The Right
Reverend 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
1. TCR
EDITORIAL – END OF YEAR AND BEGINNING OF YEAR BITS AND PIECES
Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III
The 20th Editor of
The Christian Recorder
The AMEC Sunday School Union
will be closed for the Christmas holidays until January 2, 2014.
Part 2 of TCR Editorial “I Would Like to See AME
Church News Year’s Resolution that Acknowledges…” will be published in the first
January Issue of TCR Online.
The Christian Recorder print edition is behind mailing schedule because of
printing press replacement, staff shortages, holiday closings, printing of the
Minutes of the 49th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference and
a heavy production schedule. The issues of TCR
print edition have already been prepared and are in the queue.
Readers of The Christian Recorder Online and print
editions have probably already figured out that the Editor is sensitive and
protective of African Methodism and in Methodism, in general. Methodism has had a positive influence in
religious life in the Americas
and abroad. One of my pet peeves is the notion about the genesis of the Watch
Meeting Night service and each year I attempt to set the record straight. I am
encouraged because I have seen some corrective modifications in articles tying
Watch Meeting Services to the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President
Abraham Lincoln in 1862.
This article below was first
published in 2007 and in subsequent issues of The Christian Recorder each year.
Please allow me, to once
again, set the record straight, at least among AMEs and for all of the readers
of The Christian Recorder that
Watch Meeting Night began in AME Churches before 1862.
TCR Editorial - The Watch Meeting Night Services in black America:
Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III
The 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder
We are approaching the New
Year 2014 and pastors and local church leaders have hopefully planned for Watch
Meeting Night Services.
The Watch Night worship
service has been a strong African Methodist tradition from the very beginnings
of the AME Church. I mention that because there has been a revisionist account
that originally stated that the genesis of Watch Night Services in black
communities are traced back to gatherings on December 31, 1862, also known as
"Freedom's Eve" when blacks came together in churches and private
homes to await the news that the Emancipation Proclamation was going to become
law.
The revisionist account of
the Watch Night Service says, “Black folks have gathered in churches annually
on New Year's Eve ever since, praising God for bringing us safely through
another year.” The story is heartwarming, but there is more to the story.
Today, the Watch Night
Service is held in a lot of black and white Churches; and the Emancipation
Proclamation story has relevance and I am certain that the night of December
31, 1862 had a special meaning for the slaves. However, President Lincoln’s
Emancipation Proclamation did not free all of the slaves, only the slaves in
the slave-holding states, but I am also certain, for those who took advantage
of the emancipation order, December 31st remained a significant day
in their lives as long as they lived.
But, the Watch Night service
didn't begin in 1862; it began many years prior to that date.
The Watch Night Service
reportedly began with the Moravians in Germany and was picked up by John Wesley
who incorporated the service in Methodism. In England, Europe, and in
America, the early Methodists and other religious groups also observed Watch
Night services; the Moravians certainly did. The noted homiletician,
Charles H. Spurgeon, a Baptist preacher, preached a Watch Night Sermon on
December 31, 1855 and took his text from Lamentations 2:19.
In America, among the
earliest Watch Night services was probably held at St. George Church in
Philadelphia where Richard Allen and other blacks were members.
To say that the Watch Meeting
services began in the mid-1800 is a myth. It is certain that Richard Allen
celebrated Watch Meeting Night services at St. George Church and it would
follow that Watch Meeting Night services were held at Mother Bethel African
Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia.
Originally, Watch Night
services were held to deepen the spiritual life of the Methodists and Wesley,
himself explained in his Journal that watch Night services in England were
generally held between 8:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. on the Friday nearest the full
moon "so that participants walked safely home through moonlit
streets."
In 19th Century
Philadelphia, the Methodists continued the practice of watch-night services on
New Year's Eve. The newly-formed AME Church members, wherever AME
Churches were located, celebrated Watch Meeting Night services.
Watch Meeting Night Service
is a tradition that I hope will continue because we have a lot for which to be
thankful. All of us have a testimony to give, a song to sing and a prayer
to be prayed.
In the black community, the
Watch Meeting Night began with us, the African Methodist Episcopal Church and
with the Right Reverend Richard Allen, the first consecrated and elected
bishop.
Though other denominations have
Watch Night services, Watch Meeting Night worship is a Methodist tradition and
we should never, ever, forget it.
2. FAVORABLE
RULING FOR AMEC IN THE CASE OF FAME CHURCH OF LOS ANGELES V. THE REV. DR. JOHN
HUNTER, MRS. DENISE HUNTER AND FIVE INDIVIDUAL DEFENDANTS:
Los Angeles, California
The following statement was
issued last week after the favorable ruling in the case of First African
Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles v. the Rev. Dr. John Hunter, Mrs.
Denise Hunter and five individual defendants:
Los Angeles Superior Court
Judge Mark Mooney denied the Defendants' Demurrers and motions to strike our
Second Amended Complaint. The Judge
ordered the Defendants to answer our complaint within 20 days.
In denying the Defendants'
motions, the Court ruled that FAME and Pastor Boyd have the legal right
(standing) to sue the Defendants for their illegal activities, including their ultra vires attempt to amend the FAME
Corporation By-Laws, to disenfranchise FAME from voting on the directors of the
FAME Corporations and blocking Pastor Boyd from assuming his role as the
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of each FAME Corporation.”
Judge Mooney also set the
trial date of October 14, 2014 for this case.
The Rev. J. Edgar Boyd is the
Senior Minister and Pastor of the oldest African-American church in Los
Angeles.
**Submitted by the Rev. J.
Edgar Boyd
3. AMEC SOCIAL ACTION COMMISSION 'S "CALL TO
ACTION":
The leadership in the
African-American faith community has spoken via a letter declaring that,
"We, leaders of predominantly African American denominations and other
faith leaders, believe that our devotion to God requires us to be actively
involved in promoting the well being of all people.
We affirm our support for the
Affordable Care Act.
We understand that over time
aspects of the Act will be revised as government learns more, but it is
essential that we work aggressively with what we have right now. We cannot afford to put this off any longer. Additionally, we have pledged to work
together:
• To facilitate the critical
enrollment numbers necessary to ensure the success of the Affordable Care Act,
and,
• To seek other opportunities
to work towards improving the health status of our constituencies e.g. Health
and Wellness Sundays, which will include thematic preaching on specified
Sundays along with other related activities...."
(Signed by 15 leaders
including Senior Bishop John R. Bryant)
The Social Action and Health
Commissions of our church, in support of this truly interfaith effort, urge and
invite you to read very carefully and act!!
The AME Church has committed
to Outreaching, Educating and Enrolling Every Person who is eligible to
participate in the new healthcare plan.
You can learn more, so that you might be that catalyst in your local
church, your community, your annual conference or your Episcopal District.
The Affordable Care Act is
the law. Every eligible person needs to
be educated about the program and how it might work for him/her.
We remind you that if a
person is enrolled by:
Dec. 23rd -
Coverage begins Jan. 1st
Jan. 15th -
Coverage begins Feb. 1st
Feb. 15th -
Coverage begins March 1st
March 31st -
Coverage begins May 1st
(The gap is due to how
insurance plans implement coverage)
We urge you to become
involved in outreach, education, and enrollment in your episcopal district and
community.
There is still time for you
to make a difference!!
You are invited to
Participate in the AME/ Enroll America Affordable Care Act Webinar, Tuesday,
January 7th, 2014 at 8 p.m. ET; 7 p.m. CT; 6 p.m. MST; and 5 p.m.
PT. The session will last approximately one hour.
Sign up today and spread the word -
RSVP here to receive the
Call-In information and the agenda:
For more information call:
Telephone: (202) 779-3253;
213-494-9493; or 770-328-2002
Prayerfully submitted,
African Methodist Episcopal
Church Social Action & Health Commissions
Bishop Reginald T. Jackson,
Chair – Social Action Commission
Mrs. “Jackie” Dupont-Walker,
Director – Social Action Commission
Bishop Wilfred J. Messiah,
Chair – Health Commission
Dr. Miriam J. Burnett,
Medical Director – Health Commission
4. MESSAGE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE:
The Affordable Care Act has
been in the news a lot recently -- and increasingly for the right reasons.
The law is working: Already,
nearly 365,000 people across the country have picked private plans through the
Marketplace -- and 800,000 more are on track to get Medicaid through their
states. These are people for whom health insurance might not have previously
been an option -- people who in the past might have been discriminated against
for simple medical conditions like asthma, or who may have been dropped from
their coverage just because they got sick.
Now, thousands of Americans
are signing up for coverage every day. That matters. It means financial
security for families all across the country. It means freedom from the fear
that one illness or accident might cost you everything you've worked so hard to
build.
If you don't have health
insurance, go to HealthCare.gov right now and sign up. You can compare plans
based on your own needs and budget, and you can sign up for coverage:
And if you do it before
December 23rd, you can be covered on the first day of the New Year.
Now, if you already have
health insurance, I'm asking you right now to help make sure that your friends,
neighbors, coworkers, and the people you go to college or church with know the
facts about how they can get covered, too. Moms and dads, remind your kids this
holiday season. And if you've recently signed up, tell your friends.
I'm asking you to spread the
word about getting covered -- and we're providing some tools to help you do it.
Whether you talk to a family
member, share a photo or a story on Facebook, tweet using the hashtag #GetCovered, or walk a friend or colleague
through the website -- your effort will make a difference right now.
That's because the most
important source of information about this law isn't going to be me or anyone
here at the White House. It's going to be you, telling the people you know to
check out HealthCare.gov for themselves, and make their own decision about
getting covered.
Tens of millions of people
have already felt the benefits of reform, from free, recommended preventive
care like mammograms, to more affordable prescription medications. But there
are millions more of our fellow citizens who stand to be helped -- and we've
got to make sure they know exactly how.
Thanks for your help.
President Barack Obama
Feel free to Contact the
White House:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500
Telephone: 202-456-1111
5. THE HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE: WHAT
YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Since
it launched in October, we have made dramatic improvements to HealthCare.gov,
taking it from a system that didn’t perform nearly as well as it should, to one
that can help you learn about your new health insurance options, create an
account, learn about financial help you may be able to receive, compare your
options and select a plan. If you’ve tried HealthCare.gov and been unsatisfied
with your experience, or if you’ve been wondering if you’re eligible for a more
affordable option under the health care law, here are some tips for you.
Remember, you MUST enroll in a plan by December 23, and pay your premium, to
get coverage on January 1, 2014.
Haven’t tried yet? Review your options.
We
have added a new feature to healthcare.gov that lets you “window shop” for the
types of coverage as well as discounts on premiums and other costs that might
be available to you. Log on to healthcare.gov and click “See Plans.” You’ll
only need to answer a few simple questions to see detailed information about
each Marketplace health insurance plan offered in your state – before you
apply. Using this new tool you can compare plans, understand covered benefits,
review physician and hospital networks, and more – before you login or complete
an application.
Tried HealthCare.gov and had problems?
Try these tips.
If
you’ve tried Healthcare.gov – especially in October or early November – and your
application seems stuck or you can’t move forward, try starting the process
again. First, log in to your account, select the application in progress and
hit “remove.” Then close and re-open your web browser. Log back into your
Healthcare.gov account and start a new application. Having trouble? Call our
Customer Call Center at 1-800-318-2596.
Filled
out a paper application? Take the next steps to enroll.
If
you filled out a paper application, call our Customer Call Center at
1-800-318-2596 to get your application ID number and find out if your
eligibility determination has been made. You can use this information after you
create an account on HealthCare.gov to review plans and enroll. You can use
this information after you create an account on HealthCare.gov to review plans
and enroll. You can use this information after you create an account on
HealthCare.gov to review plans and enroll. Or you can finish the process on the
phone or with in-person assistance in your local community (visit https://localhelp.healthcare.gov
to find a trained assistor).
Did you pay your premium? Don’t forget
the final step!
No
matter how you apply for coverage and select a plan through the Marketplace,
you need to pay your premium on or before December 31, 2013 in order to have
coverage by January 1, 2014. Although you compare and choose a plan using the
Health Insurance Marketplace, once you select a plan, you must pay your premium
to the insurance company directly – not to the Health Insurance Marketplace. If
you select a plan on Healthcare.gov, you will see an orange message indicating
you must make payment to be covered on January 1. Insurers handle payment
differently, so follow the instructions from the insurer you select about what
forms of payment are accepted and the due date of your first premium – which
will be on or before December 31, 2013, depending on the plan you choose.
Not sure if you’ve fully completed the
process? Call the health plan you chose.
If
you aren’t sure if you’ve finished the process and enrolled in the plan of your
choice, call your insurance company. They can confirm that you have paid your
first month’s premium and you are enrolled. They will also send you plan
information and insurance card. If you’re having trouble, call our Customer Call
Center at 1-800-318-2596.
There
are many ways to enroll. Get help online, on the phone, or in person.
You
can get help where and when you need it – on Healthcare.gov, by phone or in
person. You can also use more than one of these tools to enroll. For example,
you can start an application online and then call our Customer Call Center
1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1 855-889-4325) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to get help
enrolling over the phone. Or, you can also find in–person help from certified
assisters in your area. Just enter your Zip Code to get started.
6. AME MOTHER/DAUGHTER TEAM TRAVELS FROM PENNSYLVANIA
TO LIBERIA, AFRICA TO HELP BUILD PERFORMANCE ARTS CENTER:
*Ms. Angelena Spears is the
Philadelphia Annual Conference Reporter
For the past several years, a
mother-daughter team from Thornbury AME Church, Glenn Mills, PA, have been on a
mission to make life better for children in the West African country of
Liberia.
Sandra Clarke has been an
active member of Thornbury for more than 23 years – and has served faithfully
as a steward, director of Christian Education, church treasurer, and choir
member. Her pastor, the Rev. Maurice Butler, describes her as “a very committed
and dedicated servant of God.”
Her daughter, Shoana Clarke
Solomon, grew up at Thornbury; however, after visiting Africa as a young adult
– has been busy constructing projects to benefit the children there. Those
projects have included the construction of an orphanage, summer camps and most
recently a performance arts center.
Shoana is also responsible
for helping to erect a multi-purpose building that serves as a school during
the week and is used for worship on Sundays and some week nights.
The inspiration for the projects
came from a vision to help the children left homeless after two devastating
civil wars between 1989 and 2005.
Between the two conflicts, more than 250,000 Liberians died and another
million fled to refugee camps in neighboring countries – leaving behind
hundreds of thousands of orphans.
This fall, Sandra took a
leave from her church duties to join her daughter with her most recent project
– The Cachelle International Creative Arts Center, a performance arts school in
Monrovia, Liberia, which teaches visual and performance arts.
The trip to the West African
nation is not Sandra’s first – it is her fourth since 2009.
Her first trip was in the
1970s after completing undergraduate studies at Lincoln University. While studying for her bachelor’s degree, she
met a fellow student, A.B. Clarke, a young man from Liberia. As fate would have it, the two fell in love,
married, and after one year, they headed to his homeland to start their new
family. All three of the couple’s
children were born there.
When the civil war erupted in
1990, Sandy left the country and headed back to the United States with her
husband and children. At the time,
Shoana was 13.
It wasn’t until 2005 that
Shoana returned as a wife, mother, photographer and graphic artist. She visited
her late grandmother’s abandoned property and was moved to renovate it and turn
it into a school for girls. She
dedicated the performing arts center in honor of her late grandmother, Marie
Josephine Clarke, who had been a lawyer and educator.
All of the projects Shoana
has developed have relied heavily on donations; and Sandy says that their
Thornbury church and other churches in the community have been extremely
supportive. Through their efforts they
have raised much needed funds to purchase educational materials, computers and
software, and to pay for students to take courses at the center.
Prayerfully, members from the
Thornbury community will be able to join Sandy and Shoana in Liberia for a
two-week mission trip in the future. The
vision is to have them assist the center by helping to teach classes and mentor
students, while also instilling Christian values.
*Ms. Angelena Spears is the
Philadelphia Annual Conference Reporter
7. AUGUSTA-ATHENS DISTRICT CONFERENCE FOCUSED ON
ADVENT, LITURGY OF THE CHURCH AND AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE ACT:
*The Rev. Lola S. Russell
Jefferson, GA - The
Augusta-Athens District of the Sixth Episcopal District held its District
Conference Thursday, Dec. 12th and Friday, Dec. 13th at Paradise
African Methodist Episcopal Church. The Rev. Ella Mae Samuels is Presiding
Elder of the district and the Rev Stephen Smith is the host pastor.
The theme for the conference
was “Equipping God’s People for Kingdom Living” based upon the scriptural basis
of John 10:10.
The conference opened on
Thursday with “The Women’s Missionary Society on Stage,” led by Sis. Martha
Clayton (Augusta Area WMS President) and Sister Jetty Lawson (Athens Area WMS
President). Following their meeting, the Rev. Karen Bennett, pastor of New Hope
AME Church in Braselton, presented a report as Chair of the Committee on
Preachers to the Annual Conference. The opening worship and Holy Communion
Celebration featured the Rev. Jeannette Pinkston-Jackson, pastor of Salem AME
Church in Farmington, GA, as proclaimer of the word. The Rev. Jackson preached
from the conference theme with a sermonic focus of “Who Wouldn’t Serve a God
like This?”
On Friday, the conference
opened with spiritual enrichment by the Rev. Dr. Claude Ray James, pastor of
First AME in Athens and an assistant to the presiding elder. A most informative
session, “Highlights of the Advent Season,” was led by the Rev. Terrie
Patterson, pastor of the Washington Circuit and the District Christian
Education director, and she was assisted by Sis. Betty Holston, Christian
Education Director at Greater Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in
Athens. The Rev. Mark S. Pierson, pastor of Bethel AME Church, a Candidate for
Bishop and Chief Assistant to the Presiding Elder, effectively offered two sessions:
1) Love Feast in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and 2) African
Methodist Episcopal Church Polity.
Presiding Elder Samuels
presided over a business session related to the upcoming annual conference
(4/25/2014 - 05/02/2014) and preliminary committee assignments pending
confirmation by the bishop, as well as a report from the Committee on Preachers
to the Annual Conference related to candidates for ministry. Sis Betty
Holston was the chair for the Service of Memorial and the Rev. James Lawson,
pastor of Greater Bethel -Athens, was the chair for the church reports. The Rev. Bennett, who is also the GA State
Representative for House District 94, coordinated an Affordable Care Act (Obama
Care) session with representatives from Enroll America, the Center for
Medicare/Medicaid Services, and the University of Georgia. The conference ended
with evening worship led by the Lay Organization and the Sons of Allen. The
Rev. Rashaan Matthews, pastor of New St. Mark AME Church in Athens, was the
proclaimer of the word. Bro. Willie Gainous is the district Sons of Allen
Coordinator and Sister Ruby Dunaway is the district Lay President.
Bishop Preston Warren
Williams II is the Presiding Prelate of the Sixth Episcopal District and Sister
Delores Williams is the Episcopal Supervisor.
*The Rev. Lola S. Russell is
the Public Relations Chair of the Augusta-Athens District
8. LETTER BY MORRIS DEES CONCERNING "DUCK
DYNASTY" CONTROVERSY:
*Morris Dees
I’ve never seen "Duck
Dynasty," but like many of you, I’ve been hearing a lot about the remarks
of Phil Robertson, one of the stars of the reality show seen by millions.
Robertson said some highly
offensive things about LGBT people in an interview with GQ Magazine and, after
much criticism, has been suspended indefinitely from the A&E Television
Network.
But I want to talk about what
the 67-year-old from Louisiana said about African Americans during the
pre-civil rights era:
“I never, with my eyes, saw
the mistreatment of any black person. Not once. Where we lived was all farmers.
The blacks worked for the farmers. I hoed cotton with them. I’m with the
blacks, because we’re white trash. We’re going across the field. They’re
singing and happy. I never heard one of them, one black person, say, ‘I tell
you what: These doggone white people’ – not a word! … Pre-entitlement,
pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one
was singing the blues.”
That’s simply breathtaking.
I don’t know anything about
Robertson’s experiences. But I grew up on a small cotton farm in Alabama and
also worked in the fields alongside African Americans. It shouldn’t even be
necessary to say that they were treated as second-class citizens, most of them
mired in abject poverty and with very little opportunity for anything more.
There was no such thing as equality in any sense of the word.
And of course black folks
didn’t go around saying anything about “these doggone white people.” The threat
of racist violence was ever present, and there was virtually no chance any
white person who harmed a black person would face anything close to justice. I
wonder what Robertson would say about the four little black girls who were
killed in the Klan bombing of Birmingham’s Sixteenth Street Baptist Church – or
the many, many others who were lynched over the decades? What would he say
about Emmett Till, the 14-year-old who was murdered for supposedly flirting
with a white woman in Mississippi? Were they happy about their situation, too?
Those like Governor Bobby
Jindal of Louisiana, who trot out First Amendment arguments to defend the
offensive speech of Robertson and bemoan the consequences they face, are
equally misguided. Sure, Robertson has every right to say hateful, offensive
things wherever and whenever he wants. But there is no First Amendment right to
have a TV show. There is no First Amendment right to be free from criticism. No
one is calling on the government to shut him up.
Maybe Robertson simply
doesn’t understand the hurtful nature of his words. Maybe he was blind to the
reality of life for African Americans when he was growing up. Maybe he still
is. Being oblivious to the suffering of others is at the root of racism.
But why is anyone in this day
and age defending segregation and attempting to paint over the terrible
injustices that took place during Jim Crow?
Regardless of Robertson’s
personal experiences, this idea that African Americans had it good during Jim
Crow is the same kind of historical revisionism that we hear from Holocaust deniers
who want us to ignore the lessons of history. It must be denounced loudly and
clearly.
*Morris Dees is the Founder,
Southern Poverty Law Center
9. NAACP APPLAUDS THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION AS IT
CONTINUES PUSH ON FAIR SENTENCING:
Obama Commutes 8 and Grants
13 Pardons for Inmates Imprisoned Under an “Unfair System”
(BALTIMORE)—The NAACP
commends President Obama for granting clemency to twenty-one individuals,
including eight commutations and thirteen pardons of inmates who were serving
time in prison under severe sentencing guidelines for crack cocaine offenses.
“Today, the administration is
continuing to correct a badly drawn path by law and practice,” stated Interim
NAACP President and CEO Lorraine C. Miller. “When the War on Drugs was initiated,
too many laws were passed that were not fully thought through— one of those
being mandatory sentencing for crack cocaine possession and other drug offenses
that was partially driven by media sensationalism and faulty information on
drug distinctions, their use, and their effects. Caught in the middle of that
war were the poor and communities of color in America that are more likely to
be targeted, caught and incarcerated for crack cocaine offenses.”
All of the men and women
inmates whose sentences were commuted had served at least 15 years in prison.
Six were serving life terms. Neither inmate would have been committed to those
long terms under the new sentencing guidelines set by the Fair Sentencing Act
of 2011, which was passed to in part to address the 100-1 sentencing disparity
between crack and powder cocaine offenses.
“We are ecstatic that the
administration has been able to continue the progress it has made in addressing
this issue of disparities and injustices in drug related sentencing and offenses,”
said Hilary Shelton. “The Fair Sentencing Act signed into in 2011 sought to
address the vast disparities in sentencing that has disproportionately harmed
racial and ethnic minority citizens. It is our hope that the administration and
the Congress will continue to work to correct these disparities in our criminal
justice system.”
According to the Department
of Health and Human Services, African Americans make up approximately 13% of
illegal drug users in the nation. White Americans make up about 60% of illegal
drug users in the country.
However, African-Americans
make up 84.7% of crack cocaine convictions, while white Americans only make up
less than 2% of those convicted.
10. PRESIDENT OBAMA COMMUTES SENTENCES OF PEOPLE
SERVING LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE:
WASHINGTON – President Obama
today commuted the sentences of at least three people who were serving life
without parole for nonviolent offenses. Prior to today’s announcement, Obama
had only pardoned 39 people and commuted only one sentence, which is the fewest
by any president in recent history.
Below is a statement from
Vanita Gupta, deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union:
“President Obama today gave
several Americans who were unnecessarily sentenced to die behind bars the chance
to reunite with their families. This is one important step toward undoing the
damage that extreme sentencing has done to so many in our criminal justice
system. We hope the President will continue to exercise his clemency powers and
lend his support to systemic reform that will make our criminal justice system
smarter, fairer, and more humane.”
Clarence Aaron, Stephanie
George, and Reynolds Wintersmith, Jr., who all received commutations today, were
profiled in the ACLU’s recent report on people serving life without parole for
nonviolent offenses.
The report is available at:
This press release is
available at:
11. STUDY- BLACK TEENAGE PREGNANCY RATES DROP
DRAMATICALLY:
- Unwanted pregnancies among African-American
youth are down by 51 percent.
By Kellee Terrell
It’s not often that we hear
good news when it comes to the reproductive health of Black teenagers. But a
recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
gives us just that. It found that teen pregnancy has dropped dramatically among
Black teens.
Researchers from the CDC
found that between the years 1999-2009 unplanned pregnancy rates among
African-American teens dropped by a whopping 51 percent and 40 percent for
Latinos.
Why the decline?
"Research suggests that
more teens are delaying initiating sex, waiting longer to have sex," said
Rachel Jones, a senior research associate with the Guttmacher Institute, who
was not associated with the study, wrote CNN.Com. Jones added, "More teens
are using more contraceptives and using more effective methods of
contraception."
This study also found that
abortion rates were at an all-time low dropping a little more than 30
percent.
What’s ironic is that despite
these signs of progress, the public believes otherwise. A recent survey
conducted by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unintended Pregnancy
found that nearly half of Americans thought teen pregnancy was getting worse
over the years, says the Washington Post.
One thing to keep in mind
though: While this recent news is optimistic, the racial disparity gap is still
steep. Teen pregnancy rates among African-Americans and Latinos are almost
double those of their white counterparts. When it comes to abortion, our rates
our still the highest: 31.8 abortions per 1,000 Black women aged 15–44 years —
and 90 percent of those women were single.
Obviously, there is more to
do. Perhaps Obamacare, given that it requires insurance plans to cover all
FDA-approved forms of birth control for women, could get us greater access to
the contraception that we need.
Learn more about forms and
methods:
Filed Under: Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, Birth Control, Teen Pregnancy, Abortion,
Obamacare, Health News
12. CREDIT CARD DEBT THREATENS BLACK
MIDDLE CLASS:
By
Jazelle Hunt
NNPA
Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON
(NNPA) – Still reeling from the Great Recession, middle class Blacks are
maintaining their status by using credit to help cover their basic living
expenses, according to a report from the NAACP and public policy research
organization, Demos.
In
the Recession’s aftermath, 79 percent of middle class African American
households carry credit card debt. And although they have less debt than before
the Recession, the credit crunch continues as Black households spend an average
$368 on credit to make ends meet.
“The
report highlights the need to look at how much credit is serving middle class
Americans and how much it’s giving a false illusion,” says Dedrick
Asante-Muhammad, senior director of the NAACP Economic Department and co-author
of the study. “Everybody needs credit but it should be a tool to help your
economic life. Now we see it as a drain on African Americans trying to gain a
middle class life.”
Released
earlier this month, the report, “The Challenge of Credit Card Debt for the
African American Middle Class,” is an outgrowth of a larger national study on
middle class credit card debt since 2010. It found that although African
Americans owe less than they did in 2008, 42 percent of households are relying
on their cards for basic living expenses when their incomes and savings fall
short, a trend that persists across the entire middle class. Black families are
also building their futures on credit, using cards to support higher education,
entrepreneurship, and medical expenses.
“Use
of credit in long term investments for the future is a specific African
American problem, largely because of the historical impact of racism in wealth
building, and current racial bias in lending,” says Demos policy analyst,
Catherine Ruethschlin, who co-authored the study. “Hypothetically, if [an
African American] family was in America during the ‘60s but excluded from the
same wealth-building that White families had, [they] don’t have the same
financial assets to fall back on.”
The
seeds for economic disparities seen today have been sown over 50 years of
redlining, blockbusting, and predatory lending. Today Black Americans have $1
in assets for every $20 owned by White Americans, and, according to the study,
more than half of it is tied to homeownership.
Enter
the Great Recession, when the housing bubble inflated by predatory lending
practices bursts, dragging the global economy and hope for long-term Black
wealth down with it. Only 55 percent of the study’s Black respondents own their
home, compared to the 72 percent of White respondents.
If
homeownership has been considered the cornerstone of the American Dream, then
education has been considered the bulldozer that clears the way. According to
the report, 80 percent of Black college grads took out some amount of loans in order
to attain a higher education, compared to 65 percent of Whites.
Credit
debt as a result of student loans can then affect career outcomes, as credit
checks are sometimes part of the hiring process. Those with poor credit are
often relegated to low-paying jobs due to this dubious but legal practice.
For
this and other reasons, entrepreneurship has also been considered a path to the
good life. In the study, an overwhelming 99 percent of indebted moderate-income
African American households who had expenses related to starting or running a
business in the past three years still carry that expense on their credit card
bill.
Ruethschlin
explains, “If you don’t have access to small business loans because the market
went dry during the Recession, those with the worst credit history are going to
be the last to get back into the system. It shifts an additional financial
burden. It could be those additional challenged that make it harder to run a
successful business.”
Interestingly,
Black and White households reported different reasons for poor credit: 44
percent of White respondents cited late mortgage payments and using all or
nearly all of their credit lines while 40 percent of Black households cited
late student loan payments and credit report errors.
However
varied the causes, middle class credit use and debt levels are similar across
race—it’s the consequences that raise eyebrows.
“I’d
assume before this report that there would be greater disparities [in card
use], but even the amount of debt we have is not that different,”
Asante-Muhammad says. “What is different is that we have worse credit scored
and receive stronger collection tactics.”
The
report found that African Americans and Whites had similar rates of card
default, late payments, bankruptcy, eviction, and repossession. However, 71
percent of African American households had been called by bill collectors,
compared to 50 percent of White households. African Americans in the report
were also more likely to report card cancellations, limit reductions, or credit
rejections in the last three years (53 percent of Black respondents compared to
36 percent of Whites).
Even
if credit score isn’t a problem, indebted African American households face
higher interest rates, reporting an average APR of 17.7 percent on the card
where they carry the greatest balance. For White households it’s 15.8 percent.
Despite
this, African American respondents were less likely to moderate their card use
as a result of higher rates, which suggested to the authors that Black
households have less of a choice in staying afloat.
“It’s
not surprising that the middle class relies on credit cards to get their
expenses met,” says Nikitra Bailey, executive vice president of the Center for
Responsible Lending. “When we think of the catastrophe caused by the Recession,
most families didn’t have wealth resources necessary to fall back on. Our own
reports show that the typical household only has about $100 left over every
month after needs are met.”
The
government stepped in 2008 with the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility,
and Disclosure (CARD) Act, which has helped at least a third of the African
American respondents in the study pursue financial freedom. The CARD Act
attempts to create a more equitable and less predatory credit climate for all
Americans through billing transparency and plain-language credit terms and
conditions.
“The
CARD Act has been really useful and is working in the manner intended,” Bailey
says. “What’s unique about the Act is that it provides transparency around
credit bills without the bait-and-switch we saw before the act. Late fees have
dropped more than half, and credit delinquency is the lowest it’s been since
1994.”
In
its first year alone, the CARD Act halved the amount of late fees Americans
paid, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Most Americans
have noticed a warning on their bill about the consequences of making a late
payment (77 percent of Americans), or only paying the minimum (70 percent).
Bailey
believes that with support, these trends in greater credit debt management will
result in restored homeownership, stronger communities, and a strong economy
overall. The report makes similar assertions and offers both state and federal
policy recommendations for fostering fairness in the credit industry, including
an expansion of the CARD Act’s success.
“Too
often people fall into the false narrative of African Americans that the wealth
disparity is due to undisciplined spending habits, but if you look at the report
you see that they’re using credit for basic living expenses,” Asante-Muhammad
points out. “The problem isn’t around spending; the problem is income
inequality, wealth inequality, and a decline in opportunity for middle class
African Americans as a whole.”
13. BIG BETHEL AME CHURCH, ATLANTA, GA
HOSTS “CELEBRATING OUR BLESSINGS”:
By
Sister Alaya Boykin
Big
Bethel AME Church, under the leadership of the Rev. John Foster, Ph.D., Senior
Pastor, hosted a special service on Sunday, November 17, 2013 called,
“Celebrating Our Blessings.” “Celebrating Our Blessings” is part of the
continuing transitional transformation at Big Bethel. “God has blessed Big Bethel and we needed the
local church family to celebrate what God has done for us over the past six months,”
says Pastor Foster. “Celebrating Our Blessings” is the continuation of a
whirlwind of changes at Big Bethel. The church family is excited and prayerful
about what is to come.
Members
of Big Bethel listen to the testimonials at “Celebrating Our Blessings”
The
“Celebrating Our Blessings” service provided testimonials on seven specific
blessings that God has delivered to the Big Bethel AME Church family.
The
seven blessings are: The Bethel Towers Mortgage Burning; the Payoff of the
Dobbs Parking Lot Taxes; a Love Gift of $30,000 to Morris Brown College; the
Implementation of the Multimedia Ministry; successful church audits; the “New
Faithfully Obeying Christ with Unwavering Stewardship” (F.O.C.U.S.) Initiative; and the Church
Vision.
The Bethel Towers Mortgage Burning
The
Bethel Towers high-rise apartments consist of 120 units of low-income housing
was built in 1971.
During
most of its existence the management and fiscal control of Bethel Towers was
outside of the influence of Big Bethel AME Church. As a result of paying off
the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) loan, Big Bethel AME Church now has
management and fiscal authority over Bethel Towers for the first time in its
history.
The Payoff of the Dobbs Parking Lot
Taxes
Big
Bethel AME Church was notified in 2011 of a tax liability from the City of
Atlanta and the State of Georgia in the amount of $729,829. Through an
initiative denoted as “Faithfully Obeying Christ with Unwavering Stewardship”
(F.O.C.U.S.); fundraising efforts were initiated to make supplemental monthly
payments. The Dobbs Parking Lot taxes in arrears were paid in full on October
22, 2013.
A Love Gift of $30,000 to Morris Brown
College
Each
church in the Sixth Episcopal District was asked to raise a love offering in support
of Morris Brown College. The overall Episcopal District goal was to raise $1.5
million over the next nine months. Big Bethel’s apportionment was $30,000,
which it successfully raised on October 28, 2013, at its 166th
Church Anniversary celebration.
The Implementation of the Multimedia
Ministry
Big
Bethel has been discussing for several years the possibility of implementing a
multimedia ministry, including overhead projectors, large video screens,
PowerPoint video presentation to support the worship service, and live video
streaming for weekly broadcasts.
The
dream became a reality on September 1, 2013 when Big Bethel began weekly
broadcasts of its worship services. During the September – November 2013, timeframe,
the live and archival broadcasts have been seen by more than 4,500 viewers.
Successful Church Audits
Big
Bethel had not conducted a full audit of its financial records, systems, and
processes since 2005. In order to bring the Church up to date, fiscal years
2011 and 2012 were both audited. Feedback from the audit team showed that Big
Bethel now has processes and systems in place to insure fiscal accountability.
Dr.
McDonald Williams, Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams (Retired General Officer of the AMEC),
Mrs. Janice Murphy, and Mr. Don Murphy received the testimonials.
At
the conclusion of the audit presentation another blessing was received. Mr. Don
Murphy, President and CEO of The Wesley Peachtree Group in Atlanta, Georgia
made a spontaneous announcement to the Big Bethel family as he waived the
$15,000 accounting fee for the two-years of audits.
The New F.O.C.U.S. Initiative
Thanks
were given to the Big Bethel AME Church Family for their sacrifice for
“Faithfully Obeying Christ with Unwavering Stewardship” (F.O.C.U.S.) Phase I,
and a new beginning for debt reduction for Phase II. The new F.O.C.U.S. goal
will include mobilizing the congregation to pay off the debt on sanctuary over
the next five years.
The Church Vision
Pastor
Foster presented the final blessing -- the Church Vision for Big Bethel AME
Church. The Church Vision statement is “To be the Preeminent Religious Presence
of the Auburn/Edgewood Corridor in Atlanta, Georgia that proclaims, ‘Jesus
Saves.’”
Pastor
John Foster introduced the Seven Pillars
of the Vision to the Congregation at “Celebrating Our Blessings”
The
Vision encompasses Seven Pillars
which are part of a seven-year plan that outlines attainable goals specific to Big
Bethel AME Church. They include: Worship, Christian Education, Youth, Young
Adults, Adults and Seniors, Community Outreach, and Economic Development.
Each
Pillar includes several different missions.
Under
the Youth Pillar, there are the YPD, local to the connectional; youth church;
youth Sundays; youth projects and events; community projects; and travel
outings.
“The Pillars define the areas that
require strength to support the vision.
Strength
in Pillars 1 through 5 will affect change in the congregation; strength in
Pillars 6 and 7 will affect change in the community,” said Khamisi Walters, a
Preacher’s Kid (PK) and trustee at Big Bethel.
The
Rev. Ali Holness, youth minister at Big Bethel, believes Pastor Foster is not
“going out of reach” with the Seven Pillars of Vision. “These are goals we can
attain and have already started working on. They’re just seeds that need
watering,” said Holness.
The
Rev. Holness, who is new to Big Bethel, takes great pride in being the youth
minister. “Youth are often overlooked and undervalued in churches,” the
Reverend Holness says as she sees Pastor Foster trying to help them to make
smooth transitions into all of the ministries of the church by involving them
in the various ministries as they grow into young adults. “In order to run a
successful ministry, you have to have supportive leadership, and that’s Pastor
Foster. Our youth have voices that are being heard,” she said.
Pastor
Foster ended his presentation by introducing the vision slogan, Big Bethel
2020. He then challenged the congregation with the question, “What do you want
Big Bethel AMEC to look like in the year 2020?”
“I
have never witnessed a day like this at the local church level,” said Dr. Jamye
Coleman Williams. “The Bishop may have appointed Dr. Foster to Big Bethel, but
God sent him to be with us for such a time as this.”
Big
Bethel AMEC is excited about what God is doing. As one of the oldest African
American congregations in Atlanta we are distinguished, but at the same time we
are stigmatized. Although rich in
tradition, the stigma is the illusion that we, as a congregation, cannot stay
abreast with the times and that we are resistant to change.
The
Seven Pillars of Vision can be the catalyst for change that Big Bethel needs to
reinvent ourselves in our community.
The
momentum starts with leadership and administration and is ignited in the
congregation so that we can successfully meet the challenges we face. These
goals are certainly attainable through faith and dedication. We are well on our
way to shape our future in a new, innovative way.
Special
thanks go out to Sisters Azira Hill and Rosa Baxter who served as chairpersons
for the “Celebrating our Blessings” service. Their leadership was priceless as
they worked with committee members on making this service a success. Both Sisters Hill and Baxter also served as
chairpersons for the Foster Family reception which was held in July 2013.
Sister
Alaya Boykin is the Young Women’s Initiative (YWI) Member at-Large for the Big
Bethel’s Laura L. Turner Women's Missionary Society. She is also a recent
graduate of Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia.
Big
Bethel AMEC Chorale sings “To God Be the Glory”
14.
CONTINUE MANDELA’S LEGACY:
Bishop
Don DiXon Williams
This
month the world lost Nelson Mandela, one of the most revolutionary leaders of
our time. At a moment when our Congress is divided, when people continue to
suffer from hunger and poverty around the world, Mandela’s passing reminds us
of the change that is possible if we unite.
President
Obama made a speech on poverty and income inequality earlier this month. He
sounded some of the same themes that Bread for the World stresses in its 2014
Hunger Report— investing in good jobs, ending the political brinkmanship that
led to the sequester, investing in people, strengthening the safety net, and
encouraging community partnerships.
However,
we are disappointed that the president didn’t draw a line in the sand against
further cuts to food stamps or poverty focused development. A drastic cut in
food stamps just took effect, and Congress is considering even deeper cuts in
the coming days. A great speech is not a substitute for tough resolve on one of
the most effective components of our safety net.
Churches
and food charities nationwide are already overwhelmed by increased need
resulting from recent cuts to SNAP. The recent cuts slashed 10 million meals a
day from the SNAP program, which is more than all churches and charities
combined in this country provide. We are in danger of losing more with
Congress considering proposals for additional cuts more than twice as large.
Some
Republican leaders—Paul Ryan and Eric Cantor, for example—have said that they
plan to explain how conservative principles can lead to more opportunity for
struggling, low-income Americans. Now is the time for them to explain more
fully what they have in mind. I'd love to see our two parties compete to
demonstrate their effectiveness in tackling hunger and poverty.
Ladders
of opportunity can’t exist if the safety net is in shreds. People around the
world will continue to live in a perpetual cycle of hunger and poverty if we
neglect our poverty-focused development assistance. Now is the time for
President Obama and congressional leaders to stand up and forcefully protect
programs that enable hardworking people to put food on the table and provide a
secure future for their kids.
If
we are to continue Nelson Mandela’s legacy, Congress must robustly support
life-saving humanitarian and poverty-focused development assistance in all
upcoming fiscal year 2014 funding negotiations and related legislative
activity.
Bishop
Don DiXon Williams is racial-ethnic outreach at Bread for the World and sits on
the Board of Bishops of the United Church of Jesus Christ, Baltimore, Md.
15. NAACP CONGRATULATES MICHELLE HOWARD
FOR BEING NAMED FIRST FOUR-STAR FEMALE ADMIRAL:
(Baltimore,
MD) – The NAACP is proud to congratulate Michelle Janine Howard on her
nomination by President Barack Obama for appointment to the rank of admiral and
assignment as vice chief of naval operations. This appointment will make Howard
the first female four-star Admiral.
Last
year, Admiral Howard received the NAACP’s Chairman’s Award during the 44th
NAACP Image Awards.
“This
is a historic and well-deserved appointment for Admiral Howard,” stated Roslyn
M. Brock, Chairman of the NAACP National Board of Directors. “Admiral Howard
serves as a true inspiration for women, particularly women of color, in the
military and across the nation. We look forward to her continued service to our
country as a four-star admiral.”
On
March 12, 1999, Howard became the first African American woman to command a
ship in the U.S. Navy.
From
May 2004 to September 2005, Howard was the commander of Amphibious Squadron
Seven. Deploying with Expeditionary
Strike Group (ESG) 5, operations included tsunami relief efforts in Indonesia
and maritime security operations in the North Arabian Gulf.
Vice
Admiral Howard is the recipient of several awards for her service. While serving on board Lexington, she
received the secretary of the Navy/Navy League Captain Winifred Collins award
in May 1987. Howard is also the
recipient of the 2008 Women of Color Science Technology Engineering and Math
(STEM) Career Achievement Award, the 2009 Dominion Power Strong Men and Women
Excellence in Leadership Award, and the 2011 USO Military Woman of the Year.
16. SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA LEGAL SERVICES SEEKS
AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
*Submitted
by the Rev. Althea J. Hayward
Southeast
Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS) seeks an Executive Director to lead this
nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free legal
aid on civil issues to low income households.
SLLS
has been well-served by its highly regarded long standing co-executive
directors. SLLS began in 1979 with a
grant from the Legal Services Corporation. In 2002, SLLS and New Orleans Legal
Assistance Corporation, which was founded in 1967, merged. SLLS expanded again in 2011 to areas in and
around Baton Rouge and Houma. On its budget of more than $6 million, SLLS
serves an area nearly twice the land mass of Connecticut and Rhode Island
combined which includes twenty-two southeast Louisiana Parishes. One half the state’s poverty population lives
in the SLLS service area.
About the Position
The
next Executive Director will lead SLLS in a time of great change and
opportunity as the organization undertakes initiatives to strengthen legal
work, streamline intake, support professional development, update technology,
and grow resources.
High
Priority Roles and Responsibilities for the next Executive Director:
•
To articulate a clear strategic vision for SLLS’ future, including its legal
work
•
To safeguard its focus on clients
•
To strengthen relationships throughout the community as the leader and public
face of SLLS
•
To implement the recommendations of the strategic planning process
•
To develop leadership throughout SLLS
•
To bring offices and staff together to a shared vision and full potential
•
To develop and expand the resources of SLLS
Qualifications
of the next Executive Director:
•
Possession of a JD and the willingness and ability to become licensed in Louisiana
•
A passion for advocacy for the legal rights of low income clients
•
Ten years in the practice of law
•
Management experience involving staff supervision, financial oversight and
reporting, budget development, and compliance with grant, contract and legal
requirements
•
Experience in a multi-million dollar, multi-site nonprofit organization a plus
•
Experience in a legal aid organization a plus
•
Success in resource development, including grant writing and private
fundraising
•
An open and compassionate communication style
•
Confident leadership and decision-making skills
•
Experience working productively with individuals and organizations with shared
or diverse goals, including staff, Board of Directors, bar associations,
judiciary, client communities and the general community
•
Interest in advancing technology solutions in service of clients and efficiency
Application Process
Applications
will be accepted until the position is filled.
To receive full consideration, you are encouraged to submit your
application materials by December 13, 2013.
Please submit a letter expressing in detail your interest in the
position, your qualifications for the position, and what you believe you can
contribute to the organization’s future.
Please include a current resume and names and contact information for
three professional references.
Materials
should be emailed to ppap@m-i-e.org in Microsoft Word or pdf format.
SLLS
is being assisted in the search by Patricia Pap, Executive Director, Management
Information Exchange (MIE), 99 Chauncy St., Suite 700, Boston, MA 02111,
617-556-0288, ppap@m-i-e.org, www.mielegalaid.org.
Candidates
with questions about the position or process are encouraged to contact
her.
SLLS
aims to make a hiring decision in mid-February 2014 and to have the successful
candidate join SLLS soon thereafter.
SLLS
is an equal opportunity employer and encourages candidates with disabilities,
women, persons of color and others who represent distinct linguistic or
cultural communities to apply.
About Southeast Louisiana Legal Services
On
August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and most of the SLLS
service area with 145 mph winds. Eighty
percent of New Orleans flooded after passage of the hurricane and six of the
service area’s ten parishes were devastated.
Less than a month after Katrina, the area was hit by Hurricane
Rita. Three years later, while the
Katrina/Rita clean-up was still ongoing, Louisiana was again hit with back to
back Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.
Following
the 2010 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico,
SLLS joined with other LSC and non-LSC funded civil legal aid providers in
Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida to respond to the legal needs of
low income residents.
SLLS
adjustments in diversity strategies, legal advocacy and collaborations with the
judiciary, the private bar, law schools and law students, regional and national
law firms, pro bono lawyers, and other legal and non-legal public interest
organizations following these disasters are recognized nationally as major
accomplishments in the delivery of civil legal aid.
This
resilience and commitment to clients are important to SLLS’ future as it fully
develops its relationships throughout its expanded service area; manages the
wide range of work it undertakes including special projects in the areas of
income tax, foster children and foreclosure; and continues its leadership
throughout Louisiana on public interest legal efforts.
SLLS
has revenue of over $6 million from federal, state, and local sources, both
governmental and private. Its largest funders
include the Legal Services Corporation, the Louisiana Bar Foundation, and the
Department of Justice. Other sources of
funding include IOLTA, court filing fees, juvenile, VAWA, and many others. SLLS has a staff of 90, including 50
lawyers. It has staffed offices in the
cities of Hammond, New Orleans, Covington, Marrero, Baton Rouge and Houma.
For
more information about Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, visit www.slls.org.
Patricia
Pap
Executive
Director
Management
Information Exchange
99
Chauncy St., Suite 700
Boston,
MA 02111
Telephone:
617-556-0288
Fax:
617-507-7729
ppap@m-i-e.org
*The
Rev. Althea J. Hayward is a Program Analyst, Office of Program Performance, The
Legal Services Corporation in Washington, DC – the federal funder for Legal Aid
programs throughout the United States and its territories.
17. BELIEVE IN THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS:
By
Rosalie Jones Moore
Three men came from the East bearing
gifts,
As they gazed towards that star in the
sky,
They followed the path to our Savior,
A magical miracle that was born just to
die,
He was born of the Virgin Mary,
To save us all from our sins of today,
He lived a life filled with many
adventures,
He taught us all how to live day-by-day,
The Wise Men knew that the birth of this
baby,
Would be a blessing for the whole world
to see,
The gift that he brought to the world,
Was priceless and did not cost a fee,
By trusting in his supernatural power,
And walking by faith both day and night,
We can illuminate the darkness of the
world,
By becoming an everlasting spiritual light,
If you believe in the magic of
Christmas,
Then you believe in the magic of Love,
If you believe in our Lord and Savior
Jesus,
You will receive blessings sent from
Heaven above…
Amen. Amen.
Amen.
Copyright
© December 13, 2013
18. GETTING TO ZERO: DRAFT- MOVING TO
EFFECTIVE ACTION:
Dr.
Oveta Fuller
The
annual celebration of the birth of Christ and the start of another year provide
a time to assess and reflect. A recent TCR editorial did just that. Rather than
write a letter to the editor, this column is a call to action that could
visibly and effectively lower the impact of HIV/AIDS.
By
now it should be clear that stopping the impacts of HIV/AIDS is possible by
putting into action what we already know, what already has been “discovered”.
By now it is clear that routine testing for infection with HIV is the first
required step to control. By now it is clear that people of color all over the
world are brutally affected by HIV/AIDS. Here is my take on where we are and
what needs to happen in getting to zero and an end to HIV/AIDS.
Efforts
now occur in the AMEC connection and through other organizations/agencies to
address HIV/AIDS. Lots of money is spent by governments, private foundations
and others to address HIV/AIDS. There is progress. We see a decline in mother
to child virus transfer. We even see a decline in the overall rate of
infections. The peak in new infections (not the absolute number) occurred in
2005. This is good, but not good enough.
If
efforts to combat HIV/AIDS are occurring, why is progress in controlling
HIV/AIDS so slow?
.
Typically, efforts are not publicized widely (or effectively). Perhaps this is
because we still do not think or talk much about HIV/AIDS; it has not become a
household word. People who work with HIV/AIDS prevention, education and care
typically are not the ones who also spend time or have the expertise to well
publicize what is happening. People take action to make a difference in
immediate needs, not to get noticed for taking action.
.
Current efforts may have some impact, but most are not highly effective for the
money and energy invested. For some HIV/AIDS events, the number of participants
is low or people are not mobilized thereafter to consistently use effective
ABCD preventions. When an effort does work well, evaluation should help to
understand why and how to make it work well again. Low impact may be because
events are isolated (once every year at a given location). Rather than in a
coordinated effort, events are limited to one church or agency in a
geographical area (a certain city, region or state). Low impact may occur
because someone thinks a “one size fits all” approach will work. It won’t.
Assessing what works and why is not done much except perhaps as required by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [Did you know there is a CDC
website that lists proven successful and recommended prevention and education
programs or initiatives that can be adapted? Yet, these are used mostly by
health departments.]
Where
does a well-meaning, take-action pastor and congregation go to know what works?
The Balm in Gilead (www.balmingilead.org) is a longstanding engaged entity for
programming, training and resources on HIV/AIDS prevention. Perhaps the
Quarterly Conference and Annual Conference reports should ask, “Is your church
registered with The Balm in Gilead? How in this quarter did you take advantage
of their offerings?”
Clearly,
some good things are happening in some places. Can we be more effective and
efficient? Absolutely yes!
Change
happens slowly. In the meantime lives, giftedness and people are loss.
.
Faster change requires concerted coordinated efforts by religious leaders in a
subject area that can be murky (HIV/AIDS and human sexuality). To avoid
paralysis, confusion, burn-out and disappointment, one must purposefully
remember that “HIV is a relatively fragile virus whose spread takes advantage
of human sexuality. HIV infection can lead to a deadly disease. Yet, these can
be stopped.” Perceived or real moral, economic and social-behavioral aspects of
a sexually transmitted disease can be paralyzing. Aspects of HIV/AIDS
especially can be challenging for a leader who wants to make a difference and
wants also to move up or to keep a decent approval level in their current
position. Other issues in the congregation and community may seem to be less
filled with booby-traps than tackling HIV/AIDS. Coordinated continuous effort
by well-prepared leaders is required to move forward faster.
Effective
coordinated efforts are needed? What are some specifics? Glad you asked.
. Our bishops could require that Annual
Conferences host a mandatory biology-based training on HIV and how it leads to
AIDS. This would be an assignment to Presiding Elders. As I am aware of such
has been initiated within at least two Episcopal Districts. In the Quarterly
Conference report, Presiding Elders could inquire about what is done
effectively in a congregation to address HIV/AIDS. The action can be open to
whatever that pastor, congregation and its leadership believe will effectively
address the most pressing issues with HIV/AIDS in their community context. To
comply, something must be done each quarter to promote effective understanding
about HIV, how it can lead to AIDS and how to stop virus spread and death from
disease.
.
The Connectional Church, coordinated by one or more responsible committed
service entities, can sponsor a connection wide “Get to the Test”. Such an
initiative would foster friendly competition of Episcopal Districts to get the
most people tested in a given time. This would support the priority goal that
each person will know their HIV status. An AMEC network-wide effort would
remove stigma and reframe HIV while promoting the key concept of HIV testing as
part of regular routine health care. HIV testing makes good sense! HIV testing
should be routine, like getting a mammogram (I hate it, but I get it); or like
getting a prostate exam (I expect males have similar sentiments about this).
HIV testing should become common place like blood pressure checks at each
healthcare visit, like getting the annual flu shot, like a periodic colonoscopy
if you are over 50.
What
would be the goal(s) of our Zion, our Episcopal District, our Annual
Conference, our local district, our church, individuals? What are the specific
resources and dates?
Some
timely target goals and specific all Connection-wide initiatives could be
established. Leaders or designated persons would do what works for their
District, church, community. Resources
and most effective strategies could be shared. Action on many fronts by most in
the large global AMEC network would bring about real and visible change.
To
stop HIV/AIDS will take time. Most critically, it will take coordinated,
multi-faceted, sustained and effective action by leaders at all levels. Failure
in doing this gives the virus power to continue to spread and affect lives. Why
would we want to give HIV any power to continue?
The
recent TCR Editorial urged Supervisor
Dr. M. Joan Cousin to come out of retirement and engage. Dr. Cousin may want to
be in retirement and deserves to be in retirement if she wants. (She and others
continue to work still from such an official state.) She has already primed the
pump so that many others can do what is needed to take the sustained effective
actions (or learn what they are) to move forward. Why are folks always looking
for a savior? Rather, let each person
commit to be the blessing we want to see in whatever way an individual thinks
that they can make a difference. Let’s use the resources that are within our
own Zion or those that are within our reach. Let’s carry forward a spirit of
“must do” because doing is a God-given responsibility.
It
has been suggested, “Why should one focus so on HIV/AIDS? There are many things
that need our attention and there are limited time and resources.” I’m glad for
the question because there is an answer.
Yes,
there are many health, economic and equity issues that require attention and
resources. HIV/AIDS is one that we can do something about now! We can get
beyond it, put it under our feet. With current understanding and technologies,
an end to HIV infection, and thus to AIDS, is envisioned. In contrast,
conquering of some issues is more difficult, maybe not possible. Perhaps Jesus
said it best “The poor will be with you always.” We can provide a meal to
alleviate today’s hunger. We can teach people to fish so they can deal with
tomorrow’s hunger. However, solving the issue of poverty forever is unlikely.
In contrast, by working together effectively, HIV/AIDS can be controlled and
eventually eliminated.
Summary: This fight to conquer/control/eliminate
HIV/AIDS is not a one person or one entity short-term effort. It will take
purposeful sustained effort to stop the brutal impacts that are especially high
for people of color around the globe. Putting HIV/AIDS under our feet will
require coordinated, continuous, multiple approaches over time. Everyone can do
something. Each person is responsible to learn and then take the action needed
to do whatever they can. Some can teach. Some can preach. Some can care for
others. Some can work with children. Some can administer. Some can write about
the events. Some can counsel. Some can organize. Some can donate funds or
resources. Some can use their influence to open minds and motivate. Everyone
can do something. Each person must do what they can do. Stopping HIV/AIDS is
not a one person or one commission undertaking. As a connectional church, the
AMEC is ideally suited to lead in a successful long-term effort. What holds us
back?
Imagine
the impact if the Council of Bishops would agree that each Episcopal leader
will carry out a long-term initiative for their District so that each Annual
Conference takes coordinated action against HIV/AIDS. What if across all twenty
Districts this is a priority similar to the training that occurs about sexual
harassment? Mandatory training of clergy and leaders to understand HIV/AIDS
would become the norm. Leaders would be more confident to talk about and better
equipped to take effective action to address HIV/AIDS.
“If
we keep doing the same old things, the same old way, we will get the same old
results.”
With
coordinated effective AMEC action, Dr. Sydnor and others will not have to keep
wondering, writing or talking about what is not happening with HIV/AIDS in our
churches. Action and progress will be evident. It would be pure joy to try to
keep up with reporting the effective actions happening to stop HIV/AIDS that
has an unnecessarily high impact on our communities.
*The Rev. Dr. A. Oveta Fuller
is a tenured professor in Microbiology and Immunology and faculty in the
African Studies Center at the University of Michigan. An Itinerant Elder in the
4th Episcopal District, she served as pastor of Bethel AME Church in Adrian, MI
for seven years before focusing fully on global health research in Zambia and
the USA for HIV/AIDS elimination. At Payne Theological Seminary she teaches a
required course, “What Effective Clergy Should Know about HIV/AIDS.”
19. iCHURCH SCHOOL LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2013 - JESUS IS
BORN - LUKE 2:1-17
Bill
Dickens, Allen AME Church, Tacoma, Washington
Church
School Lesson Brief
The
Nativity Story is definitely not a story made for Hollywood. The mother is not wealthy, the earthly father
is a member of the blue-collar working class, and the town of Bethlehem can
hardly be mistaken for a major city with bright lights and 24/7
entertainment.
A
close reading of Luke Chapter 2 reveals that the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem
was prophetic. Some suggest it was
serendipitous, but interpretations of serendipity must be rejected because
God’s master plan is not subject to chance or luck.
As
Luke describes in verses 1-4 in Chapter 2, Mary and Joseph are in Bethlehem
because of the announcement by Caesar Augustus to participate in the
census. Joseph, being a law-abiding Jew
and a descendant of the lineage of David has received angelic permission to end
his temporary exile in Egypt and return his back to his native land to
participate in the census. In their long
journey Mary’s time for delivery was drawing near and it was decided to seek a
place for the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem. The only place available was a stable and
that is where Jesus was born. (Verse 7)
In
1965 the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan, then US Assistant Secretary of Labor,
wrote a report which examined the causes for black economic
underdevelopment. The Moynihan Report,
as it was called, focused on the deep roots of black poverty in America and
concluded controversially that the relative absence of nuclear families (those
having both a father and mother present) would greatly hinder further progress
toward economic and political equality.
Moynihan argued that the rise in single-mother families was not due to a
lack of jobs but rather to a destructive vein in ghetto culture that could be
traced back to slavery and Jim Crow discrimination.
Despite
the acknowledgement of inter-generational racism that negatively impacted on
black family structure, critics dismissed Moynihan’s thesis about black family
dysfunctionality as a form of “blaming the victim” and vilifying black family
values.
Today,
nearly 75% of children born in black families are living in homes with just a
single parent, typically a mother. At
the time of the release of the Moynihan Report the percentage of single-headed
black families was a little over 40%.
Churches
across all denominations recognize, welcome and accept all family
structures. While the benefits are clear
that both parent’s active and present in the life of a child improves a child’s
long-run economic prospects, it is equally true that single-headed households
can be impactful on the life of a child.
If the key ingredients of love, support and nurturing are absent in the
home of a child, it won’t matter about the type of family structure affecting a
child’s life.
*Brother Bill Dickens is
currently the Church School Teacher at Allen AME Church in Tacoma,
Washington. He is currently a member of the Fellowship of Church
Educators for the AME Church.
20. MEDITATION BASED ON JOHN 1:1-9:
*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby
I
had the pleasure of helping to decorate our family’s home for Christmas this
past week. My wife claims to be the “decorator-in-chief,”
but she kindly allows me to help and to do my favorite part - putting up the
Christmas lights. She prefers the
simple, white variety for our Christmas trees, but I put up as many of the
brightly colored variety on the porch as she’ll let me get away with - not
nearly as many as I’d put up on my own!
The
end result is lovely, but is most beautiful when night falls. The lighted trees shine through their
adjacent windows - with their ornaments and garland bathed in light - and the
porch becomes sufficiently bright and colorful that the usual front porch light
isn’t needed. Our Christmas decorations
look their best when the sun goes down - and the darker it gets, the lovelier
they become.
The
same thing happens when we let the light of Jesus shine through in our
lives. The end of an old year is a good
time for reflection, and all of us can reflect on things that didn’t go as
planned in the year gone by - on upsets and stress and aggravation and disappointment. It’s easy for the best of us to become
consumed by life’s negatives and to wonder why we seem to have so many dark
days.
When
we take the time, however, to look back at our lives through the eyes of faith,
then our darkest times take on a different appearance. We’ll realize that we made it through our
dark times because the Lord Jesus stood with us and blessed us, that the light
of Jesus shone through the darkness in our lives to illuminate new hope, new
strength and new possibilities. We’ll
realize that the darker life gets, the more the light of Jesus shines through
to bless us.
Remember
that during this season of the year, when many churches light Advent candles,
and during every season of your life.
Dark days are a part of the human condition, but when we let the light
of Jesus guide us, then our dark times become beautiful reminders of why a
Christmas Carol of my faith tradition says, “Walk in the light, beautiful
light, come where the dew drops of mercy shine bright, shine all around us by
day and by night, Jesus, the light of the world.”
Get
Ready for Sunday, and have a great day in your house of worship!
*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby
is the Presiding Elder of the Beaufort District of the South Carolina Annual
Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church
21. CLERGY FAMILY CONGRATULATORY
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
--
Derek E. Bruce, Esq., Shareholder, Gunster, Yoakley, and Stewart, was selected
one of the top-rated lawyers practicing Government Law.
The
Orlando Life Magazine partnered with Martindale-Hubbell to collaboratively
share the list of lawyers who have reached the highest level of ethical
standards and professional excellence.
Derek E. Bruce, Esq.,
Shareholder, Gunster, Yoakley, and Stewart, was selected one of the top-rated
lawyers practicing Government Law. As the Team Leader for the Orlando office,
he travels extensively between the 11 offices in Florida and Washington, D.C.
During the legislative sessions in Tallahassee, FL, he serves as a Lobbyist. He is the youngest son born to the union of
the late Dr. Y. B. Bruce, former General Officer and Presiding Elder at the
time of his demise and Gloria S. Bruce.
-- Jeremy C. Darby receives Fine Arts
degree
Jeremy
C. Darby, the youngest son of Presiding Elder and Mrs. Joseph A. Darby,
Beaufort District, South Carolina Annual Conference, Seventh Episcopal District,
received his Bachelor's In Fine Arts Degree with a Major in Graphic Design and
Illustration from the University of South Carolina on December 16, 2013.
-- Presiding Elder and Mrs. Joseph A.
Darby celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary
Presiding
Elder and Mrs. Joseph A. Darby celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary on
December 17, 2013.
-- Marquita Renee Ward, the daughter of
the Reverend and Mrs. Clinton E. Ward II to receive Master of Arts degree
The
Reverend Clinton E. Ward III and Mrs. Darlene Ward, Senior Pastor and First
Lady of Wayman AME Church, Chicago, Illinois are proud to announce the
graduation of their daughter, Marquita Renee Ward from the Eastern Illinois
University of Charleston, Illinois with a Master of Arts degree in Gerontology,
commencing on Saturday, December 14, 2013 at 10:00 a.m.
Congratulations
can be sent to:
Marquita
R. Ward
3044
E. Hickory Lane
Crete,
IL 60417
-- First AME Church Manassas VA to honor
and celebrate 20 years of pastoral leadership
First
AME Church, Manassas, Va. Board of Stewards, its Board of Trustees, and
congregation honored and celebrated 20 years of pastoral leadership by Pastor
Ronald A. Boykin and the unwavering devotion of Lady Helen Boykin, on Sunday
December 15, 2013. The church recognized
and commemorated their 20 years of faithful and dedicated service, commitment,
and leadership at First AME Church and to the communities of Prince William
County, Manassas, and Manassas Park. In
recognition of their sustained, grateful reflection upon the faithfulness and
provisions of our heavenly Father, our theme for the celebration was,
"Great is Thy Faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23)
Pastor
Boykin and First Lady Helen Boykin have served the congregation of First AME in
worthy manner since December 1993. They have given their best and by
exemplifying the power of God's Spirit in their lives, others have rallied to
eagerly follow and honor their leadership.
Many
members of the congregation have expressed their appreciation for what Pastor
Boykin means to them - through his thoughtful and well-delivered sermons, the
special attention to their emotional and spiritual needs, and the care shown to
the various ministries that impact all, from the seniors to the youth - and how
he makes every member of the congregation feel that each is special to
him.
Pastor
and Mrs. Boykin do not do what they do to earn accolades, but we at First AME
and the Greater Manassas community have watched them change the lives of many
people. We are thankful for Pastor
Ronald Boykin, a gifted and compassionate minister and Sister Helen Boykin for
her support; they have been a real blessing to our congregation and to the
community.
Congratulatory
well wishes can be emailed to Pastor Boykin and First Lady Helen Boykin; Revboykin@aol.com.
22. GENERAL OFFICER FAMILY BEREAVEMENT
NOTICE:
We
regret to inform you of the passing of Dr. Samuel G. Eubanks Jr., MD, the
brother of Mrs. Mary A. E. Dickerson and the brother in law of retired General
Officer, the Rev. Dennis C. Dickerson, Ph.D.
Dr.
Samuel G. Eubanks Jr. M.D., an Obstetrics and Gynecology specialist in
Louisville, Kentucky passed suddenly on last evening.
Expressions
of sympathy may be emailed to:
Or
mailed to:
Dr.
and Mrs. Dennis C. Dickerson
212
Aspenwood Lane
Nashville,
TN 37221
Telephone:
(615) 662-0531
Fax:
(615) 662-5242
23. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
The
Home Going Celebration for Mrs. Patricia Conley Hunter Pearson, mother of the
Reverend Billy Ray Hunter, pastor of Bethel AME Church, Onancock, Virginia will
be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, December 21, 2013 at the Shiloh AME Church, 1323
North Powerhouse Road in Morganton, NC 28655 where the Rev. Wayne Beatty is the
pastor.
Funeral
services are entrusted to: Ebony Funeral Services, 220 Avery Avenue, Morganton,
NC 28655; telephone: 828-437-2864.
Expressions
of condolence may be shared with the family:
The
Rev. and Mrs. Billy Ray Hunter
1205
Medcap Court
Virginia
Beach, VA 23453
Telephone:
(757) 962-3326
Mobile:
(757) 344-5169
24. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
With
deep regret we announce the transition to eternal life of Brother Marshall V.
Garrison, the brother of the Reverend Ernest Garrison, pastor of Wayman AME
Church in Racine, Wisconsin. Brother Marshall Garrison was a resident of
Detroit. He was Honorably Discharged from the Air Force, Navy and Army and
retired from the City of Detroit, Department of Housing.
The
funeral service for Brother Marshall V. Garrison has been planned for Friday,
December 20, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. at Saunders Memorial African Methodist Episcopal
Church, 3542 Pennsylvania Street, Detroit, Michigan 48214, where the Rev.
Dwayne A. Gary is the pastor.
Church
telephone: 313-921-8111
Condolences
may be sent to:
The
Rev. Ernest Garrison
403
North Memorial Drive
Racine,
Wisconsin 53404
25. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
regret to inform you of the passing of retired pastor, the Reverend Joseph A.
McDonald, of Santee, South Carolina on Thursday, December 12, 2013. The Rev. McDonald served the Lord diligently
and had a long career as an African Methodist Episcopal pastor. He ministered
in the 1st, 5th, 7th, and the 11th Episcopal
Districts. Upon his retirement, due to illness, he was the pastor of Cedar
Grove AME Church in Orangeburg, South Carolina in the 7th Episcopal
District.
He
leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Vanetta McDonald; four daughters,
Victoria Hamilton of New Jersey, Quanda Godfrey of North Carolina, Briana
Krueger of Los Angeles, and Jennifer McDonald-Cousins of Orlando, FL; five
grandchildren, William and Zechariah Hamilton, Judith and Justin Godfrey, Tyler
Krueger; two great-grandchildren, LaVeaha and Ajineh Hamilton; a god-son, Kevin
Milligan; a step-mother Obera Mc Donald; one sister Sheri Nailon; one nephew,
Jack Nailon; one brother, Michael; a brother and sister-in-law, Bruce and Simmie
Wilcox; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Memorial
Service for Reverend McDonald:
Friday,
December 20, 2013
12
noon
Dukes-Harley
Funeral Home
3379
Columbia Rd.
Orangeburg,
SC 29118
The
Rev. Bennie Colclough, Eulogist
Services
Entrusted to Dukes-Harley Funeral Home, 3379 Columbia Road in Orangeburg.
Telephone:
(803) 534-6621
Condolences
may be sent to:
Mrs.
Vanetta McDonald
2014
State Park Rd.
Santee,
SC 29142
Telephone:
(803) 854-3409
26. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
regret to inform you of the passing of Mrs. Anna L. Duncan, of Green Pond,
South Carolina on Saturday, December 14, 2013.
Mrs. Duncan was the mother of Sister Antoinette Kinsey, 7th
Episcopal District, Ministers' Spouses, Widows and Widowers Organization Plus
PK’S, PK Coordinator and the mother-in-law of the Rev. Gregory Kinsey, pastor
of St. John AME Church in Ridgeland, South Carolina. Mrs. Duncan was a member
of Joshua AME Church in Green Pond, South Carolina.
Funeral
& Wake Services for Mrs. Duncan:
Viewing,
Friday, December 20, 2013
3:00
p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Koger's
Mortuary
508
S. Jefferies Blvd
Walterboro,
SC 29488
Viewing,
Saturday December 21, 2013, 10:00 a.m. until the hour of service
Funeral
Services - Saturday, December 21, 2013 at 12 noon.
New
Covenant Fellowship Ministries
2593
Clover Hill Road (Hwy 303)
Green
Pond, SC 29446
The
Rev. Kenneth White, Sr., Pastor
The
Rev. Dr. Aurellio D, Givens, Eulogist
Condolences
may be sent to:
The
Reverend Gregory/Antoinette Kinsey
353
Springhill Road
Green
Pond SC 29148
Home
telephone: (843) 844-2203
27. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
regret to inform you of the passing of Sister Gloria Faye Anderson,
mother-in-law of the Reverend Dr. Charles Holsey, pastor of Campbell Chapel AME
Church in Pulaski, Tennessee and mother of First Lady Dr. Tanja Anderson
Holsey.
Funeral
Service will be Friday, December 20, 2013 at 1:00 p.m.:
Murray
Brother's Funeral Home (Chapel)
1199
Utoy Springs Road, SW
Atlanta,
GA 30331
Telephone:
(404) 349-3000.
Notifications
can be sent to:
The
Rev. Charles M. Holsey
1908
Stoney Creek Dr.
Chattanooga,
TN 37421
28. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
With
profound sorrow we announce the passing of Queen Esther Brown of New York, the
family of Dr. Frank M. Reid, III and Lady Marla, Bethel AME Church, Baltimore
Maryland.
Viewing
and funeral were held on Sunday, December 15, 2013.
Bethel
AME Church
60
W. 132nd Street
New
York, New York 10037
The
Rev. Henry Allen Belin III, Senior Pastor
Dr.
Frank M Reid III, Eulogist
Condolences
may be sent to:
First
AME Church: Bethel
Care
of the family of Queen Esther Brown
60
W 132nd Street
New
York, New York 10037
Phone:
212 862-0100
Fax:
212 694-1323
29. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
regret to inform you of the passing of the Rev. James A. Benson, retired pastor
of the New Jersey Annual Conference. The Rev. Benson pastored several churches
in the New Jersey Conference. His last church was St. James AME in the
Camden/Trenton District from where he retired in 2008.
He
is the founder of the Benson History Museum, a treasure trove of black history
located in Lawnside, New Jersey.
The
viewing and funeral were held on December 14, 2013 at the Haddonfield United
Methodist Church in Haddonfield, New Jersey.
Interment
was held on Monday, December 16, 2013 at the Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle
Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Burlington County, New Jersey.
Condolences
may be sent to:
Mrs.
Ellen Benson
C/o
The Rev. Linda Ellerbe, pastor of Mt. Pisgah AMEC
306
Warwick Road
Lawnside,
NJ 08045
Fax:
856-547-6816
The
family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to help further the
Rev. Benson's work at the history museum he founded.
The
Benson History Museum
C/o
Susquehanna Bank
305
White Horse Pike South
Lawnside,
NJ 08045
30. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
regret to inform you of the passing of Sister Helen N. Ellis, the mother of the
Rev. Dr. Linda C. Hill, pastor of Mt. Pisgah Turner Memorial AME Church, New
York City (Manhattan District).
The
following information has been provided regarding funeral arrangements.
December
16, 2013, viewing from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
St
Luke AME Church
1872
Amsterdam Avenue
New
York, NY 10031
Phone: 212-870-1349
December
19, 2013
Viewing:
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Service: 12:30 p.m.
Saints
Homes United Methodist Church
1390
Thurmond Street
Winston-
Salem, NC 27105
Telephone:
1-336-724-2514
Eulogist:
The Rev Ronnie E. Roseboro
All
services are entrusted to:
Condolences
may be sent to:
The
Rev Dr. Linda C. Hill
C/o
Mt Pisgah Turner Memorial AME Church
1484
5th Avenue
New
York, NY 10035
31. 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
32. CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FROM THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER:
The Chair of the Commission on Publications, the Right Reverend
T. Larry Kirkland; 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.
Did someone you know pass this copy of The Christian
Recorder to you? Get your own copy HERE
*You
have received this message because you are subscribed to The Christian Recorder Online
Forward
to Friend
Copyright
© 2012 The Christian Recorder, All rights reserved.
You are
receiving this email because you are a current subscriber to The Christian
Recorder.
Our
mailing address is:
The
Christian Recorder
500
Eighth Avenue, South
Nashville,
TN 37203-7508
Add us
to your address book
