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
1. TCR
EDITORIAL – REAL PREACHERS OF THE AME CHURCH:
Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III
The 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder
There has been a buzz about the new reality series on Oxygen television station called Preachers of L.A., which offers a glimpse into the lives of several pastors from Los Angeles including “Bishop” Ron Gibson, Clarence E. McClendon, Jay Haizlip and “Bishop” Noel Jones. Please notice that I chose to put quotation marks around “bishop” to indicate my bias to distinguish them from mainline bishops. The title, “bishop” has become so popular that some clergy do not want to be called “reverend” and prefer to be referred to as “bishop.” So, what else is new? Some of the preachers are calling themselves “apostle.” I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them start referring to themselves as “pope.”
In
addition to this editorial, there are two articles in this edition of the TCR Online that address the Preachers of
L.A.
T.D.
Jakes and other well-known preachers have also shared their opinions and
concerns about the Oxygen television program.
I have
gotten off-track
First a disclaimer, I have not
viewed any of the episodes of the Oxygen production of the Preachers of
L.A. series.
I was sent and viewed the
trailer and decided that I had seen enough.
A CNN article described the show
as “… a chaotic mix of prayer, "house porn," and neatly orchestrated
dust-ups between senior pastors and their “first ladies.”
The trailer I watched showed the
preachers as bling-wearing, prosperity-gospel pitchmen. Of course prosperity
was a reality for them. I didn’t see or
hear much about Jesus, God or the Holy Spirit in any substantive or theological
way, just the clichés all of us are familiar with. I heard a lot about their thoughts about how
they viewed life, the things they enjoyed and how God had blessed them with
material things.
Another disclaimer
I have no problem with what kind of car a preacher drives, the
kind of home a preacher owns or the clothes he or she wears. I suspect that the
L.A. Preachers are helping people and I would assume that some people are
blessed by their ministry; at least that’s my assumption. Having said that, my
problem with the program is that it showcases a skewed-view of the ministry; a
heterodox view of ministry.
I suspect and am concerned that there might be some young,
immature aspirants for the ministry who might view the Preachers of
L.A. as their model for ministry. We do not need any more
foolishness in ministry. The gospel is serious business and ministry is not
some frivolous enterprise.
Television shows are business enterprises
I am smart enough to know that the Preachers of
L.A. television show attracts lots of viewers and a lot of money is
made from the show. I also know that Oxygen would not make money if they
produced a television show about the day-to-day ministry of ordinary pastors,
especially of preachers of small and medium-sized churches, which make up most
of the pastors in the pastoral ministry. Very few viewers would be attracted to
that type of programming.
Let me say that I celebrate and honor the lives of pastors and
their families who labor in “vineyards” of all sizes, week after week, month
after month, and year after year. Some of them have to supplement their
ministry with additional employment to make ends meet, yet they labor and work
for the Lord, attend annual conferences year after year and sing, “And are We Yet Alive,” answer the roll-call, and give their
pastoral report.
Most of our pastors might be unsung heroes to television
audiences, but to me, and I know too many others, they are the called-men and
women of God who are faithful to their calling to the pastoral ministry.
Preachers
Last week, Charlotte and I attended Deliverance
2013, which was sponsored by the 2nd Episcopal
District. Dr. Pam DeVeaux conceived and
organized the wonderful event. Bishop
William DeVeaux is the Presiding Prelate of the 2nd Episcopal
District.
Deliverance 2013 was a dynamic event, well attended, organized, and spiritual; a model for district and conference-level events. It rained during the entire meeting, but the rain did not keep people away.
Let me get back to the preachers –
I don’t know where to start, but let me say that our Zion has
clergy who are second-to-none. In my opinion, the AME Church has the best
preachers “on the planet!
Having said that let me focus my comments on the Deliverance 2013 conference, its venue and the preaching. Of
course the music was off the chart superb! The liturgical dancers were the best
– professional-level dancers.
The Deliverance 2013 preaching was
superb. Evangelist Susie C. Owens delivered a dynamic sermon. The Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright was superb and
he preached a dynamically challenging sermon. Those two non-AME preachers were
excellent. I want to focus on the AME preachers and especially the venue.
As I observed the leadership of the district, the attendance,
presence and support of Deliverance 2013;
and especially the clergy participants for the worship services, my mind went
back to the Preachers of L.A. trailer I had watched
and I thought, our pastors are just as dynamic, creative and innovative as the
preachers on any reality television show; and perhaps moreso.
Let me get to the AMEs
On Friday night, the Rev. Dr. Grainger Browning and the Rev. Dr.
Joann Browning preached the Word and what a mighty Word! I observed them on
Thursday night when they were participants in worship and then had the
opportunity to observe them when they stood behind the sacred pulpit delivering
the Word of God.
Their message was spirit-filled, dynamic, relevant, biblical,
theological, educational, and dramatic and whatever other words one wants to
use to describe excellence. Everyone who knows them knows that they are
outstanding visionary pastors / preachers / teachers, not to mention their
homiletic skills.
What I do want to mention is their authentic humble spirit each
time I have observed them. They are
humble when they converse with others, in the pew or when they are in the
pulpit. They are just such nice people, no pretense; just humble spirits.
They are team-players and are generous with their kind words for
others. The Browning, exhibiting their humbleness would have made a great
reality television segment.
It’s obvious their parishioners respect and follow their
leadership. I believe that I counted five or six buses that brought their 100+
voice choir to Deliverance 2013. That kind of
support could make a preacher or co-pastors arrogant, but the Brownings model
humbleness.
When I recalled the Preachers of L.A.
trailer, I did not see “humble, I saw a haughty.”
The venue
The venue for Deliverance 2013 was
Reid Temple North Campus in Silver Spring, Maryland and the pastor and
Conference host was the Rev. Dr. Lee P. Washington.
The venue for Deliverance 2013 was
not the Reid Temple’s Glenn Dale Main Campus, but the North Campus.
When I traveled to the Reid Temple North Campus, I was expecting a
nice storefront facility, but the Reid Temple North Campus facility is a
full-fledged / full-service facility; it’s huge. It is obviously not only a
weekend, Sunday operation; it’s a fulltime operation. The sanctuary seats 1100
worshippers. The facility has administrative office space, Credit Union,
Bookstore, Counseling Center, Recording Studio, classrooms and adequate
parking.
The Rev. Matthew Lawrence Watley serves as the Executive Minister
of Reid Temple AME Church under the dynamic leadership of the Rev. Dr. Lee P.
Washington, Senior Pastor.
Another real preacher
I share the information about Reid Temple
AME Church’s North Campus, which seats 1100 worshippers and Reid Temple’s Glen
Dale Campus which seats 3000. Reid Temple AME Church membership, according to
its website, has 15,000 members as an introduction to another real preacher,
the Rev. Dr. Lee P. Washington.
The Rev. Dr. Lee P. Washington is another
humble man of God. He is obviously has a brilliant mind, is an intellectual,
master pastor, administrator, theologian, biblical scholar, and visionary; and
many more accolades would be appropriate.
As with the Brownings, observing Dr.
Washington, whether sitting in the pew or in the pulpit; he is so unassuming.
With all of his accomplishments, one would not be surprised if he was just a
little arrogant; but he is not. He has a humble spirit. Dr. Washington’s
accomplishments are many and significant, yet he exudes a generous and sharing
spirit and a respect for the episcopal leadership.
Followship is an attribute
The Rev. Matthew L. Watley obviously
learned much growing up in the parsonage and from his dad, the Rev. Dr. William
Watley and continues to learn from the Rev. Dr. Lee P. Washington. The Rev. Matthew Watley also exudes a humble
and unassuming spirit. He is a young man and he fills an important ministry
position as the Executive Pastor of the prestigious Reid Temple AME Church
ministry. I suspect some young preachers
in his position might take on an air of arrogance, but Watley has not done so.
He does not flaunt his accomplishments.
The Rev. Watley has an awesome ministry
and apparently he respects and follows the leadership of his senior pastor, the
Rev. Dr. Lee P. Washington. The interaction between the Rev. Watley and Dr.
Washington was one of respect in both directions. It is wonderful seeing a
young, upcoming leader who has a healthy respect for leadership and retains a
humble spirit.
And, of course the other real preacher at Deliverance 2013 was the Rev. Dr. Frank Madison Reid III. I
did not hear his, and Frist Lady Marlaa’ M. Reid’s presentation or the other
preachers and presenters on Saturday morning because we were on our flight back
to Nashville. I know that their messages were on-target dynamic.
Dr. Frank Madison Reid III, too, is a
humble man who has a dynamic ministry at Bethel AME Church in Baltimore. He has
been there for 25 years and he could easily, with all of his accomplishments,
be arrogant; but he, too, is a humble spirit. He and First Lady Marlaa’ are
team.
And, thankfully, the African Methodist
Episcopal Church and other denominations have a number of pastoral teams
consisting of clergy couples, clergy and spouse, and unmarried clergy. They are
not on reality television, but they are doing reality pastoral ministry.
Hopefully, no one will write about AME ministry being “… a chaotic mix of prayer, ‘house porn,’ and neatly orchestrated dust-ups between senior pastors and their “first ladies [first gentlemen].”
TCR Editor’s Note: Press releases and articles are being prepared by the Deliverance 2013 Public Relations
2. TCR OP-ED: THE “REAL PREACHERS OF L.A.”:
*Dr. Joe
Darby.
I thank
Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III for sending me a link about the new “Preachers of
L.A.” series airing on the Oxygen Channel.
I suspect that he knew I’d feel compelled to share my “two cents worth”
on the reality show! I have to confess up
front that I’m not a fan of the “reality show” genre. I was raised at a time when African-American
mommas and daddies taught their children to “keep your business to
yourself.” With that disclaimer made,
let me say that I have grave reservations about the show for a number of
reasons.
The
first reason is that while poverty is not an inherent virtue and while our
Savior said that He came into this world so that we can live abundantly, we
don’t have to flaunt our abundant blessings, as do those who hang their “bling”
out for all to see.
My first
very gratuitous high school summer job was being a general handyman for Jeff
Hunt, the son of the man who employed my late father as a chauffeur. He was a multimillionaire, but you’d never
have known it. His home was comfortable,
but not ostentatious. He owned a
Cadillac Eldorado, but usually drove a beat up Chevy sedan. He had major influence over what happened in
Columbia, South Carolina but few people knew his face or name. I enjoyed
working for Jeff and I remember something he once said” “If you’ve got it and
God gave it to you, then you ought to simply give thanks and use it to help
others.”
I have
problems with clergy who have to show their prosperity in ostentatious ways,
because that’s generally a sign of insecurity and an insecure pastor is often
an arrogant pastor.
The
second reason is based on what the Apostle Paul said in Romans 12:2, 3 - “Do
not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind. Then you will be able to test
and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one
of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think
of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has
distributed to each of you.”
Regardless
of the strength of our witness or the nature of our blessings, clergy should be
sanctified - set apart - for the work of the Lord. Those who have to rely on the worldly
signs of prosperity to affirm their worth and impress others conform to the standards of worldly success.
The difference between a preacher and a pimp ought to be easily discerned.
Preachers
who lift up their worldly success as a way to impress others and pass on to
them the promise of prosperity without prophetic responsibility also diminish
the power of the Jesus who said that if we put God’s Kingdom, God’s Will and
God’s Way ahead of our personal well-being, we’ll have all that we need.
Preachers
who lift up their worldly success as a way to impress others also minimize the
power of the Gospel and of the Jesus who did not elevate worldly prosperity as
our ultimate goal, but who continually called us to serve those that Jesus
labeled “the least of these.”
The
third and final reason for my concern with the “Real Preachers of L.A.” is that
they don’t typify “real preachers.” I’m
blessed to work with thirty-one “real preachers” in the Beaufort District of
the South Carolina Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the
AME Church.
“Real
preachers” answer the call to preach with fear and trembling, and maintain a
healthy sense of humility.
“Real
preachers” often work in obscure places with congregations where the needs are
considerable and the resources to provide them with the worldly trappings of
pastoral success are minimal.
“Real
preachers” often work other jobs to make end meet and quietly but efficiently
engage in pastoral administration and address pastoral needs like counseling
the confused, encouraging the troubled, burying the dead and changing lives not
for worldly acclaim, but to hear the Savior say, “Well done…”
The
“Real Preachers of L.A.” might be an entertaining reality show, but it’s not a
faithful depiction of authentic pastoral ministry.
I pray
that all authentic pastors and clergy will walk in the footsteps of the Jesus
who was elevated not because of His celebrity but of His humility, the real
Jesus who changed humble people because they were able to identify with his
humble Spirit, the real Christ who said in Mark 10: 43b-45: “...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and
whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to
give his life as a ransom for many.”
That’s a
real preacher!
*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
3.
THE “REAL” PREACHERS OF LA HIT HOME:
Bishop
Eric J Freeman
I've
done my best to hold my peace concerning The Preachers of LA. However, it's
become apparent that the general populous is ill equipped to navigate the
garbage being peddled to our people.
I
want to share with you ten lessons we learn from The Preachers of LA. In fact,
I'm going to give you “ten signs that you might be following a megalomaniac.”
The
vast majority of pastors are faithful, bi-vocational, educated, and
denominationally submitted community servants.
But
for the few "boy or girl wonders" out there - and every city has two
or three - my goal is to expose them in hopes they will relent their empire
building and return to authentic servanthood.
Each
of the pastors featured on The Preachers of LA preaches a "powerful",
"revelatory" word. They each, up until this recent exposure, spoke
the language of being community focused. But Jesus said they will do many
things in my name and I know them not.
So
don't be fooled by another controlling, condescending stump speech. Don't
listen to their words- they're good with words - look at their actions.
Don't
allow them to hide behind buildings and other slight of hand methods to excuse
their megalomania.
As
a final thought before sharing the ten signs, let me say this: What we are
observing is NOT a money problem...it's an EGO problem. And we would all do
well to name the sin and repent.
Ten
Signs That You Might Be Following a Megalomaniac:
1)
A “We're better than everyone else” mentality.
2)
A critical assessment of historic churches in the community as a part of their
teaching, preaching, and "branding".
3)
No seminary education by conviction. In essence, an unwillingness to be taught.
4)
A message built on people renouncing their families, churches of childhood,
fraternities, sororities, etc. The use of hyper demonization is one of the most
useful tools of an abuser and megalomaniac.
5)
An anti denominational stance as a conviction, which is primarily an
unwillingness to be legitimately held accountable for one's actions.
6)
A need to compare their church size, worship style, message etc. to other
churches. This should be self-explanatory.
7)
The need for quick "success".
8)
The unwillingness to accept feedback from senior pastors in their region.
9)
A conviction that they have new revelation that makes their followers somehow
more special or advantaged.
10)
A prideful/arrogant spirit. God resists the proud. P.S. "But he teaches
‘the word of God'" is not an excuse for rudeness, arrogance, and ego.
If
most of these fit, you may be following a 'real' preacher. They may not be on
television…yet. But rest assured; they are definitely using you and your family
to feed their egos with Mazeratis, mansions, and money.
Senior
Pastor/Founder of The Meeting Place Church International
TCR Editor’s Note: This article was extracted from Bishop
Eric J. Freeman’s FaceBook post
4. TCR OP-ED - THE PASTOR NEEDS A TECH - WHEN YOU THINK YOU
HAVE A VIRUS:
Lately,
for the last few years, I have encountered individuals who believed they had a
computer virus. Most times, that would
be the case if a person does not have an effective antivirus program
installed. However, even those who have
installed the top antivirus programs like Symantec, McAfee, Kaspersky, Webroot,
and other programs don’t have confidence in their antivirus programs.
What has
been taking place over these few years is an ingenious marketing strategy of
the “now” novel geeks for product (programs) promoting. The market for antivirus, antispyware, and
like programs has developed into a large financially beneficial one. These novel geeks are able to get the
attention of many in an ingenious indirect way.
I call this indirect method “Intrusive Backdoor Entrance” (IBE). The “intrusiveness” has been unknowingly
allowed by the (end) user. The
“backdoor,” by way of the user’s unknowingness, but known to the program
designer, is now opened and the program walks right on in – installing itself
and executes its mission of disruption.
There is no stopping once it has an entrance. It is “intrusive” because it’s a program not
a virus, “simulating” a virus attack on the user’s computer very effectively.
When
this marketing strategy started some years ago, the program announces “Your
Computer is Infected with a Virus” in nice visible lettering, immediately
catching the user’s eyes. [Come On!
Viruses do not announce themselves.
They just complete the mission assigned – destruction!] Of course, many would think that whatever is
happening to the computer is due to a virus: There is a continuous announcement
of virus infection, but not by the installed antivirus program; the computer is
being congested with garbage spreading throughout the system like a “roach
infestation” that eventually will cause computer failure – a crash!
Now, the
catch! Following the kindly provided
announcement of infection, a “solution” is offered for the cleansing of the
problem. [Again, Come ON! You think a virus will go through all that
trouble?] The offered solution is
having the user purchase a particular removal program. [When this marketing strategy first started
some years ago the solution started at $19.99.
As time went on with the development of other virus, malware, phishing,
and others, it became $39.99, $69.99, $110.99 and now some as more as $135.99.]
The
purpose of this program is given, followed by the announcement of a virus
remover. Specifically, it tells the user in advertisement format that a
particular program can be purchased for “X” amount of dollars to rid your
computer of this perceived “virus” infection.
I have found these programs not so much as HARMFUL as much as they are
“intrusively annoying”. Like a virus,
there is a malignancy of unnecessary files infesting the hard drive. This growing infestation interferes with the
normal functions of computer performance and operation. It definitely prevents the user from trying
to do what he/she normally would like to be doing. Even though, like any program, it can be
seemingly “terminated” by a click.
However, this little nuisance of a program, will “POP” right back up
once it is “believed” to be terminated from running. It is insistently “intrusive” – following the
orders of its programming. “Click
termination” becomes less and less able to happen. The user is led to believe either to buy the
announced “remedy” program solution as suggested or let the computer max out
until it crashes due to the infestation.
One could take it to a tech support entity like Best Buy’s Geek Squad
(which one may be looking at to start -- $175 +++) or to a private IT person
(like myself) for less cost.
The most
cost effective remedy I find is having one do it him/herself by using the
systems’ tools that come with the Windows operating system (98, 2000, XP,
Vista, Seven or Eight). The provided OS
software program feature is called “system restore” to an earlier time –
provided that there are “restore points” available before all this infestation
started. ALSO, there is the hope that
the infected program has not yet disabled the user’s accessibility privileges
to the restore feature. If the restore
feature has been compromised, one has to consider the following options:
Do what
was mentioned previously.
W I P E
the computer – LOSING EVERYTHING (if you don’t have back-up copies), reinstall
the OS (operating system), applications and other programs.
Or find
a user-friendly-tech person having knowledge on how the situation can be
remedied. [This will require a process
equivalent to a neurosurgical procedure – like lobotomizing the brain, by
“editing” the windows’ “registry” and “cutting-out” ALL segments of disruption
(“infestations”) by the designed program.
Once the “core” name of the malevolent program is identified and the
multiple registry locations, eradication becomes a sterilizing completion
process without causing loss of data, programs, and other information. Any residual of the infestation, like a
cancerous cell, can replicate beyond its present location and continue to
spread throughout the registry.]
Now,
many may asked, “How did I get this annoying program?” They come in many fashions and process
forms. Some are: a) “Pop-ups” that become automatic
downloads. b) “Slide-in” on downloading
desired programs. [Most users when
downloading program, are not aware that they are IGNORING ‘offers’
associated. They are not “declining” or
selecting “skip all”. Many continue to
click “next”. Thus, other programs are
scheduled to download with the wanted downloading file.] Or c) Unfortunately, I have observed these
invisible annoying programs are mostly associated with the downloading of
music. Sometime the intrusive downloaded
attachment is of sexually explicit advertisement more so then of a virus
simulation program and sometimes both.
Be
careful what you click and don’t fall for what you “think” may be needed.
This was
just an informative sharing for my AME family members from The Pastor Needs a
Tech!
The Rev.
Calvin J. Bush is the Associate Minister, Technology & Education at Bethel
African Methodist Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where the Rev.
Dr. Steven A. Jackson is the pastor.
5.
MT. CALVARY AME CHURCH HONORS ITS CIVIL RIGHTS’ PIONEERS:
As the
country celebrated the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, Mt. Calvary
African Methodist Episcopal Church in Towson, Maryland honored its own civil
rights pioneers who helped steer the church through 124 years of physical
growth, spiritual stability and community service.
A special
ceremony marked the one year anniversary of the opening of the church’s Family
Life Center and the congregation, led by the Rev. Dr. Ann Lightner Fuller paid
tribute to three trailblazers, who over the years, were instrumental in the
preservation of the church and its ministries.
The Rev.
Dr. Fuller says “Honoring, Attorney Iglehart, Dr. Byrd & Mrs. Doris
Jackson, was the fulfillment of a dream I’ve carried for many years. Attorney Iglehart and Dr. Byrd stepped into
the life of Mt. Calvary at a crucial time.
In 1996, as were preparing to build our new sanctuary, they attended a
Trustee Board Meeting here and asked me to share my vision for the Church with
them; after telling me them our desire and need for more space for our growing
congregation and our desire to serve the East Towson in a greater capacity,
they offered to give us the lots adjacent to our church and a monetary gift of
$50,000.00! We were all overcome with
excitement and thanks to our God for opening such “a wide door of opportunity’
for us.”
“As
regards Sister Doris Jackson, all I can say is her life was poured out as a
love offering to the people of Mt. Calvary and beyond. When I was young and had very little finances
and the church could only afford a meager salary, Sister Doris and her husband
made the difference with personal gifts to me and my son. She was like a mother to me and made sure I
lacked nothing as I attended A.M.E. Conferences,” Dr. Fuller said.
Iglehart
and Byrd, both noted civil rights activist in the Baltimore area, joined forces
through the Metropolitan Housing Incorporated, Inc. to create better living
conditions for African Americans living in East Towson.
Jackson, a
lifelong member of Mt. Calvary AME Church served as a lifelong missionary,
reaching out to the local community to help educate children and to provide
food and shelter to those in need. The
three, including the Rev. Fuller, had rooms in the Family Life Center dedicated
in their names in honor of their commitment and personal sacrifice in helping
to improve the East Towson Community.
One of the rooms includes a food pantry that is open to the surrounding
community. The Iglehart-Byrd Visioning
Center (Pastor’s Board Room), is the place where leaders continue to “write the
vision and make it plain up on tablets” (Habakkuk 2:2).
As the
congregation celebrated the milestone of 124 years of continuous service, the
dedication of the Family Life Center was made even more significant as the
church continues to build its future in the growing East Towson community,
keeping the legacy of Iglehart, Byrd and Jackson alive. With an eye towards that goal, the Rev.
Fuller says “The Family Life Center will set out to reach even more souls for
the Lord through service ministries like the Doris Jackson Food Pantry, Saving
Our Sons Ministry (S.O.S), Daughters of Destiny (tween ministry), 20Something (mentoring program for young women), Campus
Ministry reaching out to students at surrounding colleges, and many more
ministries that serve to make Mount Calvary the HUB of the East Towson
Community.”
(For more
information about the Mt. Calvary AME Church Family Life Center please call
410-296-9474.)
6.
ALLEN TEMPLE CELEBRATES 150 YEARS OF MINISTRY:
By James
A. Mallory
Allen
Temple AME Church in Woodstock, Georgia is celebrating its 150th
Anniversary this year.
The church
marked the milestone in June with a month of activities acknowledging the anniversary
and 20 years of service at the church by Pastor Carl A. Moore Sr., and his
wife, Gloria.
It was a
glorious celebration for a church that has gone from 70 members in 1993 to
1,513 members today and 44 ministries serving its membership and the
surrounding community.
“We’ve
been able to thrive even at 150-years-old by focusing on the Christian basics,”
said Pastor Moore.
The church
is centered on teaching the Word, evangelism, tithing and loving “the people,”
he said.
Located at
232 Arnold Mill Road, the church’s presiding prelate is Bishop Preston Warren
Williams II. The Rev. Dr. David B. Rhone, Jr. is the presiding elder.
Allen
Temple was founded in 1863 under “a canopy of tree limbs and bushes,” according
the church history.
“All that was lacking was a roof—so they built
one,” the church history states. “This faithful group both Baptist and AME
members established Cherokee County’s first African Methodist Episcopal Church.
The new church was named Allen Temple after one of their devoted members,
Deacon Allen Dial.”
The church
actually predates the city of Woodstock, which was founded in 1897
The church
has undergone a number of changes during its history. A new wood-framed church was erected in 1909.
For many years, the church shared property with Woodstock’s first black school.
A new more modern church was built in 1977 and had a multi-purpose community
room added in 1995.
The church
had 70 members when Pastor Moore arrived at Allen Temple in 1993. By 1998, the church had more than 500 members
fueled by an influx of young families and children to the Woodstock area.
Allen
Temple has embarked on a number of activities that aid the Woodstock
community. Through its annual “Jay (Dude)
Brownlee Golf Tournament, named after the late church patriarch, the church
raises scholarship money for graduating high school seniors. To date, over
fifty $1,000 scholarships have been awarded to students from schools in the
surrounding areas.
Woodstock
also has an annual celebration of Martin Luther King’s birthday, spirited by
Allen Temple. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity breakfast started in the
multi-purpose room of the old church and has grown into a major event in
January that fills a large banquet room at the Northside Cherokee Conference
Center in Canton, Georgia.
In 2001,
Allen Temple members embarked on a campaign to raise money for a new church
building. In December, 2004, Pastor Moore preached the first sermon in the new
sanctuary which sits just up the road from the original church location.
Another
lasting legacy of the tenure of Pastor Moore is the Allen Temple Christian
Academy started in 2007. The Pre-K program is now has 50 students.
“I am most
proud of the growth that Allen Temple has realized over the past 20 years,”
Pastor Moore said. “Spiritually, we’ve
had over 1,100 salvations; numerically, we have over 1,500 members; and
financially we have a budget of over $1 million a year.”
7. CONN-M-SWAWO PLUS PK’S 2013
LEADERSHIP PLANNING RETREAT AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS:
The Connectional Ministers’ Spouses,
Widows and Widowers Organization Plus PK’s of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church (Conn-M-SWAWO Plus PK’s) will hold its Annual Leadership Planning
Retreat and Election of Officers on December 6-8, 2013 at the Hilton Wilmington
Riverside, Wilmington, North Carolina.
The Schedule of Events is as follows:
Friday, December 6, 2013 there will be a Welcome Reception hosted by 2nd
Episcopal District M-SWAWO Plus PK’s) at 7 p.m. The opening session and
election of officers will be held at 8:00 p.m.
The business session, Empowerment
Luncheon and 2013 Clergy Family Awards Ceremony will be held on Saturday and
the Gala Event will be held Saturday night.
The group will worship together on
Sunday Morning at St. Stephen AME Church in Wilmington, North Carolina where
the Rev. Wayne A. Johnson, Sr. is the pastor.
The Final Report of the Nominating
Committee, Carolyn Anderson (12th), Chairperson, has been
received. In accordance with the
Organization’s 2012-2016 Constitution & By-Laws, the named persons listed
below have met the criteria as outlined in our Constitution & By-Laws are eligible
to be elected to serve a four-year term from 2013-2017.
The contested positions are
President, 1st Vice President and Parliamentarian and those persons
names are listed in alphabetical order.
President:
Lula Cleckley (7th Episcopal
District)
Rhonda McCall (1st Episcopal
District)
1st Vice President
Anita M.E. Brannon (12th Episcopal
District)
The Rev. Candace Gray (2nd Episcopal
District)
Parliamentarian:
Jennifer Green (11th Episcopal
District)
Adrienne E. Quickley (10th
Episcopal District)
Uncontested positions: 2nd
Vice-President: Juanita Duncombe (9th Episcopal District); Recording
Secretary: C. Ann Thomas (4th Episcopal District); Assistant
Recording Secretary: Nellie Alexander
(11th Episcopal District); Corresponding Secretary: Shirley Saunders
(1st Episcopal District); Financial Secretary: Charmaine Alexander
(6th Episcopal District); Treasurer: Irene Montague (2nd Episcopal
District); Historiographer: Dr. Roberta
Hill (13th Episcopal District); Worship Director: Mildred Swint (10th
Episcopal District); and Coordinator of P.K.’s, Brenda Hurst (8th Episcopal
District).
Deadline for meeting registration and
hotel reservations is November 1, 2013.
For more information contact your
respective Episcopal District M-SWAWO President or visit our website at www.amemswwpk.org and click on the Our
Meetings tab.
Submitted by Mrs. Fredia A.
Hanley-Johnson, President, Conn-M-SWAWO Plus PK’s
8. YALE STUDENTS TRAVEL TO THE 17TH
EPISCOPAL DISTRICT: GRACE ABOUNDS:
In June 2013, Derick Dailey, from
North Little Rock Arkansas in the 12th Episcopal District, and the
Rev. Jamilah George from Detroit, Michigan in the attended the Bread for the
World National Gathering in Washington, DC. They met Mrs. Carol Messiah, the Episcopal
Supervisor of the 17th Episcopal District of the AME Church at that
meeting. They were surprised to see her there and introduced themselves to her.
Upon learning that they are both students at Yale Divinity School with
different passions to serve God and God's people, she invited them to come
preach and teach during a few of the Annual Conferences in the 17th
Episcopal District.
Immediately following their return to
Connecticut, Derick and the Rev. Jamilah began to raise the funds necessary for
traveling to Zambia, since the next conference was just around the corner in
August!
They worked hard soliciting funds
from friends, family, church members, and colleagues until they met their goal.
Within 1 month, they were able to purchase their tickets and head to Lusaka,
Zambia, where they were welcomed with open arms and warm hearts by a group of
AME ministers and missionaries at the airport. The people of Zambia were very
excited to have them come and visit, providing some of the best hospitality they
had every experienced.
After a twelve hour drive from
Lusaka, Derick and the Rev. Jamilah arrived in Solwezi, Zambia to attend the
Zambezi Annual Conference, where they met with Bishop and Mother Messiah in
order to plan when they would be teaching.
Bishop Messiah allowed them to teach
two days of the conference on the connectional theme, "The Cost of
Discipleship."
After each lesson, Derick and the
Rev. Jamilah were bombarded with questions, reflections, and ideas from the
members of the conference; clergy and lay alike. Mother Messiah noticed this
and recommended that they be allowed to sit for a panel discussion along with
the Episcopal District Board of Christian Education director, Royd Mwandu.
The same evening, Bishop Messiah
provided time for a panel discussion. Derick and the Rev. Jamilah addressed an
array of questions on topics ranging from retirement plans for clergy members,
strategies on how to create a culture of discipleship in one's church, to ways
for women to be involved in ministry beyond the Women's Missionary Society. The
people were so engaged and interested in hearing from Derick and Rev. Jamilah
that many of them have requested to keep in contact with them and invited them
to come back to Zambia really soon.
While in Zambia, Derick and Jamilah
were able to spend time with the Rev. Dr. Oveta Fuller of the 4th
District, a current Fulbright Scholar who is working with the faith community
in Zambia on HIV/AIDS awareness and treatment. Derick and the Rev. Jamilah are
seeking the Lord for guidance about what the next steps are that they will take
in ministry, but they are extremely excited about returning to Zambia; the
people impacted their lives and blessed them in ways they could never imagine!
We thank God for their obedience and
desire to build up the kingdom of God in this capacity. We know that God has
been glorified through this excursion, and for this we are grateful.
*Mr. Derick D. Dailey is from North
Little Rock, Arkansas attends Yale University-School of Divinity and is M.A.R.
Candidate 2014 and serves on the National Board of Directors for Bread for the
World/Institute and was a 2011 Teach for America Corps Member.
*The Rev. Jamilah George is from
Detroit, Michigan and is a student at Yale Divinity School and is an ordained
Itinerant Deacon in the 4th Episcopal District.
9. AME PASTOR
SEEKS WORLD RECORD ON LIFE FITNESS STAIR CLIMBER:
The Rev. Antonio (Tony) Stuckey will
attempt to set a world record for spending the most time on a Life Fitness
Stair Climber. The longest he has spent on a life Fitness Stair climb has been
4 hours and twenty minutes -1102 floor climb. The Rev. Stuckey says, “I am a
hard core stair climber and cyclist. At the Man vs. Machine charity event I
climbed 993 floors on your competitor's brand of stair climber. I have broken
several of your competitor's brands, but I cannot seem to break a Life Fitness
Stair climber even on level twenty-maximum warp 13.4 floors per minute. I have
been training on various stair climbers for the past ten years.” On Tuesday, October 15 the Rev. Stuckey set a
new personal record on a Life Fitness Stair Climber
climbing 379 floors in 65 minutes at the Georgetown (Kentucky) Fitness Center
where he is known as "The Stair Master King."
Revered Antonio Q. Stuckey will
attempt to spend 3 hours and 45 minutes, five 45 minute sessions, on a 4000PT
Stairmaster. One 45 minute session at level 6 simulates climbing 193 floors. He
is going to attempt to climb 965 floors, which will be the simulated equivalent
of climbing nine and a half Empire State Buildings. The Empire State Building
has 102 floors.
The event is a fund raiser for
Victory Now Youth Organization. The Rev. Stuckey will also attempt a “Flash
Dance” for the last ten minutes-(his legs will move so fast that they will
appear to be a blur).
The Rev. Stuckey will attempt to set
a record on Saturday, December 14, 2013 at the Georgetown Fitness Center
located in Georgetown. The Rev. Stuckey said, “I plan on shooting for eight
hours with a 2000 floor stair climb.”
The Reverend Antonio Q. Stuckey is
the pastor of Saint James AME Church in Cynthiana, Kentucky.
10. INTERVIEW WITH THE REV. DARRYL
R. WILLIAMS:
By: Dr. Michael C. Carson
Recently I had the opportunity to be
in conversation with the Reverend Darryl R. Williams, pastor of St. Mark A.M.E.
Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and his beloved wife, Laurelyn Williams. In 2016
Pastor Williams is seeking the Office of Bishop in the African Methodist
Episcopal Church. The following is part of the conversation I had with Pastor
and Sister Williams.
Carson: Pastor Williams, when did the desire
for becoming a Bishop come to you?
Pastor Williams: As long as I can remember. My
grandfather, Reverend William Reid and My uncle, Dr. Wilfred Reid, were AME
pastors. Both had ministries that rejected parochialism; ministry for them had
to reach beyond the narrow confines of their communities. From that I gained
not only a passionate love for God, but for God’s people everywhere. In
addition I gained a love for African Methodism; forever my venue of choice to
transport this love around the world. A burning desire is in me to continue the
legacy of Richard Allen, William Paul Quinn, Daniel Payne, Henry McNeal Turner
and the present and past Bishops of the church. John Maxwell says the best way
to impact an organization is to impact its leaders. I believe I have something
to offer the clergy and laity of African Methodism.
Carson: Where have you pastored?
Pastor Williams: My first pastorate was Alexander AME
Church in Evansville, Indiana. At that time the church presented some serious
challenges. Presiding Elder William Sampson Nelson asked if I would want to
accept such a difficult assignment. I accepted the challenge and in two years
we paid off the church’s mortgage, which was way behind in its payments. I also
reestablished Alexander AME Church as a vital part of the local community. Our
tenure was one of the longest in the history of that church. To this day, the
people fondly remember the Williams’ years - To God be the glory!
Simultaneously, I pastored the Bethel
AME Church in Mount Vernon. I didn’t alternate Sundays I served both churches
every week. I was a circuit-rider in the Wesleyan tradition!
After Alexander Chapel and Bethel I
was promoted to Vernon Chapel AME Church in Flint, Michigan. My wife and I still have some wonderful
memories of that congregation. As a result of our labor there we had one of the
largest youth groups in the entire city! We had some thirty liturgical dancers.
We had a youth group and choir that consisted of about fifty youth. The Church
was usually filled to capacity. Vernon Chapel was not only a spiritual powerhouse
but a political one, conducting registration drives and political forums. A
good number of the political leadership were and still are members of that
congregation. The crowning achievement
of that ministry was the building of the 1.5 million Family Life and Enrichment
Center.
I am presently the pastor of St Mark
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Our campus, which consists of four parcels of land, is
host to a myriad of ministries geared to improve the quality of life of the
residents of Milwaukee and beyond. We’ve been recognized numerous times for our
outreach.
Carson: Sister Williams, how did you meet
Darryl?
Sister Williams: We met in 1986 we were married in
1987. What I saw in him was someone who was very conscientious and serious
about ministry? He later admitted that he saw the same in me. We have been
partners in marriage and ministry ever since, though I am not in the ordained
ministry.
My part in ministry is to be a
support to him. My own unique gifts are ministering to women and youth. Early
on I couldn’t figure out what they were but as a result of time and prayer they
have fully evolved.
When I think about the great
possibility of becoming an episcopal supervisor - that’s an awesome
responsibility - it’s an awesome calling! I can remember a person that we refer
to as our spiritual mother asking me, “How do you feel about this possibility?”
I shared with her “It’s overwhelming, it’s something that should not be taken
lightly - It’s a calling from God because you are responsible for so many
lives, and assisting them in their spiritual growth is a tremendous task. It’s
humbling and therefore something that we pray about unceasingly. Where God
guides, he will provide.”
Carson: Laurelyn, you and Darryl have a
daughter.
Sister Williams: Yes we have a daughter; Christina.
She is living and working in Ohio. We are very proud of her. She loves God and
is doing well professionally. She’s graduate of Central State University.
Carson: Darryl, share your vision concerning
what you will bring to the church as a bishop.
Pastor Williams: Mike, we have such a wonderful story
to tell. We were the first to espouse a gospel of self-help and economic
thrift. Even before the establishment of our church there were Free African
Societies doing ministry that empowered one another exemplifying that it was
group that was ahead of its time. We were practicing a holistic gospel before
that term became popular. I believe if we used every marketing technique
available to us to tell our story we can thrive. We can have a good number of
every demographic group represented in our church.
In addition, it is critical that we
continue to reinvent ourselves. More and more of our churches are in
neighborhoods that have changed. Having worship services that attract them
while still respecting our traditions and doing outreach that meet their unique
desires will be necessary to show we are serious about meeting the needs of an
ever changing population.
The gospel tells us to go into all
the world…Henry McNeal Turner had a vision for expansion in Africa, Bishop John
Richard Bryant and the Rev Cecelia Williams Bryant had a vision for India; the
vision for global expansion must be “front and center.” I saw firsthand what
African Methodism has meant for India. They now have dignity, pride and a sense
of belonging that heretofore was not there.
Lastly, I believe some are set aside
for the ordained ministry; however, everyone should feel that their ministry is
an integral part of the life of the church: the laity, young adults, youth,
men, and women, chaplains in the armed services, hospitals and prisons. All of these ministries are valuable and worthy
of high respect and honor.
With respect to the chaplains, we
thank God for the work of Bishop Reginald Jackson and the past Bishops who were
ecumenical officers: Bishop McKinley Young, Bishop T. Larry Kirkland, Bishop
Earl McCloud and Bishop John White who worked hard to ensure this was a valued
ministry.
Carson: Pastor Williams, reflecting back on
when I met you in 1984, on the campus of Garrett Theological Seminary, you are
essentially the same person; just more seasoned. When I met you-you were a person of high
integrity.
Pastor Williams: Yes, integrity is defined as a
strict adherence to a value of standard. My value of standard has never changed
and never will.
Carson: Darryl, the passion that you have
has not changed. I remember basketball games over at Patton Gymnasium and the
Noyes Gymnasium on Northwestern University Campus. You were a fierce
competitor; you took no prisoners.
Pastor Williams: Who I am when I play sports is who I
am in ministry. My philosophy as they say in basketball “is to leave it all on
the floor.”
With many people of African heritage
there isn't any separation between the sacred and the secular. I adhere to that
as well. So if I am passionate at basketball I am the same with ministry.
Everyone has had times in ministry
where it was difficult. I know I have. But it was the passion to make a
difference that kept me going. I don’t want to be a bishop because I want to be
something; I want to do something. So if a difficult assignment is my lot,
“Williams is willing and God Is Able.”
Carson: Pastor Williams, you were an
excellent student at both Wilberforce and Garrett-Evangelical; achieving high
honors at both. Are we going to be able to glean some of your scholarship?
Pastor Williams: Yes, in fact I have written several
articles for some of our publications; my sermons are published in one of the
Milwaukee Courier, one of our local newspapers. I plan to publish a book of
sermons in 2014.
Carson: Sister Williams, how do your
shoulders remain broad and strong during this period in your and your family’s
life?
Sister Williams: I do it through a lot of prayer. I
pray unceasingly, and I know when it is time to retreat and go into a season of
prayer. I’ve been around him long enough that I can sense when he really needs
special prayer support. Prayer has seen us through! I also thank God for some
very special friends that I know pray for us all the time.
Knowing that you are in the will of
God will keep you anchored though the most trying times. We believe we are in
the will of God.
We are asking the church to pray for
us; this is a spiritual venture more than anything else.
Carson: Pastor Williams any closing
thoughts?
Pastor Williams: You have to have the end in mind.
The writer of Hebrews 12:2 declares: “Looking unto Jesus the author and
finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the
cross….” The good I believe I can do through God’s power will help me to stand through
the rigors of this entire process. “I am willing and God is Able!”
11. DR. FRANK M. REID LOOKS BACK
ON QUARTER-CENTURY AT BETHEL:
Blair Adams
AFRO Staff Writers
Dr. Frank M. Reid, Oct. 13 launched a
yearlong observation of his 25 years of pastoral service at Bethel AME Church
in Baltimore, themed “Honoring the Footprints of a Legend.”
During his 9:45 a.m. service in east
Baltimore, Reid stood among nearly 500 congregants, as many members and
notables came together to honor one of Baltimore’s most prominent clergyman.
“He is a great pastor, teacher and
leader,” City Comptroller Joan Pratt told the AFRO. “He’s given us support,
love and is a very compassionate preacher.”
Pratt, who’s been a Reid Temple
member since 1976, said she expects Reid to continue to build God’s kingdom and
bring the lost into the church.
Proclamations were presented by Mayor
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Marilyn Mosby, on behalf of her husband Councilman
Nick Mosby, and Pratt.
Blake said during the presentation
that it was a pleasure to be there to “celebrate your 25th Pastoral
Anniversary.”
“I’m grateful to be in the number,”
Blake said. “Congratulations on doing good work and May God shed favor in your
life.”
During the service, the robe Reid
wore 25 years ago when he delivered his first sermon as a minister at Bethel
AME was hung at the pulpit during the service.
“When you think big for God, God will
do big things for you,” Reid said as the crowd applauded.
Bishop Sam Green of the 12th
Episcopal District spoke in honor of Reid and the Rev. Steve Jones sang, “Jesus
You’re the Center of My Joy” which was noted as Reid’s favorite song.
The yearlong celebration will include
monthly celebrations that focus on Reid’s ministry. There will be a family
reunion, a New Generation Circle group, a meeting to discuss a Legend’s impact
on men and women and a Legend concert.
12.
NEW TELEVISION
PROGRAM ON AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY:
Block out 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET Tuesdays
Oct 22- Nov 26, 2013 to watch on your local public television station, Dr.
Gates new six part series "The African American - Many Rivers to
Cross" - http://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/
"Noted Harvard scholar Henry Louis
Gates, Jr. recounts the full trajectory of African-American history in his
groundbreaking new six-part series, The African Americans: Many Rivers to
Cross, premiering Tuesday, October 22, 2013, 8-9 p.m. ET on PBS. Written and
presented by Professor Gates, the six-hour series explores the evolution of the
African-American people, as well as the multiplicity of cultural institutions,
political strategies, and religious and social perspectives they developed —
forging their own history, culture and society against unimaginable odds.
Commencing with the origins of slavery in Africa, the series moves through five
centuries of remarkable historic events right up to the present."
13. SUPREME COURT HEARS ORAL
ARGUMENTS IN CHALLENGE TO MICHIGAN'S PROPOSAL 2:
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court
heard arguments today in Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, a
challenge to Michigan's Proposal 2. Mark Rosenbaum, an attorney with the
American Civil Liberties Union, argued the case before the court.
Proposal 2 is a 2006 ballot measure
that led to a state constitutional ban on race-conscious college admissions
policies, effectively creating two separate and unequal systems for determining
the admissions criteria used at state universities.
"This case is ultimately about
whether minority students will be allowed to compete on the same playing field
as other students. Right now, there are two separate playing fields with two
separate rulebooks," said Rosenbaum. "Minority students and those who
support a diverse student body should not have to overturn a constitutional
amendment to have their voices heard in the admissions process when everyone
else can simply lobby the university."
Under Proposal 2, donors, athletic
officials, church groups, alumni, and others can lobby universities to have
their constituents' affiliations or experiences – such as legacy or athletic
achievement – considered in admissions decisions, but students cannot ask that
race be considered.
In 2006, the ACLU, NAACP, NAACP Legal
Defense and Educational Fund, and the law firm of Cravath, Swaine and Moore,
LLP, filed a lawsuit on behalf of students, faculty and, prospective applicants
to the University of Michigan challenging Proposal 2.
Plaintiff Kevin Gaines, a professor
of history and African-American Studies at the University of Michigan, has seen
Proposal 2's negative impact on students' educational experience.
"The lack of diversity has had a
chilling effect on the quality of discourse in the classroom," said
Gaines. "A university should be a place where a variety of viewpoints are
expressed, shared and debated. Proposal 2 has hindered, not helped, students
from receiving the robust education they deserve."
Molly Nestor, a 2013 graduate of the
University of Michigan and now a teacher in Brooklyn, N.Y., is a case
plaintiff. As a student, she said the dwindling diversity in her university
classroom negatively impacted her education.
“As a student who graduated with a
class admitted after Proposal 2 passed, I feel I am less prepared to serve
diverse communities,” she said. “If universities want to prepare leaders that
create a more equitable future, they have to foster equality and diversity in
their student body. Proposal 2 keeps that important work from happening."
There has been a notable decline in
minority enrollment since Proposal 2 took effect. For example, African-American
enrollment plummeted 33 percent at the University of Michigan/Ann Arbor between
2006 and 2012, even as overall enrollment grew by 10 percent.
In 2012, the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the Sixth Circuit struck down Proposal 2 as unconstitutional for placing an
unfair burden on those seeking to have race considered as one of many factors
in university admissions.
"The appeals court properly
recognized that the system created by Proposal 2 is unfair and
unconstitutional," said Joshua Civin, an attorney with the NAACP Legal
Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. "The Supreme Court has previously
struck down laws that place extra burdens on the ability of minorities to
participate as equals in the political process, and we believe the court should
do so in this case."
More information about this case:
14. SOCIAL ACTION COMMISSION
AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH TELLS CONGRESS - END THE SHUTDOWN NOW: IT'S
A MORAL ISSUE:
(Los Angeles) The African Methodist Episcopal
Church joins with the overwhelming majority of American citizens all across
this country, in expressing both our disappointment and frustration with the
shutdown of the United States government due to the failure of Congress to pass
a continuing budget bill funding government operations. “The AME Church sees
this as a moral issue based upon its harm to citizens, including members of the
AME Church," proclaims the AME Social Action Commission chair, Bishop
Reginald T. Jackson.
More than our frustration and
disappointment with the shutdown is the attempt by a minority of members of the
House of Representatives, to hold the President and the people of the United
States, hostage to their demand that the president agree to withhold funding
for the Affordable Healthcare Act for a year. The Affordable Healthcare Act was
passed by both Houses of Congress, signed by the President and upheld by the
United States Supreme Court; it is the law of the land. More than forty times,
Republican members of Congress have tried to defund the Healthcare Act. Enough
Already! This attempt to blackmail and hold hostage the United States for their
ideological obsession is irresponsible and a violation of their oath to uphold
the Constitution of the United States.
Fortunately, not all Republicans are
supportive of this charade and manipulation of government. There are enough
votes of Democrats and Republicans to pass a "clean budget bill" if
House Speaker John Boehner will allow the bill to be put up for a vote in the
House of Representatives. Speaker Boehner insists that the President call and
negotiate with him and other Congressional leaders on a continuing budget bill.
President Obama has refused and we support his position. Funding for the
Affordable Healthcare Act should not be subject to negotiations or
"blackmail," it is law and has nothing to do with the continuing
budget bill. After the budget bill is approved, the President has said he will
negotiate spending cuts to reduce the national debt. The Affordable Healthcare
Act is the signature achievement of this President and the effort of Tea Party
Republicans to defund it is nothing more than a cynical attempt to undo this
historic achievement and also to deny healthcare access to more than 50 million
Americans, a large number of whom are African Americans. The United States, the
wealthiest nation in the world is the only industrialized nation in the world
that does not provide its citizens with healthcare. For more than
seventy-years, U.S. Presidents have tried to achieve it, but only this
President was able to get it done; and we congratulate him and urge him to
stand tall and strong against this effort to blackmail him and to hold the
country hostage.
We call upon House Speaker John
Boehner to exercise courage and moral leadership and not allow "Tea
Party" Republicans to hold him hostage. He should demonstrate leadership
and post the budget bill for a vote. His failure to lead is causing hardship
for hundreds of thousands of federal employees, threatens to slow the recovery
of our economy, puts our national security at risk, impacts millions of
Americans who rely on the government for services; has closed parks and
monuments and has tarnished the image and stature of the United States around
the world.
We call upon House Speaker Boehner to
post the continuing budget bill for a vote so that negotiations can begin
immediately to increase the nation's debt ceiling so that the United States
does not go into default for the first time in the nation's history. This must
be done by October 17th.
This is a moment that requires those
elected to leadership positions to lead. President Obama is willing to
negotiate, but he needs a partner. We call on Speaker Boehner to rise to the
moment and join him. The nation is watching and waiting.
Bishop Reginald T. Jackson,
Chair
Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker, Director,
Social Action Commission
15. END THE BICKERING, END THE
HUNGER:
*By Bishop Don DiXon Williams
The number of chronically hungry
people all over the world has dropped by 26 million, according to a new report
from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Still,
hunger in both the United States and around the world remains high.
According to the State of Food
Insecurity in the World report released by FAO in early October, 842 million
people were estimated to be suffering from chronic hunger, or regularly not
getting enough food, in 2011-2013. In the United States, 49 million people,
including one in five children, often struggle to put food on the table.
Globally, fewer children are going to
bed hungry and fewer families are worrying where their next meal will come
from, but the rate of hunger around the world remains unconscionably high
The U.S. government shutdown and
proposed cuts to nutrition programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP), poverty-focused development assistance, and food aid
will only increase hunger.
Substantial progress has been made,
but it is fragile progress. Sudden changes in food prices could lead to a
setback, as was the case in 2008 with the famine in the Horn of Africa. And any
decrease in foreign assistance due to brinkmanship in Congress and the
government shutdown will have devastating results worldwide and could throw
millions of people back into chronic hunger.
The FAO report noted that despite the
overall decrease in global hunger, some countries, such as Botswana, Zambia,
and Tanzania, continue to suffer from unacceptably high under-nutrition rates,
as indicated by the proportion of children who are stunted. Stunting is a
condition resulting from long-term undernourishment, and is a more severe
measure of chronic hunger. The report also indicated that if past trends
continue and additional efforts to reduce hunger are implemented through
enhanced safety nets and investments in agriculture, the number of hungry
people could be cut in half by 2015, meeting one of the U.N. Millennium Development
Goals.
We are at a point in history where we
can end hunger in our time. We have the ability to carry out Christ’s mission
of feeding all of our brothers and sisters. We must remind our leaders that
they must set aside partisan politics and work together to protect the moral
and economic stability of our nation and our world.
*Bishop Don DiXon Williams is
associate for racial-ethnic outreach at Bread for the World and sits on the
Board of Bishops of the United Church of Jesus Christ, Baltimore, Maryland.
16. THE TRUTH IS THE LIGHT:
The Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins,
Jr.
Based on Biblical Text: John 20:29
Our text is a commentary on the
blessings of faith as it reveals in no uncertain terms that there is a reward
in store for those who believe without seeing. It points out, quite clearly,
that there is a tremendous bonus in store for those who accept Jesus and His
promises. There is a reward for those
who step out on His Word with faith.
The concept of Christianity is quite
simple. Christianity is built on faith. As a matter of fact faith is the most
basic tenant of our entire doctrine. What we believe to be true, what we
consider without question is based on faith. None of us have seen God with our
natural eye, nor have heard God with our natural ears. Yet we come together,
week after week to worship Him and to demonstrate that we believe beyond any
doubt He does exist.
When we are asked for proof that God
exists we can quickly point out that we see God in nature, in science and in
humanity. We sing songs that give proof of our faith that God lives. A song
writer penned—“Over my head, I hear music…there must be a God somewhere!” We
believe by faith, and not by sight.
Folk without faith are just like
“Doubting Thomas” who couldn’t grasp the concept of faith. He needed that fleshly experience of touching
and seeing and hearing.
Consider, if you will, how small our
Christian community would be if everyone had that same attitude? I submit to
you that doubting spirit would have crushed the Christian movement before it
ever got off the ground. That would mean that the only members of the early
church would have been those who had seen Jesus, those who had witnessed His
miracles. The only members of the early church would have been those who had
walked with Him and talked with Him.
This doubting doctrine of skepticism
first promoted by Thomas would have caused the Christian movement to die with
the witnesses. After all, Jesus does not
come down every now and then to be inspected by the masses!
We can find in the Bible three times
where what Thomas said is recorded. In each instance Thomas appears to be
doubting or contradicting something that Jesus has said.
The first recorded words of Thomas
were spoken as Jesus and His disciples prepared to go to Bethany so that Jesus
could raise Lazarus from the dead. The second time where we find Thomas
expressing his doubt was in the Upper Room with the disciples. They were
sharing in the Last Supper. Jesus told them at the supper that He was leaving
them. Jesus told them that He was going on to prepare a place for them, a place
where they would be able to join Him. Jesus said, “Whither I go, ye know; and
the way ye know.” Brother Thomas spoke up, showing his doubt and disbelief when
he said, “Lord, we know not wither Thou goest, and how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him—“I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto
the Father but by Me.”
No matter what the subject was;
Thomas always responded with more questions.
We find in our text Thomas refuses to believe that Jesus has risen from
the dead. When Jesus arose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples on that
very same evening. But for some reason
unknown to us, Thomas was not there.
A few days later Thomas ran into the
disciples and they said to him, (I’m paraphrasing) “You should have been there
at the meeting. We saw our Lord!” Of course Thomas immediately replied,
(paraphrasing again) “I saw Him die with my own eyes. I heard Jesus say, ‘It is
finished!’.” However, the more Thomas expressed his disbelief, the more
insistent the others were. They continued to try to convince Thomas that they
had seen their Lord, Jesus Christ. This is when Brother Thomas broke out with
his now famous words saying, “Except I shall see in His hands the print of the
nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into
His side, I will not believe.”
When it came time for the disciples
to meet at the appointed place, Thomas was with them. After a while Jesus showed up. Jesus said
“Peace be unto you.” You wanted proof,
well, here it is! Thomas immediately
realized what a disappointment he had been to his Lord. Thomas was ashamed of
the demands he had made and of the doubt he had shown. As Thomas stood off in
the distance, he cried out with a mixture of penitence and conviction, “My
Lord, and My God.”
It was then that Jesus said the words
that should prove to be the foundation of our faith. “Thomas because thou hast
seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have
believed.”
Christianity rests not on seeing, not
on touching. Christianity rest—on faith
alone!
*The Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins
is the pastor of Morris Brown African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston,
South Carolina
17. 50TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON EVENT STAMP TO BE UNVEILED IN GOOSE CREEK:
Fifty years after the March on
Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the U.S. Postal Service is commemorating the
August 28, 1963, event with a limited-edition Forever® stamp. It marks the
anniversary of an important milestone in the civil rights movement, when some
250,000 people joined one another in the hope and belief that change was
possible.
The U.S. Postal Service in
partnership with the Goose Creek NAACP branch will honor the 50th anniversary
of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspired March on Washington for Jobs
and Freedom by unveiling a new stamp with a special official Goose Creek
postmark. The special postmark will be
put on the program of the attendees so attendees will depart with a memorable
collector’s item.
The stamp carries an oil-painted
image of marchers carrying placards calling for jobs and equal rights, with the
Washington Monument as a backdrop. The unveiling will occur 7 p.m. Monday
October 28, 2013 at the Berkeley Electric Cooperative building located at 2
Springhall Drive, Goose Creek, SC. This
event is open to the public.
The Postal Service created the new
Forever stamp as part of a three-part set to celebrate the civil rights
movement this year. The other two stamps commemorate the 150th anniversary of
the Emancipation Proclamation that freed slaves, and the 100th anniversary of
the birth of Rosa Parks, the African American activist who refused to give up
her seat on a Montgomery, Ala. bus in 1955.
The 1963 March on Washington was
another milestone in the civil rights movement, one that King called “the
greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.”
Congress and President Lyndon B.
Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act less than one year after the march,
desegregating public institutions and prohibiting job discrimination. The
following year, the Voting Rights Act became law, providing federal oversight
of voting rights in the South.
The stamps honoring Rosa Parks and
the stamp marking the sesquicentennial of the Emancipation Proclamation the
other two of three stamps in the civil rights set celebrating freedom, courage,
and equality being issued in 2013 were also unveiled in Goose Creek. The stamps
are being issued as Forever® stamps. Forever stamps are always equal in value
to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate.
David Cakley, president Goose Creek
NAACP says, “We are proud to host this historic event in Goose Creek” and
encourages the public to partake in celebrating the historic occasion.
Attendees will be able to get the
limited-edition stamp on an envelope with a special, for this occasion only
official March on Washington postmark. This will surely be a stamp collection
item.
Harry Spratlin, U.S. Postal Service
District Communications Coordinator for Greater South Carolina District says,
“The U.S. Postal Service has commemorated Black Heritage since 1940, when it
began issuing stamps to honor distinguished African Americans and related
significant events, the first of such notables being educator Booker T.
Washington.”
For more information contact John
Matthews, Unveiling Committee Chairman via phone at 843-442-1319 or goosecreeknaacp@gmail.com.
18. CONGRATULATIONS TO DR. DENNIS
DICKERSON, RETIRED GENERAL OFFICER:
Congratulations to Dennis C.
Dickerson! Dennis’s chapter, "African-American Methodists and the Making
of the Civil Rights Movement," has been published in The Cambridge
Companion to American Methodism (Cambridge University Press, 2013).
Information provided by Heidi Welch,
Vanderbilt University Department Education
Assistant, History Department
19. GETTING TO ZERO:
The Rev. Dr. Oveta Fuller has
returned to the U.S.A. from Zambia and will resume her column when she gets
settled. She is a J. William Fulbright Scholar Faculty, African Studies Center
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the
University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
20. iCHURCH SCHOOL LESSON BRIEF
FOR SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20 - SIBLING RIVALRY GENESIS 21:13-14, 17-21; 26:2-5,
12-13:
*Bill Dickens, Allen AME Church,
Tacoma, Washington
I am the second of three sons born to
James R. and Bessie L. Dickens of Tarboro, North Carolina. We were born close together so we would fall
under the pediatric nomenclature as “stair-step” brothers.
As the middle child, I had to bear
the emotional challenge of not being the oldest which carried family status and
neither the youngest which also carried special status. I was “stuck in the middle”. Sibling rivalry is a direct result of the
perception of unequal treatment /in the household unit. As a middle son I can relate to this
perception.
The Adult AME Church School Lesson
for October 20, 2013 tackles this sensitive issue in the household of Abraham.
The Old Testament highlights several sibling rivalries: Cain and Abel, Jacob
and Esau, Joseph and his ten brothers and Isaac and Ishmael.
The two brothers, Ishmael and Isaac
are born in the same household but receive differential treatment by both Sarah
and Abraham. While Ishmael is born thru
the union of Abraham and Hagar, Sarah’s insecurity about Ishmael creates family
tension and conflict that sadly results in Hagar and Ishmael being removed from
the household. Perhaps if Sarah didn’t
display a clear lack of faith regarding the prophetic announcement that she
would be pregnant, this precursor to the popular TV show “Scandal” could’ve
been avoided. Nonetheless the lesson
shows that despite the cruelty Hagar endured from her mistress she persevered
in her banished state and God provided protection and provisions for both
Ishmael and his mother.
The author of Genesis illustrates
God’s mercy by blessing both sons even though they would not grow up in the
same household. Ishmael becomes the
father of a great nation thru his Arab descendants and Isaac becomes the father
of a great nation (Israel) because he is the Promised Son. What began with doubt and disobedience by
Sarah and family conflict ends with an amicable separation of the brothers and
God’s mercy and blessings extended to both.
*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.
21. MEDITATION BASED ON
PHILIPPIANS 3:1-14:
*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby
Moving from the parsonage of Morris
Brown AME Church to our own residence - on fairly short notice - meant packing
up years of accumulated stuff, moving it to our new home and sorting it out
later to determine what to keep and what to let go. One of the things that we recently let go was
a set of encyclopedia in absolute mint condition.
We bought them from a very good
salesperson when my oldest son was in elementary school. We soon realized, however, that they weren’t
a very good investment, because the simple progress of current events made them
almost immediately obsolete.
What was then the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics has now become a number of independent nations, what was
then Apartheid in South Africa ended in the 1990s, and 1980s state-of-the-art
Space Shuttles are now museum exhibits.
The set of encyclopedia still looked lovely and impressive on the
bookshelf, but the passage of time made them useless and worthy of being let
go.
We’d all do well, now and then, to do
with our lives what our family is doing with what we packed up and moved. All of us accumulate memories, thoughts,
ideas, habits and experiences as we go through life - some good and some
bad. Some of them are instructive for
what we do from day to day, but others can become old baggage that hampers our
growth and hinders our progress.
Too many good people are slowed down
on life’s road to well-being because we get caught up in reliving old
victories, fretting about old failings and clinging to old ways, beliefs and
grudges that simply serve to hold us back.
Take the time every now and then to
conduct a prayerful inventory of your life, and let God lead you to discern
what to let go of and what to keep - even if it means letting go of some ideas
and habits that are attractive, but obsolete and useless. When you do, you can find new hope, feel new
strength, discover new possibilities and be poised for new joy and new
victory. You’ll understand why those who
bore the burdensome baggage of American slavery in their lives could look to
the Lord, trust in the Lord and sing, “I feel better, so much better since I
laid my burdens down.”
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
22. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT
NOTICE:
Greetings in the name of Jesus the
Christ. This communication comes to
share the news of the passing of Mr. George Biggs. Mr. Biggs, the father of our Episcopal WMS
President, Sister Charolett Biggs Martin (the Rev. Randolph W Martin, Sr.),
Patsy Biggs, Rebecca Green and George Kevin Biggs, and the beloved spouse of
Sister Ruthie Biggs. He died on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at 3:00 p.m., at
Baptist Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Family Hour and the Celebration of
Life will be held on Friday, October 18, 2013 at St. Paul AME Church, 1501
Caddo Street in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
Family Hour - 10:00 a.m.
Celebration of Life - 11:00 a.m.
Services have been entrusted to the
Williams Funeral Home, 1517 Caddo Street, Arkadelphia, AR 71923.
Cards and condolences may be sent to
the family at the funeral home.
23. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT
NOTICE:
We regret to inform you of the
passing of Mrs. Burnetha Lewis, the sister of the Rev. David L. Chavous, pastor
of Embry Chapel AME Church in Shelbyville, Kentucky.
The following information is
regarding funeral arrangements.
Visitation: Friday, October 18, 2013, 9:00 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Celebration of Life Service: 11 a.m.
Paoli Baptist Church
33 East Lancaster Avenue
Paoli, PA 19301
Telephone: 610. 647-1612
The Rev. Harold S. Chavous, Eulogist
Expressions of Sympathy may be sent
to:
The Rev. David Chavous
6100 John Moser Way
Prospect, KY 40059
24. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT
NOTICE:
We regret to inform you of the
passing of Mrs. Carrie Belle Wilkins, the mother of the Reverend Charles E.
Wilkins, Sr., pastor of Bethel AME Church in Millville, New Jersey.
The following information has been
provided regarding funeral arrangements.
Visitation: Thursday, October 17, 2013, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00
p.m.
Marvin C. Zanders Funeral Home
232 West Michael Gladden Boulevard
Apopka, Florida 32703
Telephone: 407-886-3388
Fax: 407-886-5656
Celebration of Life Service: Friday, October 18, 2013, 10:00 a.m.
Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church
of Eatonville Florida, Inc.
412 Kennedy Blvd.
Eatonville, FL 32751
Telephone: 407-647-0010
The Rev. Willie C. Barnes, Pastor
The Rev. Charles E. Wilkins, Sr.,
Eulogist
Expressions of Sympathy may be sent
to:
The Rev. Charles E. Wilkins, Sr.
2229 Finch Street
Vineland, NJ 08361
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
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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