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
October is National Breast
Cancer Month (U.S.)
The Clock changes to
Standard Time in the U.S. on November 3, 2013
Advent begins on Sunday
December 1, 2013
1. TCR
EDITORIAL – A QUESTION AND A COUPLE OF MORE REMINDERS:
Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III
The 20th Editor of
The Christian Recorder
I have a couple more
reminders and a couple of questions that I would like to have answered for me.
We have beautiful sanctuaries
in AME Churches. I especially love visiting a church and sitting in a pew looking
at the altar, the Lord’s Table, with its paraments (liturgical hangings) and
just focusing upon the Cross. It’s a wonderful time to pray, reflect, and relax
my mind from the hustle and bustle of all of the things I have to do.
If you haven’t ever done so,
you ought to stop by your church or any church that’s open, when no one is
there, and just sit and focus on the Cross and reflect upon the awesomeness of
God and God’s Son, Jesus Christ. It’s an awesome experience!
During those moments when I
sit in a church, I look at the Cross and remember that Jesus Christ died on the
Cross for my sins.
On most altars, there are
also two candles or two candelabras; and sometimes an open Bible. The open
Bible, of course, is the Word of God. It offers history, inspiration, rules for
living in this world and for eternity.
It offers the plan for salvation and has literally changed the world.
It’s the Book of all books and most appropriately belongs on the Lord’s Table.
Now stay with me, I am going somewhere with this…
On many altars, as I have
mentioned, there are two candles, and sometimes two candelabras. I suspect that the candles are on altars for
a reason and I think I know the reasons why candles are placed on altars on either
side of the Cross.
Here is where I am going - my question…
I have visited many AME
churches on Sunday mornings and during other worship services and for the life
of me I cannot understand why the candles in so many of our churches are not
lighted during worship services.
I wonder why candles are on
the altar if they are not lighted. The
candles occupy an important position, but serve no significant utilitarian
purpose if they are unlighted.
Not only do altar candles
remain unlighted, but some of our churches have electric candles/candelabras,
and, in a lot of cases, they are not turned on either; they remain turned off.
A flick of a switch would turn them on and they would serve the intended
reminder for why are on the altar.
That’s my question, why have
unlighted candles on altars?
The unlighted candles
/candelabras look nice, but they serve no real purpose.
I am sure clergy and
parishioners, if they think about it, know the intended purpose of the candles
on the altar.
Simply stated, lighted candles
represent the presence and power of God and remind us that Jesus Christ is the
Light of the world.
Also, a common thought for
many is the two candles on either side of the Cross on the Lord’s Table serve
as reminders that Christ is both human and divine.
Some churches, instead of
just extinguishing the candles on the altar, have their acolytes to process out
of the sanctuary with the fire from the altar candles as a symbolism that
parishioners are to carry God’s light into the world. The fire on the candle
lighters are extinguished in the narthex or outside.
Whether a church has acolytes
or not, I believe, if candles are on the altar, they should be utilized for the
purpose for which they were intended - to be lighted as a reminder of the presence
and power of God and a reminder that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world;
and not placed on the Lord’s Table for decoration.
A couple of other things
And, while I am discussing
upon the “inside of the chancel” area, I notice more and more people are
walking through the chancel area.
The chancel area in most of
our AME churches is the area between the chancel or altar rail and the pulpit
and it used to be a sacred place where the Sacrament was consecrated.
Traditionally, ordained clergy, stewardesses, and maybe deaconesses were the
only persons permitted in that sacred space.
And, after the consecration
of the elements, traditionally only the ordained clergy occupied that sacred
space.
Who handles the consecrated sacrament?
The sacrament should be given
from the hand of the ordained clergy to the hands of the persons taking
communion. The consecrated elements of
communion should be handled and treated with utmost respect.
Leftover consecrated elements of Communion
When we think about the words
of Christ in the Communion Prayer of Consecration, “Take eat…this is My body
... this is my blood… Drink all of it…” means that there is something
significant and mysterious about the Presence of Christ in the consecrated
bread and wine; it's not just ordinary bread and wine (grape juice). We
Methodists believe in Consubstantiation.
The sacredness of the
communion ritual should caution us that we do not discard of the bread and wine
by pouring the wine (grape juice) down the drain to be mingled with the sewage
or to discard the bread by dumping it in the trash.
In some churches with
sacristies, the plumbing in the sacristy is constructed in such a way that the
drain does not go into the sewage, but directly to the ground and in that way,
the discarded consecrated grape juice / wine goes back to the earth.
In other churches the
minister and / or others consume the leftover consecrated elements. And in
still other churches, leftover bread or wafers are eaten or scattered in a
special place like a garden or the elements scattered on the ground,
particularly on a grassy area.
The Exodus Model
God’s command to the
Israelites for eating the Passover was that the lamb must be entirely consumed
or destroyed. “The Lord said to Moses
and Aaron, “Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning,
you must burn it.” (Exodus 12:10)
Anything that remained until the morning had to be burned. The implication and my understanding was that
the Israelites could not just discard or throw away the leftover lamb that had
been consecrated.
I believe that the
consecrated elements of communion should not be frivolously disposed of, but
should be handled with utmost respect.
On a purely personal note,
that’s the trouble I have with those communion cups and wafers, which some
parishioners struggle with spilling grape juice and sometimes dropping the
wafer. And, most troubling, the empty
containers with the residue of the consecrated elements are trashed.
It’s not a Heaven or Hell
issue; it’s a matter of treating sacred items with respect.
The rules for bold and unbolded print
In bulletins, written
programs and in The Doctrine and
Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church 2012 and in the AMEC Book of Worship, the bold text print
should be read by the people and the unbolded print text read by the clergy or
worship leader.
Hopefully, when the next AME
Hymnal is printed, the Prayer of Thanksgiving will be unbolded so it can be in
sync with The Doctrine and Discipline of
the African Methodist Episcopal Church 2012 and the AMEC Book of Worship.
The pulpit
The pulpit is another sacred space. The pulpit is the place where the sermon is
preached, prayers are prayed (if not using the kneeler), and the scripture
lessons are read. Nothing else; no announcements, and strictly speaking pastors
should take care about what they say behind the pulpit desk.
There are times when pastors may feel the need to chastise “the
flock” apart from the sermon and I believe a step away from the pulpit is most
appropriate.
And, certainly, no politicians or non-Christians should be
allowed to speak from the pulpit.
The pulpit is a sacred place from which the sermon is
delivered. If they are presenting a
Christian message, it is a pastor’s prerogative if he or she allows a speaker,
lay or unordained clergy, to speak or preach from the pulpit.
Politician with any sense would never expect to deliver a
message from the pulpit of a Roman Catholic Church or Jewish synagogue; and
even the Muslims would not allow a politician or non-Muslim to speak from the
pulpit; yet we have pastors who allow politicians and others to speak from our
pulpits.
Let’s end with the Cross
We started this message with the Cross on the altar, so let’s
end with the Cross. The Cross has a
special significance in the Christendom. The Cross is not a decoration piece,
nor should it be because the Cross was where Jesus was crucified. The Cross on
the altar should have a special meaning for all Christians.
Roman Catholics and Anglicans reverence the Cross by bowing,
genuflecting, or making the sign of the Cross when they pass by the Cross in
the sanctuary; or they might do all three. Other sacramental denominations
follow the practice of facing and focusing upon the Cross when the any of the
Doxologies are sung.
I like that tradition and have adopted it as a way to reverence
the Cross and to remind myself that Jesus died for my sins and the plain Cross
reminds me that Christ arose for my sins.
I need reminders too!
2. THE CHRISTIAN
RECORDER ONLINE WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED NEXT WEEK:
. Editor Sydnor is scheduled to be in the
Dominican Republic because his wife, the Rev. Dr. Charlotte B. Sydnor will
serve on panel at the 7th Biennial Conference of the Association for
the Study of the Worldwide African Diaspora (ASWAD) in Santo Domingo, Dominican
Republic. The conference aims to address how transformative visions, past and
present, have been brought to bear on the challenges confronting peoples of
Africa and the African Diaspora, from historically overlooked individuals to
mass movements.
The Rev. Dr. Sandra Barnes,
Professor, Department of Human and Organizational Development and the Divinity
School, Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology (Secondary Appointment)
Editor, Issues in Race & Society: An
Interdisciplinary Global Journal is the panel leader.
3. READER RESPONSE TO
EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES:
--To the Editor:
RE: TCR Editorial - “Real Preachers.”
Thank you for another timely
editorial. It was just in “time.” Every now and then we meet Kairos folks on
our Chronos timeline.
In your article, “Real Preachers”,
you mentioned being introduced to The Reverend Dr. Grainger Browning by Bishop
Henning. We assume the introduction was
somewhere on a Chronos timeline.
Now, allow us to introduce to you
The Reverend Dr. Jo Ann Browning. This
corrected spelling of the co-pastor’s name will probably be found nowhere in
the Book of Discipline. But from this day shall be known to all who subscribe
to The Christian Recorder. You may have never known if not for a friendly,
trusted source. Beyond the physical
church walls, one might witness The Reverend Dr. Jo Ann Browning’s spirit of
love for her husband, Christian ministry and African Methodism. Inside the
physical church walls of Ebenezer, Ft. Washington, she’s Reverend Jo Ann. To their Steward Pro-Tem Brother Melvin Clay,
and perhaps to the Father who sent her, she is daughter.
Stephanie and Eric Stradford
4. FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT
CHURCHES RESPOND TO CALL FOR EVANGELISM:
By
Angelena Spears
Philadelphia
Conference Reporter
It
began with a vision for the First Episcopal District -- and the visionary was
the bishop, the Right Rev. Gregory G.M. Ingram who appealed to each church to
embrace the 2nd Sunday in September as “Discipleship Sunday.”
Bishop
Ingram said he wanted to see at least 1,000 new members added to the Body of
Christ on that day – and called it a “soul goal.”
Bishop
Ingram expounded on the vision by comparing it to the type of growth that was
experienced by the Early Church: “When Jesus said to Peter and Andrew, ‘Follow
me and I will make you fishers of men,’ He meant no one could follow Him unless
they shared Him, and conversely, if one is not sharing then he/she is not
following,” Bishop Ingram proclaimed.
“As
disciples … we should be committed to sharing our faith,” the bishop said.
If
anyone knows about church growth, it is Bishop Ingram. During the 13 years he served as the pastor
of Oak Grove AME Church, Detroit (just prior to being elevated to the
episcopacy) – over 2600 members joined!
It
didn’t take long for many churches to catch the vision and to begin to
incorporate ways to make it a reality.
Their approaches were as unique as their individual congregations.
Among
the churches that embraced the vision was Bethel AME Church, West Chester, PA,
where the pastor is the Rev. Tiffany Lett-Martin. The small older congregation is Rev.
Martin's first pastoral assignment. When
she arrived just 17 months ago, there were just eight faithful members.
The
Rev. Martin capitalized on the fact that the second Sunday in September was
also Grandparents Day, and rallied her members to invite their families to join
them in worship on that Sunday.
"Tell
them that what you really want for Grandparents Day is for them to come to
church with you," she told her members.
The appeal worked and many grandparents arrived with their families.
During
the service, the Rev. Martin invited grandchildren to come forward and cite
openly how their grandparents have been a positive influence in their
lives. It only took a few moments, but
the sharing was a positive enhancement to the worship.
Later,
at the close of the sermon, instead of asking persons to walk down the aisle to
accept Christ, the Rev. Martin asked everyone who was saved to close their
eyes. She then invited those who were
not saved, to keep their eyes open, and if they desired to give their lives to
Christ, to repeat the Prayer of Salvation with her.
Three
persons received salvation and joined the church – which is no small feat for a
church with just 20 members on an average Sunday.
On
the other end of the Philadelphia Conference is the Bethel AME Church,
Harrisburg. Their pastor, the Rev. Micah
Sims, said they didn't do anything differently for Discipleship Sunday because
the emphasis on evangelism has been constant.
"Whenever
we come together, it is an opportunity to grow," said the Rev Sims. "Therefore Bible studies, exercise class
and choir rehearsals are all opportunities for discipleship," he
explained.
Since
Sims came to the church in February, they have launched an extensive marketing
campaign based heavily on social media.
The new slogan: "#IgotoBETHEL" can be found everywhere -- on
the church's Facebook page, Website and Twitter account.
Members
are encouraged to use social media to send texts and Tweets to other members
when they are absent from worship. It is
not unusual then, to receive a text that says "I missed you in worship
today" or "Are you on your way to worship?"
The
church’s Facebook page (at www.facebook.com/igotoBethel)
has a steady stream of visitors who are excited about their church and are constantly
posting comments about the dynamic worship experience.
The
marketing campaign has been effective. When Sims came to the church he said
there were about 70 worshippers on an average Sunday and today that number has
grown to about 170.
On
Discipleship Sunday three persons joined.
The
Rev. Sims sees a huge tie-in to the [Harrisburg] church’s growth and the growth
campaign Bishop Ingram has outlined for the district, which the bishop has
titled: First Things First.
“Our
bishop is getting us to a point of recognizing the importance of prioritizing
the most important things -- -- prayer, discipleship and worship,” said the
Rev. Sims.
“When
you put those things first – the members do come,” said the Rev. Sims.
Unlike
the Rev. Sims and the Rev. Martin, who are relatively new at their churches,
the Rev. Jay Broadnax has served eight years as the pastor of Mt. Pisgah AME
Church, a well-established congregation in West Philadelphia.
The
Rev. Broadnax said that Discipleship Sunday at Mt. Pisgah was successful –
three persons joined that day and two joined the previous Sunday. However, he admitted that sometimes it can be
hard to get churches to embrace growth.
“Many
congregations become very comfortable where they are,” said the Rev.
Broadnax. “[The answer] is all in the
teaching – what we are supposed to be about, and explaining the responsibility
of each member to bring folks to Christ,” he said.
Their
unique approach for Discipleship Sunday was to have cards printed that invited persons
to come to church. The cards were given
to the membership to distribute.
“We
want to fashion our worship services in terms of the people we want to reach
and not just the people that are coming,” added the Rev. Broadnax.
About
six miles from Mt. Pisgah, the emphasis on evangelism is paramount at the
Disney-Nichols AME Church in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia.
The
pastor, the Rev. Jacqueline Capers, said church growth has been steady and
attributes it largely to the successful merger of two congregations – Disney
AME Church and Ruffin Nichols AME Church.
The
Rev. Capers, who had served as the pastor of Ruffin Nichols for five years,
said her congregation was looking for a permanent location when the Rev.
Anthony P. Booker, pastor of Disney AME Church, died unexpectedly in
January.
The
Ruffin Nichols Church was sold in 2011 after the 168-year-old building was
deemed too expensive to maintain. The
new owners demolished the building after an exterior wall subsequently
collapsed – and a residential project was constructed.
Although
the official merger did not take place until the Philadelphia Annual Conference
in May, the two congregations began worshipping together in February and by the
time of the Annual Conference; they were able to report 23 new members.
Instead
of dismantling to regroup, the new church kept both steward boards, both
trustee boards and all choirs, said the Rev. Capers.
The
Rev. Capers said some people thought the merger would not work, but it clearly
has. Every week – other than two weeks
when she was not preaching – someone has joined.
They
prayed together regarding the merger and determined that they would uplift the
name of Jesus Christ first (which aligns with Bishop Ingram’s vision) and then
minister to the church and serve the community.
The
church seats 175 people comfortably and is full on most Sundays. Sometimes there is standing-room only – as
was the case for a youth service when Sean Lewis, the son of the Rev. Stephen
Lewis of Bethel AME Church, Freeport, NY, was the speaker. The overflow spilled to outside of the
church.
“The
people want to come,” said the Rev. Capers.
“They just want to know that you want them.”
Angelena
Spears
Phone: 484-219-5053
5. WHAT A FELLOWSHIP:
On
Saturday, September 21, 2013, Bishop Gregory G.M. Ingram preached “What a
Fellowship” to a gathering of business leaders, elected officials, believers and
non-believers at the Bethel AME Church in Morristown, New Jersey. This august
and diverse gathering was for a singular purpose – the dedication of the “Table
of Hope” and the John and Helen Middleton Fellowship Hall.
After
Bishop Ingram, Presiding Elder Howard Grant, Pastor Sidney Williams completed
the Dedication, Bethel formally opened the doors of its new Community Kitchen
and Fellowship Hall, which will serve as the centerpiece of Bethel’s commitment
of service to the community and will be operated by Bethel’s 501 C (3)
organization – the Spring Street CDC. The Community Kitchen and
Fellowship Hall had been totally destroyed when Tropical Storm Irene deposited
20,000 gallons of the Whippany River into the church basement on Sunday, August
28, 2011. To make matters worse, the flood insurance had expired soon
after the sudden death of Pastor Alfonso Sherald in 2010.
Bethel
was unable to worship in their sanctuary for the entire month of September 2011
because of mold and the damage caused to the elevator. Initial estimates to restore the church
exceeded $400,000 and the members were in despair. The Rev. Sidney Williams,
had been appointed to the congregation only 4 months before the Storm, but he
was able to lead the congregation through a season of prayer. His foundational text was Jeremiah 29:7 –
“But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile,
and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will
find your welfare.”
Prior
to his appointment to Bethel, the Rev. Williams and his wife, Teresa, served as
WMS Sojourners in Cape Town, South Africa. Their zeal for ministering to the
needs of the poor and sharing their heart with the wealthy served them well
when they arrived in Morristown.
After
much prayer and fasting, the officers and members agreed that the best way
forward was to make a commitment to feed the hungry and provide shelter for the
homeless. In addition raising funds for the restoration inside of the church,
Bethel also assisted in developing a detailed action plan to mitigate future
disasters and to remove debris from the river on an annual basis. Since 2011,
Bethel has led the effort to remove more than 4 tons of debris from the river.
On
Sunday October 7, 2012 Bethel embarked on 30 days of prayer and fasting.
Realizing that they did not have enough money to complete construction, Bethel
decided to broaden the search for in-kind support and more importantly advice.
The Rev. Williams asked Normandy Real Estate Partners to give Bethel guidance
on how to best leverage the money they had raised and much to Bethel’s surprise
they received much more than advice! The total cost of the restoration exceeded
$750,000 and Bethel did not have to borrow a dime.
Indeed,
Bethel can declare that when we lean on the everlasting arms of God, it is a
joy divine!
Submitted
by the Rev. Sidney Williams
From:
Wilberforce Community College
6. UPDATE FROM THE OFFICE
OF INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT - WILBERFORCE COMMUNITY COLLEGE:
I
come in the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ. After deliberation and
encouragement I respond through the Holy Spirit. I write bearing witness to the
triumphs of our gracious God amidst all the challenges before us. My spouse
(Dr. Hasan Crockett) and I are giving service at Wilberforce Community College
(WCC) in Evaton, South Africa. We were introduced to the education facility by
the gracious Bishop Jeffrey N. Leath, then of the 19th District.
We
were astonished when we recognized the potential of the facility. Bishop Leath
inquired if there was any way we could give assistance.
After
returning home in Atlanta, Georgia in 2011, we were moved to make a commitment
and we knew that the Hand of God was in the process because things started to
happen in a supernatural way.
We
were introduced to a remarkable researcher/engineering designer, Mr. D.
Edwards, who introduced a program he conducts in Science, Technology,
Engineering, Math and Innovation / STEMI. We collaborated with him and
implemented the program at WCC in our summer… their winter, 2012 with much
success.
Through
partnership with Mr. Edwards; SADA, financial support from the 19th
Episcopal District, our personal finances and South Africa Technology
Innovations Agency a division of the Department of Science and Technology, we
provided a student-oriented, hands-on and skills development experience at WCC,
which resides in an underdeveloped area. That was just the beginning; we then
took a leap of faith… a mission.
Accepting
an assignment in January 2013, God’s will and blessings were abundantly swift
in a short period. Our inspiration is the youth who exhibit determination to
contribute and achieve in a society where they face unemployment of over 40%,
in an area where encouragement is not given by teachers, where light/energy is
questionable daily, water is not prevalent and death is experienced with
waking. My lesson is in seeing Gods work minute by minute.
The vision: “Unbound Future,’’ Wilberforce Community
College Center of Excellence
Wilberforce
Community College endeavors to become the standard of excellence for South
African residential and commuter-base community colleges, fostering
intelligence, originality, and character in an active, student-centered
learning community.
We
are dedicated to providing a foundation for a lifetime of learning, fostering
intellectual growth, aesthetic appreciation, and character development in our
learners and students.
Thriving
on principles that knowledge is acquired through discipline, competence is
established when knowledge is tempered by experience and character is developed
when competence is exercised for the benefit of others, recognizing the value
of combining theory and performance goals to provide a rigorous education that
blends educational training and higher education - Community College, 2-year
curriculum model inherited after the U.S.
A
major in Renewable Energy and Solar Technology in the Engineering Department,
combines classes in STEMI with core subjects in Humanities, Social Sciences and
Liberal Arts. With programs that support secondary education, Academic Research
and Study Abroad Opportunities for high performers.
Our recent progress…
The
campus has powered up, we are out of darkness there are now electric lights
inside and out and the cleaned-up grounds shows the wonderful results of what
paint can do.
I
am appreciative of the improvements that the skeleton maintenance and
housekeeping staff have accomplished.
Policies,
procedures and processes employed will support best practices. Internet and
WI-FI is now operational maintaining 90% connectivity.
The
South Africa Department of Science and Technology has pledged R1 million
($100,000 USD) toward erecting an internet tower which will provide full
internet-capacity over the campuses of WCC and RR Wright increasing bandwidth.
The tower will allow internet connectivity to schools and communities extending
into the Vaal’s area. This is phenomenal for an area presently without internet
access.
We
have to match the pledge and we believe that God will provide. The internet
tower is being constructed by our partners, TENET and Comsol.
Once
erected, the technology will shift WCC to a level currently experienced by all
the other institutions of Higher Education, opening doors where WCC can
compete, provide student services and promote an education of global
significance in South Africa.
Professional
design skills are needed to bring the institution to the calibre that matches
our competitors’ sites. Please contact us if you can help with design skills.
We
continually work to sustain the implemented restructuring of administration,
operations, adding staff and training, increasing enrolment and moving WCC into
correcting stewardship as a non-profit and USAID compliance. This requires an
active commitment from the 19th District because WCC cannot do it
alone.
USAID
Compliance extends goodwill by providing students an education grounded in
western values and ideals the equal any educational facilities or hospitals
built by USAID. WCC’s purpose is not usage as a conference center, hostel,
community center or any-reason-events-hall pertaining to religious purposes and
pursuits. WCC is in the process of implementing a supportive and functioning
Board of Directors that will be able to provide guidance and professional
support in several areas, such as non-profit regulations, compliance,
fundraising, capital campaigns, scholarships and creating an endowment. The AME
Church agreed with USAID to be good stewards.
In
the area of academics please keep us in prayer, prayers are needed. We are
moving forward and we are please.
The
Engineering Department has completed the first class: “Introduction in Solar
Electric and Solar Thermal Design Installation.’’
A
class of 15 adult students including three from Zambia and two senior women are
enrolled.
Energy,
a major problem throughout Africa, is address through the renewable curriculum,
which resulted in a Zambian and a South African student acquiring jobs before
picking up their completion certificates, an impressive start considering
unemployment hovers above 33%.
The
October class has an increased student enrolment.
We
partnered with Lane Community College, in Eugene, Oregon and the Bronx
Community College in New York. A practicum is conducted at the end of the 8-week
eCourse session that includes two
additional weeks taught by Lane Community College and Bronx Community College.
We
are fortunate having them as partners because they are among the leading
schools in the renewable energy sector. In addition, they brought their
students over in collaboration as a study-abroad where both classes installed
solar on top of the Distant Learning IT Building taking the IT building off the
grid and allowing internet access 24/7. It was awesome!
Our
Winter/Summer Engineering Institute Program is what I am most proud of because
the program selects the best; half female and half male high schoolers,
teaching them engineering principles applied to solar design, installation and
maintenance.
Each
applicant must meet grade requirements and provide references from their
science and math teachers. These high school students selected perform at the
highest levels.
The
2012 class produced two exceptional seniors who are now preparing to study in
the U.S. beginning our study-abroad program; with all expenses paid!
The
2013 class installed solar, this is our charge; to service the community,
revamp the college and provide educational opportunities to those who are often
overlooked.
There
is much more to communicate, however I thank God, it is not easy trying to
creating change in a foreign land, dealing with different cultures.
I
often tell others, “My spouse studied Africa, I did not,’’ yet we press
forward.
I
thank our family for their support while we are away; I thank our AME family
for their encouragement, especially retired Pastor George Moore for his
training in service and the Rev. Dr. William Watley, present pastor of St.
Philip AME Church. We thank Bishop Jeffrey N. Leath and Bishop Paul Jones
Kawimbe, Presiding Prelate of the 19th District for allowing us to
participate in this awesome experience.
Check
out our website: http://wilberforcecommunitycollege.wozaonline.co.za,
*Ms.
Kimberly J. Crockett is the Director and is a member Saint Philip AME Church in
Atlanta, Georgia
7. THE REVEREND BENJAMIN
MCKINNEY, A GIANT AMONG PREACHERS:
On
Thursday, October 17, 2013 at the West Coast Annual Conference in the Eleventh
Episcopal District after thirty years of service in the formal ministry of the
AME Church, the Reverend Benjamin McKinney Superannuated (Retired).
When
I began in ministry I heard many stories about the Reverend Benjamin McKinney.
How he launched a campaign against a giant corporation and won. How he
consistently increased the size of any church he was assigned to pastor, and
how he dove in head first when he founded the “I Love EWC Incentive” (Edward
Water College), and personally escorted students, too numerous to name, onto
the Edward Waters campus at his own expense. I had already known that he was a
soulful singer but I also learned that he was an outstanding preacher who could
exegete scripture and hoop in a unique style of delivery that would set the
church a fire. I heard all these stories and many more and I grew proud because
for most of my childhood this Gentle Giant of a preacher was simply my Uncle
Ben. I didn’t see him often growing up because we lived in different cities but
I remember him fondly as a big tall man with a deep raspy voice who always took
time to bend way down to my level to talk to me.
By
the time I was called into the ministry he had ceased being a pastor. I'm now
also told that I am a lot like him, in preaching style, in my love of people,
but mostly, I’ll admit in temperament. I consider the comparison a great
compliment. He has now become my mentor in ministry and in life. I could sit at
his feet and listen to the stories of the old days in ministry all day long. He
will always be a big man in my eyes and I was proud to stand by his side on the
day that he officially said goodbye to the formal ministry. And I know that God
was also with him and saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” So to
you, Uncle Ben, the Reverend Benjamin McKinney, those of us who were affected
and influenced by your whole hearts dedication to ministry, we join God in
saying, “Well done.”
Written
by the Reverend Lee M. Sapp
Associate
Minister, Grant Chapel AMEC Lake Worth, Florida
8. AME JOSHUA DUBOIS
ANNOUNCES MAJOR NEW BOOK: "THE PRESIDENT'S DEVOTIONAL: THE DAILY READINGS
THAT INSPIRED PRESIDENT OBAMA":
Mrs.
Jacqueline Dupont Walker
I
wanted you to know that Joshua DuBois, longtime A.M.E., President Obama's
"Pastor in Chief" (TIME Magazine) and head of the White House
faith-based initiative in President Obama's first term, is out this week with
an exciting new book! It's called "The President's Devotional: The Daily
Readings that Inspired President Obama" and is a compilation of 365 of the
daily devotionals that Joshua still sends President Obama each morning, which
President Obama has said "means the world" to him. 'The President's Devotional' also includes
inside stories of faith in the White House, from the Sandy Hook shootings to
race issues and more.
As
you all know, Joshua DuBois is a son of the A.M.E. church. His father, Rev. W.
Antoni Sinkfield, is Presiding Elder of the North Nashville District in the
13th Episcopal District, and mother Kristy Sinkfield is very active in the
church. Joshua grew up in Payne Chapel A.M.E. Church in Nashville and was
instrumental in arranging the visits of President Obama and First Lady Michelle
Obama to two successive General Conferences. The publication of "The President's
Devotional" is not only a major moment for Joshua, but for African
Methodism as well!
A.M.E.'s
can order "The President's Devotional" now on Amazon.com and
BarnesandNoble.com; it will be released in bookstores everywhere October 22nd.
Find out more about the book and read endorsements from Bishop Vashti McKenzie
and many others at www.joshuadubois.com.
And please make sure you call your libraries, book stories and retailers
to make sure they are caring the book!
Churches
and Annual Conferences who desire to purchase "The President's
Devotional" in bulk at a special discounted rate can contact HarperCollins
Publishers at jennifer.jensen@harpercollins.com.
Please copy partners@valuespartnerships.com
on these requests.
“DuBois’ devotions draw the reader closer to
the heart of God and help us to see things God’s way before the world begins to
knock on the door of our hearts. These prophetic and powerful pathways into the
heart of God will prepare you to meet whatever the day brings.” -- Bishop
Vashti Murphy McKenzie, Presiding Prelate, 10th Episcopal District,
African Methodist Episcopal Church
9. AME SENIOR BISHOP AMONG
BLACK CLERGY PUSH 'OBAMACARE' ENROLLMENT AS GLITCHES GET FIXED:
Hazel
Trice Edney
A
team of African-American preachers has sent a letter to President Barack Obama
affirming their "commitment to the Affordable Care Act" even as the
president has ordered the website overhauled.
"We
believe that access to quality health care is a fundamental civil and human
right in America. Historically, over seven million African-Americans have been
uninsured and denied access to care with devastating consequences. The
Affordable Care Act provides African-Americans, along with Americans of all
nationalities, access to desperately needed quality health care," states
the letter, signed by 14 Black preachers, all of whom lead major clerical or
civic organizations. "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 and to-be-expected administrative glitches will be appropriately
addressed but it is essential that we work aggressively with what we have right
now. We cannot afford to put this off any longer. Any further delay will have
catastrophic effects on the nation's uninsured."
The
three-page letter, complete with supporting scriptures, and starting with
"Dear Mr. President", was released to the media Monday evening.
The
14 names on the letter are the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr. chair, Faith
Partnerships; Inc.; the Rev. Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, co-chair, National
African American Clergy Network, who is heading the effort; the Reverend Dr. T.
DeWitt Smith, Jr., co-chair, National African American Clergy Network; the Rev.
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, president, Progressive National Baptist Convention,
Inc.; Bishop George E. Battle, Jr., senior bishop, African Methodist Episcopal
Zion Church; Bishop Charles Edward Blake, Sr., presiding Bishop and Chief
Apostle, Church of God In Christ, Inc.; Bishop John R. Bryant, senior bishop,
African Methodist Episcopal Church; the Rev. Dr. Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook,
founding president, Women In Ministry International; Bishop Paul A. G. Stewart,
Sr., acting senior bishop, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church; Bishop Paul S.
Morton, international presiding bishop, Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship
International; the Rev. Dr. Julius R. Scruggs, president, National Baptist
Convention, USA, Inc.; the Rev. Al Sharpton, president, National Action
Network; the Rev. Dr. Stephen Thurston, president, National Baptist Convention
of America, Inc., the Rev. Dr. C. T. Vivian, president, Southern Christian Leadership
Conference.
The
letter was released only hours after President Obama held a Rose Garden press
conference deploring the embarrassing glitches that have slowed enrollment on
the website, HealthCare.gov, while praising the benefits of the new plans for
those who have successfully enrolled.
"...The
problem has been that the website that's supposed to make it easy to apply for
and purchase the insurance is not working the way it should for everybody. And
there's no sugarcoating it," Obama said. "The website has been too
slow; people have been getting stuck during the application process. And I
think it's fair to say that nobody is more frustrated by that than I am -
precisely because the product is good."
For
anyone experiencing problems or needing answers to questions, he announced the
toll free number, 1-800-318-2596 for help. The President has also embraced the
Republican-invented nickname for the Affordable Care Act. In a video,
distributed by mass email, he has appealed for people to "Join Team Obamacare."
Meanwhile,
amidst escalated criticism of the plan - mainly by Republicans - the pastors
and their associates bolstered their support.
"We,
leaders of predominantly African American denominations and other faith
leaders, who lead millions of African American people of faith, believe that
our devotion to God requires us to be actively involved in promoting the
well-being of all people," states the letter. "In some cases, we can
best accomplish that objective by executing clearly defined, focused collaborative
efforts amongst denominations and other faith based groups. We believe in those
cases we can accomplish more together than we can separately. The issue of
providing all Americans with access to quality health care is one of those
issues."
The
letter lists their specific commitments, including to "Facilitate the
critical enrollment numbers necessary to ensure the success of the Affordable
Care Act" and "Seek other opportunities to work towards improving the
health status of our constituencies" such as "Health and Wellness
Sundays which will include thematic preaching on specified Sundays along with
other related activities."
They
appealed for other pastors to sign onto the letter and the commitment: "We
call on all others of like minds and empathetic hearts to join in this public
affirmation by affixing your names to this historic document."
10. FISK UNIVERSITY SACSCOC UPDATE:
NASHVILLE,
TN, OCTOBER 23, 2013 – Fisk University announced today that the Special
Committee from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on
Colleges commended the University on the tremendous progress that it has made
under the leadership of its 15th president, Dr. H. James Williams,
who took the helm on February 1, 2013.
When
Williams arrived, Fisk had to address five recommendations of the
Commission. Inherent in the
recommendations were the requirements that the University end Fiscal Year 2013
with a balanced budget and that the University meet its fundraising goal of $5
million in unrestricted funds, also by June 30, 2013. The University accomplished both tasks,
ending the fiscal year in the black and raising $5.8 million of which $5.1
million were unrestricted funds.
The
next step in the review process will occur around November 15th when
the University responds to the Special Committee’s Report. The final step will
take place in early December when the University appears before the Commission
on Colleges in Atlanta during its Annual Meeting. On Tuesday, December 10th,
the decision of the Commission will be announced.
During
a recent family meeting on the Fisk campus, Williams thanked the faculty,
students, staff and administrative team for the contributions they made and for
their hard work, which enabled the University to address the SACSCOC
issues. He stated, “I am confident that
as long as we work together, maintaining the trajectory we have in place now,
we will retain our SACS membership.”
11. THE FORGOTTEN PREACHER:
By
Andre E. Johnson
Henry
McNeal Turner, the first black chaplain in the Union Army and one of the most
prominent religious and political leaders of Civil War era black America, was
born a free black on Feb. 1, 1834, in New Berry Court House, S.C. Turner was
the oldest child of Hardy Turner and Sarah Greer Turner, and while we do not
know much about Turner’s other siblings, we do know that Turner’s father died
while he was still young.
Even
though born as a free person, Turner still experienced the harsh reality of
prejudice and racism; he worked in cotton fields alongside enslaved people as
well as in a blacksmith shop under some of the harshest overseers.
When
Turner was “eight or nine years old,” he later recalled; he had a dream that
placed him in front of a large crowd of both blacks and whites who looked to
him for instruction. The dream not only became a guiding light for Turner, but
it also gave Turner a desire for education. However, state laws at the time did
not allow blacks, enslaved or free, to attend school or to learn how to read
and write. After obtaining a spelling book, Turner attempted to learn how to
read and write with the help of several people in his community. But each time
Turner would begin to study, others would find out and have the teaching
stopped. Having learned only a little from his teachers, Turner attempted to
learn to read and write on his own — by the time he was 15, he had read the
entire Bible five times and started a habit of memorizing lengthy passages of
scripture, which helped him develop a strong memory.
Turner
attended revival services with his mother and finally joined the Methodist
church in Abbeville, S.C., in 1848. His “conversion,” as he called it, came in
1851 under the preaching of plantation missionary Samuel Leard in a camp
meeting at Sharon Camp Ground. In his conversion experience, Turner remembered
rolling on the ground, foaming at the mouth and agonizing under conviction
until he felt the presence of Christ in his life. Soon after, Turner became
convinced that the dream he had earlier was a call to preach the gospel.
Licensed
to preach in the mixed-race Southern Methodist Church at 19 years old, Turner
spoke before to large integrated audiences. But he found it frustrating that
the Southern Methodist Church would never ordain him and that as a licensed exhorter
he had already achieved the highest level a black person could attain in the
denomination. Instead, he joined the all-black African Methodist Episcopal
church in 1858. Four years later he became pastor of Israel A.M.E. church in
Washington.
Not
long after, Abraham Lincoln commissioned Turner to the office of chaplain in
the Union Army, making him the first black chaplain in any branch of the
military. In this capacity, he also became a war correspondent, writing
articles for The Christian Recorder newspaper about the trials and tribulations
of the First Regiment, United States Colored Troops. When the war ended, he
found himself assigned to the Freedmen’s Bureau in Georgia as a chaplain.
Leaving
the military for good in 1866, Turner turned his attention to politics. During
the period of Reconstruction, and while still working with the Freedmen’s
Bureau, Turner became a Republican Party organizer and helped recruit and
organize black voters throughout Georgia. He helped establish the first
Republican state convention, and helped draft a new Georgia state constitution.
Elected later as one of the first African Americans in the Georgia Legislature,
Turner believed that change had finally come. He garnered support and respect
from black people by organizing Loyal Leagues and Equal Rights Associations.
However,
any excitement that Turner or black people in general had for ushering in a new
day after the Civil War disappeared quickly when white members of the state legislature
voted in 1868 to disqualify blacks from holding elected office. After his
ouster from the Georgia state legislature, Turner became the postmaster in
Macon, Ga., the first African American to hold that position. However,
pressures began to mount on the federal government to dismiss Turner based on
trumped-up improprieties. Fired after only two weeks in office, Turner then
took a position as a customs inspector in Savannah, Ga. He held this position
for several years, but eventually resigned from this position because of
increasing demands of the church.
Turner
then focused his efforts on building the A.M.E. Church in the South; by 1876,
he had become the church’s publications manager. This allowed him to travel to
all the districts and meet the pastors and leaders of local churches. During
the next four years, he developed a following that led to his election in 1880
as one of the bishops of the church. Turner finally had a national platform to
espouse his ideas on race, politics, lynching and other issues of the day.
However, as racism became more of an issue for blacks, Turner increasingly
became a proponent of emigration.
Toward
the end of the 19th century, after several failed attempts at an emigration
plan and with the rise of a new generation of black leaders like Booker T.
Washington and W.E.B. Dubois, Turner’s influence started to wane. He edited two
newspapers — The Voice of Missions, from 1893 to 1900, and The Voice of the
People, from 1901 to 1904 – served as chair of the board of Morris Brown
College from 1896-1908, and kept a busy schedule up to the end of his life. He
was in Windsor, Ont., at the general conference of the A.M.E. church in 1915
when he suffered a massive stroke. He died hours later at a Windsor hospital.
Follow
Disunion at twitter: https://twitter.com/NYTcivilwar or join us on FaceBook.
Andre
E. Johnson is an associate professor of rhetoric and religion and African
American studies at Memphis Theological Seminary. He is the author of “The
Forgotten Prophet: Bishop Henry McNeal Turner and the African American
prophetic Tradition.”
TCR Editor’s Note: Article about Henry McNeal Turner that appeared in
yesterday’s issue (10/21/13) of The New York Times online
12. SIXTY-FIFTH ANNUAL
EXTRAVAGANZA AND A SILENT AUCTION:
The
Laity of the Southern California Conference, which includes more than 60
African Methodist Episcopal Churches, is proud to present an afternoon of
splendid, dining and entertainment with the theme: “In Recognition of Our
Leaders.”
This
Grand Gala is being held on Saturday, November 16, 2013 at the Carson Community
Center, in Carson California. The
afternoon festivities will begin at 12 p.m. with a pre-luncheon event - a
Silent Auction. At 1 p.m., the doors
will open and the guest will be seated.
This year’s entertainment is the renowned “Tim Southerland Ensemble”
featuring Judith Malone.
The
Southern California Conference Lay Organization continues to support our youth
and senior members. Scholarships and
Awards will be presented to individuals who have been trailblazers, role
models, and who have achieved academic success in their pursuits of a higher
education.
As
always, the highlight of the evening is the presentation of the “Pastor of the
Year” award, and the “Outstanding Lay Person” award. The first award is a salute to the Pastor who
has demonstrated his love of his church and the laity of the Southern
California Conference. The second one,
Outstanding Lay Person, is given to the person who has contributed to the
success of the organization for many years.
Ticket
information may be obtained at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/454468
Tickets
can be purchased from local Lay Presidents of African Methodist Episcopal
Churches or on line at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/454468
Chairperson: Kathy Drayton
13. RELIGIOUS LEADERS ASK PRESIDENT OBAMA FOR SWIFT NORMALIZATION
OF CUBA RELATIONS:
Washington, October 22, 2013
– National religious leaders, including officers and board members of the
National Council of Churches, are asking President Obama to “take concrete
action to pursue a path toward improved relations with Cuba.”
In a letter delivered to the
White House Monday, 21 church leaders pointed to signs the Cuban government is
pursuing a role as a peacemaker in international disputes, and has collaborated
with the U.S. in its efforts to the making and marketing of drugs.
In particular, the leaders
said there is no evidence Cuba is a terrorist state. “Cuba … has made
international commitments to combat terrorism,” the leaders said.
The leaders said their call
for normalization is a response to a message from Cuban religious leaders who
“expressed their hope for a swiftly implemented normalization of the
relationship between the United States and Cuba.”
“We believe that an improved,
more cooperative relationship between our nation and Cuba would benefit Cuban
churches and help facilitate progress toward full political freedom and
economic opportunity for the Cuban people,” the U.S. Church leaders said.
The full text of the letter to President Obama
follows:
Dear Mr. President:
This May, Cuban religious
leaders, in a letter to U.S.-based churches, expressed their hope for a swiftly
implemented normalization of the relationship between the United States and
Cuba. We, their U.S.-based colleagues, share their hope for a more fruitful,
open relationship between Americans and our Cuban brothers and sisters. We
believe now is the time for the United States to take concrete action to pursue
a path toward improved relations with Cuba.
We are deeply grateful to you
for issuing an executive directive in 2011 to lift restrictions for religious
and academic travel to Cuba, and to allow licensed people-to-people cultural
travel. Since then, we have strengthened our relationships with our church
partners in Cuba. We have accompanied and supported them during this time of
robust growth for Cuban churches, which has occurred alongside movement within
Cuba to increase economic prosperity and political rights. We believe that an
improved, more cooperative relationship between our nation and Cuba would
benefit Cuban churches and help facilitate progress toward full political
freedom and economic opportunity for the Cuban people.
For these reasons, we urge
you to take the following actions this year:
Initiate direct, high-level
dialogue with the Cuban government. We encourage your Administration to engage
in direct, unrestricted, meaningful dialogue with the Cuban Government between
senior officials to discuss issues that concern both the United States and
Cuba. We laud the recent government-to-government talks about resuming direct
mail service, as well as the re-start of migration talks between our two
nations. We urge you to extend such talks, and move them to a new level, to
include other topics of mutual concern, creating the potential for recognizing
and supporting new political and economic openings in Cuba that will benefit
the Cuban people. These high-level talks could help facilitate even greater
dialogue and exchange of ideas between our peoples and create possibilities for
increased engagement by all sectors of our societies.
Exercise your executive
authority to remove Cuba from the United States' list of state sponsors of
terrorism. Cuba is not a state sponsor of terrorism and must be taken off this
list. Cuba’s placement on the list is widely recognized as inaccurate and dates
to decades-old political dynamics that no longer exist. The most recent State
Department report indicates that the Cuban government: provided no weapons or
paramilitary training to terrorist groups, joined a regional group on
anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism, and has
distanced itself from Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) members living on the
island. Furthermore, Cuba is sponsoring and hosting the Colombian-FARC
guerrillas’ peace talks, collaborates with the United States in counter-drug
efforts, and has made international commitments to combat terrorism. Cuba’s
inclusion on the list of state sponsors of terrorism undermines opportunities
for the United States to use its influence to encourage continuing improvements
in political freedom and human rights.
Exercise your executive
authority to lift all restrictions on people-to-people travel between the
United States and Cuba. Purposeful travel between the United States and Cuba
creates and strengthens fruitful relationships between Americans and Cubans.
Since your 2011 executive directive that eased restrictions on religious
travel, our communities have a great deal of experience traveling under general
license to Cuba for permitted purposes. At both the church-wide and local
levels, our members can provide firsthand witness to the degree to which such
relationship-building serves the common good of both nations and strengthens
our common witness for peace, dignity and human rights. We have neither
experienced nor observed any adverse consequences from this period of expanded
relationship, and we strongly urge that the same opportunity be available to
all residents of the United States.
We pray for the full normalization
of relations between the United States and Cuba. We believe these three
incremental steps will serve that end, while mutually benefitting our two
peoples. Our church partners in Cuba are eager for meaningful ways to build
relationships. We urge you to seize this moment of opportunity to improve
relations between the United States and Cuba.
With blessings and peace,
The Rev. A. Roy Medley
General Secretary
American Baptist Churches USA
Paula Clayton Dempsey
Director of Partnership
Relations
Alliance of Baptists
Shan Cretin
General Secretary
American Friends Service
Committee
Dr. Lester A. Myers
President
Center of Concern
The Rev. Joel Boot
Executive Director
Christian Reformed Church in
North America
The Very Rev. John Edmunds ST
President
Conference of Major Superiors
of Men
Sr. Janice McLaughlin, MM
President
Maryknoll Sisters
Sr. Simone Campbell, SSS
Executive Director
NETWORK, A National Catholic
Social Justice Lobby
The Rev. Gradye Parsons
Stated Clerk
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The Rev. Peter Morales
President
Unitarian Universalist
Association
Bishop Mary Ann Swenson
Ecumenical Officer
United Methodist Church
The Rev. Geoffrey A. Black
General Minister and
President
United Church of Christ
Archbishop Vicken Aykazian
Legate
Armenian Orthodox Church
The Rev. Sharon E. Watkins
General Minister and
President
Christian Church (Disciples
of Christ)
Stanley J. Noffsinger
General Secretary
Church of the Brethren
The Rev. John L. McCullough
President and CEO
Church World Service
The Most Reverend Katharine
Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America
Sr. Margaret Magee, OSF
President
Franciscan Action Network
Peg Birk
Transitional General
Secretary
National Council of Churches
Sr. Patricia Chappell
Executive Director
Pax Christi USA
The Rev. Dr. Carroll A.
Baltimore
President
Progressive National Baptist
Convention
14. GETTING TO ZERO: HANDWASHING AS A SIMPLE
PREVENTION:
*Dr. Oveta Fuller
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure.” “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” “A stitch in time saves nine.” Most
of us have heard these as either a child or adult.
In addition to October as
Breast Cancer Awareness month, October 15 is Global Handwashing Day. Yes, this
is another special day to focus on promoting an aspect of health and wellness.
Global Handwashing Day
Diarrheal and acute
respiratory diseases are major killers of young children. UNICEF, a United
Nations General Assembly agency that focuses on health, wellness and rights of
children, estimates that globally a child dies of diarrhea every 30 seconds.
Diarrhea is caused by
invading bacteria, viruses or protozoa. Diarrhea and possible loss of appetite,
vomiting, nausea and sometimes fever are symptoms of gastroenteritis.
Gastroenteritis- gastro (stomach); entero (intestine); it is (inflammation) is
often called “stomach flu.” It is not
related to influenza that is caused by a respiratory virus, but affects organs
of the digestive tract.
Simply washing hands with
soap and water is a highly effective, low cost way to prevent diarrheal
diseases. This should occur every time after using the toilet, changing a
diaper or nappy of a baby, before eating or before preparing food or nursing a
baby.
The Global Handwashing Day
each October 15 is promoted by agencies and schools in over 100 countries
around the world. Washing hands with soap and water can be especially effective
when engrained into the receptive minds of young children. They will remind
adults of what we should do.
About normal flora and pathogenic microbes
Viruses, bacteria and
protozoa can enter and invade the stomach and intestines to compete with normal
flora bacteria found in these digestive tract organs. Normal flora bacteria are
an important part of digestion and maintaining metabolic balance. Bacteria that
colonize the skin, hair, intestines and some mucosal linings of the body
prevent attachment to cells and reproduction of disease causing microbes. Some
normal flora also helps the metabolic processes of food breakdown. These are
the microbes needed for wellness- the “good microbes.” High levels of some good
microbes are found in probiotic foods such as yogurt and milk.
Interestingly, normal flora
in one geographical location may differ from that in a distant location. For
example, traveler’s diarrhea and/or constipation can occur from changes in
species of colonizing bacteria after one consumes food that contains microbes
common to a different region. Turnover in the normal flora is a natural process
that usually self-regulated over a few days.
Pathogenic (disease causing)
microbes or “germs” are transmitted by hands, food or water that has been in
contact with human excrement or feces. Dirt can contain animal or human waste.
Sanitation to separate human waste and water used for cooking, drinking,
washing combats microbe transmission by the fecal-oral route. Even normal flora
microbes that colonize the skin may be pathogenic if they get inside the body
and gain access body tissues or organs.
Handwashing with soap and
water has been scientifically shown to kill or reduce the numbers of pathogenic
microbes. Thus soap dispensers are found in public or private bathrooms or
toilet facilities. Ample dispensers or bottles of alcohol-based gel hand
cleaners are prominent in health facilities.
Soap and water should be
available to children. They can be taught the importance of routine use of soap
to wash their hands. UNICEF suggests that “handwashing with soap and water
could be more effective at prevention of diarrheal and respiratory diseases
than a ‘vaccine’.”
What happens and its impacts
Why wash with soap and water?
What does the soap add? Soap in lather can break the physical attachments of
microbes to skin. It has agents to destroy some of the outer coat of many
bacteria. Water alone can dislodge some bacteria, viruses or protozoa that
hitch a ride on hand surfaces. However, soap and water and the accompanying
washing action can remove many microbes on the surface and in the crevices of
skin and nails.
Diarrheal and acute
respiratory diseases kill more children in developing countries than any other
single item. Washing hands with soap and water and making these widely
available is a simple ounce of prevention that everyone can promote and model.
It yields tons of benefits in prevention of disease and death.
More about commemorating
Global Handwashing Day and the simple, low cost and effective prevention can be
found at http://globalhandwashing.org/ghw-day. Founding members are The Academy for
Educational Development, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
Colgate-Palmolive, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Proctor and
Gamble, UNICEF, Unilever, World Bank (Water and Sanitation Program and USAID.
So, wash those hands! Do this
every time after using the toilet, after changing a diaper, before eating or
preparing food. Use both the soap and the water. Teach the children and the
adults well. Such home, church or school training is a prevention that saves
lives!
*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.”
15. iCHURCH SCHOOL LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, NOVEMBER
3, 2013 - JACOB’S VISION GENESIS 28:1, 10-22:
Bill Dickens, Allen AME
Church, Tacoma, Washington
Church School Lesson Brief
Helen Keller once stated,
“The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight but no
vision.”
Having vision provides
clarity about your goals, expectations and duties as a responsible person. The Adult AME Church School Lesson for
October 27, 2013 looked at the topic of vision thru the lens of the third Old
Testament patriarch Jacob.
Our story in Genesis Chapter
28 finds Jacob in a refugee state where he is fleeing from the likely wrath of
his brother Esau, which was precipitated by Jacob’s chicanery that caused Esau
to lose both his birthright and most importantly his blessing from his father
Isaac.
At the request of his mother Rebekah,
Jacob travels to the land of Haran under the pretense of finding a suitable
woman to marry. Like most plans,
unexpected things occur along the way.
Jacob takes a rest-stop and during his nap he falls into a deep sleep
where he dreams of a ladder connecting earth to the heavens with the angels of
God moving up and down the ladder.
Upon awakening from his
dream/vision Jacob determines this spiritual elevator experience was
confirmation that he was in the presence of God. Jacob was spot-on-correct, renamed the area
“Bethel” (House of God) and heard the voice of God restate the promise God had
shared with Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham.
Jacob’s vision was
reaffirmation that he and his descendants will be blessed and highly favored by
God. The vision was the proof that God’s
promise remained unchanged. The resulting vow Jacob made was a sign that he was
determined to be obedient as seen in his pledge to tithe his first-fruits and
increase to God. Jacob knew that
“without vision the people perish.”
Leaders must have vision in
order to fulfill their fiduciary responsibility with the people they lead. However, we must not narrowly identify vision
with only great historical personalities like Richard Allen, Winston Churchill,
Martin Luther King, Jr. or Madame Marie Currie.
You can have a vision too and
provided it’s for the glory of God and the uplift of humanity, the vision is
credible. This is why we can all sing
that great hymn, “We are climbing Jacob’s Ladder, Soldiers of the Cross.”
16. MEDITATION BASED ON PROVERBS 3:1-8:
*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby
Traveling rural South
Carolina’s highways and byways has generated more than a few laughs about road
and property signs along the way. I
travel U.S. Highway 21 to reach four welcoming churches in Beaufort, Burton and
Dale, South Carolina. Before reaching
those churches, however, I drive past a small farm that’s cryptically named
“Backache Acres.” I visited the opening
session of the Central Annual Conference at Rock Hill AME Church in Vance, SC
before writing this meditation. That
spirited church is on Rock Hill Road but to get there, you first have to turn
onto and travel down “Po Chance Road!”
I know nothing about
“Backache Acres” beyond the implied suggestion in the name that developing the
property wasn’t easy. I also have no
idea of how “Po Chance” road got its name, beyond the fact that some informal
rural road names became official with the need for easily identifiable
Emergency Medical Service street addresses.
What struck me about both signs, however, is that when you pass
“Backache Acres” and “Po Chance Road,” you find welcoming churches that
symbolize the presence of God and that are sources of respite, renewal and
rejoicing.
Remember my travel experience
as a Presiding Elder as you travel life’s roads, and remember the opening words
of Langston Hughes’ poem Mother to Son: “Life for me ain’t been no crystal
stair.” We all run into obstacles caused
by obstinate people and oppressive situations, have to navigate sharp curves of
confusion and consternation, have to struggle up steep hills of stress and
sadness and have to deal with deep valleys of discouragement and disappointment
as we travel life’s roads. We encounter
not only backaches, but headaches and heartaches and face situations that
present limited options and poor chances.
Life’s roads aren’t always
easy, but when we trust in the Lord and press on anyhow, we’ll find what I
found when I traveled beyond “Backache Acres” and “Po Chance Road” - a loving
and welcoming God who never fails to meet our needs, lift our spirits and bring
us new hope, new possibilities, new power and new joy.
None of us knows what lies
ahead of us on life’s roads, but when we trust in the God who sent His Son into
this world for our salvation, we can press on in the spirit of the writer who
said, “Jesus knows all about our struggles, He will guide us till the day is
done. There’s not a friend like the
lowly Jesus. No, not one; no, not one!”
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
17. EPISCOPAL FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We are saddened to share news
of the passing of Mrs. Julia Brogdon Purnell, the cousin of the late Right
Reverend Richard Allen Hildebrand, 88th Elected and Consecrated Bishop of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mrs. Purnell, a member of the
Eighth Episcopal District, the Right Reverend Julius Harrison McAllister,
Presiding Prelate, was a former leader in the Women's Missionary Society of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church; former Supreme Basileus of the Alpha Kappa
Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and the 7th National President of the
LINKS, Incorporated.
Service arrangements will be
forthcoming, as they are made available. Please remember the family in your
prayers
18. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
The Eighth Episcopal District
family is saddened to announce the passing of Mrs. Janie L. Boarden, the widow
of the late Reverend Loxey Boarden on Wednesday, October 16. 2013.
Family Hour is scheduled for
9:00 a.m. on Friday, October 25, 2013, with the funeral service at 10:00 a.m.
at Ebenezer AME Church in Lloyd Star, Mississippi.
Services have been entrusted
to Williams Mortuary Association, 213 East Minnesota Street, Brookhaven,
Mississippi 39601; telephone (601) 833-5871.
In additional to her Eighth
District family, Mrs. Boarden's legacy will be remembered by her three
surviving children.
Expressions of sympathy may
be sent to:
Mrs. Loretta Bingham
Post Office Box 272
Wesson, Mississippi 39191
19. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
On Friday, October 18th Mr.
Vander Lee Polite, the husband of Mrs. Arthurleen Linda Polite, and brother of
Mrs. Dianna Brown Golphin transitioned to his heavenly home after a prolonged
illness. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 from 6-7 at
Hilton's Mortuary, 1852 E. Montague Ave., North Charleston, SC 29405, phone
number 843-554-2117.
Celebration of Life will be
Thursday, October 24, 2013 at noon at Mount Carmel United Methodist Church, 95
Cooper Street, Charleston, SC 29403, phone 843-722-4110, Pastor Carton J.
McClam Sr., eulogist.
Mrs. Dianna Golphin is the
President of the 13th Episcopal District MSWAWO, and spouse of the Rev. Kenneth
J. Golphin, pastor of Youngs Chapel AME Church, 16th and St Catherine in
Louisville, KY.
Expressions of sympathy may
be sent to:
Mrs. Dianna Golphin
760 Statesman Way
Lexington, KY 40505
Email: mrsgolphin@aol.com
Telephone: 859-333-4678
The Rev. Kenneth J. Golphin
Telephone: 859-333-5075.
25. CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:
Ora L. Easley, Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family Information Center
Email: Amespouses1@bellsouth.net
Web page: http://www.amecfic.org/
Phone: (615) 837-9736 (H)
Phone: (615) 833-6936 (O)
Cell: (615) 403-7751
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMEC_CFIC
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-AME-Church-Clergy-Family-Information-Center/167202414220
26. 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.
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