3/06/2015

THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE ENGLISH EDITION (03/6/2015)


The Right Reverend T. Larry Kirkland - Chair, Commission on Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, the 20th Editor, The Christian Recorder

-- March – Woman’s History Month
Daylight Saving Time (United States) begins Sunday, March 8, 2015
-- The Lenten Season
-- Easter Sunday: April 5, 2015

Thought for the Week: “Just because some people are fueled by drama doesn’t mean you have to attend the performance.


1. TCR EDITORIAL –“RIDING THIS HORSE” A BIT MORE:

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

I really feel strongly about the pastoral ministry and the issues related to the profession of ministry, particularly about the importance of pastors taking care of themselves. I am also concerned about the part that parishioners and local church leaders play in the care of their pastors and the pastors’ families.

There was, and I suspect still is, a quote many have heard, “If you find a good horse, ride it.” The implication seems to be if you have a good horse, ride it and don’t take a chance of trading it for another horse because the newly acquired horse might not be as good as the horse you had.

In the parlance of thoughts and ideas, it might mean that it might be better to hold on to positive and helpful thoughts and ideas as long as they are useful before venturing off in “unchartered waters.”   In other words, don’t trade off a good horse for one that might not be as good.

Another way of saying the same thing is in the statement “Hold your horses.”   If someone tells you to “hold your horses,” you are doing something too fast.

So, I said all of this to say, I am going to “ride this horse” and “hold on to this horse” as it relates to the issue of “pastoral self-care” and “taking care of the pastoral family.”

I want to expand on some of the issues of ministry that destroy members of the clergy, their families and ministries. The reason I am continuing to “ride the horse” on this subject is because having been in the ministry for as long as I have since 1959, I know preachers and I am certain that the lot of preachers, especially the older ones who read last week’s TCR Editorial entitled “An Important Issue that Destroys Individuals, Families and Ministry,” hard-headedly blew off the “warnings” as it related to their own ministries.

Unfortunately and to the detriment of the church, many preachers have a “messiah complex” or the delusional notion of invincibility. 

I have met clergy who shared they were diagnosed with hypertension or diabetes, but went on to say that they were not accepting the diagnosis and were going to deal with their medical issues by praying and believing that God was going to deliver them from the diagnosis.  

I know clergy, and you do too, who spend almost 100% of their time dealing with church related issues, watch only religious programs on television, listen only to gospel radio stations, do not subscribe to secular periodicals, don’t have hobbies, don’t go to the movies, don’t have regular physical or dental exams, don’t have a savings program, don’t have a budget, and don’t have a physical training program, not even a regular walking regimen.

At one time or another in my ministry, I have experienced all of the above and my learning was from experience, not from books.  But, I must confess that I attended workshops and conferences in which the issues were discussed and those plus the experiences helped me to address the issues.

I am back on “the horse” 

I have written and revisited about once a year the things that I would change in my ministry if I had it to do all over again and I believe it’s a good exercise for all clergy to do.

Let me start here by asking a couple of questions

I am directing this question to clergy, but this question is apropos for both clergy and laity.  

What do you do to relax?  What do you do to relieve tension in your life?   What activity other than church related activities do you enjoy and engage in?  Do you have a hobby?  How do you relieve stress?  Do you have a strategy to relieve stress in your life?  What leisure activities do you engage in? Do you have regular periods of quiet time? Do you have a strategy for, and do you take time, to intentionally learn new things, e.g., learn to play a musical instrument , learn to speak another language, or learn a new skill (just in case you lose your day job)?

These are questions you can ask yourself, or, if you care; ask your pastor, ask your bishop, ask your presiding elder.   And, clergy, you can ask the lay leaders in your congregation. 

Getting back to the clergy

Why is it important for clergy to be well-rounded?  It’s important because a well-rounded and healthy clergy can function more effectively.

It’s important for clergy to maintain good health because healthy pastors can be more effective.

If I could give every pastor, bishop and presiding elder a short-take on how I think ministry could be improved, I would tell them to be more intentional in spending time with their families and to be more patient with their families. I would encourage pastors and their spouses to be more patient with their children even when their children become rebellious because I believe Mother Teresa would have been rebellious if she had heard some of the things that preachers’ kids see and hear around the church and observe how their clergy parent is treated. I am sure that by the time a child reaches puberty he or she has gotten tired of all of the church conversations at the dinner table, while looking at television, especially televangelists and on road trips.


I would yell at pastors to take intentional Sabbath-rests every week. And, bi-vocational pastors, also need to take Sabbath–rests.

I would encourage pastors, without guilt, to take time for themselves. And, I would tell pastors not to laugh at the jokes about preachers just working 20 minutes a week. Use those kinds of comments as teaching moments to lovingly share about the intricacies and responsibilities of ministry.

Pastors should take several days of “retreat,” several times a year and if a pastor cannot absent him or herself from the church several times a year, then the pastor needs to reassess his or her ministry. 

I would tell pastors that they need to set up a physical training program and be committed to doing physical exercise at least five times a week, but no less than three times a week, e.g., jogging, walking, swimming, join the YMCA or some other athletic facility.

I would explain to pastors the importance of scheduling and being faithful in getting annual medical physicals and dental care. Every pastor needs to be intentional in finding a medical doctor, dentist, podiatrist, and someone in the area of mental health that they can consult about medical and personal issues. A pastor needs to have a physician that he or she can call and talk with directly. I would explain that their family members need regular medical and dental care.

I would explain, especially to young pastors, the importance of being intentional in reading books and daily newspapers, in addition to reading the Bible. They should be intentional in reading newspapers, news magazines and novels beyond the required or usual reading for sermon preparation. I would explain that in order to preach relevant sermons and to be a relevant pastor, he or she needs to be well-read and well-rounded. Being well-read and well-rounded would help pastors as parents to be able to discuss various issues other than church church-related issues.

Every pastor should have a hobby and devote time to it. Every pastor should encourage his or her spouse and their children to have hobbies. Hobbies are great stress-relievers. On a side note, some hobbies can become streams of income.

I would strongly encourage, and this is important, that pastors connect with a financial planner and initiate a savings and investment program. I know how hard it is to go to a financial advisor and have to admit that you have little or no savings, and you know you have done a poor job in managing your assets. It is embarrassing and I have been there! A financial planner is a must to get pastors on “the right track” in preparing their assets, investments and preparing for many of the financial issues we all face.

Every pastor should have some type of savings program. A “little can turn into a lot.”

I would encourage pastors to save something from each pay check and when able to do so, one of the investments should be a home.

I would remind every pastor to remember that education is an ongoing activity and it is important to take advantage of learning opportunities, workshops, retreat and conferences. I would remind pastors that one is never too old to learn and that universities have free or low-cost life-learning programs. We live in a smarter world today and the flow of information is mind-boggling.

I would remind pastors that the laity also loves the church. I would encourage pastor not be so quick to “eliminate,” reject, or shun those who do not agree with them. My philosophy came to be, “Thank God for the ones who agree with me because they encourage me and thank God for those who disagree with me because they are the ones who keep me “sharp” and keep me in prayer; they sharpen my ministry.”

I am afraid that many pastors miss endearing friendships.  I would encourage them to trust more, be more open, and develop friendships with laypersons. I discovered that it was alright for laypersons to get to know me as a person and I found out that when they got to know “me,” their loyalty did not dissolve; as a matter of fact their loyalty deepened. Familiarity does not always breed contempt.

I would tell pastors that it is important for them to be their authentic selves instead of trying to be what people expect them to be. I would tell them to reassure their spouses and children to be who they are and not worry about trying to live up to the expectations of others. 

Pastors need to take care of themselves and their families and caring local church leaders and parishioners will assume “care of their pastor and his or her family” as a part of their pastoral ministry responsibility. 

Getting ready “to get off this horse”

I suspect if you ask pastors to make a list of their love and focus for ministry in priority order, they would respond, “God, family, church” or maybe “God, church, family.”  

I would bet if you made a study of the behavior of pastors, “family” does not rise in the top-tier of the list.  I suspect, in reality, the behavior of most pastors would be in this order: “God, congregation, meeting connectional assessment obligations, relationships with fellow clergy, respect in the community, growing the church and, if any energy is left, “the family.” 

Pastoral, mental, spiritual, psychological care for self would not even be mentioned in any prioritized list for pastors’ love and focus for ministry. As a matter of fact, I have never heard a preacher mention “self-care” in his or her list of priorities for the functions of ministry. 

Healthy ministry requires healthy clergy. The health of clergy members is reinforced by supportive family, healthy relationships, excellent health care and active participation in mental and physical activities, which precipitates physical, psychological, emotional and mental health. 

Healthy pastors involve themselves in interests outside of the ministry and church, which helps them to be well-rounded in balancing the spiritual, religious and secular realities of life and living.

2. NEWS AROUND THE AME CHURCH:

-- AME Itinerant Elder nominated to be Brigadier General

The Rev. Scott Dingle a colonel in the U.S. Army Medical Corps has been nominated by congress for promotion to Brigadier General. His nomination is going thru confirmation process.

He will most likely be reassigned to the office of the Surgeon General.

-- Pastor who invited Dr. King was there and Rep. Terri Sewell, a daughter of Selma, rues her city’s lost promise



-- The Rev. Dr. Frank M. Reid III, pastor of Bethel AME Church in Baltimore will be one of the Main Stage Presenters at the 2015 Hampton University Ministers Conference

The 101st HU Ministers’ Conference / 81st Choir Directors’ & Organist’ Guild Workshop will meet June 7-12, 2015 at Hampton University.

See more about the conference: http://minconf.hamptonu.edu/

3. AME PROMOTED TO AIR FORCE MAJOR GENERAL:

Major Mark Brown has been promoted to the rank of Major General in the United States Air Force.  He was born in Chicago, Illinois. He shared, "I spent his early childhood between Chicago and Georgia. His grandmother, Essie Mae Brown, and my mother Mary Ethel Brown raised me. My grandfather died when I was born but, I was often told stories about his pastoring of the 6th Episcopal District in Georgia. He married my Grandmother when pastoring at Union AME Church in Bluffton Georgia.  My Grandmother was a Sunday School teacher at the time and would later on serve as a Missionary and Evangelist.  My Mother is still active with the Missionaries at St James AME in Chicago and serves on the Steward Board."

Major General Brown graduated from Randolph Clay High School in Georgia in 1982 and attended Tuskegee University.  He graduated in 1986, the same year he received his commission in the Air Force as a Second Lieutenant. While in college, he served as the President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and was active in the Marching Band, and the Student Government Association.

Major General Brown has been on active duty for 28 years and has been an active in the AME Church and attended Air Force Chapels during his assignment in the Air Force. He was married in an AF Chapel and both of my boys have been baptized in the Air Force Chapel. Major General Brown said, "I've been married for 24 years to Gwendolyn Jackson Brown.  My oldest son is a 21 year old senior at Mississippi State University (Mark II) and my youngest son is a 19 year old sophomore at Missouri State University (Michael)." 
                       
Maj. Gen. Mark Brown is the Commander, Second Air Force, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi.  He is responsible for the development, oversight, and direction of all operational aspects of basic military training, initial skills training, and advanced technical training for the U.S. Air Force enlisted force and support officers.  Second Air Force provides training in more than 390 Air Force specialties through 1,900 courses graduating 150,000 Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and international students annually in diverse areas including aircraft maintenance, civil engineering, medical, cyber, avionics, security forces, space and missile operations/maintenance, and multiple intelligence disciplines. The command includes training wings at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.; Sheppard and Goodfellow Air Force Bases, Texas; Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas; a training group at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.; and 103 field training units around the world.  Second Air Force also oversees all U.S. Air Force Airmen throughout the Joint Expeditionary Tasking/Individual Augmentee training pipeline at several Army training sites across the country.

General Brown was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Ala., and entered active duty in 1986.  He has served in comptroller, command, and staff positions at all levels of the Department of Defense, including extensive experience with the legislative branch of government.  His global experience includes serving in the Philippines, Spain, England, Turkey, and Iraq.  He has commanded three times consisting of two squadrons and a mission support group, deployed in support of Operation PROVIDE COMFORT, served as the Assistant Executive Officer for the 17th Air Force Chief of Staff, and was the Financial Management and Comptroller Director for Air Mobility Command.  Prior to his current assignment, he was the Comptroller for Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command with responsibility for 38% of the AF budget totaling approximately $60B.

Major General Brown is a life-long AME from a strong AME family and we are proud of the influence that the AME church has had on his life and we are proud of his accomplishments.

He was promoted to Brigadier General on September 30, 2011 and to Major General on December 19, 2014 

4. RETIRED BISHOP FREDERICK H. TALBOT'S NEW HYMN – “PRAISE TO OUR GOD FROM AGE TO AGE”:

Praise to Our God from Age to Age

Praise to our God from age to age,
For gracious mercies found;
Praise God for our rich heritage,
Where faith, hope, love abound.

We praise God for our founder bold,
For Allen’s vision born,
Who walked for justice to behold
That cold November morn.

Each day he served with confidence,
With firm, unwavering steps,
Relying on God’s providence
God’s noble, just pre-cepts.

Today we sing with gratitude,
Of Allen’s servant-hood,
Today we blend in joyful mode
For Allen’s life of good.
               
In common-meter “verse” we sing,
To Jesus praise we give;
Who saved us from the scourge to wing
With joy in Christ to live

Words:  Frederick Hilborn Talbot – 1927                

Tune:    William Croft, 1678-1727                         
St. Anne                                                   
C.M. 86.86.
AMEH #61

TCR Editor’s Note: Any C.M. 86.86 tune would work?  St. Anne is beautiful, but Amazing Grace (Early American Melody) and, Azmon works beautifully too, especially as an opening hymn. 

5. THE 13TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT MIDYEAR CONFERENCE MEETING CANCELED FOR THURSDAY BECAUSE OF WEATHER:

The 2015 Midyear Conference will not be meeting today due to the winter storm.   The meeting will be held tomorrow, Friday March 6, 2015 beginning at 10 a.m. (CT) at the Hotel Preston, 733 Briley Parkway Nashville 37217; telephone: (866) 986-8089.  

A revised agenda will be posted to the website on Thursday afternoon.

If you are not going to use your hotel room tonight at the Hotel Preston, please contact the hotel as soon as possible in order to cancel your room.  The hotel is having requests for rooms from individuals stranded in the storm.  The Preston Hotel's phone number is 866-986-8089.

Please travel safe as you come to the meeting on Friday!

Bishop Jeffrey N. Leath, Presiding Prelate, 13th Episcopal District

6. FAMILY LIFE MINISTRY AME CHURCH MEN’S RETREAT:

*The Rev Dr. J. C. Chandler, Jr.

I Corinthians 3:11-13: "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw — each one's work will become manifest, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done."

-- Fortified by the FLAME

On 28 February 2015, Family Life Ministry AME (F.L.A.M.E.) Church, pastored by the Rev Dr. Joseph C. Chandler, Jr. and assistant pastor, the Rev Dr., Sakima Romero-Chandler, located in Hagerstown, Maryland launched the inaugural 2015 Men’s and Young Men’s Retreat. This year’s theme was “Empowering Boys Today into Powerful Men of Tomorrow.”

The objective of the retreat was an intensive focused and sustained approach to empowering adult and young men with the knowledge, skills and abilities to become and remain successful in our society and it also equipped individuals with the tools necessary to effect positive change in their lives and communities.

The program taught teamwork, leadership values, responsibilities, practical life skills, empowerment not fear. In addition, the retreat addressed the areas growth in Social, Moral (Christian), Spiritual, Emotional, Physical, Cognitive, and Academic.

The Core Principles of the retreat was built on "Know God, Know yourself, Know your purpose, Know your gifts and talents, Know how literacy improves you, Know what you want to do in life, Know your community and how to serve it with pride and dignity."

The distinguished presenters included Chief Mark Holtzman and Captain Paul Kifer (Hagerstown Police Department); Mr. Lavar Youmans (Inter-Agency Coordinator, Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development -Washington DC; Mr. Samuel Key (President of the Hagerstown's Chapter of the NAACP); and Mr. Burrell Jamison, (Stewart Pro-Tem) of Family Life Ministry AME Church.

Each member departed noticeably different than they entered.  Both Chief Holtzman and Captain Kifer stated, “We came in with a script of what we were going to say, but we immediately threw it out after seeing and feeling the spirit of each man at this event.”

One of the many blessings F.L.A.M.E. received after the retreat was a request from the Polemarch of Kappa Alpha Fraternity Inc. (Frederick, MD, Chapter) and Mr. Bill Gaertner, Director of Gatekeepers of Hagerstown to sponsor another men’s retreat as soon as May of this year (2015).

*The Rev Dr. J. C. Chandler, Jr. is the pastor of Family Life Ministry AME (F.L.A.M.E.) Church in Hagerstown, Maryland

7. THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE AND HISTORY HONORS REV. DR. JONATHAN L. WEAVER:

*Ms Lynette Lewis

One hundred years ago, Carter G. Woodson established the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). He did so to transform how people of African descent in America saw themselves and how other Americans perceived them. To this end, what began as Negro History Week and became Black History Month, marks Carter’s most lasting impact on American society and culture.

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History honored the Rev. Dr. Jonathan L. Weaver on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at its centennial awards luncheon, and bestowed their Living Legacy Award upon him for his outstanding community service. The Rev. Weaver has served as pastor of Greater Mt. Nebo African Methodist Episcopal Church in Bowie, Maryland for twenty-seven years and under his leadership, the church has grown substantially.

His servant-leadership in the community has long been known to many and the Mt. Nebo AME Church family is happy to see him receive the nationwide recognition he has earned by his years of diligent work here and abroad. He has preached, lectured, and led mission trips to over twenty countries in Africa and the Caribbean.

Weaver is the Founding President of The Collective Empowerment Group (CEG) and currently serves as its National President. The CEG, formerly known as The Collective Banking Group, is an ecumenical association composed of nearly five hundred churches in several cities across America fostering economic empowerment within the black community. He is also the Founder and President of The Pan African Collective, Inc., a national faith-based organization promoting human empowerment within the African Diaspora.

The Rev. Dr. Jonathan L. Weaver has made many contributions to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and the world with his long hours of dedicated service-a beautiful example of his unselfish love for people.
Among the other honorees at the luncheon was another member of the AME family, the Honorable James Clyburn (D-South Carolina), the third highest ranking member of The U.S. House of Representatives.
 
*Ms Lynette Lewis is the Chair of the Public Relations Ministry at Greater Mt. Nebo AME Church in Bowie, Maryland

8. SHILOH AME CHURCH SONS OF ALLEN MEN’S MINISTRY:

-- The 4th Annual Richard Allen Youth Achievers Society (RAYAS) Induction Ceremony

The Richard Allen Youth Achievers Society Program is designed   to 1) commemorate the life and work of Richard Allen, founder and first ordained Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2) publicly recognize youth in grades 1 – 12 for their academic excellence, outstanding attendance, and/or good conduct and 3) encourage inductees to participate in community service projects with an emphasis on Christian and family values.

Thirty-seven youth were inducted into the RAYAS in 2014. They each wore a medallion and received a certificate. Fourteen of these youth were recognized and honored for their exemplary achievement in academics, attendance and conduct. They also were given a monetary scholarship.

The church was filled to capacity. The program featured the Buffalo Soldiers of Brevard County and Michael A. Cadore, Sr. as guest speaker. Mr. Cadore is Public Safety Coordinator at Eastern Florida State College and continues to serve as Reserve Police Officer for the Rockledge Police Department. He also mentors, provides inspirational speeches, life skills and business workshops. He’s a former NFL wide receiver and kick-returner for the New Orleans Saints and was second in the league in Montreal, Canada for kick returns. He has received numerous recognition awards for his work in the community, most recently the HUMANITARIAN AWARD for Central Brevard County. The father of three, he was also recognized as one of Brevard County’s top Dad’s.

Since its inception in 2011, RAYAS has inducted over 150 youth into the society. What was heartwarming during this year’s induction ceremony was a personal card written by Rayah Kassis, an eighth-grader at Our Savior Catholic School in Cocoa Beach, Florida. On the card, she thanked Pastor Harvey and Mr. & Mrs. Jenkins, Chairman and Coordinator, for considering her as an inductee for the RAYAS for 2014. She stated that ‘the ribbon and certificate are placed with my special keepsakes. I’m looking forward to spending the cash, even though my mom says I should put it in the bank. It is an honor I will always treasure.  Love, Rayah Kassis”

Future events for the Richard Allen Youth Achievers include visiting the elderly who are confined to nursing homes, taking a field trip to the Harry T. and Harriette V. Cultural Center and Museum and identifying community service projects to improve the quality of life for community residents.

9. MESSAGE FROM THE AMEC SOCIAL ACTION COMMISSION:

We have been anxious for justice to be served while awaiting the outcome of the investigation by the US Dept of Justice.  The leaked information about the fate of the Ferguson police officer is no longer speculation, but clearly documented in the Dept. of Justice Report of Shooting of Michael Brown.  

Even more importantly is the Dept. of Justice Report on the Ferguson Police Dept.   It gives an accounting of the history of police encounters and practices.  It gives insight into the culture of Ferguson and indicators for future action.


We have been anxious for justice to be served while awaiting the outcome of the investigation by the US Dept of Justice.  The leaked information about the fate of the Ferguson police officer is no longer speculation, but clearly documented in the Dept. of Justice Report of Shooting of Michael Brown.   

Even more importantly, is the Dept of Justice Report on the Ferguson Police Dept.   It gives an accounting of the history of police encounters and practices.  It gives insight into the culture of Ferguson and indicators for future action.

You may access the reports from the following links:



The Social Action Commission urges you to receive and read this valuable information.  Share this information with others in your churches, schools, community meetings, barber shops, beauty salons, wherever you stand inline and talk about what's good for all of us.  Engage with the local police about best practices and partnership opportunities - many of whom are our members and can help us forge those productive partnerships.

Keep the 5th Episcopal District in prayer as the local AME Churches in the St. Louis area "stand on the wall" and seek solutions.  Stay tuned for proposed followup.  If you have ideas and/or wish to share actions that you are taking, please send them to jdupontw@aol.com. 

The AMEC Social Action Commission
Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, Chair
Sistah Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker, Director

10. GRACE COMES WITH RESPONSIBILITY:

*The Rev. James A. Keeton, Jr., M. Div.

A few months ago the need arose for my oldest son, Tyson, to have a cell phone. He is getting older and when the weather permits he walks home from school with his friends. Therefore, if he needs Leslie or me for any reason, he needs to be able to contact us. Even though it took me a moment to come around on agreeing to get him a phone, I eventually gave in. The question then became what kind of phone would Tyson receive? Tyson, of course, had his own ideas about the kind of phone he wanted. However before getting him a new phone, I remember the lessons of my father when he insisted that I had to be able to take care of something small before he would invest his money into something more expensive.

As a result, I initially gave Tyson one of my old cell phones. Among other requirements, I told him that he had to make sure he took his phone to school everyday so that he could have it when he walked home. He had to make sure that he kept the phone charged. He had to make sure that he was calling the appropriate people. He had to make sure that he kept up with the phone and did not lose it. He had to continue to maintain good grades and keep up with his household chores. It was only after these conditions had been fulfilled that I would entertain getting him the cell phone that he wanted. I realized that this was a lot of expectations to require of an eleven year old, but then I remembered another lesson from my father: it took a little more to be raised in a Keeton home. I am happy to report that Tyson exceeded all expectations and he received his new iPhone.

When reflecting on this series of events, I realize that the gift of this new phone for Tyson did not come without responsibility. It was only after he could be responsible over the small things that he received what he asked for. The same thing happens in our relationship with God because so many times we ask God for the big things when we are not taking care of the things with which God has already blessed us. This is a profound lesson for Christian believers because good stewardship does not only apply to the “big" blessing; we have to be good stewards over everything. Too many times, however, we want God’s grace without personal responsibility. The scripture is explicit that we must be responsible because when everything is said and done “…All of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10).  

*The Rev. James A. Keeton, Jr. is the Senior Pastor of Parkside United Methodist Church in Camden, New Jersey

11. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S FERGUSON REPORT: ACLU OF MISSOURI STATEMENT ON WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR:

The United States Department of Justice will confirm tomorrow what residents in the St. Louis metro area have long known: If you’re black in Ferguson, you have a greater chance of being stopped, searched, arrested, cited, and abused by police.

The department found that “Ferguson Police disproportionately stopped African-Americans for no reasonable suspicion, made arrests with no probable cause and used force disproportionately against blacks.” Of the 14 incidents where a police dog bit a person and there was racial information, 100 percent of the bitten were black. The Justice Department also reportedly uncovered evidence of racist emails within the police department.

These findings are intolerable. And they are not unique to Ferguson. In cities and towns across the United States, communities of color are under siege by their own police departments, as documented by ACLU affiliates in Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere.

We must find a way forward. Here in the St. Louis area, all of us as a community must first look back at the shooting of Michael Brown and the protests that followed. Darren Wilson, a white police officer who stated Mr. Brown looked like a “demon,” shot the unarmed teenager down in the street. And that officer was employed by a department that treated blacks unfairly and circulated racist “jokes.”

Only by looking back honestly at where we’ve been can we find our way towards fair policing.

Many individuals, organizations, elected officials, community leaders, and commissions are working to find solutions, both here in St. Louis and nationally. On Monday, the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing issued an ambitious set of recommendations. A common theme in both local and federal reform efforts is policing that returns to a model of “protect and serve.” Service encompasses the idea that those being served must be included in creating a solution based on mutual trust and respect.

The ACLU of Ohio worked in Cincinnati with the African-American community, police leaders, elected officials, civil rights and police misconduct lawyers, and police unions to collaboratively negotiate a model of community policing that respected community and individual rights while also giving police the tools to keep those communities safe.

We can do the same here in St. Louis and cities and towns across America.

If we fail to do so, our past of racial segregation and discrimination will continue to haunt us. The only difference now is that the “Whites Only” signs have been replaced by a “new Jim Crow” that demeans African-Americans through arrests, fines, and imprisonment.

12. NAACP STATEMENT ON DOJ REPORT FINDINGS AND DARREN WILSON DECISION:

March 5, 2015

(Baltimore, MD) – Yesterday, the United States Department of Justice announced it will not file civil rights charges against Darren Wilson for the death of Michael Brown. This announcement came on the heels of the United States Department of Justice releasing a report concluding that the Ferguson Police Department has been engaged in a pattern and practice of discriminatory enforcement during traffic stops and arrests involving African Americans. In light of these announcements, the NAACP released the following statement:

From Cornell William Brooks, NAACP President & CEO:

We are deeply disappointed that the Department of Justice decided not to file charges against Darren Wilson for the death of Michael Brown.   The Department of Justice’s findings confirms what we have been seeing in Ferguson and across the country for decades: an overaggressive policing culture that is far too commonplace in communities of color. But these findings will only lead to significant change in the criminal justice system if we hold law enforcement accountable for their actions.  Now the NAACP and the entire world looks to the Ferguson Police Department to see what measures it will undertake to eliminate racial profiling and ensure a fairer criminal justice system that protects all its residents. The NAACP will continue to double down for justice, advocating for federal legislation and other systemic reforms to fix our country’s broken, ineffective and unjust system of policing until racial profiling is eliminated once and for all.”

13. END OF THE LINE FOR SOJOURNER-DOUGLASS COLLEGE:

Sojourner-Douglass College in Baltimore received notice that it will lose its accreditation as of June 30. The college was notified by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that its appeal to retain its accreditation was denied. The commission said that inadequate financial resources were the primary reason that the college’s accreditation was revoked.

Sojourner-Douglass College was founded in 1972. While it was founded too late to be designated a historically Black college or university, Sojourner-Douglass College had a student body that was almost all Black and almost all women. The average age of a student at the college is 38.

The loss of accreditation will mean that students at Sojourner-Douglass College will no longer be eligible for federal financial aid. And almost all students at the college receive federal financial assistance.


14. PANEL REVISITS DIETRICH BONHOEFFER’S ECUMENICAL LEGACY:

05 March 2015
The life and works of Dietrich Bonhoeffer were revisited by three historians in a panel held by the World Council of Churches (WCC).

Exploring Bonhoeffer’s own ecumenical journey and the ecumenical landscape at the time, the panelists made it clear how the ecumenical legacy of Bonhoeffer – a German theologian, dissident against Nazism and a founding member of the Confessing Church, remains relevant seventy years after his execution in 1945.

The panel was held on 4 March at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland, moderated by Theodore Gill, senior editor of WCC Publications.

Keith Clements, whose book Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Ecumenical Quest (WCC Publications) was launched at the event, noted that the message of Bonhoeffer for the church was to become part of the world, embracing its struggles and perplexities – and not just that it was “called to be a church.”

Speaking about Bonhoeffer’s prison poem Who Am I? Clements said that “Bonhoeffer does not seem to be praying for his fellow prisoners, most of whom were soldiers, deserters from the army, criminals – but praying with them, offering what could be their prayer… ‘We are the guilty, we are the sinners, and sinned against, we saw the lie raise its head and did not honour the truth.’”

“It is evident from his poem how we need to build more into our ecumenical spirituality – identifying ourselves with the world we live in,” Clements said.

Clements is a British historian and theologian, whose international service includes eight years as general secretary of the Conference of European Churches. Among his several works on Bonhoeffer is volume 13 of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, London: 1933-1935, and his most recent work is Ecumenical Dynamic: On Living in More than One Place at Once (WCC Publications).

Reflecting on Bonhoeffer’s “commitment and active involvement in the ecumenical movement,” Clements said the challenge “Bonhoeffer laid down to that movement in his time remains a legacy which still has to be fully claimed by the ecumenical world today.”

Clements expressed his hopes that his book may stimulate further discussion about Bonhoeffer and the nature of the ecumenical movement and its relevance in today’s world.
Clements said that Bonhoeffer’s 1935 essay that focuses on the “command and promise of God” is something that the ecumenical movement must hold on to while reaffirming its commitments.

Relevance of Bonhoeffer’s words today

Speaking about the wider ecumenical and interfaith picture during the period, Victoria J. Barnett, director for Programmes on Ethics, Religion, and the Holocaust, U. S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, said that such an in-depth study, such as Clements’s, of Bonhoeffer’s role in the ecumenical movement was long overdue.

“Keith’s book gives us a vivid portrait not just of Bonhoeffer, but of the remarkable ecumenical leaders of that era and the larger issues that were at stake,” she said.

Barnett remembered Bonhoeffer as a young German in the 1920s who “flirted briefly with nationalism.” Bonhoeffer scholars tend to brush all this aside, she said, but if taken at its face value it helps explains that “Bonhoeffer understood and perhaps to some extent even felt the appeal of nationalism – and yet for several reasons he was capable of critiquing it and drawing very different conclusions.” One of those reasons was his engagement with the ecumenical movement, she said.

Barnett went on to say that ecumenism’s appeal for Bonhoeffer pre-dates the Nazi era, but the fault lines between the ecumenical movement and National Socialism were clear to him from the beginning, because the ideals of ecumenism and Nazism were so fundamentally incompatible.

Bonhoeffer’s ongoing relevance was addressed by panelist Stephen Brown, who serves as programme executive of the Geneva based network Globethics.net and is author of Von der Unzufriedenheit zum Widerspruch – a book on the role that the ecumenical Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation process played in the peaceful revolution in East Germany.

Brown noted that Bonhoeffer envisioned a church “not dominating but helping and serving” in which its word “gains weight and power not through concepts but by example.”

He shared how Bonhoeffer’s words resonate with the call for a “pilgrimage of justice and peace” issued by the WCC 10th Assembly in Busan. “A pilgrimage is not about uttering the authoritative word that the world cannot ignore. Instead it is a path, walking with others, listening for the Word of God,” Brown said.

“Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s authoritative witness stems not only from his words, but from the authentic witness of how he lived his life, and his death – his death that we are commemorating today – as a political conspirator, far from the official institutions of the church,” Brown concluded.
Listen to the presentation from Keith Clements
Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Ecumenical Quest
Listen to the presentation from Victoria J. Barnett
The Ecumenical and Interfaith Landscape in Bonhoeffer's Time
Listen to the presentation from Stephen Brown
Bonhoeffer's Continuing Challenge to the Ecumenical Movement
High resolution photos may be requested via photos.oikoumene.org

 15. FBI EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES:

The FBI will accept applications for Special Agent candidates from March 2 to 16. All interested candidates must apply via www.FBIJobs.gov on a home or UNet computer by 11:59 p.m., March 16, according to the time zone of the applicant’s local Field Office. Specific skills and backgrounds being sought include:

• Cyber Security
• Intelligence
• Computer Engineering
• Computer Science
• Computer Forensics
• Network Administration
• Information Technology
• Laboratory Sciences
• Electrical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Certified Public Accountants
• Bar Certified Attorneys
• Police/Detectives
• Military
• Pilots

Speakers of foreign languages are also highly sought, with a priority for Arabic, Farsi, Pashto, Maghreb (Moroccan/Algerian), Yemeni, Afghani, Pakistani, Somali, Uighur, Chinese (all dialects), and Uzbek.

To qualify, each Special Agent applicant must:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be at least 23 years of age, but younger than 37 at the time of hiring; exceptions are given for:
• Federal Law Enforcement Officers (1811s)
• Veterans eligible for Veterans Preference
• Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• Have lived in the U.S. for three out of the last five years unless directly deployed overseas by the U.S. government or military (this includes military spouses)
• Have a valid driver’s license and at least six months of driving experience
Applicants must also have three years of full-time (at least 36 hours per week) professional work experience. Exceptions to this requirement include:

• Applicants with eligible computer science or IT backgrounds
• Preferred foreign language speakers who score 3 or higher on an FBI language test
• Former FBI Honors Interns with at least a 3.0 GPA are eligible for Phase I testing and then must complete three years of work experience before advancing to Phase II
• Applicants with a Juris Doctor degree
• Applicants with master’s and/or doctoral degrees can qualify with only two years of full-time professional work experience

For more information about the Special Agent application process, visit www.fbijobs.gov.

16. AIN'T NO NEED TO WORRY:

They will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.
Mark 16:18

The book of Mark is one of the most fascinating books of the bible.  It is the oldest of the four recorded gospels, yet it appears second in order to the book of Matthew.  In this book we see Jesus takes on the characteristic as the suffering servant.  Unlike the 3 other gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John, Mark gives no genealogy to Jesus.  There is no birth narrative.  There is no manger scene or even wise men bringing gifts.  Much of what we gather is Jesus heals and suffers.  This is important to our theology of the text because it teaches suffering has no particular address or location, that each of us no matter where we are in life has the ability to suffer.

So in this 41st book of the Bible in the 16th chapter and the 18th Verse the reader sees Jesus is giving the Great Commission that we must "go out into all the world and preach the good news..."  But what I like about the Mark reading of the text is Jesus also says that through it all you shall 'make it' no matter the circumstance!  In this understanding of the text, the reader gravitates towards the understanding that there is a symbolic value to "making it" in this life.  We are not to read into the text the literal meaning that I will pick up snakes with my hands or that I will drink a deadly poison (however, all things are possible to them that believe), but we are to read that no matter the circumstances that come into our lives that if we are doing what God has prepared for us then there "ain't" no need to really worry.

Today, I want you to understand the seriousness of this commission is not only will you survive, but in your survival you will touch and heal others lives.  You need to believe you are commissioned from the Lord thy God to stand firm that your healing is not just for you, but your healing is to serve as a testimony to others that if I can make it, you can too.  I want you to know I decided a long time ago that I was going to make it.  Furthermore, I believe with you that you are going to make it.  If I were you, I would make up in my mind that I am not going to worry about what others may say or do to me.  Even when it looks like God is not going to do it in my life; I am going to hang in there because I realize it has already been worked out.

The Rev. Jarrett B. Washington

17. THE TRUTH IS THE LIGHT:

*The Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr.

Based on Biblical Text: Matthew 6:16-18: Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward

Lent is about meaningful sacrifices not senseless ones. Lent is not a season set aside for offering endless prayers; rather it is a time for offering honest prayers. We are awakened to a season of retrospection inviting us to come back to the Lord who calls us to return to him. We are challenged to avail ourselves of that great bounty which God has spread before us. We are called to approach the Lord through fasting, prayer or self-denial but challenged to see the Lord in whatever sacrifice we make. In other words the journey from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday is an individual one. However we must make it a time we learn to recognize Jesus Christ and the thanksgiving that we owe Him for everything that we tend to think of as our own.

Most of us have experienced the season of Lent when we just go through the motions. We find ourselves either hoping something happens, or at least that Lent would end soon. It can be no surprise in this instance that our journey bears so little fruit in our lives, particularly in light of the fact it has such weak roots.

I submit that there is a much greater mystery to the season of Lent if we would only acknowledge its power and take it seriously. Of course then we would notice that it would demand quite a bit of our attention. Many churches recognize the season with celebrations and structured events, however Lent is designed for one purpose alone: to lead us to recognize the presence of God in that which is right before our eyes. Everything that we do during Lent is to make us aware of the Lord, and less focused on ourselves. In its perfection, Lent is a season for reflection upon and delight in the goodness of our God.

We will draw nearer to Christ during this season as we remember and for some even imitate the forty days of fasting and prayer that Jesus experienced in the desert before he began his public ministry. Forty days of temptations and self-denial reveal to us Jesus’ resolve and conviction as we are lead through the desert of our own adversity. We will come to understand that even though tempted to betray his mission and his heavenly Father’s plan by succumbing to the devil’s requests, Jesus was always aware of his Father’s sustaining presence. Hallelujah, it was precisely this awareness that consoled and strengthened Jesus throughout his trials.

It is during this season of Lent that we are challenged to bear incredible burdens and temptations in our lives, yet often without any real awareness of the presence of God. What we attempt to sacrifice will cause us to change our behavior and our vision, so that we can recognize the presence of the Lord. If we have entered into the season thoughtfully and prayerfully we will recognize that what we have started will not be by any means easy to accomplish. For many of us it will be difficult enough to accomplish the promises we make without attaching this spiritual dimension to their completion. However, it is in understanding and giving meaning to our sacrifices that they become for us a source of strength and an exercise of devotion.

*The Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., is the pastor of Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston, S.C.

18. EBOLA CHANGES COTE D’IVOIRE WITHOUT CROSSING BORDER:

By Kathy Gilbert

March 2, 2015
ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire (UMNS)

Ebola has not crossed the border into Côte d’Ivoire, but the deadly virus has changed the country forever.

Inside United Methodist churches in Côte d’Ivoire and the communities where they thrive, handshakes and hugs have been replaced by polite bows, hands crossed over hearts, hearty bonjours and big smiles.

Church visitors are still greeted with exuberance and joy. There are still brass bands, hallelujah choirs and passionate preaching. But those joyful notes are tinged with a new ritual of hand-washing, a constant reminder of the seriousness and sadness of Ebola.

The first case in West Africa was in March 2014. As of Feb. 27, 9660 deaths have been reported and nearly 24,000 cases have been reported in six countries: Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, the U.S. and Mali.

“God has protected us,” says Dr. Simplice Dagnan, director of National Institute of Public Hygiene and a United Methodist. “We have tested 100 people for Ebola and the total is still zero.”

Hard lessons

During a recent Sunday worship at Temple Bethel, the Rev. Marcel Sachou, director of evangelism and church growth of the Côte d’Ivoire United Methodist Conference, put his hands together and demonstrated the proper way to wash hands.

Before the sermon, he warned against eating bush meat, urged members to learn the signs of Ebola, seek medical attention for symptoms and not touch the bodies of those who have died from the deadly virus.

Graphic Ebola posters are everywhere. Bottles of hand sanitizers show up in the most remote locations. It seems everyone knows what Ebola is, how it is spread, when to seek medical attention and how to handle burials of those who die from the disease.

That doesn’t mean the lessons have come easily or without continuing sacrifice.

Washing hands is a luxury many can’t afford when they have walked miles to get clean water for their homes. Fines and jail sentences for eating bush meat are harsh restrictions for hungry families who have nothing to eat except the wild game that has been part of their diets for generations.

On the mountainous border between Liberia, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire, residents of Sipilou have had a front-row seat to the devastation and chaos created by Ebola.

A guard dressed in combat fatigues wades into the overgrown weeds, dusts off a faded road sign and hangs it back on a metal pole. The small, rusty sign is the English equivalent of “Welcome to Guinea.”

The guard straddles an invisible barrier between life and death, freedom and enforced quarantine. It is his task to keep Ebola out of the country at least through this one porous border about 10 kilometers (six miles) from Guinea and 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Liberia.

Until the first case of Ebola was reported, thousands of people freely crossed the little wooden bridge over the shallow stream that acts as a dividing line.

“Now the border is closed, we are not shaking hands, people’s movement has stopped,” said Florentin Assamoi, the Sipilou prefect (government official.)

Sipilou’s market is suffering without trade with Sierra Leone and Guinea, Assamoi said. He also said work at a nearby nickel mine has been suspended because of the outbreak.

Centre de Santé Urbain hospital in Sipilou has set up white UNICEF tents as isolation units for anyone suspected of having Ebola. A shiny, white ambulance sits ready to respond to any emergencies on the prefect’s compound.

“People are sensitized and we have to be vigilant until there is a vaccine (to prevent Ebola.)” Asamoi said with a shrug and a smile.

It seems a miracle that the disease has not made the short jump across the “frontier” of Côte d’Ivoire.

Seriously afraid

“We were seriously afraid when the first cases were reported but things are better because it seems the world, the United States, is aware of what is happening here, so we don’t feel alone,” said Joelin Gba Nica, a nurse at Centre de Santé Urbain. “We are also relieved that the numbers of cases are going down. We are prepared with protective equipment and we feel ready—as ready as anyone can be.”

Rufine Yéi Sess Bottis and her children, members of a United Methodist church in Abidjan, live in a small house in Spiliou. She is a midwife and her husband works in Guinea making posters for the city. Most of his work these days is making Ebola posters, she said. The family has been apart since the border closed in late August 2014.

“It is difficult, I pray every day that he won’t get the disease,” she said. “In the beginning people did not believe Ebola really existed. People are aware now,” she said.

As a midwife, she also takes extra precautions when helping women deliver their babies.

“I hope it will be over soon, we can’t greet people as we used to, we can’t eat bush meat which is one of our basic foods and the only meat source we have,” she said.

No shore untouched

Under a shady pavilion of palm fronds, with the sound of waves crashing as background noise, Monogaga village leaders met with members of The United Methodist Church from the U.S. and Côte d’Ivoire to talk about the role of communication in controlling Ebola.

Andre Djeli Djirika, chief of Monogaga, welcomed visitors and offered fresh coconuts split open by a man with a machete.

Fear of Ebola has reached even this idyllic coastal setting in the San Pedro Missionary District of The United Methodist Church.

“Someone came and talked to us about Ebola, told us not to eat bush meat, but that is the only meat we have. Now we eat fish only,” Djirika said.

“We were told we could be fined and put in prison for five years if caught eating bush meat,” he added.

A small clinic in the village built by the government has closed. Djirika is hoping the Côte d’Ivoire United Methodist conference can help it reopen.

Medical help is 30 kilometers (18 miles) away and transportation becomes even more difficult in the rainy season, he said.

Staying informed, ready

Victor D. Gnangbi is the secretary general in the Prefecture of Man, the governing body for the border towns in the Tonkpi region. He has been a United Methodist lay preacher since 1986.

“We have been frightened by the sickness of Ebola,” he said. Ebola patients in Guinea are being cared for at camps only 10 kilometers from Man.

“I have sent many teams warning people to avoid people from Guinea and people are following instructions. That is the reason we don’t have any cases.”

A committee of prefectural, health, military and NGOs (non-governmental organizations), was established in March to raise awareness about the virus and to assess the epidemiological situation. The group meets every Monday. Gnangbi heads the committee.

An isolation camp established in Man is ready to receive any potential Ebola patients. The elaborate and complex camp includes several tents and all the precautions mandated by the World Health Organization.

Dr. Simplice Adouko, coordinator of the camp, said he and his crew of 10 doctors do weekly drills which include changing into and out of protective gear and spraying the area to keep it free from contamination.

“We don’t want to lose the techniques, so we practice,” he said.

He has been watching the health professionals in his neighboring countries and knows they are the ones at most risk.

“I am very proud of those people doing what they were trained to do. They are living up to their Hippocratic Oath,” he said. “I watched a documentary on a Guinea doctor who later died, I am learning from the experiences of others,” he said.

Gnangbi said he was grateful to have members of The United Methodist Church seeking information on how to help in the crisis. He said some people may not believe what science is saying but they believe in God. It is encouraging when the people of God come to share the news about Ebola and how to fight it, he said.

“When your house is burning and someone comes to help you, we just say thank you.”

Gilbert is a multimedia news reporter for United Methodist News Service. Contact her at (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.

**Used with permission of the United Methodist News Service

19.  GETTING TO ZERO AND HALF THE SKY (PART 1):

*Dr. Oveta Fuller

On Sunday, March 8 International Women’s Day is celebrated all around the world.  The 2015 theme is “Make It Happen”.  On Sunday, clergypersons and pastors throughout the connectional have the attention of congregants. It is an ideal time to use some portion of that opportunity to uplift the multitude of contributions and equity needs of women and girls who hold up at least half the sky.

This content of this Getting to Zero column has thoughts written while living in Lusaka in March 2013 updated for March 2015.

A View of Women from Lusaka in March 2013

I marvel at the many women and girls encountered daily, and the vast range of their lives. I only see a small glimpse of what occurs here for these sisters who are half of the population of Zambia.

In Zambia as in many places, women cultivate and bring to market offerings of fresh vegetables, beautiful vine ripened red tomatoes displayed in symmetrical stacks, fresh-cut okra, cassava roots, bundles of pumpkin leaves and other leafy greens, potatoes and onions piled neatly or clustered in drawstring net bags, and brown eggs by the dozens. In this season, there are rows of large ripe mangos and lush dark green avocados. All the produce is found at roadside stands around Lusaka and throughout most of the country. A member of my host family has commented, “In Zambia there is so much food, no one should be hungry.”

Women in bright colored chitanges (an ankle length wrapped cotton skirt) sell bags of charcoal. This partly burned wood can be found in bundles of all sizes at locations along the roadsides. The men- brothers, fathers, husbands, uncles, sons, work in the forests to cut down certain type of trees and prepare the partially burned wood in the century old traditional manner. The wood is piled into huge mounds that are covered with sod with a small opening left for air flow. This process allows the wood to burn slowly. The coals that result are used throughout Zambia for cooking on iron grills or portable stoves. Every Zambian woman possesses at least one or more of these portable wood stoves that they skillfully use to prepare a meal in almost any location. 

Education for All

In 2013 in the Fulbright scholar time for conducting a study with clergy and spouses in the Copperbelt province, I visited two community schools in Lusaka. One is an African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC) run school for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). The other is a private Christian school started by a businesswoman who is married to an AMEC pastor. The pastor went through the 2006-07 science-based Trusted Messenger Intervention (TMI) HIV/AIDS workshops in Lusaka. 

Both schools are staffed mostly with females who teach and care for the children. Both schools take children from pre-school through 4th grade (church owned school) or 7th grade (private school). One requires a parent or guardian to pay the school fee for attendance.  The other relies on church member support. Both schools have children who sing, laugh, play, run, think and count on their fingers to solve a math problem.

I am struck by how similar children are wherever I have been. The scenes of children at-play, remind me of earlier years of playtime for my now young adult offspring and their young friends.

Both schools in Lusaka have classrooms made of painted cement block commonly used in Zambia for buildings.  The church owned school was initially housed inside the church building.  It is the realized vision of a former pastor, to build a community school on the church property. In our visit to Zambia in 2007, building of the classroom walls had just started.  In 2010 a few of the classrooms were open while the building process continued. In 2012, we found a completed painted building with the required toilet facilities nearby. Now in 2013, this school run by the local AME Church enrolls 85 young children and counting.

Who are these Children?

The children enrolled are orphan or vulnerable children (OVR) whose parent(s) or guardian has been affected by HIV/AIDS.  The enrolled children are from the densely populated neighborhood that surrounds the church. I wanted to know how the children are chosen. In November each year, the Church School Coordinator (also the Church Secretary) and some teachers visit homes in the surrounding compounds to “see where the students come from.” With help of church members, “the really vulnerable children” are identified for possible attendance at the church-run school. Their families or care providers are interviewed. Families of children selected are notified in December for enrollment in January.

The church provides school uniforms, a hefty mid-morning snack, books and supplies (paper, pencils), the classrooms and teachers. In 2013, there were five teachers for the 85 students. Parents or guardians are asked to provide lunch, and for the very young, also transport to and from school. The older children walk by twos or in groups to school from wherever they live in nearby neighborhoods.

Let’s Go to School

The church school is open from 7:30 a.m. to 1530hrs (3:30 p.m.) for the children who can bring their lunch. The school day ends earlier at 1300hrs (1:00 p.m.) for those who cannot bring lunch. According to the headperson, which children this applies to “depends on the day. It varies for each child in a given week.”

Although the morning snack is really a meal (porridge and maybe a vegetable), one teacher explained “it is hard for a child to learn with no food in their stomach. Through 1530hrs (3:30 p.m.) is a long day. So, we allow those without lunch to go home at 1300hrs (1:00 p.m.) with the hope that maybe they will get a meal before bedtime and their return to school the next day.”

In 2013, the cement block church school has six units (5 classrooms and a storeroom for books, supplies, etc). It is painted in soft yellow and earth tone colors. Each classroom has a blackboard, a teacher’s desk and connected student desks and benches each occupied by three children. Charts of multiplication tables and a map showing the now ten provinces of Zambia line the walls. Run by the second largest AMEC congregation in Lusaka, this is one of the better equipped church or community run schools that we have seen. There are others where there is only a building and a make shift chalk board. In some schools, children sit on mats on the cement or dirt floor of the church building to learn their lessons.

At government schools in Zambia in 2013, primary school level teachers are paid about K1,700/month (~$340). Secondary level teachers (grades 8-12) might reach K2,000/month ($500). At the church run school, the salary for teachers is about K600/month ($120-150). To qualify, teachers must complete high school and attain either a college teaching certificate (~1.6 yrs classwork) or a diploma (~3.0 years of further study). 

The children in the 4th grade class warmly welcome me. They stand tall and straight and speak with one voice in English with perfect diction, “Good morning, madam. How are you today?” I respond. “Good morning to you. I am well. How are you?” There are about an equal number of girls and boys in the 4th grade classroom.

In Zambia, there is no fee for attendance at government schools for grades 1-7. The costs are for uniforms, supplies and lunch ($300/annually).  At the government school for children in grades 8-12, a school fee, in addition to uniforms, supplies and lunch, must be provided.

(To be continued next week)
 
*Dr. Oveta Fuller is an Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Faculty of the African Studies Center at the University of Michigan and Adjunct Faculty at Payne Theological Seminary. An Itinerant Elder in the 4th Episcopal District, she conducts HIV/AIDS prevention research in Zambia and the USA. She lived in Zambia for most of 2013 as a J. William Fulbright Scholar. 

20.  ICHURCH SCHOOL LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 2015 - A COMFORTER AND MUCH MORE - ST. JOHN 14:15-26:

Bill Dickens. Allen AME Church, Tacoma, WA

Introduction

For most residents of the United States March 8, 2015 marks the start of daylight savings time.  Daylight savings time (DST) is a way of making better use of the natural daylight by setting your clock forward one hour during the summer months, and back again in the fall. Many countries use DST to make better use of the natural daylight in the evenings, and many don't. The difference in light is most noticeable in the areas close to the Poles, e.g. furthest away from the Earth's equator.  DST is commonly used in this country because of the perceived comfort people derive from extended sunlight.  This comfort can foster economic and social benefits.  Today’s Church School lesson explores how we can find comfort and much more in our submission to the Holy Spirit.  The mere thought of being in proximity with the Holy Spirit is a comforting thought indeed!

Comforter as Helper

The disciples love Jesus. Therefore, they must do what he asks them to do. He will ask the Father to send them another helper. He will send them the Holy Spirit. He (the Holy Spirit) is ‘another helper’. He is ‘another Christ’. He will help them and always be with them. He is the Spirit of truth. He will be like Jesus who is the truth. He will show them what is true.  The disciples know him. They know him because he lives with them and will be in them (v. 15-17).  In the Greek language, the word for ‘Holy Spirit’ means someone who comes by your side to help you. He is one who comforts you. The Spirit is similar to the duties of a ‘lawyer’. A lawyer is one whom you pay to help you in a court of law. The Holy Spirit is ‘another helper’ or Advocate. He will be a helper like Jesus. He will help the disciples to remember Jesus’ words.

Comforter as Caregiver

Jesus tells the disciples that he will not leave them as orphans. He will not leave them without someone to care for them. He will come back to them. Before long, the people of the world will not see him anymore. But the disciples will see him. Because he lives, they also will live. Then they will know that he is one with the Father. They will know too that they are one with him. They love him. Therefore, they will do what he tells them to do. Then his Father will love them. Through seeing Jesus, they will know what the Father is like (v. 18-21).

Comforter as Teacher

Jesus tells his disciples these things while he is still with them. But he will not always be with them. After he has gone away, the Father will send the Holy Spirit. He (the Holy Spirit) will take his place. The Holy Spirit will come to help them. The Holy Spirit will teach them everything. Jesus spoke many words while he was with them (v. 25-26). The Holy Spirit will help the disciples to remember these words. Writers later remembered the words of Jesus. They wrote them in the books of the New Testament. The Holy Spirit helped them to remember Jesus’ teaching. It is important for us to know this when we read the Bible. It helps us to understand this truth

Life Application

The alcoholic binge can destroy marriages, wreck family relations with children and induce health problems for the excessive drinker.  The message of the Gospel is to seek the right Comforter.  The Holy Spirit is a Comforter who brings a unique knowledge of Jesus to meet our spiritual needs.  In addition, the Comforter’s role extends to that as a helper, caregiver and teacher.  Let’s look to the Comforter for true comfort.  Looking for comfort in distilled spirits, like Southern Comfort, will only result in a superficial feeling of comfort and a corresponding emptiness.

*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 MATTHEW 6:25-34:

*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby

I’m writing this meditation while attending a Seventh Episcopal District AME Church meeting in Florence, SC - about 125 miles north-northwest of my home in Charleston, SC.  I left Charleston on a morning that hinted at “spring time to come” - with thin clouds and temperatures in the upper sixties.  It was such a pleasant morning that I almost forgot to take an overcoat with me, until I remembered that it’s still winter time.  I was glad I did, when I arrived in Florence to a light drizzle and temperatures in the forties!

The two cities aren’t that far apart, but their very different weather today served as a reminder that we have to be prepared for whatever we encounter on life’s roads. 

That’s fairly easy when it comes to things like taking a warm coat along, but it’s harder to plan for some things that we encounter on life’s roads.  No matter how carefully we plan for variables and try to take possible events and outcomes into account, we still run into things like sickness, grief, disappointment and anxiety sooner or later.

We can’t prepare for life’s unexpected challenges and reversals with this world’s resources.  We have to look beyond this world and trust in the God who sent Jesus into this world so that we could have a Savior, a friend and a guide. 

When we trust and believe in the Jesus who can see “down the road” of life and who knows what we need before we even have a clue, we can face life with faith and assurance that regardless of what comes our way, God will prepare and equip us to handle it.

Do your best to prepare for life’s predictable needs, but when it comes to the unpredictable, step back, say a prayer and press on with the advice of a beloved hymn of the church, “Take the Name of Jesus with you, child of sorrow and of woe; it will joy and comfort give you, take it then where’re you go.”

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


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. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to inform you of the passing of Mrs. Jesse Scruggs, the widow of the Reverend William F. Scruggs, Presiding Emeritus, South District-Tennessee Annual Conference, Thirteenth Episcopal District.  Mrs. Scruggs was a long time member of Shorter Chapel AME Church, 255 Natchez Street in Franklin, Tennessee.

Services for Mrs. Jesse Scruggs:

Friday, March 6, 2015
Visitation: 4:00 PM–6:00 PM
Limestone Baptist Church
1613 West Main Street
Franklin, TN 37064
Phone: 615-794-3037

Funeral:  Saturday, March 7, 2015
12 Noon
Greater Bethel AME Church
1300 South Street
Nashville, TN 37064

The Rev. W. Antoni Sinkfield, Pastor

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Hill, retired General Officer & pastor of Shorter Chapel AMEC Franklin, Presiding and the Rev. Reginald Brock, Pastor, St. Matthew AME Church - Nashville, Eulogist

Services are entrusted to:

Lewis & Wright Funeral Directors
2500 Clarksville Hwy.
Nashville, TN 37208-1060

Telephone: 615.255.2371
Fax: 615.255.4926

Expressions of Sympathy may be sent to:

Mrs. Wilma Scruggs Drake (her daughter, in care of the home of Mrs. Scruggs)
118 Rucker Avenue
Franklin, TN 37064

Telephone: (615) 794-1125

23. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

It is with deep regret and heavy hearts that we inform you of the passing of Charles "Chas" Maceo Holsey, III of Chattanooga, Tennessee; the first of the three children of the Rev. Dr. Charles Maceo Holsey, Jr., pastor of Campbell Chapel AME Church, Pulaski, Tennessee, East Tennessee Conference & Dr. Tanja Anderson Holsey.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandmother just 15 months ago. Much prayer is requested for the Holsey family.

The celebration of life for Charles "Chas" Maceo Holsey III:

Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Family Visitation: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Christ United Methodist Church
8645 E. Brainerd Road
Chattanooga, TN 37421

Telephone: (423) 892-8442

Condolences may be sent to:

Drs. Charles & Tanja Holsey
1908 Stoney Creek Drive
Chattanooga, TN 37421

Telephone: (423) 255-0036
Email: chashol@aol.com 

24. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to announce the passing of Brother Samuel R. Patterson, the brother of retired Presiding Elder Joseph D. Patterson. The following information has been provided regarding the funeral arrangements.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Viewing: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Homegoing Service:  11:00 a.m.

Mt. Pisgah AME Church
428 N. 41st Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Telephone: (215) 386-6181
Fax: (215) 386-3341

The Rev. Jay B. Broadnax, Pastor and Eulogist

Professional care entrusted to:

Wood Funeral Home
5537 Girard Street
Philadelphia, PA 19151

Telephone: (215) 878-5416

Condolences may be sent to:

Mrs. Barbara Patterson
578 S. 4th Street
Colwyn, PA 19023

Or

The Rev. Joseph D. Patterson
6123 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19139

25. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to inform you of the passing of Lillian Voralyn Sampson Brewster, 75 years old, of Los Angeles, California on Thursday, February 24, 2015. Sister Brewster was a faithful member of Brookins Community AME Church where she served as a choir member, Trustee, member of the Finance Committee, and personal secretary to the then Rev. T. Larry Kirkland. She also used her background in law enforcement to assist Brookins Community AME Church in legal matters. In addition, Sister Brewster also served efficiently as personal secretary to Bishop T. Larry Kirkland until her death.

Funeral Services:

Thursday, March 5, 2015
12:00 p.m.
Inglewood Park Cemetery
720 E Florence Ave
Inglewood, CA 90302

Telephone: (310) 412-6500

Messages of Condolence:

Fifth Episcopal District
Bishop Theodore Larry Kirkland, Presiding Prelate
4519 Admiralty Way, Suite 205
Marina Del Ray, CA 90292

Telephone: (310) 577-8530
Fax: (310) 577-8540
Email: www.amec5th.net  

26. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to inform you of the passing of Brother James Edward Temoney, 74 years old, of Sumter, SC on Thursday, February 26, 2015.  Brother Temoney was the brother of Rev. Abraham Temoney, Pastor of James Chapel AME, Lugoff, SC, Rev. Archie Temoney, Pastor of New Zion AME Church, Sumter, SC and Rev. Herbert L. Temoney, Pastor of St. Luke AME Church, Charleston, SC.  Brother Temoney was a member of Beulah AME Church, Sumter, SC.

Funeral Services for Brother Temoney
Thursday, March 5, 2015
2:00 p.m.

Beulah AME Church
3175 Florence Hwy.
Sumter, SC 29153

Telephone: (803) 495-3999

The Rev. Dwayne Bruce, Eulogist
The Rev. Robert L. McCants, Presiding Elder
Sumter District

Services Entrusted to:
Williams Funeral Homes, Inc.
821 North Main Street
Sumter, SC 29151

Telephone: (803) 773-6422

Condolences may be sent to:

The Family of Brother James Edward Temoney
C/o Reverend Abraham Temoney
32 East Red Bay Road
Sumter, SC 29150

27. FAMILY MEMBER OF THE AME CHURCH FINANCE DEPARTMENT:

We are saddened to announce the passing of Annie Northcutt, mother-in-law of Karen Bluning Osborne, Executive Assistance to Dr. Richard A. Lewis (Nashville, TN Office), Chief Financial Officer AME Church.  Mrs. Northcutt passed last evening, Sunday, February 22, 2015.

Pending Service arrangements will be forthcoming.

Dr. Richard Allen Lewis
Treasurer/CFO AME Finance Department
512 8th Ave South
Nashville, TN 37203

Telephone: (615) 259-3771
Fax: (615) 259-3776

28. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We are saddened by the passing of Colonel John Richard Jefferies, the brother of Mrs. Helen Williams and the brother-in-law of Presiding Elder Emeritus, the Rev. Dr. Sidney W. Williams, Jr., of the Virginia Annual Conference.

Funeral Service:

Saturday, March 7, 2015 at 12:00 noon
Copping Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
3201 North Capital Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46208

You may send letters of condolences to:

Mrs. Helen Williams
317 Woodbrook Run
Newport News, Virginia 23606.

Telephone number: 757-930-1102

29. 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




30. CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FROM THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER:

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

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