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:
The Itinerancy in the African Methodist Church is not well…
In years past, the issue of the itinerancy was a part of any discussion about ministry in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. I remember hearing the old folks talking about the itinerant ministry when I was growing up. Upon acknowledging my call to the ministry, among the first questions that I had to answer was whether I wanted itinerant or local orders. I was given the AME Discipline and told to study and to make sure that I made the decision about the itinerancy or local orders that was right for me. I was told that once I started on the track I selected, I could not change.
I started the journey of the itinerant ministry in the New Brunswick District of the New Jersey Annual Conference at Ebenezer AME Church in Rahway, New Jersey. I transferred to the Philadelphia Annual Conference and I recall Bishop John D. Bright constantly telling us, young ministers, if we wanted to pastor a church that we needed to be willing to leave the Philadelphia Annual Conference. He spoke that over and over again at each annual conference.
I was ordained an Itinerant Elder at Greater St. Matthews AME Church in Philadelphia and Bishop Frederick D. Jordan visited the Philadelphia Annual Conference. I remember going up to him at the end of one of the worship services and told him that I wanted to pastor a church and finish seminary. He asked me if I was willing to move to the Thirteenth Episcopal District and I responded that I was willing to move. He gave me a date and told me to meet him in Kentucky. My wife, Charlotte and our two children drove to Kentucky in our “Volkswagen bug” and met Bishop Jordan in the parsonage of Quinn Chapel AME Church, Lexington, Kentucky; and the rest is history. I pastored and completed my seminary education.
So where am I going with this? When I left the Philadelphia Annual Conference in 1966, there were folks who thought that my wife and I were crazy. One pastor told me, “You don’t trade the Philadelphia Annual Conference for the Kentucky Annual Conference; that’s going backwards.” It may have been a “backward move,” but it was the best “backward move” I ever made. I was like a young bird on its first flight. I took off, floundered a bit, and then began to fly with the Spirit of God beneath my wings. I was an itinerant.
What has happened to the itinerancy? Let me use the Second Episcopal District as an example. The applicants for ministry, especially the women, are pursuing their academic training with vigor. I believe that there are as many trained clergy in the Second Episcopal District as anywhere in the church. And, I suspect that the same demographic can be found in other Episcopal Districts.
So, we have trained clergy, but my casual observation tells me that a number of the trained clergy in the Second, and other Episcopal Districts, are not willing to trust the AME Church’s itinerant system. As a result we have highly trained Itinerant Elders who are willing to serve as assistant pastors and, in reality, are serving in a “local” relationship capacity. They do not want to risk losing their good jobs so they are satisfied with bi-vocational ministry. We have pastors who are more interested in setting up and nurturing a “nest egg” for retirement than risking and “giving up all to follow Jesus.”
The Itinerancy is a risk and it is not easy. It may be that some of our “best and brightest” are “bunched up” in large urban churches because they have gotten comfortable and acquired things and don’t want to risk losing their possessions. It might be that they are “waiting for their ship to come in,” in the district where they presently serve. It might be fear. And, it might be a lack of trust.
I can tell you from experience that the Itinerancy is a risk. When I arrived at Shorter Chapel AME Church in Paris, Kentucky in July 1966, it was a rude awakening. I was ready to go back to Bethel AME Church in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania and be an assistant pastor for the rest of my ministry. I was ready to acknowledge that the people, who told me that I was crazy for trading the Philadelphia Annual Conference for the Kentucky Annual Conference, were right.
As bad as I thought that it was, it didn’t take me long to find out that God’s Grace was sufficient and I was in God’s favor. The people at Shorter Chapel and later at St. James AME Church, Danville Kentucky provided me an opportunity for ministry and growth that has carried me from then to now. The move from Philadelphia to Kentucky was blessing for me and my family.
So what’s the bottom-line? The African Methodist Episcopal Church needs inspired, Holy Spirit-filled, trained ministers all over the AME Church. Trust the system and, if you are an itinerant, be an itinerant in the fullest sense. If you want to finish your education, speak with a bishop and convince him or her that you are willing to move. It’s a faith venture and God still makes a way! “It doesn’t make sense, but God works it!”
2. LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
Dear Editor: Thanks for calling to our attention the fact that some A.M.E. ministers were listed in the category of "Bishop" by a “Bishop” Robert L McKenzie who also claimed to be president of a "Grace Seminary" in Lubbock TX. A pastor from the Eighth District was included on that list. I called it to her attention and she acted on it immediately and with great integrity. I also think it is interesting that as soon as I (and the other bishops who took action) began to inquire about the site, it came down. To my knowledge, no other names from the Eighth District appeared on the site.
Again thanks for your timely action.
Bishop Henning
Editor’s Comment: You AME Bishops and General Officers took expeditious action against this intrusion by the Grace Ministries International Fellowship. The website http://www.graceseminary.org/ is dismantled.
Again, thanks to the Reverend Dr. Joseph Darby who had the presence of mind and the courage to expose this proselytizing agenda of Grace Ministries International Fellowship.
3. DEATH NOTICE:
We are sorry to report that our Episcopal Supervisor, Dr. Pam DeVeaux, the wife of Bishop William P. DeVeaux, lost her father, Mr. Jesse Morris, on Sunday March 27, 2005. He was 98 years old.
Condolences may be sent to:
Ms. Yvonne Simpson
601 Loyola Dr.
Carson, California
Dr. Pam will be staying with her sister in California, Ms. Yvonne Simpson, whose telephone number is (310) 719-9504.
Joanne Williams-Cooper, SED 1st VP
Shirley Taylor, SED President
Please remember the family in your prayers.
God Bless!Ora L. Easley
Email: Amespouses1@aol.com
Nashville, TN Contact: Phone: (615) 837-9736
Fax: (615) 833-3781
Memphis, TN Contact: (901) 578-4554 (Phone & Fax)
4. MEDICARE AND YOU: IMPORTANT 2005 DATES FOR YOU TO REMEMBER:
The Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 has many changes to the Medicare Program. Important dates for persons with Medicare to remember prior to implementation of the Prescription Drug Program in January of 2006 are:
January 1, 2005 – the Medicare Prevention and Screening Services offers a “Welcome to Medicare” physical examination to new persons with MedicareCholesterol, cardiovascular, and diabetes screening as preventive services are also offered.
March 31, 2005 – Persons desiring the full $600 technical assistance for 2005 with Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Card must apply no later than March 31, 2005 for credit. Those applying between April 1 and June 30, 2005 will be eligible for $450 technical assistance. Those applying July 1 – September 1, 2005 are eligible for $300 credit, and those applying October 1, 2005 to December 31, 2005 are eligible for only $150 technical assistance.
October 2005 – persons with Medicare will also be receiving their “Medicare & You” handbook in the mail. Persons with retiree health benefits should, watch for information from their former employer or union.
October 13, 2005 - persons with Medicare will be able to compare the benefits of the various Medicare Prescription Drug Plans.
November 2005 – Starting November 15, 2005, persons with Medicare may Enroll in the Medicare Drug Plan that fits their needs.
For more information visit the Medicare website at www.medicare.gov or call: 1-800 Medicare (1-800-633-4227).
Teresa Zayas
Health Insurance SpecialistCMS Atlanta (404) 562-7220
5. CONN-M-SWAWO + PK'S CLERGY FAMILY EVENTS, WYNDHAM ANATOLE HOTEL, DALLAS, TEXAS:
Sunday, June 26, 2005
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: PK Forum
8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.: .Election of Officers for 2005-2009,
Monday, June 27, 2005
7:00 - 9:00 a.m.: Clergy Family Awards and Installation Breakfast
Mrs. Ora L. Easley, President, CONN-M-SWAWO + PK’S
Dr. John Q. Owens, Director of Social Action
Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry, Social Action Commission Chair
HOSTS:
Mrs. Verdene K. Austin, Episcopal M-SWAWO President
The Rev. Dr. Jessica Kendall Ingram, Episcopal Supervisor
The Right Reverend Gregory G. M. Ingram, Presiding Bishop
6. UPDATE ON THE REVEREND DR. HENDERSON DAVIS, RETIRED GENERAL OFFICER (HISTORIOGRAPHER) OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH:
My father, the Reverend Dr. Henderson Davis, is a retired General Officer of the AME Church; he served as Historiographer from 1980 -1988. Prior to being elected a General Officer, he was a presiding elder and pastor mostly in the 4th district, but also pastored in the 3rd district and taught at Wilberforce University and was dean of the seminary at Allen University in the Seventh Episcopal District. He is 91 years old and had a pacemaker put in last month. After he got out of the hospital, he went to the rehabilitation center and was discharged this month.
He is home recuperating and I know there are many in the Church who still know and love him. I don't know how many more precious days he has left - hopefully many, many more! But I would like for him to “smell his flowers” while he is still here. I would like people to know that they can send him cards at his home in Indianapolis: Dr. Henderson Davis 3773 Manor Court Indianapolis, Indiana 46218 I think it would lift his spirits and be of comfort to him. I am his youngest daughter - and understand information and media as I have had a long career as V.P. at Johnson Publishing / EBONY/J ET and just recently started my own media, marketing and special events company. I've attached my info. Again, thank you for anything that you can do. God bless you!
Lydia Davis EadyPresident
Joy Communications
Cell:312-656-0305
mauilde@yahoo.com
Editor’s Comment: The letter above was sent to the Reverend Dr. Clement Fugh, General Secretary and CIO of the AME Church, who forwarded, and requested that it be published in The Christian Recorder. Let’s show Dr. Henderson Davis some AME love and inundate him with cards and best wishes. He was a superb Historiographer.
Archive of The Christian Recorder Online from 2004-2016; Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder
