The Right
Reverend T. Larry Kirkland - Chair, Commission on Publications
Thanksgiving – November
28, 2013
Advent begins on Sunday
December 1, 2013
1. TCR
EDITORIAL – “THE DISCIPLINE 2012” IS
READY – PLEASE NO “ASSUME” MENTALITY:
Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III
The 20th Editor of
The Christian Recorder
I have seen some Communion
liturgies at begin with “The Table is Ready!”
In the same spirit, let me say, “The
Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church- 2012 is
ready!”
It’s ready and it looks good!
The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church- 2012, hereinafter
sometimes referred to as The Discipline,
is available for sale from the AMEC Sunday School Union.
Episcopal District Offices,
except the 6th Episcopal District, have supplies of The Doctrine and Discipline of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church- 2012 for sale.
If your episcopal district has
exhausted its supply of The Discipline
or if you want to purchase The Doctrine
and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church- 2012 directly
from the AMEC Sunday School Union, it can be ordered by telephone with a credit
card by calling 1-800 648-8724.
Additionally, The Doctrine and Discipline of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church- 2012 and other items can be purchased from the
AMEC Publishing House Website: http://amecpublishinghouse.com.
Have said it before and will say it again
Every pastor, clergy,
aspirants for the ministry, local church officers and parishioners who want to
be informed members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church should purchase The Doctrine and Discipline of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church- 2012.
The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church- 2012 provides
information about the AME Church leadership, the connectional budget, and the
proper procedures for how our churches are organized and how our churches
should function. It provides information about the pastoral ministry, the
qualifications for ministry, information about local church officers and their
duties, election and responsibilities of bishops, general officers, connectional
officers and the various departments of the AME Church. The Doctrinal
Affirmation in The Discipline has the
Mission, Vision, Purposed and Objectives of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church.
The Discipline
has information about our doctrine and polity. It defines everything and
anything related to the AME Church. Local churches and every entity from the
local church to the General Conference do not need to make any rules or
regulations about any aspect of the AME Church because all of the rules for the
AME Church are in the book of The
Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church- 2012.
Most often the problem
Conflicts in local churches
often surface because parishioners, local church officers and sometimes even
pastors have not taken the time to read, study and understand The Discipline; and sometimes attempts
are made to implement rules and initiatives that are in contravention of The Discipline. And, conflict is
exacerbated in decisionmaking situations when parishioners, particularly church
officers who have little or no knowledge about The Discipline, interact with those who are knowledgeable about The Discipline, which is why it is so
important that everyone, particularly those in decisionmaking positions in the
local church, be knowledgeable about the rules of The Discipline.
Experience and discipline
Experienced pastors do not
assume that every local church officer is knowledgeable about the rules of The Discipline. Astute pastors take the time and energy to
provide training on the rules and the contents of The Discipline.
Assume
Those who served in the
military remember the ditty about those who functioned with the notion to
“assume” and, often, its outcome. Those of you who were not in the military
don’t try to figure it out. Simply stated; to assume, without knowing, often
leads to undesired results.
It takes time and discipline
to train people and to get them “on board.” If pastors would take some time
upfront to train their parishioners, they would probably avoid problems and
conflicts “down the road.” If local
churches functioned following the rules of The
Discipline, they would function more efficiently.
Smart pastors do not assume
every parishioner is biblically proficient and everybody who carries a Bible is
not biblically literate. A concerned pastor insures that his or her church has
Bible study
Parishioners have to be
trained and pastors shouldn’t be lulled into the “assume” mode, which often
leads to undesired results. A church that is biblically trained and trained in
the rules of The Discipline is a more
efficient AME church.
At all levels
Bishops might have more
efficient high-functioning clergy if they would take the time to insure that
clergy are fully and capably trained on the rules of
The Discipline.
Bishops too, have to resist the temptation to “assume,” and the result of
succumbing to the “assume” mentality. The biblical book of Ecclesiastes says
there is a time for everything and maybe it’s a time to stop the singing and
start teaching.
And, likewise, presiding
elders would have more efficient high functioning clergy if they would take the
time to insure that clergy are fully and capably trained on the rules of The Discipline. Presiding elders
shouldn’t be lulled into the “assume” posture with its possibility of undesired
results.
Another problem
Too often, perhaps because of
being so busy, pastoral leaders, at all levels, fail to be proactive in
training and teaching.
AMEs love programs,
especially singing programs and good singing makes us feel good, at least for a
moment and perhaps for several moment; but singing may not provide long-term
feel-good feelings in the midst of serious congregational conflict as a result
of parishioners, church officers, and sometimes pastors who have not read and
do not understand the rules of The
Discipline and do not understand how following the rules of The Discipline insures a more efficient
functioning of the local church.
Sometimes, parishioners and
even pastors want to do things their way, disregarding The Discipline and sometimes the Bible, because they are
hard-headed, lack training, or maybe just don’t understand the significance of
rules and order or the intent of the “fathers and mothers” of the AME Church
who, over the years, laboriously put in-place the best practices for the
efficient functioning of local churches.
Be assured
The quadrennial hard work of
the “fathers and mothers” of the African Methodist Episcopal Church did not
presuppose an “assume” mentality of governance and ministry for the African
Methodist Episcopal Church.
Gumbo mentality ministry
As a cook, unfortunately, I have
come to the notion that some pastors and parishioners function with a “gumbo”
recipe mentality for ministry, but that’s another editorial.
2. TCR OP-ED
- A FEW HOURS A MONTH FOR SEVEN MONTHS A YEAR:
*The Rev. V. Gordon Glenn III
During the ordination service
at Annual Conference, the Board of Examiners presents candidates to be ordained
Deacon and Elder. When the dean of the Board presents the candidates, the
liturgy calls for the presiding bishop to charge the presenter with the
following statement:
“Take heed that the persons
whom you present to us be apt and meet, by their godly conversation, to
exercise their ministry duly to the honor of God and the edifying of the
Church.”
The reply by the dean
presenting the candidates is thus: “I have inquired concerning them, and also
examined them, and think them so to be.”
Before the bishop moves on
with the ordination rite, the bishop turns to the assembled conference and asks
if there is any “impediment or crime” known of the candidates, and if so that
the person who knows of it should come forward and let it be known.
Once that happens the same
eerie silence falls upon the conference that fell earlier in the week when the
character of the pastors is passed. Yeah, it’s quiet but we still hear the
whispers behind us from folk unwilling to come forward.
It’s funny, but it’s not so
funny. We hear of folk who go through the Class on Admissions and through four
more years of instruction including coming to District and Annual Conference
and being ordained twice. Then they go out to pastor and the demons that were
obvious to their local church at the local church conference where they were
first presented begin to rear their ugly heads.
The people of that receiving
congregation get angry with the bishop who sent them that pastor, at the AME
Church in general for the system in place, and get mad at the Board of
Examiners in particular for not stopping this person when they came through the
process.
The Board is shocked many
times because they always had their work in on time. They showed up for every
class. They participated well. They had respect for their teachers. When it was
time for them to preach, they preached well according to their level,
experience and abilities. But, the Board of Examiners, in a best case scenario,
only sees the candidate for a few hours a month for seven months a year.
The rest of the time, they
are in the local church. The Board doesn’t see them disrupting church. The
Board doesn’t see the disrespect they may show their local pastor. The Board
hasn’t heard the sermons that failed to preach Christ Jesus or uplift the
spirits of the people because they bring their best sermons to class. And if
it’s not in the pastor’s recommendation of them that is received just before we
go to annual conference, the Board doesn’t know that the candidate, while
faithful to the Board of Examiners is less-so in their local church. The Board
only sees them for a few hours a month for seven months a year - at best.
Your Conference Board of Examiners
needs your help. If the person who is being presented to you at your church
conference or at a special service where they will deliver their “trial sermon”
would not be welcome back, assigned as your pastor, don’t vote to let them go
on to be someone else’s pastor either.
It’s difficult, I know,
because you’ve watched them come up through the YPD or seen the wonderful work
they’ve done in your outreach ministry and you know who raised them, perhaps
they could make a good pastor - someone else’s pastor for sure.
Before they get to the Board
for examination, the Board needs you to properly examine them, pray with them,
and hold their hands. Even though they have gifts and graces for ministry,
perhaps the ordained ministry is not for them. Independently, the Board of
Examiners cannot determine that.
*The Rev. V. Gordon Glenn III
is the Secretary/Webmaster for the Midwest Conference Board of Examiners (5th
District) and pastor of St. John AME Church, Topeka, Kansas
3. WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH OUR ZION:
*The Rev. Clive J.
Pillay
It is so sad that we have time for everything
else except that which should be such an integral part of our ministry. Most of
our ministry seems to be chasing after materials things that are not urgently
needed, another day older and deeper in debt. There is such lot of talk about
reconciliation and bringing unrepentant people who have harmed the church
greatly, back in the fold.
Yet, on our door-steps, hour
future is battling to move forward, keeping the banner of African Methodism
flying high and not a minister in sight. I am talking about the Cape Annual
Conference's YPD Debutante where their pastors shone with their absence (only
one in sight). We need to really sort
out our priorities!! Reaching out to those who do not give two hoots for the
church, and leaving our own desolate. What kind of encouragement are pastors
giving to their young people? What efforts are being made to keep them in the
fold and above all, to encourage them to hold on to that which is precious to
us?
The beauty of the New
Testament church is its homogeneous diversity: young and old, rich and poor,
all united by the Gospel and gathered around the common ministry of the Word,
the Lord’s table, prayer and fellowship, together as the body of Christ. There
is sweetness in God’s people, and we rob our children of experiences of God’s
grace when we neglect to incorporate them into the corporate body and show an
interest in what they are busy with. When they are disconnected from the
activities because of the laissez fair attitude shown by those who lead them,
it should not surprise us that young adults, who have never known the feeling
of belonging, are disinclined to embrace it when their age-graded group has run
its course and they should stand in as the new leaders. If we want your
children to participate in the church when they become adults, then we must
cultivate their participation by displaying a better interest in the work they
are now busy with the limited resources and abilities
As you say, so shall it be; a
church without any active young people is a church with no future
*The Rev Clive J. Pillay is
the pastor of St. John Kensington AME Church in Kensington, Cape Town, South
Africa
4. DR. JOHNNY AND MRS. CLARA M. BARBOUR CELEBRATE 51
YEARS OF MARRIAGE:
The Rev. Dr. Johnny, Dr.
Barbour, the Secretary-Treasurer and Publisher of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church Sunday School Union and Mrs. Clara Barbour will celebrate
their 51st Wedding Anniversary on November 24, 2013. Johnny Barbour,
Jr. married Clara Mae Jackson in Springhill, Louisiana on November 24,
1962.
Dr. Johnny Barbour met
beautiful Clara Mae Jackson at Campbell College, a small AME school located in
Jackson, Mississippi when they were both in college.
Dr. Barbour had already
accepted the call to ministry and majored in religion and philosophy and earned
an Associate of Arts degree and from Lampton School of Religion and she earned
a degree in business administration and secretarial practice and procedure.
Both Johnny and Clara were
native Mississippians, He was born in Greenwood, Mississippi to Zula and Johnny
Barbour, Sr. and she in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi to Isaac and Lucille
Jackson; though born in Bay St. Louis she was reared in Waveland,
Mississippi.
It was love at first sight;
they were both native Mississippians and they discovered that they had a lot in
common, which they have shared for 51 years.
Upon graduation from Campbell
College they both matriculated at the University of Southern, Mississippi.
In July 1964, the Barbours
arrived in Meridian, Mississippi on his pastoral assignment at Alan Chapel AME
Church on the day that three young Civil Rights’ workers, James Chaney, Andrew
Goodman and Mickey Schwerner were reported missing. The three Civil Rights’
workers had been working to register black voters in Mississippi during Freedom
Summer. The Reverend Barbour met with Mrs. Chaney, the wife of James Chaney who
was a member of Alan Chapel.
One of the things Johnny and
Clara had in common was their love and commitment to the civil and human
rights. They both were active in the Civil Rights’ Movement in the voter
registration campaign. Mrs. Clara Barbour
worked in the NAACP office in Meridian, Mississippi. Dr. Johnny Barbour served as coordinator for
the NAACP in Meridian, Mississippi as well as NAACP coordinator for voter
registration and education for the state of Mississippi.
Johnny and Clara were also
active in the life of the African Methodist Episcopal Church; he as an active
pastor and leader in the annual conference and the 8th Episcopal
District; and she was an active worker in the local church, annual conference
and the Episcopal District Women’s Missionary Societies.
They are the parents of one
son, Thomas Monroe Barbour II, who when asked if his mother was a
disciplinarian, laughed out loud and said, “Oh, yes she was a strict
disciplinarian.”
In the 50 years of their
marriage, they have lived in Yazoo City, Meridian, Fayette, Laurel, and
Jackson, Mississippi, and Shreveport, Louisiana. They have homes in Jackson and
Nashville, Tennessee.
In addition to their son,
they have a daughter-in-law, Juanita Adams Barbour; and two grandchildren,
Thomas Monroe Barbour III, who graduates from Jackson State University in
December 2013; and Brianna Kathleen Barbour, a junior at Fisk University and a
member of the famed Fisk Jubilee Singers.
In 1986, Dr. Barbour was
awarded the Doctor of Divinity Degree from Payne Theological Seminary in
Wilberforce, Ohio.
5. THE METHODIST THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL IN OHIO (MTSO)
FEATURES MOTHER BETHEL AME CHURCH PASTOR:
The Rev. Dr. Mark Kelly Tyler
will lead the Schooler Institute on Preaching Feb. 10 and 11 at Methodist
Theological School in Ohio, 3081 Columbus Pike, Delaware, Ohio. Tyler is senior
pastor of the historic Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in
Philadelphia and a fully affiliated faculty member at MTSO, where he teaches
homiletics and African-American studies.
Thanks to the generosity of
Schooler Family Foundation, the event is offered to the public without cost.
Advance registration is required. A complete schedule and online registration
form are available at www.mtso.edu/schooler. MTSO is offering one CEU credit for a $25
administrative processing fee.
Tyler holds a doctorate in
educational leadership from the University of Dayton, a Master of Divinity
degree from Payne Theological Seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio, and a B.A. in
religion from Clark Atlanta University. In 2008, he was appointed pastor of
Mother Bethel, the first congregation founded by Bishop Richard Allen, the
founder of the AME Church. Mother Bethel has been a spiritual, social and
community force since the late 1700s.
Tyler, who began teaching at
MTSO in 2007, recently was interviewed by host Henry Louis Gates Jr. for the
PBS series “The African Americans: Many
Rivers to Cross.”
“It goes without saying that
Mark Kelly Tyler is an excellent preacher,” said MTSO President Jay Rundell.
“Our Schooler Institute participants will quickly realize what MTSO students
already know: He also is an engaging and dedicated teacher of the craft. We
look forward to his insights.”
Methodist Theological School in
Ohio prepares transformational leaders of many faith traditions for service to
the church and the world. MTSO offers masters degrees in divinity, counseling
ministries, theological studies and practical theology, as well as a Doctor of
Ministry degree. For more information, visit www.mtso.edu.
6. THE SAINT JAMES AMEC-DOUGLASVILLE 2ND
ANNUAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PRAYER VIGIL:
With domestic violence contributing
greatly to the destruction of many marriages, Pastor Keenan Hale and the Saint
James AMEC-Douglasville of the West-Atlanta District, Atlanta-North Georgia
Conference, for the past two years have sought to shed light on this issue
through their domestic violence prayer vigil. The Christian Education
Department of Saint James, under the leadership of Mrs. Vickey D. Hale, has
sponsored this event with hope to educate the surrounding community and embrace
those affected by domestic violence.
Every year during the month of October, Saint James take to the grounds
of Hunter Park, located in Douglasville, Georgia with prayers, words of
comfort, liturgical dance, poems, and appropriate music to remember the names
of those lost to domestic violence and those who have lived through the
abuse.
“Remember My Name” has been
the theme for these past two years, with the focus being placed upon those who
have died and those who have suffered under the pressures of domestic
violence. As always, the prayer vigil
began with a great reception for those in attendance. The Chic-fil-A restaurant
of College Park, Ga., where Mrs. Melissa Winkfield is owner/operator was once
again this year’s reception sponsor.
This year, we heard from local city leaders, such as Judge Barbara
Caldwell-the only African-American sitting judge in Douglasville, Mayor Harvey
Person, Rachel Bowman-Legal Advocate for Douglas County Task Force on Family
Violence, Rev. Madolyn Hubbard-Senior Pastor of New Hope United Methodist
Church of Bowden, Georgia and many others.
The prayer vigil was
informative to many of those in attendance, as well as healing for our guest
speakers, who came forth and shared their story of either living with abusive
parents or having suffered from an abusive spouse. A key segment of the domestic violence prayer
vigil was the reading of the poem, “I Got Flowers Today, written by Paulette
Kelley. This poem highlights the different phases of abuse, which ended with
the death of the character and the flowers presented through tradition at
funerals.
The closing of this solemn
occasion was completed with the reading aloud of the sixty persons who has died
in Douglasville, Georgia due to domestic violence. Pastor Hale and the Saint James church
consider it an honor to be able to continue to uplift the name of Jesus through
effective and relevant ministerial activities that addresses the whole
person. Remember, domestic violence is
an issue that is plaguing America and we as the body of Christ, must do our
part by sounding the alarm!
Submitted by Pastor Keenan D.
Hale, Sr.
7. ST. JAMES AME CHURCH DOUGLASVILLE, GEORGIA MOBILE
FOOD BANK MINISTRY:
Since 2006 St. James AME
Church has been meeting the needs of the surrounding communities of
Douglasville and Douglas County with its onsite food-bank ministry. Beginning in August 2011, St. James initiated
its Mobile Food-Bank. St. James
distribute food for its mobile food-bank once every month and the walk-in
food-bank items are distribute twice a month, normally a week after the mobile
food-bank date.
Realizing the economic
conditions that we are currently living, the St. James’ church family is glad
to be that helping hand, by providing well balanced and nutritious meals to the
local families of Douglasville, Ga. During our mobile food-bank ministry alone,
we provide over 200 families with enough food that would allow them to prepare
a complete meal for two weeks. When an
emergency food shortage arise within any local Douglasville family, St. James
will assist in meeting that need by providing a box of food once the call is
made to our food-bank director, Mrs. JoAnn Arnold. On a monthly basis, many of the families that
we serve show their appreciation with words of gratitude. Some family members show their appreciation
by volunteering during the mobile food-bank.
During the Atlanta-North
Georgia Annual Conference year of 2013, with St. James AMEC being the only
Mobile Food-Bank in Douglas County, St. James was able to feed over 2,740
families with over 96,000 lbs. of food through its mobile food-bank
ministry. This feat was accomplished by
leveraging our partnerships with the Atlanta Community Food-Bank, Target,
Kroger, & Wal-Mart. Because of these relationships, we are able to make a
major dent into the hunger crisis that is plaguing Douglas County, Georgia.
*Submitted by Pastor Keenan
D. Hale, Sr.
8. AME, THE REV. MELVIN WILSON AMONG CAMBRIDGE POLICE
COMMISSION INAUGURAL CLASS OF POLICE CHAPLAINS:
Five chaplains recite oaths
during ceremony at Cambridge City Hall
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – November
5, 2013 – Faith-based organizations are an integral part of our communal
lives. The Cambridge Police Department
recognizes the importance, influence, and impact that faith-based leaders have
on our community’s spiritual health. The
Cambridge Police Chaplaincy Program is designed to formalize a collaborative
relationship between the religious community within our city and the
department.
While many police departments
utilize chaplains internally, the Cambridge Police Chaplaincy Program is the
first of its kind in the Commonwealth where chaplains will work with the
department and be called out to crime scenes and significant events to offer
services to officers, victims, and members of the community.
With this in mind, the
Cambridge Police Department commissioned its first class of police chaplains at
a ceremony on Friday, November 1st in the Sullivan Chamber at Cambridge City
Hall.
Joined by Mayor Henrietta
Davis, City Manager Richard C. Rossi, Commissioner Robert C. Haas, and over one
hundred friends, family, city staff, and members of their congregations, Bishop
Brian Greene, Reverend Larry Kim, Reverend Lorraine Thornhill, Father Matthew
Westcott, and the Reverend Melvin Wilson recited an oath to City Clerk Donna P.
Lopez and began their service as police chaplains.
“This is so needed in
Cambridge,” said Mayor Henrietta Davis.
“It is important to include people of faith in our efforts and I am
certain you are all up to the challenge of serving our diverse community.”
City Manager Rossi
congratulated the new chaplains, saying, “It is wonderful that we are
increasing our army of healers. Our
goal, always, is to bring the community together and we are proud and lucky to
have you aiding us in that endeavor.”
“We appreciate the support of
your congregations in this new program,” said Commissioner Robert C. Haas. “Every day police, like the clergy, are
called upon to serve, and we thank you for willingly taking on this awesome
responsibility.”
“There is unity among those
of us who serve the public,” said Lead Chaplain the Reverend Melvin Wilson of
St. Paul AME Church. “Our group reflects
the diversity of Cambridge because everybody needs somebody to be there in
their time of need.”
9. FORMER EPISCOPAL SUPERVISOR MRS. NANCY STOKES
HONORED AT PAYNE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY:
Friends for Payne and its
founder, Mrs. Nancy Stokes, were honored at Payne Theological Seminary’s 2013
commencement ceremony on the occasion of their 20th year anniversary. Mrs.
Stokes received an honorary degree at the ceremony.
"Friends for Payne"
was founded in 1993 by Mrs. Nancy Stokes, wife of the late Bishop Rembert
Stokes, as a non-profit volunteer organization serving Payne Theological
Seminary to advance its cause and fulfill its mission. Friends for Payne is a
cross section of ladies from the Wilberforce, Xenia, Yellow Springs,
Springfield, and Dayton communities whose service advance the school and assist
in keeping it viable. Projects sponsored by Friends for Payne have provided
vital monetary and human capacity supports for the institution, including the
Brick Walkway of Faith, Historical Marker, and handicap ramp, and monetary
support of the library and Mitchell Hall, just
to name a few. Payne is pleased to have such a committed set of loyal
community supporters.
"Friends for Payne"
sponsors an Annual Luncheon Fundraiser to foster the efforts of Payne Seminary.
This event is held in the spring and is the major fundraiser for the organization.
10. A MIGHTY ADDRESS BY BISHOP GREGORY G.M. INGRAM,
PAYNE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY’S 2013 COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER:
The 2013 Payne Theological
Seminary Commencement Ceremony was a high holy occasion held in the Alumni
Multiplex at Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio. The evening was filled with anointed musical
selections rendered by Gospel Explosion Ecumenical Choir under the direction of
17-year-old Hayden C. Jackson.
The highlight of the evening
was the commencement address entitled, “Rising to the Call,” delivered by
Bishop Gregory G.M. Ingram, Chairman of Payne’s Board of Trustees and Presiding
Prelate, First Episcopal District.
Bishop Ingram reiterated the importance of one’s call to ministry by
saying, “Graduates, as you seek to define your purpose and fulfill your
calling, keep in mind that your calling is deeper than a job, a career, and all
your benchmarks of success. Your calling is the truth that God called you to
Himself so decisively that everything you are, everything you do, and everything
you have is invested with a special devotion and dynamism lived out as a
response to God’s summons and service.” Bishop Ingram challenged the graduates
to meditate on three things as they rise to the call of their ministry. He
said, “If you are going to be a leader and a minister of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, your inner life is important and to whom much is given much is
required, and your greatest challenge is to remember.”
Following the commencement address,
Bishop Ingram, Presiding Elder Robert Keesee, Thirteenth Episcopal District
(ret.), and Mrs. Nancy Stokes, Founder, Friends for Payne, each received an
honorary degree of Humane Letters.
In the words of Dr. Leah
Gaskin Fitchue, President of Payne Seminary, “Commencement reminds us that we
were founded for the purpose of promoting scholarship, religion, and morality
through educating persons for the Christian ministry. Our graduates have been
equipped with an arsenal of practical tools to carry onto the soul-winning
battlefield for the uplift of the people. Christendom will be a much better
place with these well-prepared transformational leaders of the Gospel.” Dr.
Fitchue and Dr. William Augman, Interim Academic Dean, conferred Master of
Divinity Degrees on the following 28 students.
Anne Henning Byfield
Jim Locke, III
Sylvia Roberts
Charlie Dilworth, Jr.
Obie Madison
Cheryl Ruffin
Melody Essex
Veronica Mathers-Jones
Rodney Smith
Stanley Flowers
Stefon McBride
Stephen Thurston
Cheryl Jackson
Gwendolyn Walls McClure
Leon Tucker, Jr.
Kerry James
Tammy McGhee
Christopher Vaughn
Maxine Johnson
Tesha Miller
Bettye Walker-Broomfield
Robert Johnson, III
Demetrese Phillips
Carl Wallace
Shari Laster-Morris
Sandra Phipps
Randall Webster
Harold Wilson
Graduates, their families,
and friends fellowshipped in a Graduation Reception held immediately following
the Commencement Convocation.
*Submitted by the Rev. Jules
Dunham Howie, Payne Theological Seminary Fund Development Director
11. PASTORAL TRANSFERS MADE AT THE FIFTH EPISCOPAL
DISTRICT PLANNING MEETING:
Bishop T. Larry Kirkland,
Presiding Prelate of the Fifth Episcopal District made several pastoral
appointments and/or changes on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 at the closing worship
service of the 5th Episcopal District Planning Meeting that was held in St.
Louis, Missouri.
The Rev. Dr. W. Eugene
Marshall was transferred from the Ninth Episcopal District (Alabama) to Saint
James AME Church in Saint Louis, Missouri.
The Rev. Vernon Burroughs was
transferred from the California Conference to Brookins AME Church in Oakland,
California.
The Rev. Clinton Stancil was
transferred from the Midwest Conference to Wayman AME Church in Saint Louis,
Missouri.
The Rev. Mark Smith was
transferred to the Midwest Conference to Allen Chapel AME Church in Kansas
City, Missouri.
The Rev. Robert R. Shaw was
transferred from the Missouri Conference back to the Midwest Conference to
Bethel AME Church in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Rev. Godfrey Patterson
was transferred from the Second Episcopal District to Bethel, Marysville,
California.
The Rev. Freda Cash was moved
to Murph Emmanuel AME Church in North Highlands, California.
The Rev. Delman Howard was
transferred to the Pacific Northwest Conference and is now the new Presiding
Elder of the Pacific Northwest Conference.
The Rev. Andrew Simpson was
transferred to the Desert Mountain Conference and is now the pastor of Campbell
Chapel AME Church, Denver, Colorado.
The Rev. Dr. J. Arthur Rumph
(Candidate for Episcopal Service - 2016) was moved to Grant AME Church, Los
Angeles, California.
The Rev. Pamela Mason was
transferred to the Southern California Conference and is now the pastor of Holy
Trinity AME Church in Las Vegas, Nevada.
*Submitted by the Rev. V.
Gordon Glenn III, Director of Public Relations, Midwest Conference
12. FIRST WOMAN AND AFRICAN MODERATOR ELECTED TO THE
WCC CENTRAL COMMITTEE:
Agnes Abuom, new moderator of
the WCC Central Committee at the WCC assembly in Busan.
08 November 2013
In one of their first
decisions as the Central Committee for the World Council of Churches, the newly
installed 150-member committee made history Friday by electing Dr Agnes Abuom
of Nairobi, from the Anglican Church of Kenya, as the moderator of the highest
WCC governing body.
Abuom, who was elected
unanimously to the position, is the first woman and the first African in the
position in the 65-year history of the WCC.
Two vice-moderators were
elected, United Methodist Church Bishop Mary Ann Swenson from the USA and Prof.
Dr Gennadios of Sassima of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
“My open prayer is that we
shall move forward together, in the next years, despite our diversities that
have the potential to divide us,” Abuom said shortly after her election, “…and
that the WCC will continue to remain an instrument for providing a safe space
for all who can come and share their hopes, aspirations and visions, and
prophetic voice.”
Aboum said the prophetic voice
is vital for “ecumenism in the 21st century and the church in our world today.”
As the first woman moderator
of the worldwide body, Aboum says the model of consensus discernment “resonates
very well with *femine decision-making processes,” consultative and careful
listening and seeking to understand the other person’s perspective.
Abuom has served on the WCC
Executive Committee, representing the Anglican Church of Kenya. She is also a
development consultant serving both Kenyan and international organizations
coordinating social action programmes for religious and civil society across
Africa.
Abuom was the Africa
president for the WCC from 1999 to 2006. She has been associated with the All
Africa Conference of Churches and WCC member churches in Africa. She is a
co-president of the Religions for Peace and the National Council of Churches of
Kenya.
Abuom’s areas of work include
economic justice, peace and reconciliation.
Gennadios, who will serve his
second term as the WCC Central Committee vice-moderator, is a professor of
theology. He served as vice-moderator of the WCC's Faith and Order Commission
from 1998 to 2006. He was a staff member of the WCC's Faith and Order
secretariat in Geneva from 1983 to 1993. He is involved in a number of
bilateral dialogues involving the Orthodox, the Roman Catholic and Lutheran
churches among others.
In addition to being
vice-moderator of the WCC Central Committee, Gennadios has served as a member
of the presidium and of the governing board of the Conference of European
Churches.
Swenson, who will also serve
as the WCC Central Committee vice moderator, was ordained to the ministry by
the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC) in
1973. Swenson also served as senior pastor of First United Methodist Church,
Wenatchee, Washington from 1989 to 1992. While a pastor in Wenatchee, she also
served as president of both the Board of Directors of the Rape Crisis and
Domestic Violence Center, and on the Board of Directors of the North Central
Washington AIDS Coalition from 1989 to 1992.
Swenson was elected to the
episcopacy of the United Methodist Church by the 1992 Western Jurisdictional
Conference. She now serves as president of the church's General Commission on
Christian Unity and Inter-religious Concerns (GCCUIC).
*Urban Dictionary: Femine is
a portmanteau of "feminine" and "vermin." Femine are women
so low, so debased, they are willing to associate with almost anyone or
anything, no matter how disgusting and degraded.)
13. MANY SUNNIS AND SHIAS WORRY ABOUT RELIGIOUS
CONFLICT:
Concern Especially High Among Muslims in Lebanon
Washington, D.C. — This week
Sunni and Shia Muslims ushered in the Islamic New Year and the beginning of the
holy month of Muharram. For Shias, the month also is a time to mourn the events
that sparked the centuries-old schism between Shia and Sunni Muslims. A new Pew
Research Center analysis of polls conducted in 2011-2012 finds high levels of
concern about sectarian tensions in several countries where Sunnis and Shias
live side by side. Among the five Muslim-majority countries surveyed, these
concerns are particularly pronounced in Lebanon, where fully two-thirds of all
Muslims, including about half of Shias and 80% of Sunnis, say sectarian
tensions are a very big or moderately big problem. Roughly half of all Muslims
in Iraq, more than four-in-ten in Afghanistan and nearly a quarter in Iran say
the same.
Concerns about religious
extremism in general also are widespread in the countries surveyed, with about
two-thirds of all Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan, half of all Muslims in
Lebanon and roughly a quarter of all Muslims in Iran expressing worry about
radical religious groups. However, when members of the two sects are compared,
Shias tend to express less concern than Sunnis about extremist groups, despite
the fact that Shias are a minority among Muslims globally and often have been
targets of religious violence.
With regard to religious
beliefs and practices, the polls find that majorities of Shia and Sunni Muslims
share key tenets of the Islamic faith. However, they differ substantially in
their attitudes toward certain rituals commonly practiced by Shias during
Muharram. On the 10th day of Muharram, Ashura, Shias commemorate the death of
the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein, by making pilgrimages to holy
shrines. The polls show that visits to shrines are nearly universally accepted
by Shias, while Sunnis are significantly less likely to say it is permissible
in Islam to visit the shrines of saints.
The polls were conducted from
November 2011 to May 2012 among a total of more than 5,000 Muslims in five
countries with substantial numbers of both Shias and Sunnis (Afghanistan,
Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq and Lebanon). Although Shias make up only about 10%-13%
of the world’s Muslims, three of the five countries surveyed (Iran, Iraq and
Azerbaijan) have Shia-majority populations. The full report, including
comparisons of religious beliefs and practices among Shia and Sunni Muslims is
available at http://www.pewforum.org/
The Pew Research Center is a
nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and
trends shaping America and the world. It does not take policy positions. Its
Religion & Public Life Project seeks to promote a deeper understanding of
issues at the intersection of religion and public affairs.
14. 20. iCHURCH
SCHOOL LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2013 - REMEMBER AND
CELEBRATE EXODUS 12:1-14:
*Bill Dickens, Allen AME
Church, Tacoma, Washington
Church School Lesson Brief
In the popular Disney movie, The Lion King, an exiled Simba once
glanced up in the sky and heard a familiar voice in the wind. It was the voice of
his deceased father Mufasa who reprimands Simba for forgetting who he is and
his failure to assume his proper responsibility in life. Simba’s actions in exile with his merry,
care-free friends Timon and Puumba were indicative that he forgot his father. Throughout the brief epiphany Mufasa
repeatedly states, “Remember, remember.”
The Adult AME Church School
lesson for November 10, 2013 spotlights the topic of “Remember and
Celebrate.”
Moses, with his new job
assignment, communicates to Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave Egypt. Pharaoh denies the “request” and God sends a
series of sequential plagues with increasing human misery designed to loosen
Pharaoh’s grip.
The tenth and culminating
plague is the killing of the first born male, human and animal. This plague was memorialized as the Passover
to commemorate a specific historical event when the death angel passed over the
residences of the Israelites who were protected with the blood of an
unblemished lamb prominently displayed on their door. Homes that did not have
this symbol of protection endured death and sadness as their firstborn
died. This was the plague that “broke
the camel’s back.” A special meal was
designated (roasted lamb and unleavened bread) and established throughout all
generations in Israel to symbolize their speed of exit from Egypt and how God
delivered them from Egyptian captivity.
Freedom yields celebration.
The great Commandment in
Exodus Chapter 20 about the Sabbath Day begins with the word, “Remember.” Jesus was remembering and celebrating
Passover during His Last Supper.
Passover is a part of the liturgical calendar for both Jews and
Christians. Sadly, many of us are like
Simba in exile where we suffer from spiritual amnesia. We forget who we are and the important
sacrifices others have made for our comfort.
Amnesia is the anti-thesis of remembrance. When we remember we stay in touch with God,
connect with our identity and remain faithful to our purpose and mission in
life. The price of “forgetting” is too
expensive.
*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.
15. MEDITATION BASED ON JEREMIAH 18:1-6:
*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby
I’m a fifteen year resident
of Charleston, South Carolina, but church, community and family obligations
still lead me to make regular trips to my hometown of Columbia, South
Carolina. Many of those trips are short
and are for specific business reasons but when I have the time, I like to drive
around the Columbia area to see how things have changed since I lived
there. I recently drove through the
neighborhood where I spent my teen years and saw that a major change had taken
place.
One of Columbia’s “inner
city” Baptist churches moved further out and built a lovely and impressive new
sanctuary and family life center around the corner from my old home. The pleasant irony is that they built on the
site of what was a “drive-in” theater that specialized in “X Rated” movies in
the days of my youth! That Baptist
church family made what was once a dubious place - viewed with disdain by those
in the community - into a sacred space that welcomes people into the presence
of God. They turned what my late mother
used to call a “sinful” place into a special place.
God can do with us what those
in that church family did with the site of that old “X-rated” drive-in
theater. The best of us are born with a
tendency to sin and to engage in dubious and destructive behavior in pursuit of
self-satisfaction. It’s easy for us to
let the residue of our life experience hinder our growth, hamper our progress,
lead us to focus on our faults and failings and make us wonder if we can really
recover and do any better.
When we have the faith,
however, to put our old lives in God’s hands, God will never fail to fix us,
redeem us and make us over so that we can put our old lives and old mistakes in
perspective and do new things in new ways that reflect the grace of the God who
created us living and working in and through us. The God we serve can still change us from
“sinful” to “special.”
All of us have more than our
fair share of shortcomings and make more than our fair share of mistakes along
the roads of life, but that’s not what matters.
What matters is that when we have the faith to place ourselves in God’s
hands, God will give us a “makeover” that comes with new and joyful
appreciation for the words of those who sang, in the midst of American slavery,
“He’s got the whole wide world in His hands.”
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
16. CLERGY FAMILY CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS:
-- Shade' A. Hyche Dixon passed the State of Georgia
Bar
Shade' A. Hyche Dixon, former
Connectional YPD Communications Secretary and Editor, The Gazette, recently
passed the Georgia Bar and is now licensed to practice Law in the State of
Georgia. Attorney Hyche-Dixon is married to Music Producer and Business
Consultant, Jiwann "WANN D" Dixon and they reside in Douglasville,
Georgia. Shade' is the daughter of proud parents, Presiding Elder Albert L.
Hezekiah Hyche and Attorney Ida Tyree Hyche, of the Ninth Episcopal District.
Congratulatory greetings may be sent to shade.a.dixon@gmail.com or 6312
Fairoaks Place, Douglasville, GA 30135
*Submitted by Attorney Ida
Tyree Hyche, International Editor, WMS Magazine
-- Roslyn Thibodeaux Goodall selected as a board
member for the Alzheimer's Association
Roslyn Thibodeaux Goodall has
been selected as a board member for the Alzheimer's Association of Greater
Dallas. She is the Public Policy Committee Chair. Mrs. Thibodeaux Goodall is the daughter of
Mrs. Melanie J. Thibodeaux and the late Dr. G. H. J. Thibodeaux; a member of
St. Paul AME Church in Dallas, Texas; 1st VP of her local Women's Missionary
Society (WMS) and a Life Member of the WMS.
Her passion for Alzheimer's advocacy stems from having six (6) family
members affected by the disease. She co-authored
Project ALERT (Alzheimer's Link to Education, Research & Treatment) an
initiative devoted to educating African Americans about Alzheimer's and
produces an annual Alzheimer's Symposium, at her home church (St. Matthew
A.M.E.-Shreveport, LA). In 2007, she was
invited to present on Project ALERT, at the National Alzheimer's Conference in
Chicago. Mrs. Thibodeaux Goodall serves
as the Alzheimer's Ambassador for Congressional District 30 (Texas) represented
by Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and is a member of the Leadership
Council of the Alzheimer's Association of North Louisiana. She now focuses on educating congregants
about Alzheimer's and encouraging them to implement Caregivers' Day Out in
their churches. You may contact her at
clancy_3@hotmail.com to learn how to get involved with Alzheimer's advocacy, or
contact your local Alzheimer's Association.
See the announcement in the
North Dallas Gazette, link below.
"We are excited about
our new board members and will benefit from the diverse backgrounds represented
on our Board," said Matt Johnson, Chairman of the Board. "Placing
professionals of this caliber in positions where they can use their expertise
has raised the level of service from the Alzheimer's Association."
Johnson also said that the
Association has launched a new dashboard allowing the public to track the
Association's work through the number of funds raised and people helped.
Raising an excess of $450,000 the 2013 Dallas Walk to End Alzheimer's more than
doubled compared to last year.
More than 340,000 Texans are
living with Alzheimer's disease and there are over a million caregivers in the
state. Alzheimer's has no prevention, cure or even treatment to slow the
disease. By the year 2050, one in three seniors is expected to have Alzheimer's
disease. The Alzheimer's Association Board of Directors is working to get ahead
of those numbers and help beat this disease before the numbers reach
catastrophic proportions.
*Submitted by Roslyn
Thibodeaux Goodall, Email: clancy_3@hotmail.com
17. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to inform you of
the passing of the Rev. Charles E. Drummer, Jr., a retired Presiding Elder of
the First Episcopal District. The Rev. Drummer retired in 2011 after serving
many years as Presiding Elder of the Wilmington District in the Delaware Annual
Conference. The following information has been provided regarding funeral
arrangements.
Wake: Sunday, November 10,
2013, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Viewing: Monday, November 11,
2013. 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Service: Monday, November 11,
2013, 11:00 a.m.
Mt. Zion AME Church
101 North Queen Street
Dover, Delaware 19901
Telephone: 302.678-9478
Fax: 302.678-9192
Pastor: The Rev. Ellis B.
Louden
Eulogist: Bishop Reginald T.
Jackson, Presiding Prelate of the Twentieth District and the Ecumenical Officer
for the A.M.E. Church
Professional Care entrusted
to
Bennie Smith Funeral Home
717 W. Division Street
Dover, DE 19904
Telephone: 302-678-8747
Fax: 302-736-6410
Interment: Sharon Hills
Memorial Park
2928 Sharon Hill Road
Dover, DE 19904
Phone: 302-734-3535
Expressions of Sympathy may
be sent to:
Mrs. Helen H. Drummer
404 Walker Road
Dover, DE 19904-2850
18. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We are saddened by the
passing of Mrs. Williene Marshall, mother of the Reverend Sylvester (Bobbie)
Marshall, Presiding Elder of the Natchez-Port Gibson District of the South
Mississippi Conference in the Eighth Episcopal District.
Visitation and Funeral
Service:
Visitation: Friday, November
8, 2013
1:00-6:00 p.m.
Smith Funeral Home
907 Winnsboro Road
Monroe, Louisiana 71202
Funeral service: Saturday,
November 9, 2013
11:00 a.m.
St. John AME Church
2414 Burg Jones Lane
Monroe, Louisiana 71202
Professional Care entrusted
to:
Smith Funeral Home
907 Winnsboro Road
Monroe, Louisiana 71202
Telephone: 1 (318) 361-9295
Cards, expressions of
sympathy may be sent to:
The Rev. Sylvester Marshall, Presiding
Elder
2503 Rue Simone
Hammond, Louisiana 70403
(985) 687-9217
19. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to inform you of
the passing of the Rev. Dr. William Lamar Cody, a retired pastor of the First
Episcopal District. The Rev. Dr. Cody retired in 2008 after serving 56 years as
a pastor throughout the First Episcopal District.
The following information has
been provided regarding funeral arrangements.
Viewing and Service:
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Viewing: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Service: 11:00 a.m.
St. Paul AME Church
1203 Harrison Avenue
Pleasantville, NJ 08232
Telephone: 609-641-2109
Fax: 609-645-1522
Email: stpaul08232@aol.com
Pastor: The Rev. Lynda T.
Rassmann
Eulogist: Bishop Gregory G.M.
Ingram, Presiding Prelate of the First Episcopal District
Professional Care entrusted
to:
Adams-Perfect Funeral Homes,
Inc.
1650 New Road
Northfield, NJ 08225
Phone: 609-641-0065
Fax: 609-641-7919
Interment: Mt. Calvary
Cemetery
Black Horse Pike
Pleasantville, NJ 08232
Expressions of Sympathy may
be sent to:
Mrs. Birdie Cody
1511 Mediterranean Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
20. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
The Reverend Jeremiah
"Jerry" Wilson transitioned from this life on Wednesday, October 30,
2013 at Troy Regional Medical Center in Troy, Alabama. He was the pastor of
Dunn's Chapel AME Church and St. Luke AME Church, both located in Louisville,
Alabama.
The Rev. Jeremiah Wilson was
the son of the late Presiding Elder Lawrence W. Wilson and Mrs. Arlean Wilson.
Rev. Wilson served the denomination in several districts to include the Third,
Fourth, Seventh, Ninth and Thirteenth Districts.
His memory will be preserved by
his children: Jeremiah II, Justin, Joshua, Jeremey, John Adams, and Maya.
Services will be held on
Monday, November 11, 2013 at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, 606
East Academy Street in Troy, Alabama.
The viewing is from 9-11 a.m.
the funeral will be held at 11 a.m.
Condolences will be received
by the family by email, mail or facsimile.
The family of Pastor Jeremiah
Wilson
C/o St. Luke A.M.E. Church
757 Alabama 130
Louisville, Alabama 36048
Services are entrusted to
Grubbs funeral home
208 E Madison St
Troy, Alabama 36081
Telephone: (334) 566-7695
21. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to inform you of
the passing of Tailo Chama, the granddaughter of the Reverend Fredrick Chilombo
Chama of the South East Zambia Conference, Seventeenth Episcopal District;
Bishop Wilfred Jacobus Messiah, Presiding Prelate. Tailo Chama passed on the 15th of October and
was put to rest on the 17th of October MHSRIP.
Expressions of sympathy may
be emailed to: chilombochama@yahoo.com (The Reverend Fredrick Chilombo Chama)
22. 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
23. 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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