Bishop
T. Larry Kirkland - Chair, Commission on Publications
The
Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The
Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, the 20th Editor, The Christian Recorder
Reminder for Church Bulletins:
In the U.S. Daylight Time ends and Standard Time begins on the first Sunday in November
In the U.S. Daylight Time ends and Standard Time begins on the first Sunday in November
1. EDITORIAL – MINISTRY DREAMS
FULFILLED, MINISTRY DREAMS DEFERRED OR MINISTRY DREAMS ABANDONED (PART 1):
Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III
The 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder
The
ministry is a hard profession, especially for those engaged in fulltime
ministry. The ministry is a hard profession as evidenced by the numbers of men
and women who reportedly drop out of the ministry. A Duke University study found that
eighty-five percent of seminary graduates entering the ministry leave within
five years and another study purports that 90% of all pastors will not stay in
the active ministry until retirement. An Alban Institute study found that 50%
of ministers drop out of ministry within the first five years of ministry. And
those studies do not count those clergy persons who have refocused and reduced
ministry to a Sunday morning “sit in the pulpit” activity.
There
are many reasons why there is such a high attrition rate in the profession of
ministry. Beginning salaries are lower than in other professions and that
causes financial and personal difficulties. The absence of medical insurance
and other benefits is a hindrance to ministry.
Disappointment
is factor when those who are called to ministry believe they can make a
difference in the lives of parishioners, only to discover that many
parishioners are not amenable to change. Conflict in ministry and the tension
it causes for families certainly have an impact on the attrition rate for those
in the ministry. Fulltime ministry with
a competitive salary and other benefits can be a scarce commodity, depending
upon the denominational structure.
It’s
an institutional issue that needs to be continually dealt with by the African
Methodist Episcopal Church, if we want to attract highly qualified clergy.
Local churches bear
some responsibilities
Congregational
and institutional conflict pushes people away from ministry. Some pastors find
themselves functioning with dysfunctional congregations and the pastor’s gift
and graces are not appreciated. Some congregations have unrealistic
expectations for their pastors. And, some people entering the ministry have
unrealistic goals, which result is an unfulfilled ministry.
Isolation
and loneliness are probably the biggest factors why people leave the ministry,
which results in unfulfilled goals and low ministry satisfaction.
Isolation
can be exacerbated when clergy members experience spiritual, mental and
psychological stress and feel that they do not have legitimate options to
address their problems. The perception among church goers is that preachers are
supposed to be spiritually and mentally strong and “God will solve all of their
problems”; that’s what most preachers teach from their pulpits.
The
problems of isolation and loneliness are exacerbated for women in ministry. The
high attrition rate for ministers in general (think men) is compounded for
women. If men are confronted with congregational mean-spiritedness, imagine the
negativity women face simply because they are women. Some congregations have
reportedly expressed the opinion that they did not want a woman pastor.
Women
in ministry have made momentous gains, but, for the most part, the “glass
ceiling” remains in place. Women are not routinely given “real” Class-A
pastoral appointments. And, often the opposition to their pastoral appointment
is as much, or more, from women parishioners than from men. I am getting
off-track and the pastoral appointments and challenges of women clergy is
another editorial.
Let me say this –
Because
of the inequities of pastoral appointments and professional fast-tracking of
women, they are often put in the position, if they want to do ministry, of
serving as assistants to pastors, often under whom they are more educationally
and academically qualified.
Let me continue …
How
can a pastor who is supposed to have all of his or her spiritual bases covered
comfortably explain to leaders in the congregation that he or she needs help?
If a pastor goes to a steward-pro-tem or the pastor steward, what training has
the denomination provided to the officers of AME Church to help them to
“minister” to their pastoral leader? And, added to that complication, many
ministers have little or no clue about strategies for self-care. Some pastors
seem to stay in a state of depression or aloofness as a strategy for dealing
with isolation and loneliness. Unhealthy lifestyles can lead to an unhealthy
ministry and burnout that hinders congregational growth.
There are other issues
Lack
of formal theological education in denominations such as the AME Church can
also be a hindrance to people remaining in the ministry.
Obtaining
a degree is expensive and often students borrow large sums of money to complete
their theological studies. Medical doctors and engineers can obtain positions
after graduation that makes paying off education loans a minor inconvenience,
but a person serving a small low-paying congregation has a much bigger problem.
God is the “only One”
- good all the time
Some
pastors have not been adequately trained in conflict resolution and the result
is that their ministry is always in tension and in conflict. Some clergy
members quit the ministry when they feel that they can no longer function in
ministry-related conflict. Other clergy
members remain in ministry and become dysfunctional; and their dysfunction
becomes their normal.
Dysfunctional
churches and dysfunctional pastors inhibit church growth and development and
our Zion has not been able to adequately and systemically address those issues.
Much of our ministerial training seems to revolve around preaching when we need
to spend more time helping pastors and congregations deal with conflict
resolution and church administration.
Perhaps
we could alleviate the high attrition rate if we screened and more closely
vetted persons entering the ministry.
A suspicion
I
suspect that most young men and women who enter the ministry enter the ministry
with the idea of serving in the itinerant ministry, but the reality of the
“system” and the difficulties and economics of pastoring sets in and ministry
dreams are reassessed. And, instead of
going into the pastoral ministry or institutional chaplaincy, potential pastors
go into other professions and lines of work and satisfy their ministerial
ambitions serving as assistants to pastors and serving in local
ministries. Instead of “dreams
fulfilled,” they settle for “dreams deferred” and maybe “dreams abandoned.”
When
ministry dreams are unfulfilled, deferred or abandoned, cynicism becomes a
possibility and aberrant behavior in the ministry setting, in the workplace, at
home and in interpersonal relations might surface.
Ministry
is a tough profession and those who succeed in ministry need to be
compassionate and tough.
The ministry is tough;
very tough!
Sometimes
people attrite from the ministry because they are not prepared for the rigors
and sacrifices of ministry. They are not tough enough to endure the hardships
of serving in the “Army of the Lord” and choose to get out of the Lord’s Army
on a hardship discharge or seek to be reassigned to easier, less stressful
duties.
And
in other cases, some who feel called to the ministry are not compassionate
enough to be a shepherd of wayward sheep, who stray from the flock. They are
flawed themselves and …. (To be continued in the next issue).
2. THE PHOTO OF
ATTORNEY IDA TYREE-HYCHE APPEARS IN THE 2013 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE UNITED
STATES ARMY CALENDAR:
What
a surprise I had when I received and opened the National Museum of the United
State Army 2013 Calendar and saw the photo of our own Attorney Ida Tyree-Hyche.
And added to my surprise was the discovery that she achieved the rank of Chief
Warrant Officer-5; that's a significant accomplishment!
Her
photograph appears on the July 2013 page with other Chief Warrant Officers. She
is the highest ranked Chief Warrant Officer in the calendar.
She
was no ordinary soldier, she was at the “very top of her game!”
In
my 28 years in the Army I had never seen a female CW5; and may have only seen
one or two males with that rank.
We,
the AME Church, have something to be proud of Attorney Ida Tyree-Hyche,
CW5-Retired.
No
soldier of any rank would mess with a CW5!
Attorney
Ida Tyree-Hyche, J.D. is a Connectional Officer in the African Methodist
Episcopal Church and serves as the Editor for the Women's Missionary Society
Magazine.
3. ELECTION DAY COUNTDOWN ACTION ALERT - 19 DAYS TO ELECTION DAY-
NOVEMBER 6, 2012:
Remind everyone you meet that it is a day for
action!
Today, take a few moments to reflect… How do we
honor our right to vote? By asking…“What would Jesus do?”
“I was one of the early voters who waited in line
for 2 hrs TODAY to vote in Georgia. It was worth every minute. Your vote
counts,” declared Stephanie A. Walker Stradford.
Learn what new Voter Registration rules will govern
the Election on Nov 6th
Today, call 10 elders with information about the
voter identification rules that will be used in your state. Go to www.AME-SAC.com for more information.
Today, WORK with a young adult to register at least
10 other young adults. Use your smart phone, laptop, iPhone, Kindle….or the
computer at the public library…..and go to www.AME-SAC.com
– REGISTER ONLINE.
Today, remember the AME Church declaration,
“Therefore, Hereby Resolved that the 49th Quadrennial Session of the General
Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church affirms the right of every
person to vote and pledges to work with all local congregations of the AME
Church in the United States, the Components of the Connectional Church, AME
colleges and universities, and members of the Church of Allen who are active in
their local communities, to educate, mobilize, and educate no less than eighty
percent of the eligible voters in our churches and communities, and register no
fewer than 500,000 new voters, 150,000 of which will be first time, young
adult… “It must be the very heart of the life and work of our Church.”
Today, every member of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church is asked to be partner with every American, and friends of
America who cannot vote to ensure that our communities are educated, mobilized
and registered to vote.
Correct any problems today. Verify your voter
status today at http://www.longdistancevoter.org/.
Correct any problems today!
So, Today YOU are called to go to www.AME-SAC.com to register to vote…online. Be a part of
increasing the VOTER Turnout in 2012.
Today, take this 2012 Early Voting Update and tell
somebody to vote… Today! Tell them which states allow early voting. Go to: http://apps.npr.org/early-voting-2012/
SIStah “Jackie” Dupont-Walker, Director of the
Commission on Social Action
Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, Chair
4. MORE THAN 5,000 VOTERS TO SIGN "I COMMIT TO VOTE" CARDS THIS SUNDAY AT CHURCHES ACROSS
PENNSYLVANIA:
Historic African Methodist Episcopal Church Organizes Registered Voters
in More than 100 Congregations from Lake Erie to the Delaware River
Pennsylvania
Churches Rally Members to Commit To Vote
- Oct 17, 2012 - Philadelphia, PA: From
Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Erie, the Poconos, Philadelphia, and everywhere in
between, members of Pennsylvania’s oldest independent African American
denomination will sign “Voter Commitment Cards” this
Sunday, October 21, 2012, to ensure a high voter turnout among the
membership in the upcoming election. Under the leadership of Bishop McKinley Young (Pittsburg/Erie
Region) and Bishop Gregory G.M.
Ingram (Philadelphia/Harrisburg Region), the pastors of more than
120 African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Churches will receive the cards this week
along with a letter encouraging them to get registered voters in their
congregation to fill them out. The completed “Voter Commitment Cards” are
to be returned to Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia, where they will
become a part of an existing database.
The “Voter Commitment Cards” are non-partisan, and by signing them, registered voters are reaffirming their commitment to vote. In addition to getting members to commit to vote in the upcoming election on November 6, 2012, the cards also encouraging church members to sign up to become volunteer Poll Monitors on election day. The Poll Monitors will be on hand at polling places across the state to make sure the electorate properly understands the new rules concerning the Voter ID Law.
Founded by Bishop Richard Allen in the late 1700s, The African Methodist Episcopal Church has always been at the forefront of promoting voting rights. In fact, every year AME pastors are required to report the number of registered voters in their congregations.
For more information about the AME Church’s push for voter commitments in Pennsylvania contact Mother Bethel AME Church at (215) 925-0616 or go tohttp://www.MotherBethel.org. All media inquiries should be directed to Leslie Patterson-Tyler of Tyler-Made Productions via email at Leslie@TylerMadePR.com or call (609) 247-2632.
5. GET
OUT THE VOTE PANEL 145TH SESSION OF THE PITTSBURGH ANNUAL
CONFERENCE:
The Rev. Dr. Samuel Ware
The 145th Session of the Powerful Pittsburgh Annual Conference
under the leadership of Bishop McKinley Young and Episcopal Supervisor Dorothy
Jackson Young convened an Institute on voter education. The Institute held a panel discussion
moderated by the Rev. Dr. Samuel Ware, pastor of St. Paul AME Church in
Washington Pennsylvania. The panel
participants provided a wealth of diversity and expertise for the audience of
several hundred clergy and lay leaders.
The panel members were Ms. Ngani Ndimbie representing the American Civil
Liberties Union, Mr. David Hopkins, representing Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity;
Mr. Khari Mosley, representing the A. Phillip Randolph Institute; the Rev.
Maureen Cross Bolden, a member of St. James AME Church in Pittsburgh. The Rev. Bolden represented the Alleghenians
and the Pittsburgh NAACP. Mr. Tim Stevens, President of the Black Political
Empowerment Project and a member of Trinity AME Church was the last panel
member introduced.
Collectively, the panel members and the moderator represented nearly 100
years of experience in the political arena.
Their experience was evident in the manner in which they each explained
and responded to questions in regards to the complicated Voter ID legislation
passed into law in Pennsylvania.
Bishop Young and Episcopal Supervisor Dorothy Jackson Young made "getting
out the vote" a Third District priority.
Bishop Young stated a three pronged approach to getting out the
vote. The three are: Registration,
Education, and Motivation. (REM) The
panel members each explained the focus of their respective organizations, the
resources they could make available toward our efforts, the reach of their
organizations as well as their experience and challenges on the issues.
The issues discussed included where to get a Pennsylvania photo ID, how
to respond to challenges at the polls, absentee ballots, providing
transportation to photo ID locations and to the polls on election day.
The Institute concluded with strategies on educating volunteers and
developing successful strategies on collaborating with all of the organizations
and churches to be comprehensive in our efforts to ensure the highest level of
voter turnout as possible on Election Day, November 6th.
While the Institute was focused on tactics and the law, the Rev. Redrecus
Johnson, pastor of St. James AME Church in Pittsburgh presented the schedule
for prayer and fasting that is a part of the strategy to get out the vote.
6. UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS VOTING
RIGHTS: NAACP APPLAUDS HIGH COURT:
United States
Supreme Court rules to allow early voting for the three days prior to Election
Day
(Washington, DC) – The NAACP has
released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to
uphold a federal court ruling restoring early voting in Ohio back to the three
days prior to Election Day.
From
NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous:
“The high court’s decision again
demonstrates the tide is turning in the fight to protect voting rights across
the United States,” stated NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous.
“Early voting is a critical tool for so many hard working Americans that don’t
have the luxury of taking off work or standing in long lines on Election Day.
We will continue to fight until all attempts to suppress voter participation
are turned back.”
From
NAACP Ohio State Conference President Sybil Edwards McNabb:
“Today's ruling is confirmation
that voting is a right and not a privilege, “stated Ohio State Conference
President Sybil Edwards McNabb. “Restrictions on access to the ballot box
are an affront to our Democracy. The Supreme Court decision reaffirms the
federal court's ruling, deciding that voters should be able to cast their votes
in person without risking their jobs, income, or family responsibilities. The
NAACP and our allies will continue to stand in one voice against voter
suppression.”
In the past few months, laws
restricting access to the ballot have been successfully fought in Florida,
Wisconsin, Texas, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania while gubernatorial vetoes
have limited similar legislation in Michigan and Virginia.
Last December, the NAACP released
the report “Defending Democracy” which detailed the various attacks on voting
rights, including cuts to early voting across the country. The full
report is at http://www.naacp.org/pages/defending-democracy .
7. FRATERNAL DELEGATES GIVE THEIR
EXPERIENCE OF THE SYNOD – LISTEN TO INTERVIEW WITH OUR OWN BISHOP SARAH F.
DAVIS:
2012-10-15
Vatican Radio
Among the
participants the Thirteenth General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops are 15
fraternal delegates from churches and ecclesial communities not in communion
with the Catholic Church. Their presence is a sign that the problems facing the
proclamation of the Gospel are universal to all Christians, not just Catholics.
“To sit and listen to the interventions, the topics that are being discussed, I think are really vital, not only for the Catholic Church, but also for the global Church as well,” said Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe, the Secretary General for the World Evangelical Alliance. He is the first representative of the WEA to attend a Synod.
“It’s very good to be here to hear the commitment to Evangelization,” he told Vatican Radio. “Of course…the heart of being an Evangelical is a commitment to world evangelization.”One of the fraternal delegates is Bishop Sarah Davis, Vice President of the World Methodist Council. She said all Christian communities are facing the same challenges.
“The fact that we are going to have to reach out and be relevant to those who don’t know, or have the language, the jargon, or the memory of the faith we have,” she said.
“We can no longer be content to be in our own little tent doors and figure everybody has to come where we are. We have to go out, and when we go out we have to recognize they are not where we are. If we love them enough, we will spend time to reach them in relevant ways.”
Tunnicliffe also said he was impressed with how bishops have discussed the effect of the sexual abuse scandal on the witness of the Church.
“The context of pain, where the Church has been instrumental in that pain, not just in the Catholic Church, but beyond,” he said. “How do you deal with that reality and the Gospel being relevant and compassionate towards those who have been damaged by the Church? I think [this] has also been an important conversation I have heard.”
Click on
this link http://www.news.va/en/news/fraternal-delegates-give-their-experience-of-the-s
and when the link opens go to the bottom of the screen and click on: “Listen to the full interview by
Philippa Hitchen with Bishop Sarah Davis
8. REPRESENTATIVES OF CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS ADDRESS SYNOD - NEED FOR COOPERATION WITH RELIGIONS AMONG TOPICS DISCUSSED:
8. REPRESENTATIVES OF CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS ADDRESS SYNOD - NEED FOR COOPERATION WITH RELIGIONS AMONG TOPICS DISCUSSED:
By Junno
Arocho
VATICAN
CITY, OCT. 17, 2012 (Zenit.org). - Fraternal Delegates from several Christian
denominations addressed the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization
yesterday afternoon. Among the delegates who spoke were His Eminence Hilarion
Alfeyev, Metropolitan of Volokolamsk, Russia, Rev. Dr. Timothy George who
represented the Baptist World Alliance, and Sarah F. Davis, representing the
World Methodist Council.
Speaking
on behalf of the Russian Orthodox Church, Bishop Hilarion reflected on the
anniversary and significance of the Second Vatican Council, stating that even
50 years ago, the fathers of the Council were aware of the importance of a
closer cooperation between Christians of different traditions.
Today,
he said, "we are called to think about solving our common tasks that the
present epoch puts forward. The challenges of the last fifty years that have
passed since the beginning of the Vatican II have not only lost their
significance, but have become even more acute and threatening."
The
Russian Orthodox prelate stressed the necessity of both the Catholic and
Orthodox churches in combining their efforts to face the challenges of modern
society. Bishop Hilarion cited the cooperation of both Churches "within
the Orthodox-Catholic forum, in different international organizations and at other
places of dialogue with the secular world."
The
representative for the Baptist World Alliance, Dr. Timothy George, emphasized
three major points of the New Evangelization in his intervention. The first
point was in regards to the belief that Baptist share with all Christians:
"a robust faith in the triune God." Without this "fundamental
Trinitarian reality, all of our programs and plans of evangelization will be
fruitless," he said.
Dr.
George, who also serves as Dean of the Beeson Divinity School of Samford
University in Birmingham, Alabama, underlined the biblical imperative for
Christian unity, stating that ecumenism is "always in the service of
evangelization." Concluding his third point, Dr. George stated that
religious freedom is not rooted in political or social paradigms, but
originates from the character of God himself. "The tradition of faith, he
said, "resounds as an authentic response to our vast experiences and
questions surrounding the Universe. We live, therefore, in an age of great
opportunity to announce our faith through dialogue with both the natural and
historical sciences."
Expressing
her gratitude in representing the World Methodist Council, Sarah F. Davis, who
also serves as Vice President of the council, referred to the gathering as
"the most timely and critical Synod in the life of Christendom."
Davis
recalled the 1971 World Methodist Conference, which called all Methodists to
dedicate themselves to both World Mission and Evangelism. She also stated that
Methodists agree with the Holy Father's assertion that it is important that
people know Jesus Christ in the 21st Century. "The world is
hurting, lost, confused, distracted, distraught, diseased and disgraced and
desperately needs healing, hope, and salvation. There is no other name to call
on at a time such as this but Jesus Christ," she told the Synod.
The Vice
President of the World Methodist Council also emphasize the need for
"Evangelistic outreach" to meet the total needs of a person's
physical, emotional, economic, social, political and spiritual needs "with
the offering of the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
Davis
concluded her address thanking the Holy Father's call for a New Evangelization
and prayed for "God's continued favor on the yet to come outputs of this
Synod."
9.
LATALKLIVE.COM HAD A POWERFUL
DIALOGUE AND WILL HAVE ANOTHER ONE NEXT WEEK:
On
Wednesday, October 17, LATalkLive.com during “The Dialogue,” the AME
Church Social Action Commission, 5th District – AME Church, AAMLC of People for
the American Way, and Century City Alumnae Chapter – Delta Sigma Theta
“premiered” their partnership on a one-hour broadcast with Bishop T. Larry
Kirkland, 5th District - AME Church, and Minister Leslie Malachi,
AAMLC of People for the American Way as guests.
Tune in next
Wednesday, Oct 24th with guests Dr. Erica Melbourne, President – CCAC of Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority and Actor Keith David. The topic will be “Mobilizing the
Young Adults” (ages 18 – 29) and the “Formerly Incarcerated to Vote.” Starlette
Quarles is the host. Thank you for tuning in…It was powerful!
10. MENTAL ILLNESS AND THE BLACK CHURCH:
*The Rev.
Melinda Contreras-Byrd, M.Div., Psy.D.
When I was
in Seminary, I took a counseling course on working with Asian families. While I
had a plethora of information about Black and Latino families –I was quite
ignorant with respect to issues within Asian populations.
The
majority of the class was of Asian ancestry, but the five of us who were not –
were Black.
The fact
that we were Black became a lesson in cultural diversity when the professor
assigned a “Genogram” presentation to each of us. This family tree presentation was to include
the names and information about as many kinfolk from as many generations as we
were able to track. Right away I saw a
problem!
I tried to
warn the professor but she did not believe me.
On the day of the presentation – I was the only Black student who showed
up!!
You are not
surprised are you?
A truth
that every Black person knows is that we have been taught directly and indirectly
that it is not prudent to “put your business out in the street.” I could not imagine a room full of Black folk
publicly discussing who and where their daddy was, or the peculiarities of
members of their family!
Over the
years I have seen this cultural habit play out in many different
circumstances.
Years of
consistent research data support the fact that Black folk are not wont to share
our personal family business with those outside our family, or even to see
therapists at a rate equal to White folk.
Most recent data demonstrate that this age old fact is still true –Black
folk are still more apt to see our pastor about any range of personal and
family problems –then we are to see a therapist or counselor!
One needs
only to think for a moment about the meaning of outside social agencies in
Black communities to understand the basis for this tendency. Certainly realities such as the Tuskegee
experiment lend support to the wisdom of this approach.
However,
there are times when cultural habits are in need of transformation, so that
they continue to benefit the population who they were created to serve and
protect.
As a psychotherapist who has worked within a
variety of Black community settings over some 30 years – I want to say that we
need to break the silence when it comes to the situation of mental health
within our communities.
I want to
begin a dialogue with pastors, and the members of their churches.
According to
most recent statistics – “Mental Illness” affects some 70-90% of extended
families in the U.S.! The truth is – it
is likely that virtually everyone in a given congregation has been touched by
“mental illness” in some way.
Unlike
White congregations – members of our congregations are more likely to struggle
with the issues of “Mental Illness” alone – or to share them with the pastor.
What this
means is that mental illness (or what I prefer to call “psychological
struggles”) hit us harder. Why do I say
this?
I believe
we are hit harder because we do not avail ourselves to the services that could
aid us and make our lives easier and more whole. Because we do not seek services, we put
pressure on pastors to add “therapy” to the list of things that she or feels
responsible for. While most pastors
become pastors because they have a love and burden for God’s people – I also
know that most pastors have not been equipped beyond a few Seminary courses in
pastoral counseling. We know that
research has consistently told us that a significant number of pastors suffer
from feeling that they are not well enough equipped to handle the diverse needs
brought to them. In Black churches our pastors are likely to be the sole and
front line person who addresses the presence of psychological struggles in the
life of some church member/family. We
are hit harder.
Secondly,
we are hit harder because while others seek psychiatric services that result in
their obtaining medicines that decrease or eliminate frightening and
problematic behavior; Black parishioners are left to cope with these behaviors
day after day with little relief until they reach unbearable or traumatic
proportions that involve outside agencies such as the police, the school system
or DYFS. We all know someone (if not
ourselves) whose family has someone who is “strange” or “funny acting”. They may hear voices, believe unbelievable
things, or act out fantasies that they are having. Yet, they are there at the Thanksgiving table
along with the rest of the family --- and everyone ignores or privately jokes
about their peculiarity. We all know
someone (if not ourselves) who has an aunt or uncle who is prone to fly off the
handle, be suspicious and believe unwarranted negative things about
others. Our families include people
whose psychological struggles result in “attitudes” and “issues” that cause us
to walk on eggshells and hold our breath waiting for him or her to “go off” on
our children or us. And while our
ability/tendency to always take care of our own is a strength; not seeking
assistance and living around these behaviors adds an element of fear, and
anxiety to our families and our churches.
Our strength is that we are a people with a high tolerance for
difference. But because of this our support
systems suffer greater levels of stress. We are hit harder.
Lastly, I
believe that we are hit harder because in our tendency not to seek assistance;
we end up unknowingly joining our struggling family member in accepting a life
for him or her that is far below the wholeness and productivity that God had
planned. We lose because of our silence
because in accepting psychological challenges without addressing them, we fail
to recognize that we are as the scripture depicts us, treasures in earthen vessels. And when we miss this truth –we likewise miss
the opportunity to be empowered by another truth. From these experiences of brokenness – we
learn the applied truth that “the excellency of the power comes from God and
not from us…”
We are a
proud and strong people whose faith in God has delivered us from “…many dangers
toils and snares…”
I want to
end by suggesting five things:
1) That
pastors seek information and training in basic psychiatric diagnosis and
treatment; and then seek and refer those who need these services to local
therapists who are culturally sensitive and respectful of faith issues.
2) That
pastors and lay leaders invite mental health practitioners to do workshops on
mental health issues that are specific to the Black Church. (If you cannot find
one – contact me. “Have program… will travel!”
3) That
churches observe national mental health week by giving out information on how
to spot and cope with specific psychological struggles/mental illnesses.
4) That
pastors preach sermons that acknowledge that it is not a failure of faith to
have a psychological struggle, and that the church community must be a place of
healing for all those who struggle.
5) That
Christian Education Directors and pastors form a supportive relationship with
their local “National Alliance on Mental Illness”. This is a community-based organization that
offers training, written information and programs that can help you or your
loved one, find services, learn their rights and cope. They even have information especially for
churches.
*The Rev.
Melinda Contreras-Byrd, M.Div., Psy. D is a New Jersey Licensed Psychologist
and serves as Mental Health Director for the First Episcopal District
11. SENIORS / GRANDPARENTS DAY
CELEBRATES “BUFFALO SOLDIER” AT BETHEL, HUNTINGTON:
*Jeanette T. Johns
For
the past six years this program has been chaired by Sister Yvette K. Stone, on
behalf of the Building Fund Committee. She explained that she started this because
she has always seen older people honor younger people, but never had she seen
the older members of the church honored in a significant way. Each year her
ingenious ideas, creativity, and planning ability have been expressed in more
and more interesting ways. I can remember her first program which included a
duo of Praise Dancers from a neighboring church. They were a male and a female,
high school students who were well-known in the area because of their acquired
skills of blending their sharp, precise movements as they danced their praises
to God.
Sister
Stone is a product of her education at Hunter College,
SUNY Farmingdale, and Springfield Gardens School of Practical Nursing where she
became a Licensed Practical Nurse. She is very active in the Huntington community where she is probably
best known for starting a Back-To-School program where she provides backpacks
filled with school supplies for the children of the community. This was started
many years ago to memorialize her young son who died at the age of 15. Her
volunteer services in the community are much needed and well-received. At Bethel she serves as a
Trustee, Choir President, Building Fund member, Pastor’s Aide member, and Lay
Organization member. For her many and varied services she has received numerous
plaques, awards, and other forms of gratitude and recognition.
Bringing
this excellent background into the service of God, this year Sister Stone went
several steps further to insure the joyful success of her program for Seniors
and Grandparents. With Louis Daniel, a Licentiate, serving as Worship Leader,
other participants included Sisters Willie Cooley, Geneva Addison, Nazaree Center, Marian Hendrickson, and Brother
Ulysses Spicer. Pastor Larry Jennings, Sr. delivered the sermon.
The first
surprise came when The Seniors Divine Dance Group was introduced to our
congregation. Sisters Marian Hendrickson, Nazaree Center,
Mattie Tyner, and Tijuana Gadson appeared dressed in garments reminiscent of
the clothing of yester-year’s ladies of the church – long white dresses,
accented with a slim black belt and large, floppy black hats. They had prepared
a dance presentation that was pleasing to the eye, the heart, and the soul.
In
addition, our Perfect Peace Dance Ministry performed. This group is composed of
the new group’s direct opposites, some of the very youngest members of our
church and they are always anxious to praise God with their perfection in
dance.
Later,
Sister Stone announced that she had recently celebrated a Milestone Birthday and
received a vast amount of gift money. She chose to use that money to honor and
memorialize a recently-deceased member of our church and his family by
commissioning the portrait of Brother Thomas Watkins to be painted by a local
and very prominent artist, Robert Carter. At the proper time this portrait was
unveiled by its painter, with the pastor, Rev. Larry Jennings; Sister Stone;
Sister Delores Thompson, Chairperson of the Building Fund, and Sister Emma A.
Watkins, widow of the portrait subject,
standing by. This was glorious to behold and a portrait description will
be supplied after an introduction to both of these men. First, Brother Thomas
Watkins, in whose honor and memory this was done.
Thomas
Watkins was the oldest member of Bethel
A.M.E. Church,
Huntington when he died on January 31, 2012 at
the age of 94 and was buried in Calverton
National Cemetery.
Born in Virginia, the son of Black farm workers, he was born in Aquebogue, Long Island, NY
where his father worked on local farms like so many other Black men from the
South did at that time. After graduation from Riverhead High School,
college was out of the question because of financial troubles and racial
discrimination which he encountered. Instead he proceeded to carve out a
positive and productive life for himself and found work at the now-extinct
Hotel Henry Perkins on Main Street
in Riverhead, and he also caddied at Shinnecock Hills Country Club in Southampton, now well known to professional golfers.
After his honorable discharge from the Army in 1946 Watkins got a job at what
is now the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, in Northport,
NY and he moved to Huntington in 1948.
After his
retirement from the Veterans Administration in the late 1960s he helped set up
the FAA Eastern Region Federal Credit Union in Melville, LI where he worked as
a loan officer. Later he took a job with the General Services Department of the
Town of Huntington
where he worked for 22 years before retiring in the early 1960s.
It was in
1993 that he married Emma Alston whom he had met in church some 20 years
earlier. They both continued to work
tirelessly at their various duties in Bethel
AME Church, Huntington. Watkins served as a Trustee and
sang in the Tabernacle Choir and the Men’s Chorus. He always made himself
available whenever he was recruited for a task.
About
10 years ago Watkins was asked to attend a reunion of the Buffalo Soldiers
being held in Baltimore.
He was invited by Earl Johnson of Huntington,
who was also a Buffalo Soldier. Until that time Watkins’ family had not known
about this because, as they described it, “he carried a quiet pride in his
service with the storied all-Black Infantry units”. They say he may have been
the last Buffalo Soldier veteran on Long Island. “Growing up on Long Island with few other
Black people around, this was the first organization of its kind they had ever
been in that was all Black”, said Paul Johnson of Huntington, brother of Earl,
who had extended the invitation to the reunion. Said Mr. Paul Johnson, “They
met Black people from all over the country – the sons of preachers and business
owners and teachers – who were talented and got things done. It made them
proud.”
An obituary
about Watkins, in Newsday,
February 26, 2012, states “The Buffalo Soldiers began with the 10th
Cavalry Regiment which was organized in 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, KS.
Its members included former slaves seeking to escape post-Civil War poverty and
abuse. Plains Indians are said to have given them their nickname because of
their curly black hair and their resolute fighting spirit.”
When the 92nd
Division, “The Buffalo Division”, was finally given a chance to participate in
ground combat during World War I, Watkins fought in the Arno
River crossing in Italy in the
spring of 1944. It was this Buffalo Division that helped to liberate Italy. There is so much to be known about The
Buffalo Soldiers. It is advisable that you gain that information via the
Internet. When you do, remember that one of the last of those brave men once
lived in Huntington, NY
and attended Bethel A.M.E. Church,
Huntington.
When it
became known that he was a Buffalo Soldier, Watkins received endless
recognition. He was honored by many community organizations with plaques and
other forms of adoration and was called upon to address many audiences. Sister
Stone states that she was the first to honor Brother Watkins as part of one of
her first Seniors / Grandparents Day observations. At that time she chose to
honor him along with Sister Ida Bruce, now age 92, as the oldest male and
female members of Bethel, Huntington.
Years ago
when I was Head of Children’s Services at Bay Shore-Brightwaters Public
Library, I ventured into the downtown area of Bay Shore
on my lunch hour to take care of a few errands. I discovered that there was a
bright and beautiful Sidewalk Art Show taking place that day. As I wandered
down that sidewalk viewing the excellent work of the various local artists, I
approached a Black gentleman sitting near a display of his works. We got
involved in a conversation and I never quite finished all of my planned errands
on that day. I doubt that I was even able to get lunch. It didn’t matter. I had
made this great discovery of art work displayed by Mister Robert Carter.
That must
have been over 25 years ago. Since then I’ve seen countless articles about him
describing his appearances at various events and I have attended functions
where he was a guest. I remember one occasion where he drew a picture while
music was playing. I remember with still-in-awe admiration that he put the
final swish of his brush on the canvas at the exact moment that the final note
of the music was played. It was an incredible accomplishment and the audience
did not hesitate to let him know how much they appreciated his skill. At
another celebration he appeared at an art exhibit in Huntington, NY
where his wife, Panchita, also displayed her fine art jewelry. They live in Dix Hills, NY.
Born in Louisville, KY,
it was evident at an early age that Robert Carter had an intuitive feeling for
design and was receptive to line, color, and form. His understanding of human
nature and the dignity of the human spirit are evident in his work. He earned
his Master of Fine Arts Degree at the prestigious Pratt Institute of Fine Arts
in New York City and his paintings, drawings,
and illustrations are constantly in demand by collectors throughout the United States.
His work is in the permanent collections of museums and private collectors throughout
the U.S.
and are also represented in numerous art books and other related publications.
He is a contract illustrator for major New
York publishers.
Mister
Carter is a distinguished Professor of Art at Nassau Community College,
The State University of New York, where he teaches Drawing, Painting, and
Design. He is a much sought-after lecturer and demonstrator in numerous public
schools, universities, and private art organizations.
Recent
exhibitions include Dallas, Texas (a one-person
show); Atlanta, GA;
Philadelphia, PA;
New York City, National Black Art Exhibition and
other New York
area exhibitions.
This is the
gentleman whom Sister Yvette Stone was able to convince to create the
wonderful, meaningful portrait of our Buffalo Soldier Thomas Watkins!
The
portrait is, indeed, a masterpiece. Using an excellent photo of Thomas Watkins,
Carter proceeded to produce his own painting. His portrait seems to reveal an
overall glimmering quality which is quite impressive. But the true genius of
this painter was portrayed in the background area. There we saw a shadowy
presentation of the Buffalo Soldiers as they must have appeared in their very
earliest days. I recall a lot of gray in their representation and it was just
perfect for allowing us to reminisce about this important group of men in our
history.
Mister
Carter spoke briefly about his happiness in having been approached to do this
work. At the end of the service I had an opportunity to speak to him and recall
our meeting at the Sidewalk Art Show in Bay Shore
so many years ago. Of course, I did not expect him to remember that, but he did
remember the other occasions I had attended as I followed his career. It was a
shining moment at our church service – but only ONE of the shining moments of
Sister Yvette Stone’s several years of providing such events for her
congregation. You can imagine that we anxiously await the Next celebration of
Seniors / Grandparents Day at Bethel, Huntington.
*Jeanette
T. Johns is the author of The Upward
Journey, A Centenarian’s Chronicle – the Personal Stories of Bishop Decatur
Ward Nichols.
12. MONROVIA, LIBERIA - THE
EMPOWERMENT TEMPLE AME CHURCH CELEBRATES 11TH ANNIVERSARY WITH
BISHOP CLEMENT W. FUGH AS ANNIVERSARY PREACHER:
By the Rev. Aisha Cooper Bruce-Youth Minister
At Empowerment Temple our mission is to serve the holistic needs of the community according to the doctrine and discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in order to be an empowering agent for positive change in the community and the nation. It is not surprising that our 11th Anniversary carried the theme “Helping Our People Excel (H.O.P.E.): Spiritually, Educationally, Economically.”
On Sunday, September 16th,
at the 11th Anniversary Kick-off Worship, about 100 adolescent boys
and girls gathered from three sub-divisions across Liberia to join the members
in worship. These young people are beneficiaries of the church’s outreach
community program, H.O.P.E. Several received scholarship awards and honors. It
was a celebration of God’s transforming power in an atmosphere of praise and
worship.
Then it was ‘preaching time’! Pastor Katurah York Cooper
eloquently presented our new Episcopal Leader, Bishop Clement W. Fugh. The
choir led the entire congregation in singing the District theme song “Days of
Elijah”. Then Bishop Clement Fugh rose up to declare a strong word of hope, “Don’t Believe What They Say About Them Dry
Bones” from the Book of Ezekiel. By the conclusion of this powerful
message, the worshippers were on their feet with shouts of praise and
thanksgiving with a renewed sense of purpose. That sermon will resonate for a
long time!
The Anniversary events did not end there. On the morning of
Sunday, the 30th of September, the congregation marched out of the
sanctuary into the community knocking on the doors of over 50 households. We
distributed bread, water and lots of love. It was a wonderful time of sharing.
A single mother and a widow received love offerings from the church. One
community dweller remarked: “This church is different. Thank you for including
us in your anniversary celebrations.” To which a member replied: “Empowerment
is called to make the difference.”
On September 11, 2001, amid
shocking news of the World Trade Center
attacks in New York City, nine persons met the Reverend Katurah York
Cooper in Monrovia, Liberia where she unfolded the vision to establish an AME
Church. With the blessing of Bishop
Richard F. Norris, the church was organized with sixteen persons as founding members. On September 30, 2001, the first worship
service was held in the lobby of a former bank.
Over the past 11 years the congregation has grown to over 600 persons
and has established an elementary school, two non-for-proift organizations and
is currently completing a USD $1.2- million dollars edifice that seats over
1000 persons with administrative wing and a multipurpose hall. With
60% of its congregation under the age of 40, this church models a ministry of
spiritual and social relevance.
The Empowerment Temple AME Church is in the Central Liberia Annual Conference of the 14th Episcopal District. Email: katu.cooper2012@gmail.com; H.O.P.E. website: www.hope4liberia.org; Facebook Pages: Members of Empowerment Temple & Hope Liberia
13. JOHN THOMAS, YOUTH ADULT
REPRESENTATIVE VISIT TO SOUTHERN AFRICA:
Tell the love of Jesus
By Her Hills and Waters
God Bless Africa
And her sons and daughters. (J.K. Bokwe)
From
September 19 to October 3, 2012, I toured Southern Africa to observe the Youth
Adult Representative training program and the Lay Organization at-large.
I visited
countries in three Episcopal Districts: South Africa (19th), Lesotho
(18th) and Namibia (15th).
I had the
opportunity to attend the Episcopal District Lay Conventions in the 19th
and 15th Episcopal Districts.
I visited with the Bishop John White and viewed the 18th
District Episcopal offices and our major churches in the district.
I was
reminded of the incredible diversity that exists within our Connectional church
as I travelled in Southern Africa.
We often
speak of Districts 14-20 as one bloc, but each District has its own unique
personality and flavor of African Methodism.
The dedication and love of serving the kingdom of God and the AME Church
was clearly felt—even though they do not always feel support from the AMEs in
the United States. People were
appreciative and respectful of my position as a Connectional Officer and even
though I am from a different country, I represent and serve them. Their behavior helped me to understand that
"we can be one," whole Connectional Church irrespective of
nationality and language.
My visit to
Southern Africa left me hopeful about the future of our global work; but I
believe that the Connectional discourse and mentality must change. For too
long, the discourse has been “What can the United States do for Africa?”
There is
much that the Church in Districts 1-13 can learn—particularly when it comes to
relationships between church auxiliaries, business conduct and young adult
involvement. I hope that more people
on both sides of the Atlantic will take the time for true relationship-building. The Connectional Lay Organization has
sponsored two Summits to Africa within the last decade and the Global
Development Council sessions are frequently attended by persons from over the
Connection.
More
members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church need to visit our brothers
and sisters overseas and attend their meetings — to get a true feel for the
environment and people. Exchanges can
only enrich our work and the body of Christ.
John Thomas
III
Young Adult
Representative
Connectional
Lay Organization
14. THE SONS OF ALLEN AND PUBLIC
SCHOOL SYSTEM IN PARTNERSHIP TO HELP STUDENTS:
"A mind is a terrible thing to waste." The United Negro College Fund
An
educational partnership has been established between The Sons of Allen of Ebenezer
AME Church in Rahway, New Jersey and the Rahway Public School System.
Ebenezer
AME Church has a desire to develop young minds and holds fast to that and thus
we are thankful for an opportunity to encourage the academic excellence of our
youth and to support their families in the educational process.
Parents and
concerned caregivers are invited to send or bring the child(ren) to Ebenezer
AME Church on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15 p.m. to 5:15 for free tutoring
with current and former certified teachers from the community.
The
Reverend Erika D. Crawford, Pastor
Ebenezer
AME Church
15. SOME AME CHURCHES CREATIVE
ANNUAL PASTOR’S REPORT – AND THAT’S A GOOD THING:
The Rev. Mashad A. Evans is pastor of St. John AME Church, Birmingham,
Alabama – Click on the link below for St. John AME Church Birmingham’s 2012
Annual Conference Report.
16. THE
PITTSBURGH CONFERENCE STEPS OUT FOR DIABETES:
By Wendell T. Robinson, Conference Director of Lay Activities
In Proverbs 4:23, it is recorded that “Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.” The
Pittsburgh Conference Lay Organization is committed to addressing social and
health concerns of our congregations and communities. The US Health Department
Office of Minority health states that “African Americans are twice likely to
contract diabetes than any other race in America”. Diabetes is the sixth underlying cause of
death in Western Pennsylvania according to the Highmark Foundation. In every AME congregations in Western
Pennsylvania, you will find someone who has or know someone with diabetes.
In June 2012, The Pittsburgh Conference Lay Organization under the
leadership of Conference President Andre Nelson (St. James AME Church,
Pittsburgh), and Wendell Robinson (Park Place AME Church, Homestead) caught the
vision of the American Diabetes Association. This organization works to educate
people, empower those living with, and finds way to eliminate diabetes. The
first step in the partnership was developing a team to participate in their
Annual Step Out for Diabetes Walk. On
Saturday, October 6, 2012, five people braved the cold rainy weather to join
thousands in a 1.98 mile walk in the Station Square area in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. This event was filled with
live entertainment, information booths, food, and fellowship.
All of the walkers’ personal testimony inspires and motivates us as a conference
to do more to aide and assist. Andre Nelson (St. James AME Church, Pittsburgh),
Linda Burleigh (Bethel AME Church, Pittsburgh), and Rev. Prudence Harris (St.
Stephens AME Church, Latrobe) walked in honor of their relative living with
diabetes. Natasha Harris (Bethel AME Church, Pittsburgh) is currently living
with Diabetes, and continues to find ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Wendell Robinson walked in memory of his grandmother who had diabetes. Wendell
also has the trait that might one day develop into diabetes.
The Pittsburgh Conference Lay Organization looks forward to future
opportunities for partnership and education initiatives with the American
Diabetes Association. We believe this partnership
will enhance our global legacy of Christ-Centered Leadership and Training. The
Pittsburgh Conference Lay Organization is a component of the Third Episcopal
District under the leadership of Bishop McKinley Young and Ms. Ametta Reaves,
Episcopal District Lay President. The Conference is led by Vernon Kelly,
Conference President and Wendell T. Robinson, Conference Director of Lay
Activities.
17.
OCTOBER IS A SPECIAL MONTH:
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Bullying
Prevention Month, and National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
October is also “Pastor Appreciation Month.”
18. LOVE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HURT: A LITANY ON DOMESTIC ABUSE AND
VIOLENCE:
Editor’s Note: I was requested to republish the litany written by Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Jr. He wrote it for the 2012 Second Episcopal District Founders’ Day. Bishop Richardson is now the Presiding Prelate of the 11th Episcopal District.
Leader: God has called us into families, men and women attracted to one another by the gift of love, love that produces our progeny. Children born in love are to be nurtured; and the cycle of love continues. But every year, and every day, families are fractured in abusive relationships. And what has been the long term effect? Our children saw it!
People: Love is not supposed to hurt.
Leader: Domestic violence is the most underreported crime in America. It is true; five percent of the time men are battered by their spouses. However, every nine seconds a woman is battered. Ninety percent of battered women reported that their children were present when they were beaten. One half of all murdered women died at the hands of their spouses or an acquaintance, a man who said “I love you.” No one enjoys being abused, regardless of how much they may love their mate, or how many times the abused may return home.
People: Love is not supposed to hurt.
Leader: Domestic violence occurs in all communities regardless of race, age, nationality, sexual orientation, economic status, or educational attainment. Domestic violence is about batterers using their control, not losing their control. They choose to be violent toward their significant other in ways they would never think of treating other people. They say, “I love you.”
People: Love is not supposed to hurt.
Leader: The wounds are deep, difficult to heal, usually hidden, and rarely discussed. The scar tissue is emotional, psychological and spiritual – baggage that grows heavier every day. “No one would understand,” we say. “It must have been my fault,” she cried. After all, he said, “I love you.”
People: Love is not supposed to hurt.
Leader: Here is what we know: GOD is love! “Love is longsuffering. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not behave unseemly, unbecoming or inappropriately. Love is not rude. Love is not puffed up. Love is not selfish. Love never fails. Love is not easily provoked.”
People: Love is not supposed to hurt.
Leader: Love is a decision – a fully grown, altogether adult, wholly mature decision. To become a spiritually mature adult is to also “put away childish things.”
People: Love is not supposed to hurt.
Leader: God made us to be “a little lower than angels.” God did not make us to be idiots, creeps, jerks, brutes, bullies, or butt-heads. We devolved into that form of low-life all by ourselves.
People: Love is not supposed to hurt.
Leader: Then one hope-filled day, the children walked the aisle and said, “I do.” They stood before God and a company of well-wishers who believed in them. Holding hands they said, “I promise to honor and cherish you ‘til death.” But the times were hard, the money ran short, tempers ran shorter, a diaper needed changing – and, and, and the hands that once tenderly held the hands of the other became instruments of abuse, and the child saw it and drew an immature conclusion: “This is how to solve a problem with the one you love.” So they practiced what they saw when they were learning to be parents who said, “I love you.”
People: STOP, in the name of LOVE! Acknowledge the sickness. Seek the Help! Turn down the emotional thermostat! Stop to think! Stop to pray! Stop the cycle of violence! Someone is watching! STOP in the name of Jesus! Let the healing begin – because love is really not supposed to hurt!
Editor’s Note: I was requested to republish the litany written by Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Jr. He wrote it for the 2012 Second Episcopal District Founders’ Day. Bishop Richardson is now the Presiding Prelate of the 11th Episcopal District.
Leader: God has called us into families, men and women attracted to one another by the gift of love, love that produces our progeny. Children born in love are to be nurtured; and the cycle of love continues. But every year, and every day, families are fractured in abusive relationships. And what has been the long term effect? Our children saw it!
People: Love is not supposed to hurt.
Leader: Domestic violence is the most underreported crime in America. It is true; five percent of the time men are battered by their spouses. However, every nine seconds a woman is battered. Ninety percent of battered women reported that their children were present when they were beaten. One half of all murdered women died at the hands of their spouses or an acquaintance, a man who said “I love you.” No one enjoys being abused, regardless of how much they may love their mate, or how many times the abused may return home.
People: Love is not supposed to hurt.
Leader: Domestic violence occurs in all communities regardless of race, age, nationality, sexual orientation, economic status, or educational attainment. Domestic violence is about batterers using their control, not losing their control. They choose to be violent toward their significant other in ways they would never think of treating other people. They say, “I love you.”
People: Love is not supposed to hurt.
Leader: The wounds are deep, difficult to heal, usually hidden, and rarely discussed. The scar tissue is emotional, psychological and spiritual – baggage that grows heavier every day. “No one would understand,” we say. “It must have been my fault,” she cried. After all, he said, “I love you.”
People: Love is not supposed to hurt.
Leader: Here is what we know: GOD is love! “Love is longsuffering. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not behave unseemly, unbecoming or inappropriately. Love is not rude. Love is not puffed up. Love is not selfish. Love never fails. Love is not easily provoked.”
People: Love is not supposed to hurt.
Leader: Love is a decision – a fully grown, altogether adult, wholly mature decision. To become a spiritually mature adult is to also “put away childish things.”
People: Love is not supposed to hurt.
Leader: God made us to be “a little lower than angels.” God did not make us to be idiots, creeps, jerks, brutes, bullies, or butt-heads. We devolved into that form of low-life all by ourselves.
People: Love is not supposed to hurt.
Leader: Then one hope-filled day, the children walked the aisle and said, “I do.” They stood before God and a company of well-wishers who believed in them. Holding hands they said, “I promise to honor and cherish you ‘til death.” But the times were hard, the money ran short, tempers ran shorter, a diaper needed changing – and, and, and the hands that once tenderly held the hands of the other became instruments of abuse, and the child saw it and drew an immature conclusion: “This is how to solve a problem with the one you love.” So they practiced what they saw when they were learning to be parents who said, “I love you.”
People: STOP, in the name of LOVE! Acknowledge the sickness. Seek the Help! Turn down the emotional thermostat! Stop to think! Stop to pray! Stop the cycle of violence! Someone is watching! STOP in the name of Jesus! Let the healing begin – because love is really not supposed to hurt!
19. BIG BETHEL AME CHURCH, ATLANTA,
GEORGIA CELEBRATES 165 YEARS:
Paulyn Morgan
White.
Big Bethel African
Methodist Episcopal Church is celebrating the 165th Anniversary with varied
events. The theme is “Transformed by God, Moving Forward by Faith”. On Sunday,
October 21, 2012 the Right Reverend Preston Warren Williams II, presiding
Bishop of the 6th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
in Georgia, will be guest preacher during the 11:00 a.m. Worship Services. A family
reception will follow. The senior pastor, the Reverend Dr. Gregory Vaughn Eason
Sr., Senior Pastor at Big Bethel, will deliver the 7:45 a.m. worship message.
The oldest black
congregation in Atlanta, Big Bethel was established in 1847 and since that
time, has been a leader in Christian and community services, education, and
economic development and as the steeple reads atop the historic landmark “Jesus
Saves,” it has been saving souls since 1847. At 9:45 a.m. The Big Bethel
History and Heritage Documentary will be presented in Fellowship Hall.
The 165th
Anniversary pre celebration events began with a Youth Festival on September 8,
sponsored by The Sunday School. On Friday, October 5, 2010, Sisters, a play
inspired by the lives of three women and their shared trials, tribulations and Triumphs in the face of cancer and as a
tribute to health and Breast Cancer Month was performed before a packed house.
The play was written and directed by Bradley L. Candie.
Upcoming events
include: The National Children’s Sabbath Celebration on Saturday October 27,
2012 at 8:30 a.m.
Worship Services on
Sunday, October 28, 2012 7:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
4:00 p.m. - The Anita
Brown Glover Concert Featuring Philip V. Skerrett, Jr., a renowned organist
(The Moller Organ features the finest in organ design and craftsmanship in the
United States) followed by a reception.
Big Bethel has hosted
guest speakers, President William H. Taft in 1911, Marcus Garvey in 1917,
Nelson Mandela in 1990, Dr. Martin Luther King in 1957, during the
Emancipations Jubilee Day Services and Presidential candidates Bill Clinton in
1991 and James E. Carter in 1976. The 1919 NAACP National Convention convened
at Big Bethel and also The 1929 Convention of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,
Inc.
The first school for
black children in Atlanta was established in 1864 by the church. Big Bethel was
the location for the establishment of the first free and accepted Masons Lodge
in Georgia in 1871 as well as it was the site for the first public school Gate City
Colored School in 1879. During the AME North Georgia Annual Conference
proceedings, Morris Brown College was founded in 1881.
As a community
economic leader, the church established The Daughters of Bethel, a beneficial society
in 1870. In the past 44 years the church purchased Bethel Towers, a low income
residence, then in 1995, the Nehemiah Project preceding (PROCEED) Prayerfully
Reclaiming Our Community through (Emphasizing
Economic Development) was introduced.
Big Bethel Trinity House was established for transitional housing, a
rehabilitation program for drug addiction.
Big Bethel Village, an independent living facility was built. The church
partnered with the Integral Group to revitalize Auburn Avenue and built The
Renaissance Walk, an upscale condos and retail establishments.
Thirty-five
distinguished clergy have followed Brother Joseph Wood, lay pastor as pastors
of the church since 1847. Six have been elected to the highest office in the
AME Church as Bishops. They include; Wesley John Gaines, (16th): Joseph Simeon
Flipper, (33rd): Isaac N. Ross (41st) Harold I. Bearden, (83rd): McKinley Young
(109th) and James L. Davis (123rd).
Dr. Gregory Vaughn
Eason has been Senior Pastor since 2005. Today a new initiative
FOCUS-(Faithfully Obeying Christ with Unwavering Stewardship) has been
introduced to save, strengthen and provide for future growth for the church.
20. HUNGER AND THE HOLIDAYS: IT’S TIME
WE DO MORE:
By Bishop Don DiXon
Williams
October 17, 2012
Every year around
this time, we prepare to give thanks for our many blessings. From food,
clothing, and shelter to employment, loving families, and friends, our hearts
are filled with joy as we reflect on how good God has been in our lives.
However, I believe God is also calling on us to reflect on those who are not as
fortunate during this time, and throughout the year.
There are millions of
people around the world—some living right in our backyards—who suffer from
hunger. Recently released data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
reveals that one in six Americans—or nearly 15 percent of U.S. households—often
do not know where their next meal will come from.
Similarly, recent
U.S. Census Bureau figures show that 15 percent of Americans—including one in
five children—lived in poverty in 2011. These figures are unconscionably high,
especially in the world’s wealthiest nation.
Within the
African-American community, poverty and food insecurity rates were much higher
than average. While 20.6 percent of all households with children struggled to
put food on the table, 29.2 percent of African-American households with
children were food insecure. Nearly 28 percent of African-Americans were living
in poverty in 2011. Worse, 42.7 percent of African-American children under the
age of five live below the poverty line.
If we are serious
about ending hunger, we must get government to do its part. Many of us help
people in need by contributing to food pantries and charities. This is crucial,
but we cannot “food-bank” our way out of hunger. All the food that churches and
charities collect combined equals about 5 percent of what is provided to hungry
and poor people through federal nutrition programs.
These same programs
face drastic budget cuts as Congress continues work to reduce our nation’s
deficit. The truth is, these programs are designed to expand in times of
heightened need, and now is not the time to cut them back. Cutting programs that have helped keep
millions of Americans from going hungry would not significantly affect the
budget deficit, but the toll on families living in poverty would be huge.
As Christians, we are
compelled by our faith to care for the vulnerable. However, in addition to our
charity work and missions, Proverbs 31:8-9 tells us, “Speak out for those who
cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge
righteously, and defend the rights of the poor and needy.” On Thanksgiving Day,
and every day, the challenge and opportunity ahead of us is to not only feed
the hungry, but to address the systems that keep people in poverty. I urge
people of faith to take our concern for hungry people a step further by
changing the politics of hunger. We must use our voices and pens to encourage
lawmakers to end hunger.
Bishop Don DiXon
Williams is racial/ethnic outreach associate at Bread for the World, and sits
on the board of bishops of the United Church of Jesus Christ, Baltimore,
Md.
21. GETTING TO ZERO: WHAT TIME IS
IT? (PART 1 OF 2):
By Oveta Fuller
Now that we/you/I know, what shall we
do?
If you’ve read the
earlier G20 columns, you now know that HIV/AIDS can be stopped. Talk about the
few ways this relatively vulnerable virus can be transmitted (contact only with
blood, semen, vaginal fluid or breast milk). Complete HIV counseling and
testing (HCT) and make it part of routine healthcare. Promote access to and use
anti-retroviral therapy (ART) by those infected so to reduce virus damage to
CD4 immune cells. These actions can
change what happens for individuals, families and communities.
We know ART adherence
delays progression to AIDS-related illnesses that otherwise lead to an early
death. We know that while there are not yet enough anti-virals (ARVs)
available, they now are available to more people worldwide than ever
before. A 2015 G20 goal is to provide
access for all who need these medicines.
We know that for an
HIV+ mother, chances of transmitting the virus to her child at birth or from
breast feeding can be reduced from 1 in 2 (50% chance) without treatment, to
more like 1 in 20 (5%) with anti-viral treatment and pre-natal care (anti-natal
care). Correctly taking ARVs, for at least one month before birth and one month
after, can drastically reduce the number of infants or children infected with
HIV. This is progress!
We know that
following the prescribed ARV doses each day along with regular healthcare to
monitor CD4 levels and virus load makes HIV/AIDS more so a chronic rather than
a fatal infectious disease.
There is more good news
Control of HIV
infection by correctly taking ARVs along with continuous medical care can
reduce the amount of circulating virus in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).
This in turn reduces transmission rates and lowers overall virus levels in
communities.
Less virus
circulating in communities means less transmission and fewer new infections.
This is good news.
The possibility of
“treatment as prevention” (TAP) has fueled new hope for getting to an AIDS-
free generation. This idea is illustrated well by the cover story of the June
2011 issue of The Economist. It stated “The End of HIV/AIDS? How 5 million
lives have been saved, and a plague could now be defeated.”
http://www.economist.com/printedition/2011-06-04.
Major progress and good news indeed!
So for the moment,
enjoy the good news that HIV/AIDS can be stopped. Tell someone about the
progress and hope. Tell them even while planning how to use what you/we know
for World AIDS Day 2012 coming on Saturday, December 1, 2012. http://www.worldaidsday.org/ (More on this in the next issue)
22. MEDITATION BASED ON I
CORINTHIANS 15:1-10:
*The Rev.
Dr. Joseph A. Darby
I’m sharing
these thoughts after watching the most recent debate leading up to the 2012
Presidential election and marveling at the difference those two weeks can
make. By any reasonable and objective
measure, Governor Mitt Romney dominated and won the first debate, but President
Barack Obama came storming back and, by the televised journalistic assessments
that I’m watching as I share these thoughts, was victorious in the second
debate.
The ongoing
media coverage of what happened between those first two debates suggests that
President Obama realized and acknowledged that he did a horrendous job the
first time around and resolved to do better the second time around, and that
seems to have paid off for him in his performance in the second debate and in
the post-debate media evaluation thus far.
The
apparent results of those two debates clearly show that when we realize our
shortcomings and resolve to do better, we can regain our footing. That applies not only to political debates,
but to our journey through life as well.
When the
things that we do go wrong and cause us heartaches and headaches, we often wish
that we could have done better in what we said and did in hopes that we can do
better the second time around.
It’s easy
for us to let our missteps and mistakes haunt us, hinder us and make us
hesitate to even make an effort to do better.
When we realize, however, that the God we serve is a God of new
opportunities and second chances, we can find new recovery, new possibilities,
new hope and unexpected blessings and victories. We can’t undo what we’ve said and done, but
when we earnestly and honestly acknowledge that we’ve made human mistakes and
put ourselves in God’s hands, God will never fail to fix things and give us comfort,
recovery and healing.
Making mistakes
and messing up are a part of the human condition, but when we humbly accept our
missteps and mistakes and pray for renewal and recovery, the God of second
chances will stand with us, forgive us, comfort and console us and enable us to
see new possibilities for victorious lives, knowing why one writer looked back
at his life and said, “Earth has no sorrows that heaven cannot heal.”
If you are
in the Charleston, South Carolina area this weekend, join us as we celebrate
Class Leaders’ Day – when our members sit with their Class Leaders - with
Church School at 8:45 a.m. and for a single Worship Service at 10 a.m. The Combined Choir, Praise Dance Ministry,
Voices of Promise and Young Adult Choir will offer praise.
Sunday’s
Scripture Lessons are:
Joshua 24:8-15
Philippians
3:1-9
Mark
10:35-45
Sunday’s
Sermon is:
“We’re
Called to Serve the Lord”
*The Rev.
Dr. Joseph A. Darby is the pastor of Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston,
South Carolina
23. PRAYER REQUEST UPDATE FOR MRS.
ORA L. EASLEY, ADMINISTRATOR, THE CLERGY
FAMILY INFORMATION CENTER:
This morning, Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at 8:30 AM, CDT,
Mrs. Ora Easley had spine surgery at the Williamson Medical Center, 4321
Carothers Parkway, Franklin, TN 37067, 615-435-5000. Her surgeon, Dr. Allen
K. Sills, MD, Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery at the Vanderbilt
University Medical Center told her husband, the Rev. Dr. William Easley that
the surgery went well and was a success. Dr. Sills said that he expects a full
recovery for Mrs. Easley and expects her to go home in the next day or so.
Mrs. Easley and Dr. Easley are appreciative of the prayers
of those who prayed for her and they both said that they felt the prayers that
were offered for the success of her surgery.
Those persons who would like mail greeting cards, can mail
them to the Easley’s home address listed below and eCards can be emailed to her personal email address: OEasleyL@aol.com.
Mailing
Address:
5981 Hitching Post Lane
Nashville, TN 37211
Telephone: 615-403-7751
Reference The Clergy Family Information Center Postings, Mrs. Easley
said, “Please allow a few days for healing
to begin, after which, bereavement notices will be posted as received, at
opportune times. Congratulatory announcements received for Friday, October 19th
will be posted the following Friday, October 26th.”
"But they that wait upon the
LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they
shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31
24. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICES AND
CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:
Ora L. Easley,
Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family
Information Center
Phone: (615) 837-9736
(H)
Phone: (615) 833-6936
(O)
Cell: (615) 403-7751
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-AME-Church-Clergy-Family-Information-Center/167202414220
25. CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FROM THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER:
The Chair of the
Commission on Publications, the Right Reverend Richard Franklin Norris; the
Publisher, the Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour and the Editor of The Christian Recorder, the Reverend Dr.
Calvin H. Sydnor III offer our condolences and prayers to those who have lost
loved ones. We pray that the peace of Christ will be with you during this time
of your bereavement.
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