Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram, Chair, Commission on Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor
1. THE EDITOR’S CORNER:
Honey, Darling, and Sweetheart
The African Methodist Episcopal Church, in my mind, is the greatest denomination in the world. I love my Church. I am proud of the way that the Church has dealt with gender issues in electing not one, but three women bishops. Women are being appointed as presiding elders and given significant pastoral appointments. Women aspirants for the ministry are going to seminary and are taking seriously the Church’s call for trained ministry. All in all, the Church as a denomination is dealing forthrightly with women in ministry. Bishop John Adams stated at the 47th Quadrennial General Conference held in Indianapolis, “The Church has buried gender inequality.” I agree with Bishop Adams and with all of the delegates and visitors who affirmed his words with a rousing “Amen.” The Church has buried gender inequality, but there are pockets of resistance and individuals who are trying to hold on to the old order of things. They hold on by not accepting women as full participants in ministry and by use of condescending and insensitive language.
It is not uncommon to hear clergymen refer to women, and even to those in ministry as "honey, darling, or sweetheart" and other demeaning titles. The sad aspect is that some of our lay leaders follow the example of their clergy leaders and exhibit the same insensitive behavior. I am disturbed when I hear members of the clergy use “honey, darling or sweetheart when addressing women in the Church. It is time to treat our female clergy, and female laity as full professional partners in ministry and stop the nonsense of referring to them "out of their names or professional titles." If they are ordained clergy we should refer to them as, "Reverend, pastor, doctor, chaplain;" by their appropriate professional titles. Female laity should be referred to as, "Sister, Mrs., Ms., doctor, or miss; or by their Christian name.
“Honey, darling, or sweetheart” is not appropriate in professional relationships. “Honey, darling, sweetheart” or other intimate designations are only appropriate for intimate relationships. It is appropriate for men, even clergy, to refer to their wives or girlfriends as, "honey, darling, or sweetheart." That speaks to their intimate relationship.
I would hope that bishops, presiding elders and other denominational leaders would speak to the issue and to the importance of boundaries in professional relationships. I believe that our leaders should model and train our clergy and laity. And above all, clergy should exhibit mature behavior and model professionalism in all aspects of ministry and relationships.
Traveling and Want to Find an AME Church
Check out the official website of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. To find a church, simply go to: http://www.ame-church.com/directory/index.php and click on the map.
Dr. Clement Fugh and his staff have done a wonderful job in setting up the AME website.
AME Sunday School Literature
In case someone didn’t know, Sunday School literature and Bible Study materials are used by denominations, not only to help Sunday School students to understand the Bible, but also as effective tools for denominational evangelism. That’s one of the reasons it is important for AME Churches to use the Sunday School literature published by the AME Sunday School Union. Generally, it is inappropriate to use other denominational resources, e.g., Baptist, Pentecostal, and other non-Methodist materials, no matter how good the material looks or how easily teachable those materials appear to be. All of that is by design. Our AME materials require a little more work on the part of teachers. Our materials are not designed to just walk in on Sunday morning and pick up the book and start teaching. Our Sunday School literature requires teacher preparation.
Perhaps the best and most enjoyable Sunday School class that I have attended was at Metropolitan AME Church in Washington, DC. Brother Eley (not sure that I am spelling his name correctly) was the adult teacher and what a teacher he was! He was prepared and brought the Sunday School literature alive. Sunday School was exciting and I didn’t want to miss it. It was obvious that Brother Eley prepared his Sunday School Lessons.
Give the AME Sunday School literature a chance to bring your Sunday School alive. Remember, it takes preparation. In a seminary class, when a student remarked, that a person had only to “open his or her mouth and God would speak for him or her.” The wise professor answered, “I know when one opens his or her mouth that God speaks, but my experience has been that God favors the prepared person.
Support the AME Sunday School Union! It’s yours! It’s ours! And together we can make it work.
Reminder
March is Women's History Month and The Christian Recorder is attempting to publish an all women's articles edition of The Christian Recorder in March. You are invited to send your articles now.
2. THE REVEREND BRUCE FRANCIS SHARES THE MINISTRY OF GIVING AT ST. PAUL AME CHURCH, VALDOSTA, GEORGIA. THERE IS STILL WORK TO BE DONE IN THE SIXTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT:
Saint Paul AME Church in Valdosta collected clothing and food items for Haiti. South Georgia Conference Missionary president, Mrs. Sandra Lewis, and the Missionary's have contributed over 100 blankets and other items.
The major obstacle is securing the means, both economic and otherwise to get them to Haiti. Red Cross does not accept clothes so we are looking at other alternatives. If anyone has any ideas, please advise.
The Reverend Bruce FrancisEmail: Pastorblf@aol.com
3. THE REVEREND WILLEM SIMON HANSE SHARES INFORMATION ABOUT THE YAMAHA CLP 120 CLAVINOVA PROJECT- $600 SHORTFALL - YOUR ASSISTANCE IS INVITED:
The joy of serving the Lord Jesus is always my strength. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward man” is a timeless announcement still valid in our hearts today.
This missive serves to introduce to you the St. James AME Church, Mariental – part of the Namibia Annual Conference in the 15th District under the able leadership of Bishop Samuel L Green, Sr. The congregation was established in 1946, after our pioneers broke away from the colonial German-based Rhynish Missionary Society, and has 373 full members. The growth potential is very limited in the area, because we are based in a rural town and hence employment opportunities are also very limited. Yet our spirits are at all time high and we are thankful to God for many pastors and bishops who have passed this way before.
Our officers and members voted in the Church Conference held on 19th September 2004 to purchase a brand new Yamaha CLP 120 Clavino organ, in order to supplement the music provided on the old model manual piano which was purchased in 1979 and has served as faithfully.
It is no secret that Pentecostal churches lure away our youth and young adults with the contemporary music played on modern instruments. The quotation, to the sum of N$20 695-50 ($3 507-71 US) from TakeNoteMusic company is available by fax upon request.
We are writing this missive, with the hope and prayer, that you, your church officers and members will find a proper cause in our Church to work for and support this project still having a shortfall of US$600-00. By supporting this project (financially and with prayers) I believe we can start a new season of smart partnership between our two congregations. This will open up new understanding amongst our ordinary members on the local church levels, because I am convinced that our ministry and witness must be visible on the local Church if we want the Great Commission manifested in our Zion.
Please help us to help ourselves. Kindly assist us with a voluntary financial donation, any amount of contribution the Lord has laid on your heart, by sending your donation cheque made out to the St. James Special Projects.
We trust that our prayerful request will enjoy your benevolent response.
May God bless the AME Church.
Sincerely,
Rev. Willem Simon HansePastor + General Chairperson
Mailing Address:
St. James AME Church
P O Box 78
MarientalRepublic of Namibia
EDITORIAL COMMENT:
The AME Church is a global Church and several of us should be able to address this problem in "short order" and with a little left over.
4. BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
Mrs. Lillie Goodman Wilkes (the mother of the Rev. Victor Wayne Goodman, our pastor at Allen Bethel AME Church, Lewisburg, TN., the South Nashville District of the Tennessee Conference of the 13th Episcopal District) died at Maury Regional Hospital, Columbia, TN on Monday, January 17, 2005.
Additional survivors are: her children Roy, James, Wanda (Kay-Kay) and Constance (Connie), a brother Oliver, and sisters, Gloria, May and Flora Goodman.
The arrangements are as follows: Visitation: Saturday, January 221:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Baxter Brothers Funeral Home
1105 E End StreetColumbia, TN 38401
(931) 381-1353
The Funeral will be held on Sunday, January 23. 2005 at 2:00 p.m.
St. Paul A.M.E. Church, 504 Church Street, Columbia, TN
The Rev. James Walker, Pastor
Condolences may be sent to:
Rev. Victor Goodman
915 Hannaway Road
Columbia, TN 38401
Phone: (931) 381-8309
Services entrusted to:
Baxter Brothers Funeral Home
1105 E End StreetColumbia, TN 38401
(931) 381-1353
Please remember the family in your prayers.
God Bless!
5. BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
It is with great sadness that I report the passing of Mrs. Virginia Maddox, mother of Mrs. Nona Freeman. Mrs. Freeman is wife of Pastor Ronald Freeman of the Virginia Annual Conference, serving the congregation at St. Luke, Daughty, VA.
Homegoing services will be held at Charles Wesley UMC in Centerville, Maryland. Henry Funeral Home is serving the family. 228-8220
6. BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
Dedicated Layman transfers!
Brother Lee Warfield, age 97 and a member of the former Henderson Chapel AMEC, at Godwin, that merged into Bethel AMEC, at the corner of E 11th & Glade Street, Columbia, TN, now Bethel-Chapel Church, died on Sunday, Jan 16, 2005.
The visitation will be Friday, January 21 at Baxter Brothers Funeral Home, 1105 East End Street Columbia, Tennessee, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The funeral will be held Saturday, January 22, at 1:00 p.m. at Bethel Chapel AME Church, Columbia, Tennessee at 1:00 p.m., the Rev. Trent Ogilvie, pastor.
All bereavement Notices were received from:
Ora L. Easley, President
CONN-M-SWAWO +PK'SEmail: Amespouses1@aol.com
Phone: (615) 837-9736Fax: (615) 833-3781
WEB SITES: http://www.amemswwpk.org/
CONN-M-SWAWO + P.K.'S Home Page: http://connmswawo3.com/index.html
AME Church Clergy Family Forum: http://connmswawo3.com/membership.html
CONN-M-SWAWO + P.K.'S Membership Listing
Please remember the families in your prayers.
7. SCHOLARSHIP AND INTERNSHIP ANNOUNCMENTS RECEIVED FROM THE REVEREND DR. LESLIE WHITE:
Iinternship Opportunity
O, The Oprah Magazine is looking to hire fall interns in the Fashion and Style Departments. Candidates must be highly organized, detail-oriented and beable to juggle multiple tasks at once. Prior internship experience preferred, but notrequired. This opportunity is available for college students in need of credit hours andrecent graduates who are available to start immediately, full-time from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., 5 days a week.Send resumes with a cover letter to: Cindy M. del RosarioAssociate Editor OThe Oprah Magazine1700 Broadway, 38th floorNY, NYor call 212-903-5149.
Verizon is looking for students who are 2004 graduates of HistoricallyBlack Colleges and Universities (HBCU).If you know of someone graduating from a HBCU this year with a degree inEngineering, Computer Science and Technology, Information Technology, General Business,Finance or Marketing, please have them forward their resume to: melissa.w.langham@verizon.com to be considered for career opportunities within Verizon.
Women in Technology Program at MIT
The Women's Technology Program at MIT is a 4-week summer residence programto introduce high school girls to electrical engineering and computer science. If youknow a girl who is currently a high school junior with demonstrated math and scienceability and an interest in finding out about EECS, please encourage her to visit ourwebsite for more information and for an application form (applications are due February 3, 2004): http://wtp.mit.edu/ Our classes are taught in a supportive environment by a staff of women MITPhD candidates and undergraduates. The full-time academic program includeshands-on experiments and team-based projects in computer science, electricalengineering, and mathematics. Our goals are to: increase girls' interest and confidence inpursuing computer science and engineering and make them aware of their potential for success in these fields Participants are selected from a nationwide applicant pool ofgirls who attend the program in the summer between their junior and senior year inhigh school. No prior experience in computer programming, physics, or electricalengineering is expected, but applicants typically have strong academic records, especially in math and science. Thank you for your help in communicating information about this opportunity to girls across the country!Cynthia Skier, DirectorWomen's Technology Program (WTP) wtp.mit.edu MIT Department of ElectricalEngineering and Computer Science
Harvard's Tuition Announcement
Harvard is offering free tuition for students that have a family incomebelow $40,000. If you are a mentor or have nieces and nephews who might be interested, please give them this information. If you know anyone/family earning less than $40K with abrilliant child near ready for college, please pass this along. Harvard's Tuition Announcement Highlights Failure of Prestigious Universities to Enroll Low-Income Students March 1, 2004, Harvard University announced over the weekend that from now on undergraduate students from low-income families will pay no tuition. In making the announcement, Harvard's president Lawrence H. Summers said, "When only 10 percent of the students in Elite higher education come from families in lower half the income distribution, we are not doing enough. We are not doing enough in bringing elite higher education to the lower half of the income distribution."If you know of a family earning less than $40,000 a year with an honor student graduating from high school soon, Harvard University wants to pay the tuition. Theprestigious university recently announced that from now on undergraduate students fromlow-income families can go to Harvard for free...no tuition and no student loans! To find out more about Harvard offering free tuition for families making less than $40,000 a year visit Harvard's financial aid web site at: http://adm-is.fas.harvard.edu/FAO/index.htm or call the school's financial aid office at (617) 495- 1581. This initiative puts severe pressure on other well-endowed colleges anduniversities to adopt similar measures. Some commentators believe that Harvard'sannouncement was made in response to Princeton University's decision six years ago to eliminate all tuition charges for families earning less than $40,000 (adjusted annually to take inflation into account) and its subsequent decision three years later to substitute all student loans with outright grants. The Harvard announcement indicates that the Princeton plan has had some success in drawing to Princeton some of the high-achieving, low-income students who typically went to Harvard each year. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education gathers figures from the U.S. Department of Education relating to the percentage of students at the nation's leading colleges and universities who receive federal financial assistance under the Pell Grant program for low-income students. These figures provide a good measure of the institution's Relative success in enrolling students from the bottom economic sector of the nation's families
Archive of The Christian Recorder Online from 2004-2016; Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder
