The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor
1. THE EDITOR’S CORNER:
- The toll of Americans that have died in the war in Iraq has now passed 1,750. Tens of thousands of Iraqis have died. Thousands of men, women and children in Iraq and American service persons have been wounded. There is no end in sight! Where is this war going? Does anybody know?
- I will be writing more about the General Board / Bishops’ Council.
2. SAINT PHILIP AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH CELEBRATES GROUNDBREAKING FOR NEW FAMILY LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION CENTER:
Submitted by: E. JoAnn Bacon
Atlanta, Georgia (Dekalb County) – On June 12, 2005, the congregation of Saint Philip African Methodist Episcopal Church held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Family Life and Administration Center. This was a great day for the members of Saint Philip A. M. E. Church and its senior pastor, the Reverend George Moore, Sr. This facility is a continuation of the building program began in 1998 with the completion of a worship center.
The Sixth Episcopal District Presiding Prelate, Bishop William Phillips DeVeaux and Episcopal Supervisor, Dr. Pam DeVeaux attended the groundbreaking ceremony.
The worship service was graced by music from the church’s mass choir directed by Ms. L’Tanya Moore and a special liturgical dance presentation was given by the Holy Dance Ministry. It was especially meaningful as they praised the occasion in their construction attire. The scripture lesson of the 122 Psalm was read by assistant pastor, the Reverend Larry Jones and the Reverend Janice McCray offered the prayer of supplication. Dr. DeVeaux greeted the congregation with an uplifting song; "I’m So Glad Jesus Lifted Me.”
Bishop DeVeaux, who was the guest speaker for the celebration, spoke of the great missionary from India, William Carey who said, “If you expect great things from God you should attempt great things for God”. Bishop DeVeaux stated that often people do not attempt great things for God because they are short-sighted, limited in expectations, fearful, and forget the goodness of God. He expressed to the congregation that there are three main ideas to remember in attempting greatness for God – remember the goodness of God. He is good to His word and will not send you where He will not go. Second, we should rely on the presence of God in our everyday lives. And, last, we should re-commit to the mission that the Lord has set before us. Bishop DeVeaux stated that we have come here to break ground for this new center, which is to the cause of kingdom building.
Pastor Moore exclaimed, “It is a great day at Saint Philip A. M. E. Church as we celebrate groundbreaking for our new Family Life and Administration Center. We have looked forward to this day for a long time. I am excited about what this facility will mean to my congregation and the surrounding community”.
The Family Life and Administration Center, designed by the architectural firm of Chapman, Griffin, Lanier and Sussenbach will be a multi-use fellowship complex. This 70,000 square feet facility is a two level building located on approximately 1.5 acres. The architectural style will blend with current church campus buildings and will provide sophistication, with formal and traditional roots. All buildings on campus will be connected by enclosed walkways. The Family Life and Administration Center with a state of the art commercial kitchen, will provide sit down dining for 750 persons, and has an auditorium to seat 1500 persons. The center has a theatrical stage, basketball and volleyball courts, fitness center, indoor walking track, men and women showers and lockers. Additionally, the facility will house a federal credit union, bookstore, nursery, meeting space, administrative staff offices and the pastor’s and ministerial offices. There is a large two-story atrium at the entrance flanked by two monumental staircases. The Family Life and Administration Center has an elevator and complies with the Americans with Disability Act.
Saint Philip A. M. E. Church has long recognized the need to better accommodate its youth. One of the major focuses of this facility will be the youth center. This special area will have a café, homework area and activity center. This facility will greatly enhance the church’s ability to better serve the needs of its youth.
Several dignitaries were in attendance to celebrate the occasion, Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor; Secretary of State Cathy Cox; Dekalb County Sheriff Thomas Brown; Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney; Commissioner Larry Johnson; and Commissioner Connie Stokes. Guest ministers present for the ceremony included the Reverend Mark Thompson, the Reverend Solomon Giles, and the Reverend David Bishop. Sixth Episcopal District Presiding Elder – Atlanta East, the Reverend Earle Ifill was also in attendance.
Atlanta based New South Construction is the general contractor and financing is provided by Wachovia Bank. Representatives from all of the construction partners participated in the celebration. The project is expected to be completed in 14 months. A minimum 10% minority participation has been requested.
Spring Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church 2005 Homecoming 2005. The theme is, “THINGS TO TAKE HOME” taken from Mark 5:19 - ‘“Go home to you friends and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you…”
Homecoming 2005 Calendar of Events
Revival – July 13, 14, & 15, 7:30 p.m.
Evangelist
The Reverend Arthur McKinney, Pastor
New Hope MB Church
Hickory Valley, TN
Sunday
July 17, 2004
9:00 am
Visit from Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie
9:30 a.m.
Church School
11:00 am
Morning Worship
3 p.m.
The Reverend Gregory McCollins
Wilson Chapel AME Church
Memphis, TN
Chairman
Brother Early Mason
Co-Chairman
Brother Winbon Mason
Administrative Assistant
Brother Samuel Herring
3. THE GLOBAL CORNER- AN APPEAL LETTER - CARING FOR THE OLD, ORPHANS & VULNERABLE CHILDREN REACHING DOWN TO PULL UP; REACHING OUT TO PULL IN REACHING IN TO PULL OUT; REACHING UP TO PULL TOGETHER - 11 JULY 2005:
The St. James Trust
P O Box 78, Mariental, Namibia, Tel/Fax 063-24 2754
Tel. 061-22 9938 Fax. 061-23 1626 w.hanse@parliament.gov.na
Caring for the Old, Orphans & Vulnerable Children
Reaching down to pull up; Reaching out to pull in
Reaching in to pull out; Reaching up to pull together
Re: St. James Trust Youth Centre
The St. James Trust is a non-profit welfare organization incorporated with the Ministry of Health and Social Services on 1st May 2004, with the Honourable Ms. Marlene Mungunda, MP and Minister of Gender Affairs and Child Welfare serving as Patron.
The St. James Trust has been established to coordinate programs dealing with HIV/Aids, orphans and vulnerable children, and old-age citizens in the Hardap Region, especially in the impoverished communities of Mariental in Aimablaagte and Empelheim.
There is no way that the impact of our programs over the past year cannot be overstated. The need is great in this Region and especially in the two communities of Empelheim and Aimablaagte. A very recent survey by our youth group have shown that 231 households in Mariental alone under way under the breadline, starving and in need of food assistance. During December 2004, with the generous assistance of sponsors of goodwill, we were able to provide Christmas hampers to about 89 senior citizens and about 332 affected children were provided with a decent dinner on Christmas Day. The discussions on the lack of a proper and decent multipurpose youth centre facilities in Mariental started as early as January 2004. Our youth have no recreational and/or education facility in Mariental and a high number of youth are being imprisoned for theft related crimes because there is simply no employment creation taking place.
We are delighted and thankful to the Rev. Willem Simon Hanse and the St. James AME Church, for availing the St. James Church Hall to be used for the youth activities of the St. James Trust.
The Board of Trustees of the St. James Trust, at their normal meeting of Saturday 3 July 2005 have approved the establishment of the St. James Youth Centre and have availed N$10 000-00 as seed capital to start this Youth Centre.
Centre Operations:
The Youth Centre will be staffed by volunteers, and we are thankful that the Mr. Hendrik F Links, a retired school teacher, has volunteered to act as Head of the Centre. The Youth Centre will be operational only during afternoons (15h00 – 19h00) and will provide the following services:
Educational Section:
- Volunteer teachers will provide services to learners who will need some assistance with their homework,
- Elementary computer training will be provided on an ongoing basis and as funds are readily available more computers will be installed for free use by learners,
- Orator Club will be set up to train learners and youth in the art of speaking, and they will have bi-monthly competitions on selected themes of national importance, and
- Drama Club will be set up to teach youth with theatrical skills, since no professional theatre is being operated in and around Mariental.
Recreational Section
- Indoor Games will include Dominos, Table Tennis, Finger Board, Dart Board, Pool Table and Soccer Table,
- Outdoor Games will include Volleyball and Ring-tennis, and
- Other cultural games will be presented, as volunteers would be available.
Café Section:
- In order to pay the only overhead cost, namely the water and electricity municipal account, the Youth Centre will have a Café Section whereby hot and cold drinks (excluding alcoholic beverages) will be sold.
Job Creation:
- For a starter, we want to help unemployed youth to start their Car Wash schemes under the tutelage of the Youth Centre. The Youth Centre will provide the equipment and administer the financial aspect in close cooperation with the schemes, in order to ensure sustainability and self-reliance within 10-12 calendar months.
Launching Information:
If everything goes according to plan, we are intending to officially inaugurate this multipurpose Youth Centre on Saturday, 1st October 2005.
We stand in need of your support and assistance to help the destitute youth of Mariental. The St. James AME Church is supporting this initiative by availing the church hall and the St. James Trust will be responsible for the renovation of the church hall.
We are humbly requesting you to consider assisting with a financial or in-kind donation.
Centre Needs:
- Renovation of the Building (De Klerk Builders CC)
- Plastering (N$ 7 500-00)
- Painting (N$ 3 500-00)
- Ceiling (N$ 8 000-00)
- 105 cm 3 Light Ceiling Fans (N$ 2 000-00)
- Centre Equipment
- Intel Pentium 4 Computer (N$ 7 600-00)
- HP Multi-Functional Printer (N$ 1 700-00)
- 150 litres Chess Freezer (N$ 1 400-00)
- Samsung Plain Paper Fax (N$ 1 310-00)
- Habitat Computer Stand (N$ 761-00)
- Recreational Equipment
- Finger Boards (N$ 480-00)
- Fold Up Table Tennis (N$ 1 160-00)
- 6 Foot Pool Table (N$ 1 770-00)
- Senior Soccer Table (N$ 2 100-00)
- Job Creation Equipment
- 1200 W High Pressure Cleaner (N$ 1 300-00)
- Watex Hosepipe (N$ 480-00)
- 120 L Refuse Bins (N$ 333-00)
- Consumables (N$ 1 500-00)
Finally, your assistance will be publicly acknowledged in a paid newspaper advert and, if you so choose, your logo may be displayed in the hall for at least 12 calendar months.
We trust that our humble request will enjoy your favourable consideration and receive feedback latest by the first week of September 2005. Kindly issue cheque donations in the name of the St. James Trust.
With our warm regards,
The Rev. Willem Simon Hanse Mrs. Cornelia C Witbooi
Chairperson Administrative Secretary
081 122 5048 081 299 7200
Mrs. Launa Isaack Mr. Hendrik F Links
Financial Secretary Head of Centre
081 122 6916 081 232 1823
Mailing Address:
St. James Trust
P O Box 78
MARIENTAL
Republic of Namibia
Tel/Fax +264 63 24 2754
Trustees: Minister Marlene Mungunda, MP (Patron), Rev. Willem S Hanse (Chairperson), Mrs. Anna K Kooper (Vice Chairperson), Mrs. Cornelia A Witbooi (Administrative Secretary), Mrs. Launa Isaack (Financial Secretary), Mr. Mr. Hendrik F Links (Director), Jonas Dreyer, Mr. Gert J Kooper, Mrs. Annalise Isaack
4. A MESSAGE FROM THE NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE CONNECTIONAL PRESIDING ELDERS COUNCIL:
The newly elected President of the Connectional Presiding Elders Council of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Reverend Dr. Bartalette Finney, Sr., expresses his thanks, appreciation and humbleness in being elected President of the Connectional Presiding Elders Council. Dr. Finney States:
I am humbled and take great pride in what has been bequeathed me. I seek the prayers of every member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church that we may lead the Council to higher levels of middle management expertise through training and procedure.
We want to represent the African Methodist Episcopal Church with the highest possible dignity, as we represent first the Lord Jesus Christ our King, and secondly the Episcopal leadership of our Episcopal Districts, along with the people of our districts and churches. One agenda we plan to accomplish during this tenure is the exposure to and the implementation of the vast technology that is presently available. We want to be able to produce the best results of our labor thorough careful articulation and thoughtful procedures as we endeavor to faithfully lead the Council.
I specifically always want to be a part of your prayers because we realize prayers are strength and today we need an abundance of strength in the Christian world.
Thank you for your faith and belief in my ability to undertake this position, and as always, I extend to each of you,
“Love, Peace and Joy”
The Reverend Dr. W. Bartalette Finney, Sr.
5. THE PASTOR’S CORNER - OPERATING IN AUTHORITY & PURPOSE:
16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17Jesus replied, 18“…on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16: 16-19)
Last week we established that authority is one’s legitimate right to exercise power, and power is one’s capacity to act. The source of godly authority is submission to God. The godly authority we exercise in our lives will increase to the extent of our submission to God’s authority over our lives.
In the passage above, Peter makes a statement of recognition of the identity of Christ and submission to the authority of Christ as he says, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Christ says, “…on this rock I will build my church.” The “rock” spoken of by Jesus is the recognition of the identity of Christ and submission to the authority of Christ. Christ then goes on to confer authority on the church (the legitimate right to exercise its capacity to get things done) by giving the church the “keys of the kingdom of heaven.”
It is most important for us to note that the authority was granted by Christ to His church with a purpose – “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” This is an important principle to live by. Authority is conferred for the fulfillment of a purpose. When a parent hands over the keys to an automobile to his or her child, he or she does so for a particular task or errand to be carried out. A boss on a job confers authority to her employees for the purpose of achieving the mission of the organization. When Christ conferred authority on His church, He did so for the fulfillment of the five-fold purpose of His church (Rick Warren – The Purpose-Driven Church).
1. Magnify God – Mathew 22: 37 –Love the Lord you God with all you heart and with all your mind. We express our love for God through praise, worship, and obedient living.
2. Ministry to Others - Matthew 22: 39 –Love your neighbor as yourself. We meet the needs and heal the hurts of those around us.
3. Mission to the World - Matthew 28: 19a –Therefore go and make disciples of all nations. We share the good new of Jesus Christ in all we say and do.
4. Membership of Believers - Matthew 28: 19b –Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. We invite all to be members of Christ’s body, the church, through fellowship with our local congregations.
5. Maturity of the Body - Mathew 28: 20a –Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. We study to grow more Christ-like in thought, word, and deed.
Operating under God’s authority fulfilling God’s purpose releases our capacity to get things done. The other day as Corlis and I were out for our walk, we passed a person headed in the opposite direction. When Corlis and I reached our turning point we reversed our direction headed for home. I noticed the person we had passed was now about thirty or so yards ahead of us. I purposed in my mind to outpace and pass the person before we returned home. I found myself effortlessly increasing the pace at which we were walking. Then the target of my efforts was blocked from sight by a stand of trees. After emerging from the cluster of trees, I found that the person had turned a corner and was heading in a direction different than ours. Without thought, my pace slowed considerably. Corlis and I laughed as I explained how walking with a purpose increased my output seemingly without increased effort.
Are things sluggish in your life? Does your church seem to have lost its momentum? Submit again to God’s authority over your life or your church. Realign yourself with His purposes. You'll experience a new pace as you operate in God’s authority and purpose.
Pastor James Moody
Quinn Chapel, Chicago
6. BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
Regretfully we share news of the passing of Mrs. Carrie Elie Gilbert of Memphis, Tennessee, retired teacher for Manor Lake Elementary School and the sister of Mrs. Hattie E. Jackson, widow of former General Officer Dr. H. Ralph Jackson. Mrs. Gilbert died July 7, 2005, at Methodist University Hospital.
Service ArrangementsVisitation:
Saturday, July 9, 2005
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
N.J. Ford & Sons Funeral Home
South Parkway, WestMemphis, TN
(901) 948-7755 (Phone)
(901) 948-7103 (Fax)
Funeral:Monday, July 11, 2005
12:00 NOON
St. Andrew AME Church
867 South Parkway East
Memphis, TN 38106
(901) 948-3441 (phone)
(901) 946-9216 (fax)
Dr. Kenneth Robinson, Pastor
Burial will be in the West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery.
Condolence can be sent to Mrs. Hattie Jackson and family to St. Andrew AME Church at the above address or to the address below:
Mrs. Hattie Jackson
1443 South Parkway,
EastMemphis, TN 38106-3741
(901) 774-8633 (phone)
7. DEATH NOTICE:
Mrs. Alma Watson, spouse of the Rev. Nolan Watson, pastor of bethel, Little Rock, Arkansas, died on Thursday, July 7. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, July 12th, 11 a.m. at Gates Chapel, Crossett, AR.
The family is at 208 North Tennessee, Crossett, R, 71635; Tel, 870-364-4808.
Please keep the Watson family in your thoughts and prayers.
8. ALL BEREAVEMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:
Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry, Chair
Commission on Social Action
Clergy Family Information Center
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)
