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
-- The AMEC Sunday School Union will reopen
on January 4, 2016
-- We wish for all of you a Blessed New
Year!
--Epiphany – January 6, 2016
1. TCR EDITORIAL – WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR
- 2016:
Dr.
Calvin H. Sydnor III
The
20th Editor of The Christian Recorder
My wish for the New Year is simple and inexpensive. There is
nothing new here, I have said it before.
A New Year’s wish
I would like to see all of our churches using technology because
church growth and technology go hand-in-hand. Churches that are growing are
using technology. Technology saves money and time; both are precious
commodities. I have said it!
I received a call from a friend of mine two weeks ago and he
shared with me that he was recently visiting a city on a business trip and, as
is his custom, checked for information about area AME churches and the schedule
of services.
Upon his arrival in the area, he found an AME church. The
outside bulletin board listed the time of prayer meeting bible study. My friend
noted the time. Put it on his schedule and went to attend the prayer meeting /
bible study, but no one was there and the church was dark.
An hour or so later he drove by the church and the lights were
on so he stopped and went in to the church. The pastor and a couple of
parishioners were engaged in bible study.
As they were finishing up bible study my friend mentioned that he had
stopped by the church earlier based upon the time listed on the bulletin
board. The pastor casually responded
that the bible study time had changed and they had not gotten around to
changing the information on the bulletin board. My friend said the pastor said
that “they had not gotten around to changing the sign,” with not so much as a
“blush of shame.”
Don’t let me get started on bulletin boards, not only AME church
bulletin boards, but church bulletin boards that haven’t been changed, blank
bulletin boards with no information, and other bulletin boards with letters
that have fallen off and no one taking the time to put the fallen letter(s) in
place, and other bulletin boards with the same message listed week after week.
And the winner of “no information bulletin boards” was the one
“in the hood” with the message, “Meet us on Facebook.” I always thought, “Meet us on Facebook? I
would think a more relevant message would have been to ‘meet us in worship or
meet us in church school!’”
Not keeping church information current and relevant is a sure
path to failure and mediocrity.
I can’t tell you the number of the times I planned to visit an
AME church and called to find out the time of the worship service. Sometimes
the churches didn’t have an answering service and some that did hadn’t taken
the time to provide relevant information. I have gone to the internet and
sadly, some of our churches do not have a presence on the internet.
I wish all of our churches would take the time to embrace technology.
I am embarrassed to keep mentioning the subject of churches “embracing
technology.”
Every church with 3 or more members should have an active,
up-to-date website. The reality is churches with 10 or less members who don’t
have a website will not grow unless they get a website. The moral of the story
is; today, if a church expects to grow, it needs a website. Churches without
websites are marching toward closure; it’s just a matter of time.
Teleconferencing
I wish AME churches would “bite the bullet” and stop requiring
people to drive and walk to the church to have meetings that could be conducted
by teleconferencing. Teleconferencing would be easier and more cost effective
for everyone. It’s so easy; one option, simply go to:
http://www.freeconferencecall.com/fcc/index.asp?promocode=FCC_PPC_GS_US_EN_849&gclid=CKPona794LQCFQcHnQodgm4AKw and with one-click the system is set up for a
teleconference. Persons who are scheduled to participate in the teleconference
are provided with the call-in number and the “join-the-meeting” code. It’s free
and it’s simple! More churches participating in teleconferences would make for
a Blessed New Year!
Telephone calling tree
I wish churches would rely on free telephone notification
websites because with one telephone call, all parishioners could be notified.
Using a telephone notification website is more efficient than having members
call each other.
Calling Post http://www.callingpost.com/
is a great website and a wonderful resource.
A single telephone call provides everyone with the intended information.
Of course the names and telephone numbers have to be initially put into the
system; but that’s a one-time function. After initially inputting the names,
the list should be kept up-to-date. More churches participating in
tele-notification announcements would make for a Blessed New Year!
If all of our churches had active, up-to-date websites, it would
make for a very Blessed New Year.
A strategy is needed for
church growth
It’s not the sermon, the music or the liturgy that inhibits congregational
growth, but a combination of things; to include lack of pastoral and lay
leadership, lack of strategy for growth, failure to adapt to societal and
technological changes, failure to update and stay abreast of the needs of the
congregation and the community.
The church is not, and should not be confined to the building.
Mediocre religious programs and failing congregations have one thing in common
and that is a “Sunday morning worship service focus.”
Pastors and stewards need to take time for strategy sessions on
how to make worship and religious programs more dynamic and meaningful. Dynamic
and meaningful worship takes planning, tweaking and more tweaking.
Churches would have a Blessed New Year if more choirs,
especially in our smaller churches would rehearse. Some of our churches are falling behind
because church choirs are not taking time for choir rehearsals. Too many
musicians and choir directors are still deciding which songs the choir will sing
during the Sunday morning worship.
Only the best readers
We would have a Blessed New Year if only the best readers read
the sacred scriptures in public worship. Please, only the best readers! Please
do not let poor readers, young or old, read the sacred scriptures during
worship.
Readers should announce the text, read it and return to their
seats. The mantra should be, “Stand up, speak up, shut up and return to your
seat.”
And finally…
Many of us would have a happier New Year if we could get rid of
the announcements, notices and the pastor’s comments. Back in the day,
announcements may have been necessary, but today with smartphones and
technology, announcements are redundant.
Unless it is done superbly and quickly, reading announcements is
a waste of time! Parishioners know what they going to do and most people today
know how to read.
If announcements are listed in the bulletin, trust the people to
read them. If announcements are not listed in the bulletin post the
announcement on a bulletin board.
I am still puzzled when I hear an AME local church announcement
about a revival at a church of another denomination. I often wonder how many of
our parishioners after hearing an announcement about an event at another
church, attend the event and end up joining that church. It’s kind of like the
Ford dealership telling its customers to visit the Mercedes dealership.
And the possibility of inappropriate announcements underscores
the reason all announcements should be cleared through the pastor or an
appropriate pastoral representative.
And, most lastly again…
We would all have a more Blessed New Year if pastors took better
care of themselves with yearly medical and dental exams.
It’s important for clergy to take care of their families because
clergy who neglect their families neglect God, which results in the neglect of
their pastoral responsibilities.
And, finally, we would have a more Blessed New Year if churches
strategized on how they could increase pastoral salaries instead of finding excuses
why they can’t raise salaries.
Pastors who are doing their work should not have to ask for a
raise, committed local church officers should present their pastor with
fair-market financial support and cost of living adjustments.
I think scams are behind
us
The Christian Recorder,
online and in the print edition, has repeatedly warned congregations and
individuals about scams.
Some people still succumb to being scammed, but I think most
AMEs have gotten the message because I haven’t heard lately about any church
being scammed.
All I want for a Blessed New Year for our Zion to function at
our best and then we can all sincerely wish each other a sincere and heartfelt,
“Happy New Year!”
2. READER RESPONSE TO EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES:
-- To the Editor:
RE: TCR Editorial – Some Things
I Want to Say again before Getting too far into 2016:
Merry
Christmas! We use TCR in many of our
Lay meetings. We will use this one for
sure. As our Church grows we have many members who are new to the AME Church or
were not brought up in a church as a child.
Thank
you always,
Carolyn
Chatman,
Bethel
- Perris, California
Lay
President.
3. INVITATION –
FIRST-DAY-OF-ISSUE RICHARD ALLEN STAMP DEDICATION:
The
United States Postal Service cordially invited you to attend the First-Day-of-
issue Stamp Dedication Ceremony for the Richard Allen Commemorative Forever
Stamp on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. at Mother Bethel African
Methodist Episcopal Church, 419 South 6th Street, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania 19147.
We
would love to connect withy you before and after the event. Mention USPS online using #HeritageStamps, so we can share your
thoughts.
The
United States Postal Service
Bishop
Reginald T. Jackson is the chair of the Social Action Commission
*Submitted
by Ms. Jaqueline Dupont Walker, Director
4. NEWS AROUND THE
AME CHURCH:
-- Roanoke Scouts
earn Eagle rank
Arthur
“AJ” Beane, a June graduate of Fleming, is a member of Bethel AME Church in
Cave Spring, where he built ... He is a percussionist for church choirs and is
president...
-- Church responds
to lawsuit over donations after shooting
The Post and
Courier
of Charleston reports that attorneys for Emanuel AME deny that the church
hasn't been forthcoming with donation information.
5. GET THE “HOOK
UP” IN 2016:
*The
Rev. Janice Casey
If
you Google the word fantasy, you’ll end up with everything from football to
amusement parks to fiction writing and beyond. Psychologists will tell you how
dangerous it is to live a life based on fantasy. Unbelievably though, that’s what we do when
we live a life without God at the helm. It’s all a fantasy---an illusion,
because in Him we live and breathe and have our being. (Acts 17:28)
You
see, we have no power of our own. Can you start a stopped heart or breathe life
into a dead soul? You might answer that people have done it. No, God has done
it through people. Is the creation better and more powerful than the
Creator---never! (Romans 1:25) So as you prepare to enter 2016, remember that
your worth is tied to the source of all life. We are conduits. God is the
generator, the life source, the all and all. Hook up!
*The
Rev. Janice Casey is an itinerant deacon in the 6th Episcopal
District, where she works with her husband, Pastor Darrell Casey, at St. James
AME Church, Nicholls, Georgia.
6. HOW WROTE PRINCE HALL FREEMASONRY IN THE LONE STAR
STATE:
*Dr.
R. L. Uzzel
The
history of Prince Hall Freemasonry is a subject with which I have been
fascinated for many years. From the
beginning of my involvement in the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas in 1981, I
thought of one day writing a history of my beloved fraternity. In view of my passion for biographies, I felt
that the history of the Grand Lodge could best be written in terms of the lives
of the Grand Masters.
I
obtained copies of the early Grand Lodge proceedings which provided valuable
information on Texas’ first Grand Master, Norris Wright Cuney of Galveston.
These documents revealed to me that our second Grand Master revealed that our
second Grand Master was Richard Allen of Houston, not to be confused with Richard
Allen of Philadelphia, founder and first Bishop of the AME Church. I learned that Grand Master Allen was a
Baptist layman, but that two of his successors—Abram Grand (our fourth Grand
Master) and Josiah Haynes Armstrong (our seventh Grand Master) were AME
Bishops.
During
the summer of 1992, I took a Seminar in Oral History at Baylor University
(where I was then working on my Ph.D. in World Religions). My research project involved recoded
interviews with twelve people, all African Americans aged seventy or
above. My focus was on three Worshipful
Masters who presided over Prince Hall lodges in Waco during the early
1900s. These three were John Adrian Kirk
of Mount Mariah Lodge No. 6, who served as our twelfth Grand Master; William D.
Cain of Wyatt Lodge No. 31, who served as Grand Recorder for thirty-three
years; and Willis Porter of Union Seal Lodge No. 64. Bros. Kirk and Cain were members of Saint
Paul AME Church in Waco.
By
the year 2000, I had completed papers all twenty Grand Masters who had served
since 1875. I revised and compiled these
articles as twenty chapters of a book, along with Acknowledgments, Dedication,
Prologue, Introduction, Epilogue, Bibliography, and Vita. I then submitted my manuscript to the
well-known publisher of Texas history, Eakin Press. In October 2000, I was elated to receive a
letter from founder Ed Eakin, announcing plans to publish my book in 2001. As it turned out, I would achieve my goal but
not as quickly as I had hoped. For the
next three years, publication would be delayed by Grand Lodge politics.
On
September 21, 2003, Wilbert M. Curtis was installed as the 21st Grand Master of
the Prince Hall Masons in Texas. On
November 22, 2003, at the Mid-Winter Session of the Grand Lodge in Fort Worth,
the Board of Directors and the Grand Lodge as a while approved the publication
of my book. By the end of the year, I
had updated my manuscript and added a new chapter on Curtis, who sent a fax to
Eakin Press, requesting that they proceed with publication. In June 2004, I received the first 100 copies
of Prince Hall Freemasonry in the Lone Star State: From Cuney to Curtis, 1875-2003 just in time
for the Grand Communication in Fort Worth.
I thank God for the fact that over twenty years of research finally bore
fruit!
*Dr.
R. L. Uzzel is the pastor of Wayman Chapel AME Church in Ennis, Texas
7. THE TRUTH IS THE
LIGHT:
*The Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr.
Based on Biblical Text: Colossians 3:17 KJV: And whatsoever ye do in word
or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the
Father by him.
We quickly come to the realization that time waits for no one. Time goes by
whether we are paying attention or not. Believe it or not another year has come
and gone. We can look back today and conclude that some of the issues we
resolved to change have been conquered. However we can probably also conclude
that there are many other issues still looming. As we anticipate the New Year
as usual we find it to be a time of reflection. We are forced to take an
introspective review of our life. We decide, once again, this New Year’s Eve,
just as others in the past, our common goal is to start over and begin anew.
We each have lists of baggage we would like to unload. Many of us admit
there are habits we would like to break. For some there are relationships we
would like to mend or end. We resolve to remold ourselves into a personality
that is more to our liking. So we vow to start over.
For us who profess to know the Lord and maintain a loving, trusting
relationship with Him, there is only one way to begin anew. To begin anew,
according to the Word of God, commands that we walk in the newness of life as
mirror images of a risen Savior. The Bible reminds us, “Therefore we are buried
with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead
by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
(Romans 6:4)
As we seek to emulate the Only One who is worthy of imitation, our flesh is
not crucified with Him once, but daily. The truth of the matter is our faith
joins us in a very real and close way with Jesus Christ. In fact while we live
in our bodies on earth, we have in us another life, derived from our Savior,
Jesus Christ.
Quite frankly, until we grasp that truth we have not yet risen to the
height of the New Testament teachings. Unfortunately until we grasp that truth
we will never understand the meaning of the “newness of life”. We are admonished to “put off” our old
nature, which constitutes that life, which is ruled by the world. We are then
challenged to solemnly lay hold of our union with Jesus.
This new life, part of our union with Jesus, that we press to discover on
the eve of a New Year is waiting for us each morning that we awaken to see a
new day. The spirit of Christ pushes off the old much like the tree does
shedding its decaying leaves and replacing them with a fresh unfurling of His
Spirit.
Jesus alone can push off the lust and greed of yesterday, and replace it
with His spirit of self-control and temperance. Jesus alone can remove the
emotion of hatred and replace it with a spirit of brotherly love.
We witness Paul light up with excitement as he thinks of that new nature
which our union with Christ has brought us. Paul actually very cleverly
condenses volumes of theological truth into just a few verses of scripture.
Paul reminds us that who we are, greatly motivates what we do. As the elect of
God we are holy and beloved! We are a privileged assembly and a royal
priesthood. We must realize that to whom much is given, much is required.
We should not count our blessings and think of all the privileges and then
neglect our duty to share Christ’s spirit with the world. Knowing “who we are”
should encourage us to walk as mirror images and embodiments of God’s mercy
toward us.
In fact we are charged to turn this earthly hell into an Eden! We are charged to bear the sorrows of others.
We are admonished to offer help wherever needed. We are cautioned to bear no
resentment toward those who would persecute us. We are to offer the same
forgiveness that Jesus offered us. We cannot afford to wait a year to refresh
our storehouse of His grace within us.
If we live a risen life, having put on the “new man”, then the “peace of
Christ” is ours to renew us every day. Every day will be a day for resolution
and starting over. Every day we can hear the preached Word with new ears and
look upon God’s creation with new eyes. Every day we can fulfill our
responsibilities with new enthusiasm while confronting our difficulties with a
new attitude. We can offer a prayer to God on new knees and we can magnify Him
with new praise. We can contemplate holy things with a new mind, worshipping the
Lord with new lips. Finally we can labor in God’s vineyard with new hands and
we can reflect the glory of God with new hearts.
*The Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., is the pastor of Morris Brown
AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina
8. GETTING TO ZERO: GREETING 2016:
Another
year, 2015, has come and gone. We move into the 12 months in the new year of
2016. Many new opportunities and some challenges, no doubt, await.
I am
grateful to The Christian Recorder
editor, Dr. Calvin Sydnor, for his insights and support of the “Getting to
Zero” (G20) column that is in its fourth year. His unfailing belief that
people, especially AMECs, need to know more about HIV/AIDS and other
preventable diseases has been an ever-present inspiration. I am grateful to the
many clergy colleagues, other church leaders and members around the connection
who choose to share that they read, learn from and use insights from the G20
column. I am grateful to God who guides this work and has made possible the
path to now.
Getting to Zero
The
Getting to Zero campaign was started by the World Health Organization (WHO) as
part of its 2010-2015 initiatives. At this time beyond 2015, how the goals
concerning HIV/AIDS were met during the five years of this campaign have been
assessed. More will come on this.
In this
first column of 2016, it seems fitting to highlight two occurrences among the
most significant developments with HIV/AIDS in 2015.
Revealing an Active HIV/AIDS Outbreak
in Indiana
One is the
outbreak of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C in Scott County Indiana among injectors of
dissolved oxymorphine. It is an epidemic detected in the midst of its
evolution. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in a report
in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report describes this outbreak “as
erupting in an area blighted by unemployment and a thinly stretched health care
system -- in a county that ‘consistently ranks among the lowest in the state
for health indicators and life expectancy.’"(1)
A similar
series of events as in this outbreak have occurred in many rural and urban
communities throughout the USA over the years. Such is especially prevalent in
the rural south. This outbreak or local spread was detected and its depth
uncovered while it was still developing in the mostly white community along the
Indiana-Kentucky border that is a route for transport of illegal drugs from
Florida to the streets Chicago.
Lessons to Learn
Beginning
in early 2015, over 170 recently infected persons were detected in the Scott
County epidemic. An astute public health nurse noticed and followed up the
unusually high number of cases appearing at a local clinic. Transmission
occurred from sharing of needles in injection drug use and from sexual
activity. Half of the HIV infection diagnoses are among females. The majority
of newly infected persons are among white and economically poor residents of
Scott County.
Multiple
conditions combined to fuel this outbreak. These include a depressed local
economy, availability and abuse of painkillers as problems not only in Scott
County, punitive state laws that make needle exchange and clean needle
available only by purchase with a prescription and lack of medical attention by
most health professionals due to time pressures to see more patients.
There are
important lessons to learn. While in the
news in 2015, Scott County is not unique. It represents many, many communities
in the USA. Once HIV and other
infectious agents are among persons in a community, without purposeful
interventions it spreads silently and efficiently from person to person through
contact with blood (in shared needles) or sexual fluids (in heterosexual or
homosexual interactions).
We know
what to do to stop a fragile virus that can only spread by contact with blood,
semen, vaginal fluid and breastmilk. These are the only body fluids that
protect the virus structure so it survives to move into a new person.
Good News with PrEP in Treatment as
Prevention (TAP)
The second
highlight of 2015 with HIV/AIDS brings exciting good news. High effectiveness
of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been confirmed in multiple real world
examples.
PrEP
involves taking daily an anti-viral pill to prevent HIV transmission from an
HIV+ infected person to an HIV- person. Both persons take an anti-retroviral
drug as part of HIV/AIDS treatment to lower virus loads in the HIV+ person and
prevent a new infection from getting a start in the HIV- person. The first
results reported in 2010 have been substantiated in 2015 by wider (though not
widespread) use of PrEP.
As one
example, in a San Francisco study among private clinic patients, not one of 657
people who received the daily FDA approved Truvada pill became HIV positive
over the two year study period. (2) These and other results confirm PrEP as an
effective feasible defense for stopping HIV infection, disease and deaths from
AIDS.
Yes, PrEP
works. The challenge faced in 2016 is how to help people to use this and other
known preventions or treatments. How are
such effective detections, preventions and treatments moved into wide spread
use?
The good
news into 2016 is that we know that HIV rapid testing; TAP and PrEP can prevent
HIV/AIDS infection and disease. Do we have the will to put what is known into
active use?
Closing Thoughts
As
expressed in G20, the AMEC is ideally structured and situated to make a
substantial difference in eliminating HIV/AIDS especially in African and
African-American communities that we serve. The AMEC connectional structure,
leadership opportunities and key Commissions and Departments (e.g. Health,
Church Growth and Development) are in place. Multiple local and connection
conferences and meetings throughout the year provide an established network to
move what we know into practical use.
We know
the issues. We have the means to deal with the issues. Do we have the will to
get it done?
New
legislature will be instituted at the historic 2016 General Conference in
Philadelphia. We could use the knowledge gained and demonstrate the will that
is consistent with our founders by approving legislature to require each church
to engage in addressing HIV/AIDS. This expectation could be fortified through
two simple questions added to the annual conference report form completed by
the pastor and officers of each congregation. These two simple Yes/No questions
are: 1) Does your church have an active
health ministry or health focus? And, 2) Did your church have an event or
ministry to address HIV/AIDS in this conference year?
Yes, we
have the means. Among the multiple issues confronting our people, here is one
that we (not dependent on some other entity) can do something about. Do we have
the will in the historic year of 2016 to get such legislature in place so to
move closer toward zero with HIV/AIDS?
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.
The Rev. Dr. Fuller is
currently on Sabbatical leave from the University of Michigan and will submit
her column as her schedule permits.
9. iCHURCH SCHOOL
LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 3, 2015 - A BRIDE WORTH WAITING FOR - GENESIS 29: 15-30:
*Brother Bill Dickens
Key
Verse: He (Jacob) went in also unto Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah
and served with him yet seven other years. Genesis 29:30
Introduction
"Good things come to those who wait" was a slogan used
in an advertising campaign launched by the H. J. Heinz Company in the 1980s to
promote its Heinz brand of tomato ketchup within the United States. The
campaign was pitched and handled by the advertising agency Leo Burnett
Worldwide, who had been responsible for the marketing of Heinz brands since
1974. The central concept of the campaign was that even people in a hurry would
wait for Heinz ketchup to trickle out of its glass bottle. Advertisements with
the slogan "Good things come to those who wait" appeared in print,
on, billboards, on television and in cinemas throughout the early 1980s. The campaign was a popular and critical
success, with a number of its print and television/cinema pieces garnering
awards from the advertising community.
Interest rate theory by early 19th century economists linked money
and waiting. For classical economists
savings reflected deferred consumption.
Since most people would rather consume now as opposed to an unknown
future they had to be incentivized to save.
Interest on your money was the incentive. You would get more money in the future but
you had to wait until the financial instrument “matures”. The interest rate is the “price of
waiting”. The Adult AME Church School
lesson for January 3, 2016 examines a fascinating application about
waiting. Unlike the two business examples
described above, our lesson looks at the price and pain of waiting for your
soul-mate, i.e. your spouse. Our story
has all of the elements that make for “reality TV drama”. Despite the circus-like atmosphere among the
key protagonists, a valuable teaching lesson permeates the story.
Bible
Lesson
Contract: Terms & Conditions (Genesis 29: 15-17)
Our lesson text finds Jacob (at the request of his mother Rebekah)
seeking a wife by visiting the home of a relative, Rebekah’s brother
Laban. Uncle Laban indicates that Jacob
can work as a hired servant but he would still be compensated for his
labor. Laban asks Jacob what is the
compensation he seeks. At that moment
Jacob notices that Laban has two daughters.
One daughter Leah was viewed by Jacob as having ordinary/pedestrian
physical features. The other daughter,
Rachel, is described by the author as being beautiful. Since Jacob’s visit is to find a bride the
“price” is simple. He will work with the
confident expectation of marrying Rachel once all labor obligations have been
met. Laban agrees but stipulates that
the terms of the contract will be seven years of labor in exchange for a
wedding. Jacob had to wait a long time
for the wedding.
Chicanery: What goes around, comes around (Genesis 29:
21-25)
The name Jacob literally translates into “trickster.” Jacob was a willing partner to swindle the
birth right from his brother Esau. He
bribed his bother by preying on his (Esau’s) hunger moment by offering a bowl
of delicious soup in exchange for the birthright. Jacob also cleverly disguised himself (with
Rebekah’s assistance) to make it appear he was Esau when his near-blind father
(Isaac) gave the birthright blessing.
Jacob was no stranger to chicanery and deceit. His work contract with Laban however revealed
another chapter of chicanery for his somewhat dysfunctional lifestyle. After the seven years had concluded, Jacob,
like any hired worker, went to his employer and demanded his “wages’. The response he received from Uncle Laban
caught him by surprise. Laban indicated
that Jacob fulfilled the contract but the bride to be is Leah not Rachel! Stunned by this announcement Jacob quickly
accuses Laban of fraud and deception.
Jacob’s accusations are correct.
Unfortunately, it was like the “Pot calling the kettle black.” If Jacob wanted to marry Rachel it required a
modification in the contract resulting in a work period of seven additional
years.
Custom: These are the rules (Genesis 29: 26-30)
Laban explains that the customs of his time specified that the
oldest sister is married before the younger sister. Jacob’s request could not be treated as an
exception. A close reading of the text
also shows that Laban never directly said that Rachel would be available for
matrimony after the first seven years. In verse 19 Laban said “it is better I
give her to you than any other man”. Who
is ‘her”? Why didn’t Laban mention
Rachel by name? Perhaps Laban was
intentionally vague in order to squeeze more labor time out of his nephew. Laban wanted to keep the customs even if it
meant using deception.
Bible
Application
For many, the concept of patience is a paradox. Our spiritual DNA teaches that patience is a
virtue. Our carnal instincts suggest
that patience is a liability. We crave
for instant gratification. We loathe to
wait. However, there are many things
worth waiting for thus delaying immediate use.
A couple pledged to marry is admonished to delay sexual intercourse
until after marriage. A baseball batter
is instructed to “wait” for his pitch to swing.
Any visit to the local Department of Motor Vehicles reinforces the
principle of waiting patiently in order to get your car tags or driver’s
license. Patience is an important
attribute because without it we would falsely conclude that there is no value
in waiting. When we learn how to wait we
grow in maturity, mental strength and ministry.
This is the message of Isaiah 40:31.
Haste can and will make waste.
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
10. MEDITATION BASED ON GALATIANS 5:16-25:
*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby
Last week’s Meditation was a day late -
for the first time in four years of writing - due to what can most kindly and
least profanely be called “technical difficulties.”
I decided, after waiting a few months
for the “bugs” to be worked out, to follow the inviting prompts on my computer
screen and upgrade my operating system from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. The download and installation went smoothly
and Windows 10 seemed to be all that it was promised to be - until it crashed
an hour or so later and left me with a “blue screen” that wouldn’t go away and
with no access to my computer!
After a long and frustrating Tuesday
night and Wednesday morning and afternoon on the phone with Microsoft technical
support, I was finally able to “roll back” my computer operating system to
Windows 8.1. I count that as a blessing,
because even though my computer has plenty of useful and amazing software and
apps, it was little more than a large paperweight without a functioning
operating system that makes everything works as it should.
Remember that in this week after we
celebrated the birth of Jesus - a birth that came about not by human means, but
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Contrary to the belief of many that the Holy Spirit only “hits” people
in worship to make them dance, shout and swoon, the authentic Holy Spirit
guides the thoughts, words and deeds of those who love and trust in the Lord
each and every day and gives meaning, order, function and direction to our
lives.
The Holy Spirit is God’s “operating
system.” Without God’s presence in our lives,
we’re empty, inoperable, and unable to reach our potential and subject to all
of the fears, doubts and insecurities that this world throw at us. With God’s presence, we find new strength,
new functionality and new power to achieve peace of mind and serve the Lord.
Let the Holy Spirit be the “operating
system” Who orders your steps and guides your feet in the New Year to come and
every day of your life. You’ll find new
hope, realize new joy and know why one hymn of the church says, “There’s
Something within me that holdeth the rein, Something within me that banishes
pain; Something within me, I cannot explain; all that I know, there is
Something within.”
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
11. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to inform you of the passing
of the Rev. Dr. Archie L. Criglar, Sr.
The Rev. Dr. Criglar superannuated at the Michigan Annual Conference in
2015. He began his ministry in the
Illinois Annual Conference, and pastored in the Illinois, Michigan and Chicago
Conferences before serving at Bethel Richmond, Indiana and Turner Chapel Fort
Wayne, Indiana. He moved back to
Michigan serving at Mount Zion, Battle Creek Michigan. After he superannuated he returned to live in
Fort Wayne, Indiana, joining Gomez Temple AME Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
The celebration services for Dr. Archie
Criglar will be held on January 2, 2016 at Turner Chapel AME Church - 836 E.
Jefferson Blvd, Fort Wayne, In 46803.
The visitation is from 9 a.m. until 11a.m. and the services will begin
at 11:00 a.m. The Rev. Kenneth C.
Christmon is the pastor of Turner AME Church.
The Rev. Eileen Thomas is the pastor of Gomez AME Church where Dr.
Criglar was a member.
Professional Services are entrusted to:
Ellis Funeral
1021 E Lewis Street
Fort Wayne, IN 46803
Telephone: (260) 422-6958
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to:
Mrs. Yvonne Smith-Criglar
6727 Penmoken Dr.
Ft. Wayne 46819
Email:
Mrs. Yvonne Smith-Criglar: ysmith@coldwellbanker.comc
Gomez AMEC: preacherthomas@msn.com
The Rev. Christmon: kadmit1@aol.com
12. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to inform you of the sudden
passing of Mrs. Dorothy Gibson Gilbert, the last living aunt of Ms. Sanjena
Clay, 11th Episcopal District YPD Director and of Calvina Clay, Ph.D. Mrs. Gilbert was a member of Mount Zion AME
Church, Belle Glade, Florida, where she served as a dedicated stewardess and a
missionary. She was employed as a
classroom teacher and taught in several elementary schools in Pahokee and Belle
Glade, Florida. She also served as the
Coordinator for Adult Education at Glades Central Community High School and as
the Director of the Early Childhood Program in Belle Glade. In 1984, following a 30 year career as an
educator, she retired. She was a community worker, founding member and charter
member of many, many organizations, including: Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Eta Phi
Beta Sorority, Daughters of Isis, Masud Court No. 71; The Order of Eastern
Stars, Black Gold Jubilee Committee and Neighbors Organized for Adequate Housing,
Inc. (N.O.A.H.).
The 11th Episcopal District
requests that you keep Ms. Sanjena and Dr. Calvina Clay, nieces of Mrs. Gilbert
in your prayers.
Viewing: Tuesday, December 29, 2015,
from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Service of Commemoration and
Celebration:
Wednesday, December 30, 2015, at 11:00
a.m.
St. John First Baptist Church
600 SW 8th Street
Belle Glade, FL
The Rev. William Cooper, Jr., Eulogist
Professional Services entrusted to
Camel’s Funeral Home (561)-996-6070.
Condolences can be sent to:
Ms. Sanjena Clay
1512 39th Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
Email: sanclay@bellsouth.net
Telephone: (561) 471-4122
In lieu of flowers, the family request
contributions be made to the
Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church (Building Fund)
P.O. Box 1688,
Belle Glade, FL 33430
Dr. Calvina Clay
10375 S. W. 208 Lane
Cutler Bay, FL 33189
Telephone: (305) 607-2536
13. BEREAVEMENT NOTICES AND
CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:
Ora L. Easley, Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family Information Center
Telephone: (615) 837-9736 (H)
Telephone: (615) 833-6936 (O)
Cell: (615) 403-7751
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-AME-Church-Clergy-Family-Information-Center/167202414220
14. 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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