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. LIVING WELL – THE QUADRENNIAL THEME OF THE COUNCIL OF BISHOPS FOR THE CHURCH:
The Council of Bishops launched a quadrennial focus under the theme, “Living Well.” Each year a new but related focus will be emphasiszed, calling the church to a new awareness for fullness of life. Under the leadership of Bishop Vashti M. McKenzie the Council of Bishops will publish each year a book of sermons, prayers, bible studies and meditations written and submitted by the bishops of the Church. Keep an eye our for this hot publication to be released at the 2005 Bishops’ Council in Dallas next week.
The themes are: 2005 – 2006, Living Well; 2006 – 2007, Serving Well; 2007 -2008, Managing Well; and 2008-2009 Finishing Well. This will prove to be a unifying force for the Church that will provide material for preaching themes, bible studies and other unifying activities. The President and the Council of Bishops are to be commended for focusing upon the ministry and responsibility that affects every one of us, the ministry of “Living Well.”
There will be a book signing by all of the bishops in conjuction with the luncheon at the General Board / Bishops’ Council Meeting.
2. AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH WORSHIP SOFTWARE BY LabOrA:
The new updated AME worship planning software is on sale for $175.00. It is a worship software customised for AME congregations. It’s a unique tool developed by pastors for pastors. LabOra is a custom-made, time-saving program for all who prepare for Sunday worship services. The Bible, the AME Hymnal, the liturgy, commentaries are all at your fingertips. You can use the word processor you prefer: Word Perfect or MS Word. For more information call Dr. Daryl Ingram, Secretary-Treasurer, Department of Christian Education (615.242-1420) or Mr. Clarence Smith (630-778-3455) or csmith@pininet.com or go to http://www.pininet.com/ for a demonstration. It looks like a great resource and churches would de well to order LabOra now. Limited copies are available.
A testimonial about LabOra
My name is Rev. Barbara A. Ross, the pastor of Philip R. Cousin AME Church in Naperville, Illinois, a newly organized church. I am using the LabOra Worship Software and I have witnessed how LabOra is a great organizational tool for new congregations who do not yet have an office staff in place. I thought that our congregation would not benefit from the software at first because we did not have an office staff at that point. But as I began using the software I found that not only is it a great tool for established congregations, but it is an even greater tool for newly organized congregations. It has allowed me the freedom to plan and organize well in advance the church bulletins, bible study guides -- complete with maps and different versions of the Bible, and sermons for every occasion. It has given me the option to create and customize my very own bulletin templates, my own song books. I even go back and edit a template that I have created. It is just a must have for an organizing pastor. It helps one to become an even better steward of money and time. I highly recommend that every pastor use the LabOra Software, it is a must have piece of software. It is just great for preparing Bible Studies, Sermons, and just organizing
3. A CONVERSATION BETWEEN TWO OR MORE PERSONS ABOUT GETTING FEEDBACK FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS, WHETHER ON THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE, QUARTERLY CONFERENCE OR LOCAL CHURCH LEVEL IN RESPONSE TO THE ARTICLE THAT APPEARED IN THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE ON MAY 31, 2005 . THE ARTICLE WAS ENTITLED “EVALUATION USED AS A TOOL FOR CHURCH GROWTH,” WRITTEN BY THE REVEREND CHARLES R. WATKINS, JR., PASTOR, FRIENDSHIP A.M.E. CHURCH, CLINTON, SOUTH CAROLINA:
We need to do more evaluation in our AME Churches. We don't seem to do a lot of "linking and learning from the past" in the A.M.E. church. When a new pastor comes, it seems to be all about HIM/HER.
And the church has to adjust to that new pastor's thoughts and desires. We even have to adjust to a "new" order of worship, if you can call it that by the time a new pastor gives his or her input. Church members have difficulty adjusting to so many changes and I am not certain that the AME Church has a viable “transition program” for churches.
I observed an effective pastor who, at his very first Church Conference, asked what goals the congregation wanted to set for the future of their church. His method of accomplishing “their” goals became theirs. They trusted him, and he respected them; and all was compatible.
It seems so often as if each pastor wants to do things, his or her way.
And, another thing that we don't do well is getting constant feedback and/or evaluations of our programs. It starts at the top. I have never heard a bishop say after an annual conference, "What did you like / dislike about the conference? What should we do differently the next time?" Have you ever heard a presiding elder ask the quarterly conference, what can we do to make the quarterly conference better? Feedback to the elder would perhaps encourage more people to turn out for quarterly conferences.
Very few pastors ask for feedback/evaluation of the various programs. Have you ever heard of local program chairs follow-up after an event with an evaluation session where people can give input about what went well and what didn't go so well? Usually after a men's or women's day, we simply thank the folks and move on to the next fund-raiser. Many of our churches lack formal follow-up and opportunities for lessons learned from its members.
Sometimes it seems to me that many of our so-called leaders are not concerned about what their constituents think and feel about programs.
For years I've been trying to get that point across. I'm a firm believer that after each and every event, if it's to be an annual event, the organizers should sit down with pen and pad and literally write what was successful and what could be improved upon. From there you start to plan the next program. Now, what's so hard about that? I should think we'd love to hear people talk about all the stuff that went so well, how much people enjoyed it, what they said, how beautiful the decorations were, how we carried out the theme so well. Imagine all those smiles! That would make it easier to pinpoint the things that could stand some improvement. We might hear someone say, “There was a bit of a lull at that point of the program. We need to examine the reason for that. There are certain things that could be done the day before to make everything go smoother.”
If we'd only discuss it, we'd be surprised how many l-i-t-t-l-e things could be done to make next year's program that much better. But it needs to be made a part of the church's plan.
4. THE 29TH BIENNIAL SESSION CONNECTIONAL LAY ORGANIZATION OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, JULY 24TH – 28TH, 2005, HOUSTON, TEXAS, HILTON AMERICAS OF HOUSTON, TEXAS:
Please note that pre-registration is no longer available; late and onsite registration is $225.00
Bishop Samuel L. Green, Sr., Lay Commission Chairman
Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram. Host Bishop
Mr. Jesse L. Burns, Jr., President, Connectional Lay Organization
Mrs. Florence J. Warren, Director of Lay Activities, Connectional Lay Organization
Mr. Charles Rainwater, President, Tenth Episcopal District
Highlights:
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Power Brunch- (El Hajj Level, Musical Guest and Carita Montgomery-Featured Speaker)
Service of Word Sacrament – Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram, Preaching
Monday, July 25, 2005
Election of Connectional Officers (2005-2009)
Judge Mablean Ephriam, Keynote Speaker
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Attorney Harry E. Johnson, Keynote Speaker (Men’s Empowerment Lunch)
RNC & DNC Presentations- (Chairmen Ken Mehlman and Governor Howard Dean, M.D.)
President’s Black Tie Affair (Benefit for Morris Brown College)
Concert Featuring: Vickie Winans (Benefiting the Morris Brown Initiative and CLEDC)
Wednesday; July 25, 2005
Gwendolyn Boyd, Keynote Speaker (Women’s Empowerment Lunch)
Late Night Explosion featuring James Fortune and Fiya – Musical Guest
Thursday, July 26, 2005
Installation of Connectional Officers
Awards Banquet & Scholarship Presentations
5. EDITORS OF THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, FROM THEN UNTIL NOW:
1. Molliston Madison Clark 1852-1854
2. Jabaz Pitt Campbell (8th Bishop) 1854-1860
3. Elisha Weaver 1861-1864
4. A.L. Stanford 1861
5. James Lynch 1866-1867
6. Elisha Weaver 1867-1868
7. Benjamin Tucker Tanner (18th Bishop) 1868-1884
8 Benjamin Franklin Lee (20th Bishop) 1884-1892
9. Henry Theodore Johnson 1892-1909
10. Richard Robert Wright, Jr. (57th Bishop) 1909-1936
11. George Arnett Singleton 1936-1944
12. David Norris 1944-1950
13. Fred Hughes 1950-1960
14. Benjamin Julius Nolen, Sr. 1960-1964
15. Lawrence Sylvester Odom, Sr. 1964-1966
16. Benjamin Julius Nolen, Sr. 1966-1973
17. A. Lewis Williams 1973-1976
18. Robert H. Reid, Jr. 1976-1996
19. Ricky Spain 1996-2004
20. Calvin H. Sydnor III 2004- Present
6. ROLE OF THE BLACK CHURCH IN ENFORCING OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION LAWS:
“My ministry advocates a free, strong, secure, stable, and prosperous America -- assured of a first class, quality workforce that is second to none.” -- Dr. Arthur Allen Fletcher
On behalf of Wachovia Corporation, I apologize to all Americans, and especially to African-Americans and people of African descent…We are deeply saddened by these findings.” -- Ken Thompson, Chairman and CEO Wachovia
By Stephanie and Eric Stradford
The Christian Recorder, June 21, 2005, Philadelphia, PA – In an era when the United States Senate has publicly apologized for lynching thousands of African-Americans and compliance officers face daily combat on fair hiring and fair contracting, the Father of the Affirmative Action Enforcement Movement is returning to Philadelphia to bring business, government, educational and faith-leaders face to face with their history and its impact on America’s economy.
Dr. Arthur Allen Fletcher introduced The Revised Philadelphia Plan as a test case for the most forceful plan in the United States to guarantee fair hiring practices in the construction industry. The former Assistant Secretary of Wage and Labor Standards for the Nixon Administration is leading a national campaign for economic security. Philadelphia City officials praised Fletcher’s efforts and energy as “timely” and “appropriate.” The elder statesman will meet with business owners, community and economic development professionals, and faith leaders on existing economic resources available in the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Region. U.S. corporations, faith and government leaders were at first slow to respond to Fletcher’s call for “a free, strong, secure, stable, and prosperous America -- assured of a first class, quality workforce that is second to none.” But recent apologies by the U.S. Senate and Wachovia Bank suggests that “business as usual” is today a practice of the past.
“On behalf of Wachovia Corporation, I apologize to all Americans, and especially to African-Americans and people of African descent,” said Ken Thompson, Wachovia chairman and chief executive officer. “We are deeply saddened by these findings. We know that we cannot change the past, and we can’t make up for the wrongs of slavery,” said Thompson. “But we can learn from our past, and begin a stronger dialogue about slavery and the experience of African-Americans in our country.”
The Richard Allen Foundation and Free African Society (FAS) has held a series of meetings with Wachovia on their record of contracting of historically disadvantaged entrepreneurs and have joined Dr. Fletcher and responsible corporate co-sponsors in modeling community economic empowerment to the Philadelphia region. FAS sojourns to Philadelphia each November to mark the historic 1787 “Liberation Sunday” when Free Africans established a parallel “values-based” economy in the United States. Richard Allen, who co-founded FAS, later established the African Methodist Episcopal Church. A hundred years later, WEB DuBois’ The Philadelphia Negro – A Social Study provided an intellectual foundation at the University of Pennsylvania for valuing human capital.
According to Dr. Fletcher, he selected Philadelphia as the test case because, "The craft unions and the construction industry were among the most egregious offenders against equal opportunity laws . . . openly hostile toward letting Blacks into their closed circle." The order included definite "goals and timetables”...not quotas. The first official reference to affirmative action took place on March 6, 1961, Executive Order 10925 by President John F. Kennedy. On July 2, 1964, the Civil Rights Act was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Sept. 24, 1965 Executive Order 11246 attempted to enforce affirmative action for the first time by requiring government contractors to take affirmative action toward prospective minority employees in all aspects of hiring and employment. Oct. 13, 1967, the order was amended to cover discrimination on the basis of gender.
It was not until 1969 that Dr. Arthur A. Fletcher, during the administration of President Richard Nixon, conceived of and implemented the most forceful plan in history. As President Nixon asserted, "We would not impose quotas, but would require federal contractors to show affirmative action to meet the goals of increasing minority employment." The Wharton School of Business has published more than 25 studies on the subject of affirmative action. One zealous graduate student who attended The Wharton School from 1965-69 spearheaded a study. Today, Dr. Bernard E. Anderson serves as Whitney Young Term Professor; Practice Professor of Management, The Wharton School, and was the first African-American to be awarded tenure.
Dr. Fletcher, a former pro football player, presidential appointee, historian, lecturer and ordained minister, has championed affirmative action for more than 60 years. He served as one of five African American appointees in the Nixon and later served in the Ford Administration as well. He has since consulted the Republican National Committee and served as a former delegate to the United Nations. Dr. Fletcher has been a candidate for public office for an Assembly seat for the California State Legislature (1962), for Lt. Governor of the State of Washington (1968), and for Mayor of the District of Columbia (1978). He is married to Bernyce Fletcher, a native of Philadelphia.
7. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
This bereavement notice was received on June 20, 2005, 11:45:02 a.m. Central Daylight Time
The Reverend Hercules. B. Davis, Jr. made life's final transition on March 8, 2005. He was ordained in the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1961 in Alabama. He served the A. M. E. Church faithfully until his health failed. Even after losing his sight and most of his ambulatory functions, his perseverance prevailed. He answered present at all of the Louisiana Annual Conference roll calls, until the last two years of his life. My father was a great man; and behind every great man there is an even greater woman. My mother, Mrs. Urthelyn M. Davis, has faithfully served the A.M.E. Church beside my father.
Email condolences may be sent to:
Mrs. Ann Davis Head
ahead@atlanta.k12.ga.us
God Bless!
8. BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
Sister Evelyn Peppers, the mother of the Reverend Deborah Peppers, pastor of Solomon Chapel AME Church, has passed away.
Arrangements are as follows:
Family visitation Thursday, June 23, 2005, Shorter Chapel, Tullahoma, Tennessee, 7 p.m.
Funeral: Friday, June 24, 2005, 2 p.m.
Highland Baptist Church
Cedar Lane
Tullahoma, Tennessee
Mailing address to use for Rev. Deborah Peppers:
1702 Magnolia Drive
Murfreesboro, TN 37128
615-896-1897
Funeral Home: J. A. Welton Funeral Home
415 S. Jackson Street
Tullahoma, TN 37388
931-455-2723
Thank you and God bless,
Presiding Elder Ralph E. Johnson
9. ALL BEREAVEMENT AND FUNERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS RECEIVED FROM THE CLERGY FAMILY INFORMATION CENTER:
Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry, Chair
Commission on Social Action
Clergy Family Information Center
CONN-M-SWAWO+PK’S
Mrs. Ora L. Easley - Administrator
Email: Amespouses1@aol.com
(Nashville, TN Contact)
Phone: (615) 837-9736
Fax: (615) 833-3781
(Memphis, TN Contact)
(901) 578-4554 (Phone & Fax)
Archive of The Christian Recorder Online from 2004-2016; Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder
