACKSON PRESS STATEMENT “LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL” –

This article and the following article is the result of the "Liberty and Justice for All" Press Conference that was held in Washington DC on September 2, 2015.  CME Senior Bishop Lawrence Riddick’s statement was published in TCR Online in last week’s issue.

September 2, 2015

I remember so well, as a student at Booker T. Washington Elementary School in Dover, Delaware, every morning standing and joining with my classmates in placing our hands across our hearts and repeating the pledge of allegiance. There are some words in that pledge which stood out to us, “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” I believed, and still believe deeply in these words. Yet, as much as we embrace and believe in these words, I and so many other blacks do not believe these words apply to us. Anyone who is honest and sincere can argue that the United States has not made great progress in civil rights and race relations. So much so that with the election of the nation’s first black president in 2008, it was said by many that America had entered a post racial period. That race was no longer a major problem in America.
But we gather here this morning in our nation’s capital, in what some believe is a post racial period, because many in the United States are in denial that race is still a major problem in this nation. It seems that more than 239 years after our nation’s founding, and 151 years since the Civil War, we are still not “one nation under God with liberty and justice for all.”

But it is not only the obvious and clear racism that we must confront, it is also discrimination and bias built into laws and policies, the racism of being stigmatized and targeted because of the color of our skin.  While blacks and other minorities suffer the consequences, many in the majority population in this country are in denial that it exists. You can’t solve a problem that you do not face, so we respond to the challenge to get our nation to confront the problem of racism. It is prevalent in every area of American life.

Racism is present in our criminal justice system where whites use more kinds of illegal drugs yet, while White America does the crime, Black America gets the time. Racism is present through the insidious practice of racial profiling, where blacks are targeted for no other reason than the color of our skin, far too often resulting in unarmed blacks being shot, then police to justify their actions use the magical words that give prosecutors justification not to indict and juries not to convict, “we feared for our lives.” After hearing too many police stories that turned out to be untrue, we demand that all police have body cameras to provide accountability for police and citizens.
Racism is present in our public education system, where Black children for no other reason than the color of their skin are stigmatized as “at risk, disadvantaged, special need.” Sixty one years after Brown vs. Board of Education, segregation is still prevalent in far too many places, and “separate but unequal” deliberately remains unchanged. Most suburban and rural schools provide students with a quality education; while in most urban schools black and low income students walk across a stage to get a diploma, but don’t have a quality education. The unrest in Ferguson, Baltimore and other communities across the country, is also caused by a lack of hope and opportunity which many blacks have and continue to experience because of a failure to get a quality education. If what is happening in urban schools was happening in suburban and rural schools, the nation would act. We demand action.

Racism is present in our economy, where corporate executives in 2008 through sheer greed almost destroyed not only the United States, but the world’s economy. And yet, not one single corporate executive went to jail, while every day we prosecute minorities and poor folk who shoplift for food to eat and clothes to wear. We see it even now, when corporate executives lay off thousands of employees to increase profits, then increase their salaries, many of them hundreds of times more than their employees and then with 46.9 million people in poverty, many of them working poor, have the unmitigated gall to oppose increasing the minimum wage.

We see racism in this nation’s love affair with guns. Everyday loved ones, families, and communities are impacted by gun violence.  And some ask why doesn’t the black community do something about blacks killing blacks? Our response is why doesn’t the nation do something about those who are making money dumping guns in our community? We call upon faith leaders who have joined us today and others across this nation to join us in leading a crusade to reform our gun laws and control the use of guns in this nation.

There is racism in efforts to suppress the black vote. Black turnout in 2012 exceeded our turnout in 2008. As a result about 20 states have put in place new voting laws and other efforts to make it harder to vote, claiming it was an effort to prevent voter fraud.  Yet in no state has voter fraud been proven. Let’s call it what it is, this is a deliberate, intentional effort to suppress the black vote, in other words racism.

Over the last year many black young adults have sought to call attention to racism in the country through the “Black Lives Matter” movement. We applaud and encourage them, and join them with a common goal that will seek to move this nation to confront and end racism. There is unrest all across our nation, and there will remain unrest until the nation confronts its racism. Dr. Martin Luther King said that “peace is not only the absence of tension, but the presence of justice.” If the United States wants to be at peace, then it must end racism and live up to the words of its own pledge, and ensure, “liberty and justice for all.”

7. BISHOP GEORGE E. BATTLE PRESS STATEMENT - “LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL” - NEXT STEPS:

Today’s event is not an end, but a beginning. Going forward we will do the following.

As you heard this Sunday, September 6th is “Confession, Repentance and Commitment to End Racism Sunday.” All over the nation pastors will be preaching about racism and prayers will be lifted asking for divine intervention to change hearts and minds.

After Congress returns from its Labor Day recess we will seek meetings with the Congressional leadership to discuss the issues listed in the Action Items booklet you received. We will also seek meetings with specific US Senators and Representatives to discuss sponsoring legislation.

There will also be meetings scheduled with governors and state legislators on matters which require state legislation such as body cameras, appointment of special prosecutors and voting.

We will be organizing Social Action Committees specifically in local communities because this is where most of the action is. These Social Action Committees will engage City Councils, local Boards of Education and other local boards and commissions.

We will also invite the presumed presidential candidates of both parties to address the General Conferences of both the AME and AME Zion churches to be held in July 2016. We don’t want them to give us vague and general speeches to pacify us, but we want them to address the specific issues we have lifted up today and which impact our people.

Ongoing efforts and strategy will evolve and develop as events unfold. But be assured we will involve thousands of churches all across the nation, speak out on issues and do what needs to be done.

8. PASTOR JAMAL HARRISON BRYANT NAMED AMONG 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL AFRICAN AMERICANS: 

The Social Activist Movement of 'Jamal-Harrison Bryant'

For much of his adult life, Dr. Jamal-Harrison Bryant, a 44-year-old African American Methodist Episcopal pastor, has been unknowingly preparing for the responsibilities and challenges he faces now as a modern-day pastor and social activist. His talents were first capitalized in 1997 when he was appointed by the NAACP President to head of the NAACP National Youth Department. It was during this pivotal time that Bryant launched a national campaign titled, “Stop the Violence, Start the Love.” Under his leadership, the NAACP youth division more than doubled its chapters from 120 to 250 in just one year!

April 2000 ‒ Jamal Bryant founded Empowerment Temple A.M.E Church in Baltimore, Maryland. Within seven years, membership had grown to 10,000 and the church was dubbed the “fastest-growing church” in the denomination’s history! Through Bryant’s leadership, Empowerment Temple church developed over 30 active ministries with a specialized focus in community outreach, prison in-reach and re-entry, homelessness, and social justice. The cutting edge innovative concepts of these ministries put the church on a fast-track as being the 21st century flagship within the community and denomination.

A forward thinker, Bryant opened The Empowerment Academy in 2003. The public charter school serves students Pre-K to 8th grade with mission to strive in excellence and empowerment. In 2012, the academy was recognized as one of only seven schools in Baltimore City to be honored by Maryland CAN because of its designation as an “Opportunity School”.

March 6, 2012 ‒ A new chapter emerged in Bryant's life when he received a call from a fellow pastor informing him that a teen, Trayvon Martin, had been fatally shot while walking home from a convenience store. Bryant answered the call to address social injustice and within 24 hours arrived in Stanford, Florida to meet with the young man’s parents. While there, he met with attorneys, pastors and social leaders. Spearheading a six-week march, Bryant along with countless other leaders demanded a full investigation and arrest of the shooter, George Zimmerman. Noting the injustices of the political system, he simultaneously launched a national 2012 “Get Out and Vote” presidential campaign and “The Squeeze Is On” a national campaign to rally against the Florida Stand Your Ground Laws.

August 9, 2014 ‒ After yet another act of injustice, Bryant received a plea for help regarding the murder a teen slain in Ferguson, Missouri ‒ Michael Brown Jr. Moved with compassion, he became the Brown family’s spiritual advisor and began working with local leaders to take a stand against another act of injustice. With the ground swell of #BlackLivesMatter motto, Bryant kicked off a Baltimore City town hall meeting called, “Now What Baltimore?” A full discussion commenced on the issue of police brutality, joblessness and the school-to-prison pipeline. Days later, the AME denomination announced the “Black Sunday Campaign.” Empowerment Temple church led the African American church-driven campaign by staging a city wide die-in and march to protest the Michael Brown police killing.

November 27, 2014 ‒ Just a few weeks later, Bryant launched the #HandsUpDon’tSpend national economic mobilization campaign. The effort kicked off on Thanksgiving Day and concluded Cyber Monday, December 2, 2014. Tens of thousands of supporters participated as consumers were encouraged to refrain from spending during the most highly-anticipated shopping season of the year. Black Friday sales had been projected to exceed prior year sales by 3%. Instead, sales plunged 11% in part because of the economic boycott launched over that Thanksgiving weekend.

With the apparent success of the #HandsUpDon’tSpend campaign, a national union, wanting to demand decent wages for Walmart workers, sought Bryant’s assistance.

He accepted the challenge and enlarged his police brutality message to include economic inequality. Ultimately, The Empowerment Movement was created. The strategic collaboration, anchored by faith-based denominations across the country, united to demonstrate the amazing power of the African American dollar, be the voice for the voiceless, and works against social inequalities.

In response to the Ferguson grand jury’s decision not to indict the officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, Bryant continued to make visits to Ferguson to help the city rebuild economically and emotionally. He immediately organized a city-wide interfaith healing and rebuilding discussion, which included brokering a major broadcast deal to have the town hall discussion broadcasted internationally on a major Gospel cable network for the world to view. The live discussion, “The Ferguson Strategy Assembly” garnered such an incredible response that it re-aired multiple times.

July, 17, 2014 ‒ This time Bryant was sought out for assistance by ministers in Staten Island, New York to protest the death of Eric Garner. The 43-year-old, African American man who was put in a choke hold as bystanders overheard, and recorded Garner’s outcry, “I can’t breathe.” Bryant began using his influence to bring attention to the injustice of the Eric Garner killing.

January 12, 2015 ‒ Bryant representing the AME church, along with bishops representing the AMEZ and CME denominations, returned to Ferguson, Missouri to award six full, four-year scholarships to deserving students at Normandy High School. Michael Brown had been a student there. Because Bryant wanted to bring a sense of hope back to the students who attended school with Michael Brown, the partnership between the black church and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) created an ongoing scholarship foundation called, "The Michael Brown Scholarship."

February 2015 ‒ Dr. Bryant was selected by Baltimore's Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to serve as the co-chair of a working group to implement the use of body-worn cameras by Baltimore City Policemen. He also partnered with the mayor to host a city-wide town hall meeting titled, “A Call to Action to End African American Homicides.” Empowerment Temple hosted the event, and Dr. Bryant served as moderator. Immediately thereafter, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake called for a moratorium on issues facing African American men.

April 19, 2015 ‒ Bryant received yet another call: this time about a young Black male, Freddie Gray, who died while in Baltimore police custody. Genuinely concerned and readily responding, Bryant was asked by the family to preach Gray’s eulogy. Collaborating with the family and their attorney, Bill Murphy, Bryant organized peaceful protest for the indictment of the six officers who had arrested the victim.

After Gray’s burial, civil unrest ensued characterized by the looting and burning of local businesses including a CVS drug store. Immediately after the unrest Bryant, in an effort to stabilize the community and foster unity organized street clean-up teams and then partnered with a local sub shop to feed one thousand residents, police officers and National Guardsmen right at the CVS who just days prior had been looted.. In the days that followed, Bryant along with the Gray family, continued to call for peace in the streets while holding meetings with clergymen and gang leaders representing the Crips, Bloods and Black Guerrilla Family to call for peace in the streets.

Bryant’s influence in Baltimore and around the country garnered multiple interviews on national news networks including CNN, MSNBC, FOX and The Today Show. As well, he was featured in many print publications and was the featured for an Al Jazeera docu-drama on Baltimore. Bryant was also extended an invitation by CNNs Wolf Blitzer to participate in a town hall discussion on police brutality.

The media attention on Bryant’s efforts also sparked a visit by humanitarian and world renowned spiritual icon Jigme Pema Wangchen who is the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa of 30 million South Asian Buddhists. Bryant was asked to be the ambassador during Wangchen’s visit to Baltimore. Wanting to bring international attention to the issues affecting the city, Bryant requested that the delegation participate in a walking tour of the Penn North and Sandtown-Winchester neighborhoods, the neighborhood Freddie Gray lived in.  Two weeks later, newly elected U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch visited Baltimore.

Bryant was also invited by BET Cable Network to participate in a live  New York City town hall discussion with rappers T.I. and David Banner along with actor Felicia “Snoop” Pearson for the airing of “LOUD: The Power of the Baltimore Uprising.” Thereafter, Bryant along with rapper WALE visited Baltimore City schools to begin a healing dialogue with the youth.

Bryant continues to uphold the banners of peace, justice and economic empowerment. More recent efforts have involved the launch of the “Driving on E Campaign: Economics, Engagement and Emancipation --in which he's partnered with members of the National Bankers Association, U.S. Black Chamber, and the Rejoice Radio Network. Driving on E was developed to support African American owned businesses and increase summer employment for African American youth.
  
As rival gangs continue to call for peace in the streets, Bryant continues to call for unity among faith leaders. As a result, some 300 faith leaders have come together to form the “One Baltimore Interfaith Coalition.”

May 26, 2015 ‒ Bryant rolled out the “Ten Plagues” campaign to protest Maryland’s governor’s decision to cut funding for education but instead move forward with plans to fund a Baltimore City detention center. In an act of civil disobedience to protest the governor’s broken campaign promises, Bryant impeded rush hour traffic. Within that same week in an effort to bring healing to the city, Bryant invited OWN’s Fix My Life talk show host, Iyanla Vanzant to roll-out a three-day comprehensive session focused on healing, renewal and empowerment.

May 29, 2015 ‒ Bryant announced his decision to rescind the sale of his Baltimore City property located just several blocks from the Sandtown-Winchester area, and instead re-open the building as the Freddie Gray Empowerment Center. On June 19, Bryant launched the opening of the center with various partners including the National Association of Black Meetings & Tourism, the Law Firm of Saul Kerpelman and the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council. Today, the Freddie Gray Youth Empowerment Center feeds free breakfast and lunch to over five hundred children weekly, offers computer and STEM classes, as well as after school programs.

Submitted by the Rev. Dr. Cecelia Williams Bryant, Senior Episcopal Supervisor, the 4th Episcopal District

Responses can be emailed to:

Bishop John R. Bryant: bishopjohn4th@aol.com 
The Rev. Dr. Cecelia W. Bryant: queenakosua@hotmail.com 

9. AME GENERAL OFFICER HONORED BY CANDLER SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY:

*Jamye Coleman Williams, Ph.D

On Thursday, August 27, 2015, an enthusiastic, overflowing audience assembled in the William R. Cannon Chapel for the Fall Convocation of the Emory Candler School of Theology.  There Dr. Teresa L. Fry Brown was installed in the prestigious Bandy Chair of Preaching by Dean Love and James W. Wagner, President of Emory University.  Following her installation Dr. Robert M. Franklin, President Emeritus of Morehouse College and Laney Professor in Moral Leadership, delivered the Convocation Address.  Choosing as his subject “The Vocation of Argument,” Dr. Franklin challenged those present to be the persons needed by the 21st century to raise their voices to repair a broken world.

Dr. Fry Brown’s many family members, colleagues, and friends were in attendance.  Her family included Mr. Frank Brown, her husband; Ms. Veronica Tinsely, daughter; Mrs. Richelle Fry Skinner and Mr. Gregory Skinner, her sister and brother-in-law from Denver, CO. 

Outside of her AME family those present included Bishop Louis Hunter, Sr., and Supervisor Ingrid Hunter of the AME Zion Church.  Her AME family was well represented:  Dean John Green, Turner Theological Seminary; Interim President Michael Brown, Payne Theological Seminary; the Rev. Dr. Patrick Claiborne and the Rev Sheri Claiborne, 9th Episcopal District; the Rev. Dr. Marguerite Doctor, 3rd Episcopal District; the Rev. Joy Gilmon, 11th Episcopal District; the Rev. Kimberly Detherage, President, WIM; the Rev. Earle Ifill, President, Presiding Elders Council; the Rev. Dr. Gregory V. Eason, President, Connectional Council; and numerous pastors and laity of the 6th Episcopal District.  Present were the Rev. Toni Belin Ingram, who was introduced as the new Director of Black Church Studies at the Candler School of Theology and Dr. Nicole Philips, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Religion.

Warm congratulations to Dr. Teresa Fry Brown, Historiographer/Executive Director, Department of Research and Scholarship, General Officer, the AME Church.

*Jamye Coleman Williams, Ph.D is a retired General Officer of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

10. A JOB WELL-DONE – THE RETIREMENT OF PRESIDING ELDER W. BARTALETTE FINNEY:

Presiding Elder W. Bartalette Finney’s retirement celebration will be held on Saturday, September 12, 2015, Presiding Elder W. Bartalette Finney has faithfully served our Zion for many years.

He is currently serving the St. Louis Columbia District in the Missouri Annual Conference of the Fifth Episcopal District.

On Saturday, September 12, 2015 the Missouri Annual Conference, his family and friends will celebrate his retirement. Expressions of love may be sent to St. James AME Church, Attention: Finney Retirement 4301 St. Ferdinand Ave. St. Louis, MO 63112.

Submitted by the Reverend Dr. Wille Marshall, Retirement Chair and the Reverend Dr. Cassandra Gould, Retirement Co-Chair

11. THE REV. DR. CONSTANCE WHEELER EVANS TO CHAIR BOARD:

Evans, Pastor of St. Paul AME Church, Washington, DC

Washington, DC - In July 2015 the Board of Trustees of the Washington Theological Consortium elected Public Board member, Rev. Dr. Constance C. Wheeler Evans to a one-year term as Board Chair. Last year Dr. Evans served as the Vice-Chair of WTC.

The Washington Theological Consortium (WTC) is a community of Theological Schools of diverse Christian traditions — with partners in education, Islamic, and Jewish studies, and business, — that pursue ecumenical dialogue, interfaith understanding, and educational collaboration to better equip clergy and laity for the ministry of the Church in a diverse society. The WTC started in 1971 with seven member schools from Roman Catholic, mainline Protestant, and historically Black universities.  Membership in the Consortium now includes entire educational organizations, schools within universities, and independent educational centers.  Today the Consortium offers over 300 courses per semester for cross-registration, a dozen theological libraries, and opportunities for public and adult education that is unsurpassed in the nation.

Beginning in September 2015 Dr. Evans will lead the WTC Board in developing and implementing its platform for 2015-16, including technology integration to enhance social media outreach along with member and student engagement.

Other AME clergy serving three-year terms on the WTC Board of Trustees are: the Rev. Dr. Linda E. Mouzon and the Rev. Dr. Diane H. Johnson, also pastor in the Second Episcopal District, Washington Annual Conference.

The Rev. Evans, the pastor of Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., is a native of Washington, DC.  This drives her active involvement in community and social justice programs and organizations in the District.   Dr. Evans is a member of the Board of Directors of the Council of Churches of Greater Washington (DC).  She is also a member of Clergy for Community Wealth Preservation (CCWP), a group of 40 concerned pastors and clergy meeting monthly to address the issues of homeownership, economic development, health and poverty, and political action for DC residents.  As a result of her involvement with WTC and CCWP, St. Paul has been able to host several interfaith dialogue and training sessions, making them open to its congregants and the Church’s surrounding community.

Other leadership roles include member of the Washington Conference Board of Examiners (serving as Board Secretary and an instructor), past Caucus leader for Women in Ministry of the Capital District of the Washington Conference, and past Director of Protestant Chaplaincy at Georgetown University.

12. THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS IN CHARGE FOR OKLAHOMA STATE CONFERENCE LAY NIGHT:

Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, Oklahoma City - From the processional through the closing doxology and benediction, true enough, it was Lay Night for the 139th Session of the Oklahoma State Annual Conference, but the Holy Spirit was in full control.

Laity and clergy from across the 12th Episcopal District and visitors from across the Connection gathered in the sanctuary of Avery Chapel AME Church in Oklahoma City to witness the awesome power of the Holy Spirit coming through the sacrifice of praise offered by the laity and clergy. Laity served as liturgists and the sermon for the evening was offered by the Rev. Marcellus Fields, pastor of Allen Chapel in Oklahoma City.
       
In case there was any confusion for the occasion of the gathering, the choir from Allen Chapel reminded us in song that we are firstly there to “Praise Him.” Their testimony continued with, “I put it all in His Hands” and just before the Rev. Fields stood to preach, they provided the runway for his liftoff with “I’ve Seen God Work.”
       
And work God did. The Rev. Fields, using 1 Kings 17:10-16 as his focus text, preached from the subject, “Miracle at the Bottom of the Barrel.” He noted that “God always steps in, in the nick of time” if we but put our trust in God.

He reminded us of four things: First, “When the need is greatest, God is nearest.” Second, “Our last supply becomes God’s first concern.” Third, “God asks much when He wants to give much.” And last, “God blesses in abundance.”

The congregation was on their feet as the Rev. Fields, in his closing, led us in singing the classic Clark Sisters’ song, “I’m looking for a Miracle.”
       
Present to make remarks, following this awesome visit of the Holy Spirit, were Conference Lay President Cheryl Bollar-Neal and 12th District Lay President Dr. Dorothy C. Henderson, who led the congregation in a moment of silence in honor of former 12th District President Ben Hall.
       
The Rev. D. Lavel Crawford, host pastor, left no stone unturned to make delegates and guests feel welcome to Avery Chapel and the 12th District.

Bishop Samuel L. Green, an avid supporter of the laity offered final remarks, introducing candidates present who were seeking episcopal service and the aspirants seeking to be elected as general officers. 

*The Rev. V. Gordon Glenn III is the Public Relations Chair for the Midwest Annual Conference and pastor of St. John AME Church in Topeka, Kansas

13. ST. PAUL - WASHINGTON, DC COMPLETES NEAR HALF-MILLION DOLLAR RENOVATIONS:

Saint Paul AME Church in Washington, DC is wrapping up an over $400,000 renovation to its Church Building and Administrative and Outreach Center Building.

Located in the 16th Street Heights neighborhood in the nation’s capitol, the Church will celebrate it 159th anniversary in October.  Founded in 1856 by Anthony Bowen and a group of dedicated families, St. Paul has had a few homes.  Starting in Mr. Bowen’s home, and then moving to a building in Southwest DC, the Church was later forced to find new a new location as a consequence of urban redevelopment.  In 1958 St. Paul moved to its current location, the corner of 14th and Emerson Streets Northwest.  In the mid-1990’s St. Paul purchased the building on Emerson Street as its Annex, now serving as the Administrative Offices and Outreach Center (AOOC).

The Board of Trustees lead by the pastor, Rev. Dr. Constance C. Wheeler Evans, shared with the congregation the need to do much needed improvements.  A plan was developed, approved by the Church Conference and the Washington Conference Trustees, and implemented in 2014.

Renovations were accomplished using a minority project manager and two minority prime contractors, 2 of whom are AMEs.  We also had racially and ethnically diverse sub-contractors.  The renovations for the Church building include a new roof, new flooring and stair treads to the lower level, repair of the upper level hallway and hallway to lower level, rebuilding of the boiler along with installation of a new HVAC system, trenching and waterproofing of the Fellowship Hall, totally gutting and rebuilding the Fellowship Hall, restrooms, and kitchen.  A new roof was also installed on the AOOC building to eliminate the leaks damaging the interior and exterior of the building.

Our Fellowship Hall serves as the hub of our gatherings, including fundraisers and opportunities to share meals with our seniors and community friends.  Being without it for almost a year was quite a hardship.  The renovated Fellowship Hall and restrooms were dedicated, with a special blessing by Presiding Elder Dr. Louis Charles Harvey, in June.  With new fixtures and appliances, as well as repairs to existing items, the renovated kitchen will be another cause for celebration in September.

The Administrative Offices and Outreach Center houses offices for the pastor, the executive administrator, the financial administrator, and ministerial staff.  The third floor, renovated by the Jewish partnership YACHAD, is dedicated to our tutoring and youth programs.  A Hispanic ministry operates out of the lower level.  Additional needed renovations of this building are planned for the future.

14. THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH WORSHIPS WITH CHRIST OUR REDEEMER (COR) AME CHURCH, IRVINE, CALIFORNIA:

History was made at Christ Our Redeemer AME Church (COR), Irvine, Sunday, August 30, 2015!

Bishop Kevin W. Vann, leader of one million, two hundred thousand Catholics in Orange County came to COR Church to celebrate Christ Jesus. This is the first time a Roman Catholic Bishop has preached in an AME Church in California. There were nearly one hundred members of the Catholic Church in attendance!

Kevin Vann, Prelate for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, was the first to call COR following the shootings at Emanuel AME Church, Charleston, South Carolina. The Catholic Church has agreed to co-sponsor COR's National Faith Leaders Conference on October 2nd and 3rd, 2015. Bishop Vann said, "God has put us all together to do God's work. Here I am, and here we are."   This was a historic day for COR and the Catholic Church.

We were joined by Father Al Baca, Senior Minister of St. Columban Church, the Rev. Dr. Gerald Kisner, Senior Minister of Tabernacle Baptist Church, and Bishop Thomas Thorkelson, Church of the Latter Day Saints. COR was Spirit- filled and bursting at capacity with Protestants and Catholics worshipping in spirit and truth. Bishop Vann preached and praised “heaven down,” sang along with the choir, and was visibly pleased with the worship experience. He greeted everyone at the door following the Worship service.

The Rev. Mark Whitlock is the pastor of Christ Our Redeemer AME Church

15. 2015 CLERGY AGE REPORT SHOWS YOUNG CLERGY INCREASES AMONG WOMEN:

*The Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary

WASHINGTON, DC – Growth in the number of young clergy over the past ten years has been due all to women according to the Clergy Age Trends in the United Methodist Church report released today by the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary. The annual report is prepared with assistance from the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits of the United Methodist Church.


• The number of young elders reached its low point in 2005 at 850 or 4.69 percent of active elders under 35. In 2015, there are 986 young elders that comprise 6.56 percent of the pool of active elders, a pool now smaller by over 3,000 elders.

• Gender has been a major factor in the young clergy gains. In the last ten years, the percentage of women among young elders has increased from 31 percent in 2005 to 41 percent in 2015.

• There are actually fewer young male elders now than in 2005 with all the increases coming from young female clergy.

Young Male Elders in 2005 – 587
Young Male Elders in 2015 – 582
(Loss of 5_

Young Female Elders in 2005 – 263
Young Female Elders in 2015 – 404
(Gain of 141)

• Deacons have traditionally been predominantly female. Yet, even among young deacons, the percentage of women has increased from 68 percent in 2012 to 80 percent in 2015.

• Women continue to make up about a quarter of young local pastors.

Elders Older Despite More Young Elders

• Elders between ages 55 and 72 comprise 55 percent of all active elders, the highest in history.

• The modest gain in young elders was offset by a decline in the percentage of elders aged 35 to 54, now 38 percent of elders down from 65 percent in 2000.

Regional Differences

• For many years, the highest concentrations of young clergy have been in the Southeastern and South Central Jurisdictions. That trend continues in 2015, but there are several conferences across jurisdictions that have been significant gains among young clergy in the past three years.

Full Report Available for Download

Much more information is available in the complete Clergy Age Trends report, which is available as a free PDF download at http://www.churchleadership.com/clergyage. 

Clergy Age Trends report shows the average and median ages of elders by United Methodist conference and features a breakdown of young, middle age, and older clergy by conference for elders, deacons, and local pastors.

*The Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary is pleased to provide this report as a service to the church.


*The Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary is a resource for clergy, lay, and denominational leaders. Through resources, research, and teaching, the Center supports visionary spiritual leaders in addressing issues crucial to the church’s faithful and fruitful witness.

16. LEWIS CENTER OFFERS RESOURCES TO HELP CHURCHES DEVELOP THEIR OPERATING BUDGETS:

WASHINGTON, DC – The Lewis Center for Church Leadership introduced Developing Your Operating Budget to help churches develop their budgets. Through engaging videos and supplemental materials, Lewis Center Director Lovett H. Weems, Jr., helps churches understand what an operating budget is, different ways that churches create their annual operating budgets, and five common budgeting models.

Weems says, “No matter your church size, this resource will provide clues and wisdom to help your budget advance your mission and accomplish God’s vision for the congregation.”

Developing Your Operating Budget is ecumenical and designed for both self study and group use by finance committees, pastors, and finance staff. It is available in DVD/CD and downloadable formats.

More information is available at:

17. THE PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS:

The Reverend Darryl R. Williams                                                                                  

Pastor St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Old Testament records the beginnings of Aaronic priesthood in Numbers 3:10.  Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as Priests; anyone else who approaches the sanctuary will be put to death.”

It was very clear that only Aaron and his sons could perform the duties of the temple which included offering sacrifices on behalf of the people.

This changed when Christ became the “once and for all sacrifice” for our sins. It changed our relationship with God because up to the time of Christ, only the descendants of Aaron could enter into the Most Holy Place of the temple, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement. But, because of Christ’s sacrificial death the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies where the presence God dwelled and the rest of the temple, where the priest and people dwelled was torn in two from top to bottom. Now, not just the priests, but everyone had access to God through the sacrifice of Christ. We are all priests in the sense that we all have access to God. As God chose Aaron and his descendants, God, now broader in his reach, chooses us, both clergy and lay: You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, A holy nation (1 Peter 2:9.)

Secondly, not only did our relationship with Christ change with the Resurrection of Christ, but it changed in terms of our utility or usefulness.

The sharp divide between clergy and laity, in some quarters of Christendom, has caused worship services to dwindle into entertainment of something that we view as spectators instead of participants.

The rise of personality driven congregations in the latter part of the 20TH century only worsened this problem. Understanding worship as a place of empowerment, much like what we saw during the civil rights era was slowly disappearing as places of worship began to take on the tone of the culture where the emphasis was the individual.

In the Old Testament, taking care of the temple and serving the people who came to it was a priestly function. When Christ died, that too changed. Now “everyone” is chosen by God to offer spiritual sacrifices. “You, also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5).

The “you” in the above verse was not just the established priesthood, but the entire Jewish nation. And it refers to all of us whether we are clergy or lay, who claim Christ as our Savior. Our spiritual sacrifice is to give our bodies, our minds, our time, talent and treasure for the work of Christ here of earth.

Clergy are ordained for the purpose of carrying out specific Word and sacramental duties. But as it relates to utility and usefulness to God in service in the broad sense, we have the same responsibility to minister. Peter says we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, why? “…that we might declare the praise of Him (and I believe we do this by word and deed) who called us out of darkness and into the marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

Everyone is a minister, whether clergy or laity, is a core value of the gospel.

I saw it poignantly illustrated when AME clergy and laity peacefully took to the streets of Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, Maryland.

I see it illustrated at St. Mark AME Church in Milwaukee and other AME churches all over this world as ministry strategies are laid out and implemented at our various church conferences. I saw it illustrated this past August in Charleston as thousands of laity rolled up their sleeves to work at who we are to be as a church in the 21st century.

With the “Priesthood of all Believers” as one of our core values, we can make the kingdoms of the world, the Kingdom of our God.

18. THE TRUTH IS THE LIGHT:

The Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr.

Based on Biblical Text: Luke 24:49: And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

When something is broken, our natural inclination is to fix it. Think about it, when the car breaks down, we call a tow truck and have the car hauled to the nearest “fix-it” station. When our TV breaks, we call a repairman. When our economy slumps, we elect someone who will work to repair it. We don’t have good patience when our stuff breaks.

If our car breaks, and it’s the only car we have, we need it fixed right away. If we love to watch television and the TV breaks down we want it fixed right away. When the economy goes bad, especially when it starts to affect our job, we want it fixed right away. The preacher in me can’t help but ask, “Am I right about it?”

A closer look reveals what we really want is perfection. We want everything to work just like we want it to work. We want everything to be what we want it to be. And we want what we want, now!

We sometimes get ourselves into trouble to fix our stuff. Trouble comes when we jump too quickly with our fix, before we’ve had a chance to plan. We want our stuff fixed sometimes before we figure out how we are going to pay for it. We jump out sometimes before we have time to plan.

In a race starting before the plan is called a false start. A false start is when something or somebody starts before they get the go ahead. In horse racing, a false start is when the horse breaks through the starting gate before the gate is opened. In track and field, a false start is when the runner moves before the gun goes off. In sports a false start is not good. False starts sometimes cause disqualification or at the very least some kind of penalty. Every false start creates a handicap somehow.

The point I am trying to make using our text is that false starts don’t just occur in races they can happen in the church too. There are actually times we might be in a hurry and God isn’t.

Paul wrote to the church at Rome that the Old Testament Jews had “zeal for God, but not according to knowledge” (Romans 10:2). Paul was saying that folk in the church were going about establishing their own ideas about righteousness, instead of teaching about the righteousness of God. Paul was warning that the false teachings were causing major problems in the new Christian church.

Folk were confused about the need for circumcision and about what meats they were supposed to eat. Folk were confused about whether the correct day of worship was the Sabbath Day or the Lord’s Day.

The problem was compounded by the fact that when folk got confused they gave up and just returned to what they used to do. The truth of the matter was the confusion was causing many Jews to give up and return to their Old Testament beliefs.

I contend that can happen in our churches today. Folk join the church fired up to work. New members come into the body of Christ all excited about God. Folk come in geared up to get involved. In fact the excitement is almost uncontainable; folk can hardly stand it. But then we see the False Start!

Somehow folk begin to run ahead of God. Folk start out running before they really know what it is God is telling them to do. Folk are running full speed and don’t have any idea where they are headed. Folk are running before they’ve had the chance to learn and grow.

Folk are not prepared because there has been no training, no workout. Folk run out and run right into a wall of misunderstanding or a wall of confusion. Running before time is a false start. When folk run out before they understand what the plan is their false start a lot of time is catastrophic.

There is a reason why a lot of folk who started out hot are now cold. There is a reason why a lot of folk who began the race on fire are now just luke-warm. The reason is that these folk fall out of love with God. The unfortunate truth is a lot of folk fall out of love with God before they’ve had a chance to fall in love with God.

Paul warned Timothy not to appoint folk to the ministry before God had a chance to season them. In fact he admonished that Timothy should be careful not to appoint a novice to a leadership position. A novice is, of course, a beginner, a trainee. Paul knew that a novice could quite possibly be motivated by pride rather than purpose.

When we are motivated more by pride than we are purpose we will suffer the consequences of a false start. When we are serving just to be seen, in charge just to have our name called or just a name on the list we are motivated more by pride than purpose. Our job is to move our membership to be motivated by purpose.

We feed because people are hungry and we evangelize because people need to know the Lord. We shine our lights because too many of our people are wandering in the dark. We sacrifice our time because we are trying to show others that the sacrifice is worth it and because the Lord deserves it. We give of our talents because we understand that God gave it to us that we might glorify Him. We give of our treasure because we understand that all we have belongs to God. We are consistent in our worship, our praise and our giving because the Lord deserves our very best.

We are careful to move not too fast, not too slow but just right because we listen for God’s still small voice to give us direction. We look for God to lead us in all of our efforts to serve Him. We move at God’s call and we do what the Lord says do. We go where the Lord says go and we say what the Lord tells us to say. Our prayer is not to be ahead, not to be behind but to be in step with God.

Jesus warns his followers not to get so caught up in the excitement of this new Christian movement that they run ahead of God. Jesus warns, wait for God to fully empower and fully prepare. The Bible says, wait! Wait, your case is before him and you must wait for him. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. Wait for the Lord and keep his way. Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

The Bible tells us, Blessed are all who wait for him! We need to understand that it is alright to wait on God. Waiting on God is not laziness, not going to sleep, nor is it the abandonment of effort. Waiting on God means we are working under control and preparing for what God has in store for us. It means we want to hear His voice telling us which way to go. Waiting on God means we are empty vessels before a full fountain, we are leaning not on our own understanding. Waiting on God means, where He leads we will follow, what He says we will do.

Waiting on God means we are ready for any new command that may come. We are waiting on the direction, the power and the strength. Waiting guarantees no false start!

*The Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., is the pastor of Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina

19. GETTING TO ZERO AND HOMOPHOBIA:

*The Rev. Oveta Fuller. Ph.D

I am not hearing much about HIV/AIDS.  Let this be a warning, HIV/AIDS has not gone away. Unfortunately, HIV/AIDS doesn’t go away because we ignore it.  People are still dying and people are still being infected. Here is a reminder.

Now that we know that HIV/AIDS can be stopped, and that there are promising approaches to reversing trends of infection and disease, how do clergy and religious leaders help to get to an AIDS-free generation? World AIDS Day 2012 on December 1 is a time to take stock of what is required to bring about changes that move to zero.

Zero discrimination towards those who are HIV+ or who have AIDS is one of three main goals of the World Health Organization (WHO) elimination strategy. www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/documents/unaidspublication/2010/jc2034_unaids_strategy_en.pdf.

Clergy at all levels, but particularly those called to the pastorate, can positively or negatively influence the congregations they serve. They lead others and thus can impact a community. To progress towards zero, the church and especially its leaders are called to address issues of stigma, misinformation and homophobia.

Let’s first look at homophobia.

This is defined as “the irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals” (same gender loving persons). www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homophobia

“Homophobia is a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). Definitions refer variably to antipathy, contempt, prejudice, aversion, irrational fear, and hatred.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homophobia 

How does homophobia relate to HIV/AIDS and the impact of religious leaders in eliminating HIV/AIDS? What does it have to do with “Getting to Zero?”

To answer, we must go to the early 1980s for recognition of a new disease AIDS and the virus that causes it, HIV. The first epidemics of HIV/AIDS were reported among homosexuals, IV drug users and hemophiliacs and those who received blood transfusions. This was before blood banks were routinely screened for donation of HIV+ blood. This history associated HIV/AIDS with homosexuality and brings in homophobia.

From early media reports on the new disease, a perception was established that HIV infects only certain subgroups of people. In reality, the virus is an equal opportunity pathogen- it will infect and replicate in any body with whom it can gain access.

Once within a few members of a group of people (a community) who share blood, blood products or sexual fluids, HIV tends to spread rapidly within that community. The early cases of HIV/AIDS were among groups of people who had sexual interactions with each other (gay men in San Francisco/Oakland) or persons who came in contact with blood that contained the virus (hemophiliacs and those receiving blood transfusions).

Even now in 2012, "men who have sex with men" (MSM) is one of the fastest growing and most HIV/AIDS affected groups.

In the early days (1980s), some ventured to think that HIV/AIDS was “God’s punishment for sexual sin that includes homosexuality.” Thus, those who became infected were “receiving a punishment for sexual activity outside the will of God” as they acted counter to ethics/theology of the church. It was “their problem” and “they deserved what they got”. Not so.

Now we know. HIV is a virus that can infect almost any person with whom it comes in direct contact. The idea that HIV/AIDS happens only to special groups- homosexuals, hemophiliacs, IV drug users, sex workers is debunked. With few exceptions, HIV can infect and reproduce in persons who are male, female, young, middle age, older, any sexual orientation, any race, ethnicity or nationality.

In 2012, are clergy and religious leaders homophobic?  

Whether you answer yes or no, homophobia can impact what can be done to address HIV/AIDS? In the USA, although African Americans (AA) are 13% of the population, 50% of the persons who live with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) are AA. With such disproportions, any issue that directly influences effective prevention of HIV infection must be examined. These include stigma, discrimination and homophobia.

In a 1998 address, author, activist, and civil rights leader Coretta Scott King stated that "Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood."[

In the next columns, let’s look at homophobia and the Black Church and the impact on spread or elimination of HIV/AIDS. Meanwhile, think on this. Are you homophobic?

*The Rev. Oveta Fuller Caldwell, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Michigan (U-M) Medical School, Associate Director of the U-M African Studies Center and an AMEC itinerant elder and former pastor. She lived in Zambia for most of 2013 to study HIV/AIDS prevention among networks of religious leaders.

20.  iCHURCH SCHOOL LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER, 13, 2015 - BE GENEROUS - ACTS 4:34 – 5:10:

*Brother Bill Dickens

Key Verse: There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. Acts 4:34

Introduction

Sunday, September 13, 2015, is the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost.  The economic system in America is defined as capitalism.  Capitalism has many virtues and some shortcomings, namely, the persistence inequality in income and wealth by social class, race and gender. Growing economic disparities in income and wealth create unnecessary hardships for many Americans.  Calls for raising the minimum wage are social proclamations designed to bring to the attention of our national leaders that sustained economic inequality is not compatible with a stable, open democracy. 

Today’s lesson offers an important lesson about sharing with others.  Our story in Acts 4:34—5:10 actually applies the 4th Principle of Kwanzaa, Ujamaa.  A true community is concerned about the welfare of their members.  A true community finds creative solutions to meet the needs of their members.  A true community is defined less by rhetoric and more by actions.  Let’s now look at this particular set of “Acts.”

Bible Lesson

Sharing

The early church in Acts was organized around the principle of meeting spiritual and physical needs of their members. 

Acts, Chapter 4: 32-36 illustrate the generosity of the wealthier members who sold their property and homes and gave the proceeds to the apostles for a distribution fund to aid the congregation of believers.  Luke describes the spiritual setting as an environment where no one was needy.  The basic economic conditions were met.  Luke also mentions in this passage the generous donation provided by a believer named Joseph of Barnabas.  Barnabas, presumably a man of noted wealth, sold his property and gave all to Peter. 

This act of charity was befitting of the meaning of his name, Son of Encouragement.  Barnabas’ pure motives and act of generosity was an encouraging sign for the believers to see with clarity the meaning of Psalm 23:1. 

Barnabas will be further blessed in future chapters when he becomes a missionary companion of St. Paul.

Selfishness

Our lesson about generosity however would not be complete if attention is not devoted to the flip-side of sharing – greed.  Acts 5:1-10 describe the tragic story of an ambitious couple named Ananias and Sapphira.  Like Barnabas the couple decides to sell their property with the hopeful expectation that they, too, will receive community recognition.  

Unlike Barnabas the couple decides to engage in deception and fraud.  The husband Ananias brings his proceeds to Peter.  The proceeds from the property transaction however represent less-than full market value. 

Sin

Peter, apparently well-informed about the local real estate market, asks Ananias a rhetorical question to ascertain the truth about the real estate transaction.  Ananias’ greed allowed Satan to convince him that only a partial disclosure of the sale was needed.  Peter quickly sees the deceit and indicates that because of his own treachery he will pay the ultimate price by dying. 

News spread quickly (not surprisingly) and the community was griped with fear.  Several hours later Sapphira meets with Peter and the apostle confronts her with the bill of sale regarding the property.  While she was unaware of her husband’s earlier death she too lies before God and the Holy Spirit thus resulting in a similar death sentence.  While the story of Ananias and Sapphira may seem cruel and unjust by today’s norms it is important to remember that their decision to sell the property and disclose full not partial value of the transaction was strictly voluntary.  They could’ve opted out of the arrangement, but they chose to participate knowing the conditions. 
Choices do have consequences.

Bible Application

The word generosity refers to the virtue of giving good things to others freely and abundantly.  Generosity is therefore not a random idea or haphazard behavior but rather, in its mature form, a basic, personal, moral orientation to life. Furthermore, in a world of moral contrasts, generosity entails not only the moral good expressed but also many vices rejected (selfishness, greed, fear, meanness).  Generosity also involves giving to others not simply anything in abundance but rather giving those things that are good for others. Generosity always intends to enhance the true well-being of those to whom it gives. 

This view of generosity as promoting the true wellbeing is consistent with a practice Oprah Winfrey implemented during her Emmy-award winning TV show.  Ms. Winfrey believed it was important to recognize ordinary individuals who do extraordinary things through their random acts of kindness.  Such acts often do not make the front page of The New York Times or The Washington Post, but their importance is not to be dismissed. 

The kind acts documented help brightens a person’s day.  Displays of kindness affirm the personal value of those who are on the receiving end and provide incentives for those on the giving end to give more.  It’s nice to be nice.  QED

*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 African Methodist Episcopal Church

21. MEDITATION BASED ON PSALM 27:

*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby

I’m writing this week’s meditation during “Annual Conference” season in the State of South Carolina - the AME Church’s Seventh Episcopal District.  The Seventh District has six Annual Conferences - regional administrative meetings that convene bi-weekly between late August and early October. 

The clergy and lay leadership of the entire Episcopal District attend the Opening Worship service of each Annual Conference, and each Opening Worship service begins with an old Wesleyan hymn that says in part, “And are we yet alive and see each other’s face?  Glory and praise to Jesus give for His redeeming grace!”

I thought of that hymn at the Columbia Conference’s post-Opening Worship luncheon.  Presiding Elder Sam McPherson of the Greenwood-Abbeville District in the Piedmont Conference and I were talking about the many new leadership faces in the Columbia Conference, and Sam said something profound: “I looked for the ‘old leaders’ who chart the course and suddenly realized that we’ve become the ‘old leaders!’”

That reminded me that Sam and I have been friends for more than three decades.  We began as very “green” young pastors who “rose through the ranks” to become Presiding Elders.  It also reminded me of all that we’ve experienced through the years and of the friends that we’ve lost along the way, but, as that old Wesleyan hymn says, we’re “Yet alive.”  That also reminded me that as of September 5, 2015, I’m five years “cancer free.”

Remember Sam’s profound statement and our endurance to become leaders of the Episcopal District as you face life’s journey.  Life in this world offers more than a few challenges, dangers and disappointments, and it’s easy to focus on those things and be consumed by life’s difficulties.

When we take the time, however, to count our blessings, we’ll realize that they outweigh our burdens and that God has blessed us to survive and thrive in spite of life’s challenging odds.  We can then take the time to reflect on our lives, see where the Lord has brought us from and celebrate the fact that we’ve made the journey not by our goodness, but by God’s grace.

Look beyond your burdens and count your blessings each day.  You’ll gain new perspective, new motivation, new energy to face life not with fear, but with faith, and find new determination to stay in life’s race, remembering the words of another verse of that old Wesleyan hymn, “But out of all the Lord has brought us by His love, and still he doth His help afford and hide our lives above.”

This Meditation is also available as a Blog on the Beaufort District’s Website: www.beaufortdistrict.org


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

22. GENERAL OFFICER AND CLERGY FAMILY CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS:

-- Reverend Doctor Jerome V. Harris and Mrs. Sandra Elaine Harris will celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary September 19, 2015

Sincere congratulations are extended to the Reverend Doctor Jerome V. Harris and Mrs. Sandra Elaine Harris who will celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary on September 19, 2015.  Dr. Harris has served as a General Officer and the Executive Director of the AMEC Department of Retirement Services since 2000 and is the former senior pastor of the Historic Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Alabama.

Congratulatory Expressions can be emailed to: jvharris@mindspring.com

Or mailed to:

Dr. and Mrs. Jerome V. Harris
AME Church Department of Annuity Investment and Insurance
280 Hernando Street
Memphis, TN 38126


-- Presiding Elder, the Rev. Dr. Wilton E Blake and Mrs. Joann Blake will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary on September 21, 2015

Presiding Elder, the Rev. Dr. Wilton E Blake and Mrs. Joann Blake will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary on September 21, 2015. Rev. Blake has been Presiding Elder of the Cincinnati District in the South Ohio Conference, Third Episcopal District, for the past 5 years, following pastoring several churches in the Ohio and South Ohio Conferences.  Presiding Elder Blake is retired as Chief of the Chaplains Service of the Dayton and Cincinnati Veterans Administration and his wife, Joann, is a retired Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.

Greetings may be sent to:

The Rev. Dr. Wilton Blake: Chaplain@fuse.net
Mrs. Joanne Blake: jkbcrna@gmail.com

695 Glensprings Drive
Springdale, Ohio 45246

Telephone: (513) 851-1693

-- The Rev. Dr. Herman Kelly Pastor of Bethel AME Church Baton Rouge Louisiana to give Prayer of Blessing

The Rev. Dr. Herman Kelly Pastor of Bethel AME Church Baton Rouge Louisiana to give Prayer of Blessing at the Blessing of Law Enforcement Event at the Louisiana State Capitol Building on Monday, September 14, 2015

The Rev. Dr. Herman Kelly, pastor of Bethel AME Church, Baton Rouge, Louisiana has been asked to give the commencement prayer of blessing representing BRAVE, for fallen law enforcement officers - a prayer of blessing and protection by the Governor of Louisiana at the Blessing of Law Enforcement event.

BRAVE means Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination. Dr. Kelly graduated in the Inaugural Cops/Clergy Training which is a program to get Clergy involved in positive relationship with Law Enforcement.

The event will be held on the steps of the capitol building on Monday, September 14, 2015 at 11:30 a.m.

Responses can be emailed to:

The Rev. Dr. Herman Kelly: spidermh7@yahoo.com 

23. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

Regretfully sharing the death of the Rev. Amon Lukwesa, pastor of St. Paul AME Church of the Copperbelt West District, South West Zambia Conference, 17th Episcopal District. The Reverend Amon Lukwesa was taken ill during the SWZ Annual Conference.

He was reappointed to the pastoral charge by Bishop W.J. Messiah last Sunday (August 30th) in absentia.  He was a member of the South West Zambia Conference finance committee.

24. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE AND REQUEST FOR PRAYER:

I ask for your fervent prayers for a quick recovery for my brother in ministry the Reverend Jeremiah Royland Mwenyo, South West Zambia Conference. He was involved in the road traffic accident in Angola, Africa.  The Reverend Mwenyo sustained fractured legs.  Sadly his sister died on the spot.

Last Sunday, August 30th, Bishop Messiah reappointed the Reverend Jeremiah Royland Mwenyo to the pastoral charge of Mother Hughes AME Church, Ndola, Zambia

25. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

With Heartfelt Sympathy we sadly announce the passing of Mrs. Willie Mae Mosby, mother of the Rev. Janice Mosby Jackson, who passed away on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 in Xenia, Ohio. The Rev. Jackson serves on the ministerial staff at Holy Trinity AME Church, Wilberforce, Ohio where the pastor is the Rev. Dr. Solomon K. Avotri and the Presiding Elder is Rev. Dr. Betty W. Holley.

Homegoing Service:
Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.
Cyprus Baptist Church
Oxford, MS  38863

Eulogist:  The Reverend George Clay

Funeral Services entrusted:
Kenneth I. Roberson Funeral Home
292 Coffee Street, P.O. Box 833
Pontotoc, MS 38863

Telephone: (662) 489-2222

Expression of sympathy may be sent to:

The Rev. Janice Jackson
285 East Second St.
Xenia, OH 45385

Telephone: (937) 372-0576

26. CONNECTIONAL WMS BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

Mother of Former WMS Connectional Officer

The Second Episcopal District is saddened to inform you of the passing of Sister Adeline Williams, Women's Missionary Society Life Member and Mother of Former WMS Connectional Officer Corrine Thomas.

Funeral Services for Sister Adeline Williams will be held:

Saturday-September 12, 2015

Family Hour: 11:00 a.m.
Funeral Service: 12:00 noon
Greater Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church
5232 The Plaza
Charlotte, NC 28215

(980) 949-6576
The Rev. Morris Reddon, Jr, Pastor


Cards/Flowers/Condolences can be sent to:

Alexander Funeral Home
1424 Statesville Avenue
Charlotte, NC 28206
704-333-1167

You may also contact the family:

Attention: Mrs. Corrine Thomas
3132 Clearview Drive

Telephone: (704) 392-2229 or (301) 237-8206

27. CONNECTIONAL LAY ORGANIZATION BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

Former Connectional Lay Officer

It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that the Fifth Episcopal District shares the loss of a great friend and leader, the transition from labor to reward of Brother Fred Stuart, former Connectional Lay Officer. Brother Stuart passed on September 7, 2015. Services are pending.

Brother Stuart was a member of Second AME Church, Los Angeles, and served as an Adviser to the current Fifth District Lay President.  Brother Stuart served the AME Church and the Lay Organization well and with distinction:

- Past Parliamentarian of the Connectional Lay Organization - 8 years
- Past President of the 5th Episcopal District Lay Organization - 8 years
- Past President of the Southern California Conference Lay Organization.
 
28. 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




29. CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FROM THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER:

The Chair of the Commission on Publications, the Right Reverend T. Larry Kirkland; the Publisher, the Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour and the Editor of The Christian Recorder, the Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III offer our condolences and prayers to those who have lost loved ones. We pray that the peace of Christ will be with you during this time of your bereavement.

Did someone you know pass this copy of The Christian Recorder to you? Get your own copy HERE: http://www.the-christian-recorder.org/


Click Here: Guidelines for Submitting Articles to TCR

*You have received this message because you are subscribed to
The Christian Recorder Online

Forward to Friend

Copyright © 2014 The Christian Recorder, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you are a current subscriber to The Christian Recorder

Our mailing address is:

The Christian Recorder
500 Eighth Avenue, South
Nashville, TN 37203-7508

Add us to your address book

Unsubscribe from this list Subscribe / Update subscription preferences