1. EDITOR’S CORNER:
The Reverend Dr. Joe Darby provides some excellent points about the Board of Examiners.
Dr. Darby’s comments about the Board of Examiners:
I still feel that the Board and its classes have a role to play in the preparation of our candidates for ministry. Given the fact that theological education is now a requirement and not an option, I think that role has evolved and should include at least two elements.
First, the Boards of Examiners should now act as "endorsing agents," seeing that
- the basic information submitted as to age and education is verified, and, - candidates enroll in seminaries that are accredited by legitimate regional or professional accrediting associations,
- any medical, emotional, financial or legal situations that might prove to be impediments to ministry are explored, and that,
- those who covenant with the AME church to pursue ministry are clear on the requirements, their rights and their responsibilities so that they can move forward with clear expectations.
Secondly, the Board should "fill in the gaps" for those who, for reasons of distance or financial hardship, attend non-Methodist seminaries. Bishop Williams is making a commendable effort to set up a distance learning program for the Seventh District through our denomination's seminaries. For necessarily bi-vocational clergy in South Carolina, however, the present accredited in-state seminary choices are Presbyterian, Lutheran and nondenominational-evangelical. Students at those seminaries get sound theological education, but little exposure to Methodist history, practice, polity, worship traditions and theology, and sometimes have problems applying what they learned in AME Churches. Boards of Examiners should see that those students are prepared for ministry in the AME context to minimize problems.
The Board can then fulfill what I see as its present mission - not to examine one's "call to preach," but to make sure that the "call" is for ministry in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Maybe then I won't hear another preacher explain, as was once said in my presence, that the 19th Article of Religion speaking to the Lord's Supper "in both kinds" means that you can take it at the 8:00 service and the 11:00 service!!!
Editor's Comment
Amen!~ Dr. Darby's thoughtful comments are appreciated. The Editor's comment was in affect, "Throwing out the baby with the dish water."
I hope that others of you will feel free to lend your thoughts to this imporatnt discussion.
The Reverend Michael Barta comments about editorial comment about the use of AME Sunday School literature
I appreciate the information in The Christian Recorder Online. I would like to comment on your editorial remarks about the importance of utilizing AME Sunday School materials. As a pastor who loves the AME Church, I truly WANT to be loyal to our denomination and its various endeavors. I am certain that Dr. Barbour and his staff work hard and care deeply about that what they do and he, and his staff, are to be commended for that. Having said that, my primary focus as a pastor cannot be denominational loyalty at the expense of failing to provide our volunteer teachers with the very best teaching resources needed for the important work of ministry. To follow such a course would, in my mind, make me guilty mal-administration and negligence as the one charged with the responsibility of tending to the spiritual needs of those entrusted to my care.
Instead of focusing on the mandatory subsidizing of that which does not meet our needs, let's be bold enough as African Methodists, to move to the next level. Let the AME Church be willing to give our various departments and ministries on the Connectional level what they need to do the work of ministry with excellence, and then hold our various leaders accountable for meeting that standard. If we are willing to do that, we will never have to worry about support from our membership.
Editor’s response
Pastor Barta - Thank you for your honest feedback. We need to hear your concerns and the concerns of others with recommendations as to how we can improve our Sunday School literature and make our literature more relevant. We need to look at the “hows” of effective teaching and how learning takes place. Whether we like it or not, we live in a hip-hop generation and we need to construct our materials in a relevant manner for youth, young adults and seniors. We need to insure that our Sunday-School lessons are well-documented utilizing cutting edge research. That is how we will get better.
Your comments are appreciated. I will pass on your concerns to Dr. Johnny Barbour, the Publisher of the AME Sunday School Union.
2. THE GLOBAL CORNER – THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH – A GLOBAL CHURCH WITH A GLOBAL MISSION:
Announcement from Namibia
The joy of serving the Lord Jesus is always my strength.
This message is to announce the Women's Celebration at the St. James AME Church, Namibia this coming weekend of 28-30 January 2005. Help us pray that God will give us yet another fresh anointing. Theme: “Behold, I Make All Things New.” Workshops Coordinator, Ms. Christa Biwa.
The St. James Women’s Day celebration begins on Friday evening with a Women-in-Concert program. Saturday will be an event-filled day beginning with a Bible Study / Workshop closing out with a revival on Saturday evening. The preacher for the opening Women’s Day celebration will be the Reverend Angelica B Sauerwein. The Saturday morning devotion speaker will be Evangelist Johanna Swartbooi. The “Hour of Power” preacher will be the Reverend the Rev. Betty Schroder.
Other revival weekend participants include Mother Mietjie Lamberth, President Prediker Sara K Amukuaya, Mother Paulina Simon, Mother Katherine /Goagoseb, Mother Cecilia A V Hanse, Mother Anna Lea Tâseb, the Reverend Betty Schroder, Mother Paulina Simon, Mother Katherine /Goagoseb, Prediker Sara K Amukuaya, Mother Anna Lea Tâseb, Rev. Maria Kapere, Mother Anna /Gariseb, and Mother Cornelia C Witbooi. The Rev. Annetha Apollus will deliver the closing sermon for the Women’s Day celebration.
The closing Women’s Day worship Service preacher will be the Reverend Annetha Apollus
ST. JAMES AME CHURCH
P.O. Box 78,
Mariental, Namibia
The Rev. Willem Simon Hanse, hansews@iway.na
P O Box 50278,
Bachbrecht, Namibia
Tel. 061-24 98 73 / Fax. 061-25 51 56Cell: 081 122 5048
3. NEEDED – MORE NEWS FROM THE OVERSEAS DISTRICTS 14 – 20:
The Global Corner news desk of The Christian Recorder needs your news. The readership of The Christian Recorder is as concerned about what is happening overseas as it is about what is happening in the continental United States.
4. BISHOP VASHTI MURPHY MCKENZIE WILL BE ST. JAMES AME, MEMPHIS 2005 FOUNDER’S DAY SPEAKER:
Bishop McKenzie will preach at St. James Feb. 13 for Founder's Day.
5. MORRIS BROWN AME CHURCH, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, THE REVEREND JOE DARBY, SENIOR PASTOR IS FEATURED THE CHARLESTON POST AND COURIER:
The Charleston Post and Courier inaugurated a new Faith and Values feature this Sunday called "Where we Worship," and they had the good judgment to kick off the feature with a look at with Morris Brown! Online access, click on: http://www.charleston.net/stories/Default.aspx?newsID=8567§ion=faithvalues
You'll probably run into a "member registration" page, but the site is being updated, so follow the instructions on the login page and the article page will open.
Peace!
Joe Darby
6. AME COLLEGE CORNER
The Reverend Gilbert Harper , a member of the Virginia Annual Conference shares a testimony of one of their students in the Class on Admissions
The article below is an essay written by, Sister Lisa Tabor, a Doctoral student (English) at Virginia Tech and a student in the admissions class in the Virginia Annual Conference. . I thought the paper was well written and I was very impressed with the content. At our District Conference we heard a testimony from one of her fellow students who was a declared atheist who Sister Tabor had invited to St. Paul AME Church, Blacksburg Church. The invited student said that he had found so much love and care in the congregation pastored by the Reverend Glenn Orr that he kept going back until God moved in his life. He got saved and is working in the church and served as their delegate to the District Conference.
Sister Lisa was given an assignment to write an essay on the topic "Why I prefer the A.M.E. Church." I did get permission from her to share this with you.
Love, Peace, and Blessings!!
The Rev. Gilbert Harper
'Why I prefer the African Methodist Episcopal Church?"
Lisa Tabor
Jan. 3, 2004
“Prefer: To choose or be in the habit of choosing as more desirable or as having more value: prefers coffee to tea" (American Heritage Dictionary)
The African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church is most desirable to me for several reasons. The most obvious reason being that this is where God desires me. He has made His desire known and – as I wish to align myself with His desire – I value the AME Church. My life desires have also been developing into a fit within the AME Church – although I didn’t know that at the time. My past and present habits of choice made the AME Church a resting place in many ways. Personally, relationally, and connectionally, the AME Church is preferable to me.
God has built in me a multifaceted person. My person is something to which I dedicate much time – not in conceit, but in care. Lives disintegrate or prosper for many reasons, but experience tells me that I have to value myself. Christ connects our love of ourselves to our ability to love one another. I choose to value me in all my facets. This is the person I am; this is the person the AME Church accepts. In my person I value organization, responsibility, Christ-centeredness, communication, balance, etc. In my experience with the AME Church I have seen all of these things. Things are not perfect. No man-made institution will ever be perfect. Yet, within the struggles of the AME Church, one can see the Spirit of God working to perfect what concerns the Bride. As He perfects what concerns me, I know that I have a place in God’s perfect plan for the AME Church.
In relationship this Church creates many opportunities to find value. The openness demonstrated by St. Paul AMEC Blacksburg became my first true connection to the AME Church. When I visited the church, as an undergraduate at Virginia Tech, I was treated…
(READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE IN THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER)
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Archive of The Christian Recorder Online from 2004-2016; Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder
