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. HERE IS THE WEBSITE FOR THE TIMES-PICAYUNE (NEW ORLEANS) NEWSPAPER ONLINE:
http://www.nola.com/
You may try to locate loved ones or let folks know that you are okay. Go under “Forums and Chats” to “Missing Persons” or “Tell Them You are Okay.” People can also find out what is happening in and around New Orleans.
2. LETTER FROM BISHOP C. GARNETT HENNING,SR.:
Thanks for reporting the many concerns that have been expressed regarding the Katrina Hurricane deaths and disaster. As the Bishop of the Eighth Episcopal District, it is important for the A.M.E. Church leadership and membership to know that the Eighth Episcopal District is responding and will continue to respond to the crisis conditions created by Hurricane Katrina. There are reported and unreported responses taking place even as I speak. We have centers of operation in the Jackson, Mississippi area, in Baton Rouge and in Shreveport, Louisiana where many have lodged in their efforts to escape the rage of Katrina.
I have received and continue to receive a large number of calls in support of the victims and I hasten to say, many of these individuals are in, one way or the other, victims themselves. The District has established a temporary committee to receive, record, allocate and report all funds received at the preliminary stages of these efforts. Some of that information has been reported in The Christian Recorder Online.
I hope people will not panic. I understand the desire of persons to send help, and God knows we need it. However, I would also respectfully remind everyone that the response to this tragedy should not be a mere emotional response. This is not a sprint or a long distance run, this is a marathon and the need for support will be ongoing for months and even years.
My two priority concerns are that a massive initial response be made and that a long- term response will be developed that fully involves the leadership of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, beginning with the Council of Bishop and including all departments. The Bishop's Council and the AME Family have always responded and I am sure we will do no less now.
We are also concerned that an instrument will be put in place that will give FULL ACCOUNTABILITY to the 8th District and the AME Church. There is much pain in the Eighth Episcopal District. Almost all, if not all, of the churches and homes of AME's are under water. The Episcopal Residence is also under water and it appears that all our material possessions are gone. God has blessed me greatly. I have my life and health and a mind to make whatever sacrifices necessary to help my people heal. I thank God for his mercy and I trust God for our deliverance.
I stand in the testimony of Habakkuk 3:17-18: Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
We need all the normal items of survival, canned goods and nonperishable staple foods, clothes, blankets, etc. and of course money. Our main emergency response centers are presently in Jackson, Mississippi at Pearl Street African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2519 Robinson Rd., Jackson, Mississippi 39209, the Rev. Samuel Boyd is the pastor; and Allen AME Church, 6175 Scenic Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, the Rev. Bland Washington is pastor.
I can be reached at (504) 481-2701. The email addresses are: dist8hurrirelief@aol.com or ame8district@aol.com . The Pearl Street A.M.E. Church number is (601) 352-6087. The Fax number is (601) 969-1501. Additional emergency numbers will be added.
Above everything, we seek an interest in your prayers. Pray for us and remember us in all you do.
C. Garnett Henning, Sr.
Presiding Bishop, 8th District
3. NOTE FROM AME CHAPLAIN DAVID BROWN WHO IS WORKING IN THE AREAS OF KATRINA’S DEVASTATION. HE PROMISES TO LOOK INTO THE SITUATION OF THE AME CHURCHES:
I will do my best to not only look in on the AME Churches but also make contact with pastors and/or presiding elders.
Blessings,
Chaplain David Brown, LDCR, USN
4. A WORD FROM THE EDITOR:
Today’s media reports indicate that the death toll body count in New Orleans could probably reach into the thousands and the city might have to be evacuated and the people not allowed to return to their homes for several months and the electricity might be off for several months, or more. The drinking-water supply is polluted. A number of colleges and universities in the region have been closed in the aftermath of Katrina and some of them will not open again this fall. The infrastructure has been destroyed and people, as might be expected, are distraught and overwhelmed.
I am overwhelmed when I see their images on the television screen, hear their stories on the radio, and read about their conditions in the print medium. I have a sense of their grief. Our family was without electricity for 10 days after the aftermath of Hurricane Isabel several years ago and I will tell you that it was painful. And, now the people, in addition to losing everything, are being told to evacuate the city and that they might have to be out of their homes for several months. If they have to be out of their homes, they will be out of their churches also. Religious programs will be negatively impacted.
What happens to families when they are displaced? Do we, those of us in neighboring states, have a responsibility to take in some of the “refugees” and I am thinking particularly of AME refugees? I was speaking with Reverend Tyronda Burgess, who works in the 13th Episcopal District Bishop’s Office, and her husband yesterday when she mentioned that it might be time of the AME Church to establish a refugee displacement program where people with homes in states adjacent to the affected areas open their homes to displaced refugees, and “refugees” is what the news media is calling those persons displaced by Katrina.
I believe Katrina and her aftermath will be painful for all of us, but Katrina is going to be more painful for Blacks and for the poor. Am I willing to take in a family? Should the AME Church strategize and implement a program about that issue? Katrina was a catastrophic event; and it is not “business as usual.”
What are all of the issues that the Church must address? The issue is bigger than collecting money and sending it to the affected areas. The Church’s thinking requires a new and dramatic paradigm shift; and we do not have a lot of time to ponder about the issues that confront us. The Church needs to come out strong and with a plan to attack the devastating task that confronts us. Churches have been destroyed. Parsonages have been destroyed. Jobs will be lost. Offerings will be diminished. Religious programs will be curtailed, postponed, or cancelled.
The news media reports that gasoline might cost $4.00 a gallon; it is over $3.00 in many areas. Increased gasoline prices might affect church attendance, offerings, and church programs. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina will not only affect local churches, it might affect the general Church. Reverend Burgess also suggested that it might be time for churches to shift from face-to-face meetings at the church to conference calls and telephonic meetings. Why require people to drive to meetings when it can be done telephonically and everyone saves money and time. To “push the envelope” further, Bible studies could be done online and churches could established online Church Schools in addition to the regular Church School.
The Church needs to address the issues that confront us today. We need to make better use of the news media. News conferences, timely news releases in the Church’s periodicals and video-streaming on the Official AMEC Website are excellent means for getting the word out to our constituency and to the world. The AME Church does great things but so often, it is “hidden under a bushel basket.”
We are going to do some good works in supporting our brothers and sister who have been affected by Katrina and I would hope that the church would have a concerted effort, with strict accountability and that, as a Church, we would all “sing off the same sheet of music.”
I want to hear from our Episcopal leaders. The Church needs to hear from our leadership. I am hurting each time I look at the news and read reports on the Internet. People are hurting all over America and AMEs are hurting. When we hurt, we need to hear a word from the Fathers and Mothers of the Church, who can provide spiritual and moral support for our people who are experiencing pain.
Bishop Henning shared this text from Habakkuk 3:17-18:
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
That is as word from the Lord, but we need to hear guidance from our Episcopal leadership and words of comfort for our clergy who will be going into their pulpits on Sunday. The leaders of the Church need to give our pastors a word to share with their congregations. Our people will be anxious on Sunday. As news of the impact and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina “hit home” many will become despondent and fearful. They will need a word from the LORD and they will need to hear a word from the Episcopal Fathers and Mothers of the Church.
5. A CALL IN THE TIME OF CRISIS ATTEMPT GREAT THINGS FOR GOD; EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM GOD:
Rarely can the witness of Christians become as important as in our current national American emergency. A region of our nation has been destroyed and literally millions of Americans have been directly impacted by actions of nature. The question at this point is not why, but rather how can we be instruments of God at a time like this? This can be our finest hour!
Looking beyond the television camera’s focus on the “so-called looting” are thousands of persons who have lost everything, including their dignity, and hope – what is the Church to do? For the African Methodist Episcopal Church – the answer is straightforward: everything possible. William Carey a 19th Century missionary was quoted as saying: Attempt great things “for” God, expect great things “from” God. However, we, the African Methodist Episcopal Church must be strategic in our approaches in responding to the needs of the hurting, hungry, homeless and seemingly helpless of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. There are short term, midterm and long-term responses that must be adopted and implemented by our Zion.
Short term: Right now people need shelter, food, clothing, and safe and sanitary places to live. There are agencies that specialize in providing short-term resources to people in need: the displaced and the ‘so-called refugees.’ Whether resources are sent to the American Red Cross or other credentialed and experienced aid organizations – a portion of what God has blessed us with should be directed to those agencies. They are the most efficient provider of short-term relief.
Additionally A.M.E. Churches and congregations located near ground zero, to the extent possible, I am certain will extend their homes, churches and facilities to many families and individuals as temporary shelters and sanctuary from the harshness of the summer’s sun. That generosity needs to be support by the General Church
Midterm: Many of our institutions of worship have been directly impacted by the disasters. Our Pastors, Presiding Elders, and Bishops and other employed persons in our churches need the support of the General Church. These laborers in our Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Louisiana vineyards have the direct responsibility for providing care and comfort at “ground zero.” They need our direct financial support. Their support is not government’s responsibility – it is ours. They must look and reasonably expect that our connectional Zion will fulfill their temporal needs because at this point they cannot look to their members and local Church for support. And, the mighty A.M.E. Church must respond. A new Trust Fund should be established. A selected group of responsible and qualified clergy and lay trustees should administer it. Their charter should be relief support for the AME victims of this tragedy.
We need to develop a system of support, perhaps having churches to adopt a portion of one or more of the affected churches. In this adoption, there would be direct financial support to the local ministry and staff. The ratio might be five to ten Churches outside of “ground zero” supporting one of the Churches in the disaster area. This support may also include teams of persons from unaffected areas providing social support as well as respite for those on the ‘front lines.’
Long Term: Our A.M.E. facilities are going to need to be rebuilt, and furnished. Our Zion should develop means for leveraging our existing wealth to underwrite the commercial loans that must be obtained to rebuild destroyed buildings. The A.M.E. Church must leverage our relationship with financial institutions to make certain that funds are made available for the rebuilding of our facilities. It may take up to sixty months before many of the destroyed neighborhoods and communities can become self-sufficient again, and in that period the rest of our Zion should stand as guarantors until that day of full recovery has come.
Underscoring all of this, must come a new era of “transparency” and “accountability” in terms of the receipt and uses of funds and resources. With accountability comes trust, and with trust comes greater support. Without making a sweeping indictment, it is clear that some in our Zion have been uncomfortable with the notion of “transparency.” This is a new day and a new opportunity to lift the veils of secrecy that has sometimes obfuscated our mission activities.
The old tradition of “missionary offerings and benevolent offerings” not getting to the needy – must be buried and eliminated.
No one can argue that direct sustentation is going to be necessary for many in our Zion – let us be open and transparent in our support. The “devil is given strength” when we fail to pay attention to the details.
It is time to react to the tragedy before us, act on the opportunity and then execute a short term, midrange and long-term plan of aid and support to our brothers and sisters. In the shadow of the tragedies, we are experiencing, this can be our finest hour – God is waiting to use us, as true witnesses of love, compassion and caring.
The Rev. Dr. Clyde W. Oden, Jr.
Senior Pastor
Bryant Temple AME Church
2525 W. Vernon Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90008
6. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT - HURRICANE KATRINA HOTLINE FOR U.S. NAVY PERSONNEL:
Hurricane Katrina Help Line for Navy personnel: 1-877-414-5358
Release Date: 08/30/2005
The Navy is sincerely concerned for our Sailors and their family members in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. In light of the communications difficulties created by the hurricane, Navy Personnel Command has set up a 24-hour help line for both Sailors and their family members to call for information regarding their loved ones: 1-877-414-5358. This line is staffed 24x7 by active duty Navy personnel and will have connectivity with Navy, FEMA and other government agencies. They will try their very best to answer questions regarding the status of Navy family members, but please be aware that communication in the region is still very challenging and in some cases impossible at this point.
Forwarded by AME Chaplain John Morrison, CH., CAPT, US Navy
7. THE NEXT STRATEGIC PLANNING:
The next Strategic Planning Meeting is scheduled for September 19-20, 2005 in Nashville, Tennessee. The meeting will be held at the:
Renaissance Nashville Hotel
611 Commerce Street
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 255-8400
(615) 255-8163 – FAX
For additional information, you may contact a point of contact via e-mail at arcrocker@amecnational.org or Kbluingosb@amecnational.org or by telephone at (202) 371-8715 or (615) 259-3771
Archive of The Christian Recorder Online from 2004-2016; Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder
