The Right
Reverend T. Larry Kirkland - Chair, Commission on Publications
The
Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The
Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, the 20th Editor, The Christian Recorder
1. TCR
EDITORIAL – TO GENUINELY BE ABLE TO WISH EACH OTHER A SINCERE AND HEARTFELT,
“MERRY CHRISTMAS” AND A BLESSED NEW YEAR:
Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III
The 20th Editor of
The Christian Recorder
As much as ministers,
churches, parents, and teachers try to emphasize that “Jesus is the reason for the
season” and do all they can to remind parishioners and family members that
Christmas is a season for giving rather than receiving; “wishing” and
salivating about what we hope to receive on Christmas morning is still a major
focus, whether we admit it or not. Opening gifts and watching children and
grandchildren open gifts often take “center stage” on Christmas mornings.
One of the popular Christmas
songs during my youth was “All I want for
Christmas is my two Front teeth.”
The lyrics explain that without the two front teeth it was hard to say,
"Sister Susie sitting on a thistle" and it was hard to whistle. The
song ends with “Gee, if I could only have my two front teeth, then I could wish
you a ‘Merry Christmas!’"
Sometimes, we get so caught up in what we want for Christmas
that we say, Merry Christmas, but it’s absent of the true meaning of “Merry
Christmas.” It’s like our “Hellos” and “How are you?” Greetings for the most part are formalities
and any response other than, “Fine,” in response to the question, “How are
you?” would discombobulate most of us.
In the spirit of the ending
of the song, “All I want for Christmas is
my two Front teeth,” the closing line says, “… if I could only have my two front teeth, then I could wish you a
‘Merry Christmas.’"
The AME Church does not need
“two front teeth,” but I can think of a couple of gifts would make for a
merrier Christmas for all of us and we could wish each other a more meaningful,
“I wish you a Merry Christmas!”
Let me share a few
I have mentioned these before and in the spirit of “Repetition
is good pedagogy,” let me mention some of them again.
I would like to see all of our churches using technology because
church growth and technology go hand in hand. Churches that are growing are using
technology. Technology saves money and time; both are precious commodities.
Several weeks ago, we planned to visit an AME church and called
to find out the time of the worship service. The answering machine message was
dated and didn’t provide the worship time. I went to the internet and the
church did not have a presence on the internet. And of course, they didn’t have
an announcement in the local newspaper.
I went to another AME church and I am sure they were pleased with our
offering.
The Christian Recorder,
online and in the print edition, has repeatedly warned congregations and
individuals about scams. Some people still succumb to being scammed. I wish we
could put that issue to rest by no one being duped by scams because no one
being duped by scams would make for a very Merry Christmas.
I wish AME churches would “bite the bullet” and stop requiring
people to drive and walk to the church to have meetings that could be conducted
by teleconferencing. Teleconferencing would be easier and more cost effective
for everyone. It’s so easy; one option, simply go to:
http://www.freeconferencecall.com/fcc/index.asp?promocode=FCC_PPC_GS_US_EN_849&gclid=CKPona794LQCFQcHnQodgm4AKw and with one-click the system is set up for a
teleconference. Persons who are scheduled to participate in the teleconference
are provided with the call-in number and the “join-the-meeting” code. It’s free
and it’s simple! More churches participating in teleconferences would make for
a very Merry Christmas.
I wish churches would rely on free telephone notification
websites because with one telephone call, all parishioners could be notified.
Using a telephone notification website is more efficient than having members
call each other.
Calling Post http://www.callingpost.com/ is a great website and a wonderful
resource. A single telephone call
provides everyone with the intended information. Of course the names and
telephone numbers have to be initially put into the system; but that’s a
one-time function. After initially inputting the names, the list should be kept
up-to-date. More churches participating in tele-notification announcements
would make for a very Merry Christmas.
If all of our churches had active, up-to-date websites, it would
make for a very Merry Christmas.
Every church with 10 or more members should have an active,
up-to-date website. The reality is churches with 10 or less members who don’t
have a website will not grow unless they get a website. The moral of the story
is; today, if a church expects to grow, it needs a website. Churches without
websites are marching toward closure; it’s just a matter of time.
Strategy is needed for church growth. It’s not the sermon, the music or the liturgy
that inhibits congregational growth, but a combination of things; to include
lack of pastoral and lay leadership, lack of strategy for growth, failure to
adapt to societal and technological changes, failure to update and stay abreast
of the needs of the congregation and the community.
The church is not, and should not be confined to the building.
Many failing congregations have a “Sunday worship service focus.”
It might be helpful if pastors and stewards took the time to
have strategy sessions about how to make worship services more meaningful.
Meaningful worship takes planning and tweaking and more tweaking. More churches
with strategic planning and strategies for church growth would make for a very
Merry Christmas.
We would have a Merry Christmas and a more prosperous Happy New
Year if more choirs, especially in our smaller churches would rehearse. Some of our churches are falling behind because
church choirs are not taking time for choir rehearsals. Musicians and choir
directors are still seen deciding which songs the choir will sing during the
Sunday morning worship service.
The absence of choir rehearsals has become endemic. I suspect, if
choirs are singing the same songs week after week; some choir members feel no
need to attend choir rehearsals. Added to that, if choir members who do not
attend choir rehearsal are allowed to sing on Sunday, why make an effort to
attend choir rehearsal?
We would have a Merry Christmas if only the best readers read
the sacred scriptures in public worship.
When worship participants get up to do their assigned tasks,
they should do what they have been asked or assigned to do. Worship
participants do not have to preface their tasks with, “Good Morning!” Worship
participants should, “Get up, speak up, do their assigned tasks and sit down!”
We would have a merrier Christmas if pastors and ministerial
staff members entered the pulpit with decorum and a flair for dramatics and
stop meandering to the pulpit shuffling papers, talking to one another as they
go to the pulpit.
And finally…
Many of us would have a merrier Christmas and a happier New Year
if we could get rid of the announcements, notices and the pastor’s comments.
Announcements are not an AME problem; it’s a problem in many
churches, and even Mark Twain had a problem with the Liturgy of the
Notices.
Unless it is done superbly, reading announcements is a waste of
time! Parishioners know what they going to do and most people know how to read.
If announcements are listed in the bulletin, trust the people to
read them. If announcements are not listed in the bulletin post the
announcement on a bulletin board.
I have even heard announcements in some of our churches about a
revival at a church of another denomination. I often wonder how many of our
parishioners after hearing an announcement about an event at another church,
attend the event and end up joining that church. It’s kind of like the Ford
dealership telling its customers to visit the Mercedes dealership. And, that’s the reason all announcements
should be cleared through the pastor.
And, lastly
We would all have a merrier Christmas if pastors took better
care of themselves with yearly medical and dental exams.
It’s important for clergy to take care of their families because
clergy who neglect their families neglect God, which results in the neglect of
their pastoral responsibilities.
And, finally, we would have a merrier Christmas and a more
Blessed New Year if churches strategized on how they could increase pastoral
salaries instead of finding excuses why they can’t raise salaries.
Pastors who are doing their work should not have to ask for a
raise, committed local church officers should present their pastor with
fair-market financial support.
All I want for Christmas is for our Zion to function at its best
and then we can all sincerely wish each other a sincere and heartfelt, “Merry
Christmas!”
2. READER RESPONSE TO EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES:
-- To the Editor:
RE: The Improved Adult
Teacher Sunday School Quarterly Publication
From time to time, for some
reason, my church does not receive the above subject in time for the beginning
of the new quarter. The latest issue of TCR Online had an article by Mr Bill
Dickens that contained the information for Sunday December 1; it was most
helpful as I was able to pass it on to other members of our Adult Sunday School
Class. My question is this: Could the TCR publish the quarterly lessons each
quarter?
Thanking you in advance.
Barbara Ransom
Cain Memorial AME Church
Bakersfield, CA
3. THE JOHN J. HUNTER V. T. LARRY
KIRKLAND, J. EDGAR BOYD, AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH INCORPORATED, ET AL.
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA (CASE. NO. 501689)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 6, 2013
On December 4, 2013, Judge
Holly Kendig of the Los Angeles Superior Court granted a motion filed on behalf
of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Bishop T. Larry Kirkland and Pastor
J. Edgar Boyd to dismiss a lawsuit initiated by the Rev. John Hunter, formerly
of the AME Church. The Church parties’ motion sought to strike the lawsuit
filed by the Rev. Hunter, which alleged retaliation involving Hunter’s
employment as a former minister of the AME Church, defamation and intentional
infliction of emotional distress. Lawyers for the AME Church, Bishop T. Larry
Kirkland and Pastor Boyd asserted Constitutional protection from such actions
as unlawful “strategic lawsuits against public participation,” which the Church
parties argued were an effort to quiet the Church and chill its valid exercise
of free speech. Judge Kendig followed a 2012 United States Supreme Court case
(Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church v. EEOC) which unequivocally bars
civil courts from interfering in a religious organization’s employment
decisions regarding its ministers. According to the AME Church’s General
Counsel, Douglass Selby, this, so called, ministerial exception is grounded in
the U. S. Constitution’s First Amendment religious freedom clauses and
precludes government from interfering with a church’s decision regarding which
individuals will minister to the faithful. In addition, Judge Kendig noted that
the Rev. Hunter’s claims of harm were based upon statements made in the context
of litigation brought against him by First AME Church of Los Angeles (FAME)
both in state court and within the internal judicial processes of the AME
Church. As such, the litigation privilege barred the Rev. Hunter’s claims
according to Robert Silverman, counsel to Bishop Kirkland. On June 13, 2014,
the Court is scheduled to hear Defendants’ statutory right to recover their
attorneys’ fees and costs from the Rev. Hunter. “This week’s decision represents
an important recognition of the sovereignty of Methodist doctrine and sanctity
the judgment of the Episcopacy in purely ecclesiastical matters, for which we
are grateful,” says Bishop T. Larry Kirkland, presiding prelate of the 5th
Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Douglass P. Selby
General Counsel
The African Methodist
Episcopal Church
4. THE BISHOPS’ COUNCIL OF THE
AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH STATEMENT ON THE DEATH OF FORMER PRESIDENT
NELSON ROLIHLAHLA MANDELA:
A Statement
on the Death of Former President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
From
The Council
of Bishops
The African
Methodist Episcopal Church
5 December 2013
The African Methodist
Episcopal Church bows in respect and humility as God has called former President
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela to the portal of eternity.
President Mandela embodied
Christ's call for us to be the "Salt of the earth." He changed his country and the world through
his steadfast faith and his commitment to freedom and justice.
As a church in the Methodist
tradition coming to South Africa over 100 years ago through the ministry of the
Reverend Mangena Maake Mokone and the vision of Mother Charlotte Manye Maxeke,
the African Methodist Episcopal Church shared in the struggle for freedom. From
around the globe, we stand in unity with our brothers and sisters who mourn the
passing of this giant.
President Mandela is close to
our hearts and a model of the power of faith and reconciliation. He exemplified and inspired our own values of
liberation and reconciliation.
While we mourn his loss, we
thank God for his life well-lived. Our
prayers are with the Mandela Family and all of the Republic South Africa
through this time of sorrow. We pray the
citizens of the world will find comfort through the Holy Spirit and rise from
the ashes of grief to the cause of freedom and justice.
+Jeffrey N. Leath
128th Bishop of
the African Methodist Episcopal Church,
Acting President of the
Council of Bishops
The African Methodist
Episcopal Church
5. THE 19TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT TRIBUTE TO THE
LATE TATA NELSON ROLIHLAHLA MANDELA:
The news of the passing on of the
father of South African democracy and the global Statesman, as well as a
political icon of note, the His Excellency Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela,
yesterday, has shocked the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Yet, we know
that his was a well lived life to be celebrated. He is now free and his freedom
is now freedom, indeed.
The AME Church bows and salutes
God for the special gift embodied in the life and works of the fallen father of
democracy in South Africa, the late Mr. Nelson Mandela. We pray the Lord his
soul to keep and give him rest from his labours. He was, indisputably, a world
icon and pioneer of freedom, democracy and reconciliation.
In the same breathe, we pray the
Lord to grant comfort and consolation to his beloved wife, Graca Machel, family
and his relatives who are grieving his departure to eternity. We salute his
bereaved family and wish to express our gratefulness to them for the sacrifices
they had made to allow him to serve millions of South Africans and the world.
Tata Mandela fully lived his
calling of service and leadership as he relentlessly pursued freedom, built the
foundations of the South African democracy and pursued racial reconciliation,
even at a great risk to his life. From prison, he proceeded to the Presidency
of a democratic South Africa and now, with the news of his passing away, we
believe, he has assumed a life of peace.
As the nation and the world mourn
his passing away, we must be reminded that we all have a duty to pursue and
further his legacy. His demise is an opportunity for us he lives behind to
build on and strength the democratisation of our societies, live compassionate
lives and to reconcile with each other across the racial, religious and gender
spectrum. We must pursue, together, justice for he lived and risked his life.
The AME Church welcomes the 10
days mourning programme released by the government, beginning with the day of
prayer. As the AME Church constituencies convene for worship this coming
Sunday, we urge them to join the nation and the world to pray for his soul to
peacefully rest and his family to be strengthen at this time of grieving.
We salute Mr. Nelson Mandela for
the life well live and he spent for the freedom of all people. We call on all
to affirm of the principles of democracy, freedom, reconciliation and justice.
We join his family and the nation in mourning the physical loss resulting from
his separation from us and, yet, we celebrate that his spirit lives on to prick
us to go forward in pursuance of his noble ideals.
Issued by 19th
Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church - Contact person,
the Rev. Teboho G. Klaas on 076 692 9583 or atamec.188@gmail.com
6. THE 11TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT OF THE AME CHURCH
- STATEMENT OF TRIBUTE IN MEMORY AND HONOR OF THE HON. NELSON ROLIHLAHLA
MANDELA:
December 5, 2013
Today we honor the memory of the
Honorable Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. On behalf of the Eleventh Episcopal
District of the AME Church, Mrs. Richardson and I join with the great masses
across the world, in releasing President Mandela to the ages. The people
respectfully and lovingly called him "Madiba." He has been called South Africa's
"greatest son," the "Father" of the new South Africa. In truth, he also belonged to the world, an
icon of grace and goodwill.
After 27 years in prison, he
became South Africa’s first black president. He was an extraordinary man. We
celebrate his remarkable legacy. His exemplary leadership garnered him the
Nobel Peace Prize. Our gracious God honored him with long life, accompanied by
genuine love and respect from many quarters.
I had the pleasure of meeting him
in Capetown. It was an amazing moment that I now treat as one of my treasured
experiences. Even at the age of 83, in the sacred environs of a Methodist
Church, his charisma filled the room. Like most of us, I have been inspired by
his spoken words, his books, his gentlemanly deportment, and his life story.
We extend our heartfelt
condolences to his family and the great people of South Africa. Thank you for
this remarkable gift to us all.
Sincerely,
A. J. Richardson
Adam J. Richardson, Jr.
Bishop
7. TRIBUTE TO NELSON MANDELA FROM THE CHAIR OF THE AMEC
SOCIAL ACTION COMMISSION:
The African Methodist Episcopal
Church joins with the world community in mourning the loss and celebrating the
life of Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela was not only part of history; he made
history and in the process showed us a more excellent way. We thank God for his
life, leadership and sacrifice. Not only we in our time, but generations to
come will rise up and call him blessed.
Bishop Reginald T. Jackson
Chair, Social Action Commission
8. WORLD METHODIST COUNCIL REMEMBERS NELSON MANDELA:
Former South African President and
anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela died Thursday, 6 December from
complications related to a recurring lung infection. He was 95.
The World Methodist Council
remembers Mandela as a person who fought for dignity and equality for all, not
through violent means, but instead through the moral authority that comes when
the cause of justice is on one’s side. The lives that were touched by Mandiba’s
words and deeds are impossible to count, but his story will live on for
generations to come as an example of how to lead in the face of oppression.
“Mandela brought hope for those
strangulated by poverty and hunger; transformed the nightmares of those trapped
in a hopeless-ness and despair into dreams of a better future and sunshine,
dignity and assurance to many a young person caught up in waves of angst about
the future of South Africa. He stood as the collective conscience of a people
and achieved what many, in their entire lifetime thought impossible. He will
stand out in history as a beacon of light, a lodestar inspiring many
generations to come,” stated World Methodist Council General Secretary Ivan
Abrahams.
A life-long Methodist, Mandela was
a man of faith, principle, hope and inspiration. The leader of a movement and
the father of a nation; Mandela’s shadow stretches forward as a reminder to
each of us of a better way.
“As a Church, we have been
privileged to be associated with Madiba since the early days of his life when
he was educated, first at Clarkebury and then at Healdtown, Methodist
educational institutions in the Eastern Cape, both of which were important
influences on his life.
“Madiba remained a committed
Methodist throughout his life. The thousands of accolades from every walk of
life that he received included the World Methodist Peace Award, the highest
honor that can be bestowed by the worldwide Methodist family,” said Bishop
Ziphozihle Siwa, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa in
a statement.
Mandela was elected South Africa's
first black president by a near two-thirds margin in 1994, after spending 27
years in prison for his role as a leader in South Africa's anti-apartheid
movement. He served as president for five years, until retiring in 1999.
In 2000, the World Methodist
Council awarded Mandela the World Methodist Peace Award for his single-minded
commitment to peace and reconciliation, and for staying true to his vision of a
free and democratic South Africa. He received many other accolades throughout
his career, including the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nobel Peace
Prize in 1993.
“…We were privileged to be present
with Nelson Mandela as he received the World Methodist Council Peace Award in a
special ceremony in Cape Town. Gracious and strong as always we celebrated his
victory and his faithfulness for peace.
That evening when we walked
outside to his car people gathered to see their President. Some children stood
on the side of the street. He lowered
his glass and motioned for the children to come to him. He embraced them and expressed his love for
them. He is ‘Mabida’ to all his people and indeed the Father of his country,”
remembered H. Eddie Fox, Director of World Methodist Evangelism.
During his time in office Mandela
pushed for free and democratic elections, and after three years of talks a new
interim constitution was agreed upon and free democratic elections were held. He
created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to push for national
reconciliation and bringing parity to black and white communities. After his
retirement in 1999, he focused on charity and aid work, particularly HIV/AIDS
activism.
In a statement released by the
Methodist Church in Great Britain, The Revd Ruth Gee, President of the
Methodist Conference, said: “Nelson Mandela is regarded as one of the fathers
of Africa. His persistent way of standing up for justice has inspired Africans
and the world at large. As a leader, one of his most impressive attributes was
his emphasis on peace and reconciliation in the post-apartheid regime.”
Mandela’s legacy is one of
struggle and triumph, of steadfast dedication and a rejection of violence. In
the coming days Mandiba’s life will be celebrated, but the reach and scope of
his influence is still unfolding.
“As we reflect on his passing and
try to make sense of his death, we are reminded that people like Madiba do not
die rather they continue to live in the hearts and minds of people ever
inspiring them to espouse the noble virtues and rare devotion that he embodied
and continue that for which he dedicated his life,” added General Secretary
Abrahams.
The World Methodist Council joins
with the rest of the world in remembering the life and celebrating the legacy
of Nelson Mandela.
9. WCC HONOURS THE LEGACY OF MANDELA:
Nelson Mandela at the WCC 8th
Assembly in Harare, Zimbabwe, 1998. © WCC/ Chris Black
06 December 2013
Calling Nelson Mandela a leader
with hard-won wisdom and maturity unparalleled in our time, the World Council
of Churches (WCC) general secretary gave thanks to God for Mandela’s life,
which he described as a gift to South Africa and the whole world.
A renowned anti-apartheid activist
and Nobel peace laureate who served as South Africa’s first black president,
Mandela, 95, passed away on Thursday 5 December at his home in Houghton near
Johannesburg.
“He will be recalled as the leader
who acted to unify a nation once deliberately divided along the lines of race,”
said Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, the WCC general secretary. Tveit added that
Mandela was a “liberator who by force of his remarkable personality raised the
dignity of Africans after centuries of colonialism, oppression and
discrimination.”
Tveit described Mandela’s
relationship to the WCC as a special one, recalling Mandela’s visit to the WCC
Geneva offices in 1990 soon after his release from prison. This is when he
expressed his gratitude for the churches’ support to the anti-apartheid struggle.
As South Africa’s president,
Mandela addressed the WCC’s 8th Assembly in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1998. He
praised churches’ efforts against apartheid in South Africa, as well as
missionaries for bringing high standards of education to Africa from which he
benefitted as a child.
Mandela said, “… you have to have
been in an apartheid prison in South Africa to appreciate the further
importance of the church. They tried to isolate us completely from the outside.
Our relatives could see us only once every six months. The link was religious
organizations, Christians, Muslims, Hindus and members of the Jewish faith.
They were the faithful who inspired us.”
“The WCC’s support exemplified in
the most concrete way the contribution that religion made to our liberation,”
he added. In his concluding remarks at the assembly, Mandela paid missionaries
the compliment of saying that by their faith and action they shared in the
“distinction of immortality” as “men and women whose names will live beyond the
grave and down the centuries.”
In her reaction to Mandela’s
death, Dr Agnes Abuom, moderator of the WCC’s Central Committee, said, “We
thank God for giving us Mandela for 95 years. Through his life and works he has
become an icon of dignity and freedom for all human beings.”
“We will remember Mandela for his
forgiveness he extended to his enemies and the perpetrators of apartheid, a
quality very rare among many world leaders today.”
“Our prayer is all that Mandela stood
for may become part and parcel of our global values for justice, peace and
dignity for the whole humanity,” added Abuom.
Mandela’s life was also described
by the WCC’s general secretary as “consistent with the best teaching of his
Christian educators and the ecumenical movement”. Calling him one of the most
deserving Nobel peace laureates, Tveit added that Mandela’s ideals inspired
freedom from apartheid and transformed his country during his presidency.
“I am convinced that it is
entirely accurate to say of him that his name ‘will live beyond the grave and
down the centuries.’ Indeed, as is said in the Orthodox tradition of
Christianity: May his memory be eternal!” Tveit concluded.
10. NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES MOURNS THE PASSING OF
MANDELA:
Washington, December 6, 2013 –
News of the death Thursday of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was received with
“sadness and deep reflection” by the member communions of the National Council
of Churches USA.
“Nelson Mandela was universally
admired for his integrity and commitment to peace with justice,” said Jim
Winkler, general secretary of the United Methodist General Board of Church and
Society, who takes office as NCC General Secretary and President on January 1.
“It is impossible to overstate his
greatness or his significance as an international leader,” Winkler said. He
dedicated his life to overthrowing the cruel apartheid regime of South Africa
and spent 27 years in prison for his revolutionary activities. During that time
his stature as moral leader of the freedom movement grew exponentially. When he
was released in 1990, he led his nation through a nonviolent transition to a
democratically elected government. Who else could have emerged after so many
bitter years in prison to surpass and transcend his own legend?”
Nelson Mandela is one of a handful
of world figures whose name will be remembered far beyond the 20th and 21st
centuries,” Winkler said.
In 1994, Mandela was elected
president of South Africa in the first completely democratic election in the nation’s
history.
A Christian with roots in world
Methodism, Mandela often cited ecumenical and interfaith supporters as key to
the success of the anti-apartheid movement.
U.S. Christians who knew Mandela
recalled his easy charm and sense of humor. In 1998, when South African Deputy
President Thabo Mbeki was unable to fulfill a commitment to address the 8th
assembly of the World Council of Churches in Harare, Zimbabwe, Mandela came to
the meeting instead. A South African choir was singing an African melody when
Mandela climbed onto the platform and he immediately flashed a smile and danced
happily to the music.
“The National Council of Churches
USA stood in solidarity with the South Africa Council of Churches, with the
African National Congress, and with other individuals and organizations who
struggled for an end to white minority rule at a time when such a stance was
erroneously equated with support for terrorism,” Jim Winkler said. “We knew
Nelson Mandela as a committed Christian who sought equal rights for all and a
democratic South Africa.”
“He is a towering figure of world
historical importance. We urge Christians everywhere and congregations to say
prayers of thanksgiving for his life and his achievements”, Winkler said.
11. EPISCOPAL CHURCH PRESIDING BISHOP KATHARINE JEFFERTS
SCHORI HAS ISSUED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT:
The people of The Episcopal Church join the
world in mourning the death of Nelson Mandela, prophet and witness to
justice. His leadership spanned decades,
before and during imprisonment on Robben Island, and continuing into the
establishment of a nation that aspires to serve the freedom and dignity of all
human beings. He helped the world to see
a shining vision of the incarnate Reign of God.
We pray that it was not simply a brief glimpse, but that his labor may
be joined to that of others, grounding and growing a world of peace with
justice for all. May God welcome this
shepherd home in peace.
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts
Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church
12. NAACP STATEMENT ON NELSON MANDELA’S PASSING:
(Baltimore, MD) – The NAACP
released the following statements following the death of Nelson Mandela:
Roslyn Brock, Chairman of the
NAACP Board of Directors:
“The Honorable Nelson Mandela
embodied the hopes, dreams, aspirations and values of all who seek justice
against tremendous odds. He responded to unfathomable violence with peace and
courage, and in doing so he forever changed the world.”
Dr. David Emmanuel Goatley, Chairman
of the International Affairs Committee of the NAACP Board of Directors:
“Nelson Mandela’s legacy
remains an inspiration for the work of the NAACP. In Mandela’s name we must
continue to bring attention to all aspects of global apartheid characterized by
poverty, inequality, discrimination, and prejudice of all kind.”
Bill Lucy, member of the
NAACP National Board of Directors and labor leader:
“The world has lost one of
the great statesmen of our time – a man who spent 27 years in prison because he
believed in the cause of equality. His loss should set an example for political
leaders still here, that there is a need to lead and govern in a manner that is
equitable to all people.”
Lorraine Miller, Interim
NAACP President and CEO:
“President Mandela was
humanity’s greatest living hero. His unwavering sense of justice and peace
transformed a nation and inspired the world.”
13. A THIRTY-DAY FRIENDSHIP FIT FOR ETERNITY:
Timothy George
December 2, 2013
How much can one learn about another
person in slightly less than one month—especially a person never seen before
nor met again? “Not very much,” would be a reasonable answer. Yet that was not
true of a special friendship I developed with AME Bishop Sarah Frances Davis
during the month of October 2012. Bishop Davis died last month in Houston at
age sixty-five.
The context of our meeting
was the XIII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican.
Bishop Sarah was there to represent the World Methodist Council; and I the
Baptist World Alliance. We were among the fifteen fraternal delegates invited
by Pope Benedict XVI to participate with more than 300 Catholic bishops from
around the world. (Bishop Sarah was the only female among the fratres.) The
theme of the Synod was “The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the
Christian Faith.”
Perhaps because the
organizers of the meeting regarded Baptists and Methodists as ecclesial
cousins, Bishop Sarah and I were assigned adjoining seats in the Synod hall. We
stayed in the same Vatican residence, took most of our meals together, walked
or rode the bus to St. Peter’s each morning, and actively participated in the
work of the Synod—including the presentation of a brief address, and
appointment to one of the circuli minores (small groups) that helped to prepare
a consensual draft of the Synod’s work. We were also granted a personal meeting
with the Holy Father. We worked from 9 a.m. till evening, six days a week,
including Saturday. (We joked that the Puritans couldn’t teach Catholics
anything about the work ethic.) In some ways, it was like getting a compressed
Ph.D. in Catholic ecclesiology. But one of the greatest blessings was sharing
this assignment with Bishop Sarah Davis.
Who was Sarah Frances Davis?
A native of Port Arthur, Texas, young Sarah did not set out to become a bishop
or even an ordained minister in her denomination. In fact, with her background
in mathematics and management science, she had advanced far up the corporate
ladder in the field of telecommunications. Then, in mid-career, she responded
to spiritual stirrings in her heart and declared to her pastor, “I’ve got to
preach!”
Once her calling crystallized
in this way, she never looked back. She earned two additional graduate degrees
in theology and devoted herself more and more to the work of the church,
serving at first in low-paying jobs. Others recognized her giftedness and
passion for Christ and, in 1997, she was appointed as the first female pastor
of the 115-year-old Bethel AME Church in San Antonio. In 2004 she became only
the third woman elected to serve as a bishop in the AME Church. That was also
the year she was identified by Ebony Magazine as one of their 50 Most
Intriguing Persons.
The African Methodist
Episcopal Church was founded in Philadelphia in 1787 when Richard Allen and
other members of St. George’s Methodist Church left the congregation rather
than endure persistent racial discrimination. It was incorporated in 1816.
However, the AMEC retained the doctrinal and liturgical distinctives of
Methodism, including a form of church governance by bishops (a practice more
common among Methodists in America than Great Britain). The AME Church is now
worldwide with some 5 million members, about half of whom reside in the United
States. Many AME bishops begin their episcopal service with a stint in Africa
and this was also true of Bishop Sarah. She served four years in the Southern
African countries of Lesotho, Botswana, Swaziland, and Mozambique. There she
was a pioneer of outreach to churches confronted by violence and poverty. She
became a special champion for orphaned and vulnerable children.
Her next assignment took her
to Jamaica as the presiding prelate of the Sixteenth Episcopal District. In
this role, she was perforce a “flying bishop” offering support to churches and
schools over a vast tract of the globe—from South America through the Windward
and Caribbean Islands to parts of Western Europe. In AME circles, however, she
became better known as the “Prayer Bishop”—not only because she was a person of
deep prayer in her own life but also because she encouraged the church to make
communion with God a priority throughout its ministries and worship life.
Earlier this year, Bishop
Sarah was asked to preach an ordination sermon for a group of itinerant deacons
and elders in her church. Her text was the kenotic hymn of Philippians 2:5–11,
especially the words about having the same mindset as Christ Jesus. She
reminded these ministers-in-the-making that they were being called to a place
of privilege and authority in the church that others who were not ordained
lacked. They were being called in the name of Jesus Christ to preach, teach,
lead, cast visions, and exercise discipline. Their guidebook was to be the
Bible, the Word of God. Their model of ministry, Jesus who humbled himself and
became obedient unto death.
There are no hook ups with
“The Right Reverend Father and Mother in God” or with “The Reverend Doctor”
which can get you where God has purposed that you go. There are no “do it this
way and you’ll have nothing to worry about” recipes on this ministry journey.
Instead, you are in humility to value others above yourselves and, in your
relationships with one another, to have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.
Speaking directly to the
ordinands, she admonished: “Stop holding on so tightly to your property, your
family, your special child, your health, pride, dignity, reputation,
congregations, church buildings, positions in annual conferences, jobs,
protocol, your seniority—and even life itself. Only when we can empty ourselves
of any of these ‘things’ can we serve the One who gave himself for us or serve
his people as we should.”
At the time of her death on
November 9, she was president of the AME Council of Bishops and vice-president
of the World Methodist Council, a body of churches in the Wesleyan tradition
representing more than eighty million Christians.
Bishop Sarah Davis was a
strong woman leader, indeed a trailblazer, in her pastoral, episcopal, and
ecumenical service. Yet in our work together at the Synod I saw no evidence of
an ideology of gender or the kind of arrogance that is so un-Christlike in both
male and female leaders. She was bold and confident but also tenderhearted and
humble. She reminded me more of Mother Teresa than of Gloria Steinem. Bishop
Sarah had great love and respect for her husband Claytie Davis Jr., who worked
alongside her in her episcopal ministry. Of their relationship, she once said:
“I am bishop at church; I am his wife at home. So, he is the head of the house,
while I am head of the church.”
Bishop Sarah and I were asked
to address the Synod on the same day, along with Metropolitan Hilarion from
Moscow and bishops from the Armenian and Romanian Orthodox Churches. Her talk
resonated with the theme of the conference: “It does matter that people know
Jesus Christ in the twenty-first century. The world is hurting, lost, confused,
distracted, distraught, diseased, and disgraced, and desperately needs healing,
hope, and salvation. There is no other name to call on at a time such as this
but Jesus Christ.”
She called for a form of
holistic evangelism, one that embraced the total needs of persons including the
physical, emotional, economic, social, political, and spiritual—without compromising
the Gospel itself. Such evangelistic outreach, she said, must be empowered by
the Holy Spirit and carried by messengers whose own lives have been transformed
by the reality of the Good News they proclaim to others. “The success of the New Evangelization is
closely related to the believability of the Evangelizer. It will be the
Evangelizers who are placed under the microscope; not the processes, not the
programs, nor the plans developed out of this Synod. People want to know that
what the Evangelizers are advertising has already worked in their lives.”
There was a hush in the Synod
hall after Bishop Sarah spoke, as though all of us there seemed to realize that
we had just received a challenge from Christ through this small but powerful
woman of faith.
The world and the church were
blessed by the presence and witness of Bishop Sarah Frances Davis. She was my
friend during one special month in what was for both of us a highlight in our
lives. Only one month—but it was a friendship fit for eternity.
Timothy George is dean of
Beeson Divinity School of Samford University and chair of the Doctrine and
Christian Unity Commission of the Baptist World Alliance. His email address is:
tfgeorge@samford.edu
14. PITTSBURGH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SESSION HELD AT WAYMAN CHAPEL AMEC, NEW BRIGHTON,
PENNSYLVANIA:
Vernon Kelly
The Pittsburgh Annual Conference of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church was held on September 17-21, 2013 in Wayman
Chapel AMEC, New Brighton, Pennsylvania under the leadership of the Presiding
Prelate Bishop McKinley Young and Episcopal Supervisor Dr. Dorothy Jackson
Young.
Hosting the event for the week was Host
Presiding Elder Dr. Eric L. Brown, Co-Host Presiding Elder Dr. James H.
McLemore and Co-Host Rev. Samuel Chambers of Wayman Chapel AME Church, New
Brighton, Pennsylvania.
The Bishop McKinley Young addressed the
congregation on Tuesday morning to welcome everyone to the 146th Session of the
Pittsburgh Annual Conference, which was followed by the Conference Secretary
calling the roll of the Pastors, Evangelists, Conference Officers and
delegates.
The opening worship service began on
Tuesday afternoon with the message given by the Rev. Dr. Helen Burton, Payne
Chapel AME Church Duquesne, Pennsylvania, who preached about biblical women
God, had given the task of doing a work for the Lord and how God used them in
certain situations.
Charles Holmes presented visitors to the
Bishop McKinley Young from other conferences as well as the Connectional
Church. Conferences represented were West Virginia, South Ohio, North Ohio and
Rev. Darryl Williams from the 4th Episcopal District, representing St. Mark
Milwaukee, Chicago.
The afternoon business session included
the reading of the Presiding Elder Summary reports, and the Board of Examiner
Report.
Tuesday evening was the Sons of Allen
Night Welcome Celebration. The worship service message was given by Rev.
Bernard Tench, from the Second Baptist Church in Beaver Falls. His text was
taken from Hebrews 4 9-11 {KJV) and Matthew 11 28:30. His subject: "Is Anybody Tired?" His
message ..."If we are too busy for God, we are just too busy". God has ordained rest for HIS people. We have
a problem with unbelief, it keeps us from entering into His rest, either you
trust God or you don't trust God."
On Wednesday, September 18, 2013 the
Pastors read their Stewardship Reports from their respective churches during
the morning.
The Noon Day Hour of Power service was
preached by The Rev. Samuel Ware, St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Washington, PA. His
text was taken from Genesis 11-3 and John 11:4. The sermon title was "The
Holy Bible is a Love Story. Rev. Ware stated that the Bible is a compilation of
stories that speaks of God's love for his people. God has made preparation for
us even in difficult situations and at times will place a comma, where man
places a period in our lives. Whatever God's will for us, He will make it
happen.
Wednesday evening was the Pittsburgh
Conferences Annual Lay Night. The Lay Night Preacher was Rev. Mila Cooper, of
St. James A.M.E. Church in Cleveland, Ohio. Rev. Cooper preached from the text
of Habakkuk 3 17-18. Rev. Cooper's subject title was "Can you Praise God
in your predicaments, and our praise should be greater than our predicaments.
We need to have Hallelujah anyhow Praise because God is worthy to be praised.
The Third District Lay Organization
President, Ms. Ametta Reaves, acknowledged the Officers from the Pittsburgh
District as well as welcomed all the lay visitors from the various conferences
in the 3rd District.
Vernon Kelly, President of the
Pittsburgh Conference Lay Organization read his report for the year. President
Reaves read her report and thanked the Bishop McKinley Young and Episcopal
Superior, Dr. Dorothy Young.
Bishop Young acknowledged the leadership
of President Reaves and President Kelly and thanked all the members of the Lay
Organization for their outstanding work in creating a powerful lay organization
throughout the Third Episcopal District.
The business session on Wednesday
morning began with the Bishop McKinley Young greeting the Conference and
extended his heartfelt gratitude to Rev. Samuel Chambers and Mrs. Erma Chambers
for hosting the 146th Session of the Pittsburgh Annual Conference and for
cultivating relationships with Rev. Tracy Cox, Pastor of the United Methodist
Church who graciously shared space with us.
Bishop Young also asked the Conference
to pray for the victims and perpetrator's families of the recent tragedy at the
Navy yard and other places that have touched us deeply.
A continuation of the reading of Pastor
Reports was held at this session for the Pittsburgh District of the Pittsburgh
Annual Conference
At the conclusion of the Pastoral
reports the Bishop McKinley Young emphasized that the Connectional Church is
only able to complete the global work because of the dedication of the
Presiding Elders and the churches in the Connection.
The Noon Day Hour of Power service was
preached by Rev. Tawan Bailey, Bethel AME Church, Scranton Pennsylvania. His
sermon text was taken from Psalm 84:10 and the subject title was "When
there is hell in the tabernacle".
He stated that we have all been through some hell over the course of our
lives but God continues to show us mercy and keeps giving us another chance. He
reminded us that we all should say that I'd rather be a doorkeeper in the house
of the Lord than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
During the afternoon session on
Thursday, the following literary reports were read: State of the Church, State
of the Country, Christian Education and Social Action. The afternoon session
included several guest speakers Ms. Kimberly Roberts of the Girl Scouts of
Western PA as well as Roy Johnson, who made a presentation on the Legacy and
Hope Program.
Presiding Elder Dr. Eric L. Brown
presented to Bishop Young and the Episcopal Supervisor, Dr. Dorothy Young a
monetary gift on behalf of the Allegheny Scranton District to celebrate 47
years of marriage.
Thursday evening's session was Education
night. Bishop Young introduced Rev.
Beuna Dudley who read information from President Leah Fitchue, Payne
Theological Seminary, who was ill. President Fitchue sent thanks to Bishop and
Episcopal Supervisor Young for their care and for their support in the
2012-2013 academic year. It was also noted that Payne Seminary is working on
developing a two-year Master of Arts program.
1-President Patricia Hardaway,
Wilberforce University greeted the conference enthusiastically and spoke about
numerical statics of the 407 students enrolled. President Hardaway updated the conference
on the academic changes and enhances to the curriculum.
The Wilberforce Choir, directed by Mrs.
Casey Saunders Gatewood, performed several genres of music from classical
choral music to contemporary gospel.
The Bishop McKinley Young gave his closing
message on Saturday, September 21, 2013 entitled "It's too Good to be
True” taken from I Corinthians 2: 6-10. In his sermon, Bishop Young stated that
some things God planned that are beyond human comprehension. God works in
mysterious ways and there are blessings that God sends that appear too good to
be true, and these blessings are underserved and they take us by surprise.
At the end of the Pittsburgh Annual
Conference Bishop Young read the appointments of each pastor present.
15. DOVER SERVICE ZEROES IN ON WORLD AIDS DAY:
By Jen Rini
Delaware State News
The mood was somber, yet hopeful at the
John Wesley AME Church in downtown Dover Sunday evening.
In honor of World AIDS Day, the church
hosted a service in memory of those who have lost the battle to AIDS or HIV and
in support of those continuing to fight.
Held on Dec. 1 annually, words and music
collided on the 25th anniversary of World AIDS Day.
During the Women of Wesley Choir’s
rendition of “I Still Have Praise”, Dee Victory of Dover broke down during her
solo.
She paused, wiped her eyes and
continued, “I’ve been through the fire, and I’ve been through the flood.”
That mood was palpable throughout the
evening.
The Rev. Frances Benson, of the Wesley
congregation, has been coordinating World AIDS Day at the church for the past
five years.
As of Jan. 3, 786 Delawareans are
currently living with HIV or AIDS, and there are potentially 800 individuals in
the state living with HIV without knowing they have the disease, according to
statistics from the Division of Public Health.
Although the Rev. Benson said there has
been a decrease in the number of new HIV cases over the past years, there is
still more progress to be made.
“All in all, it’s still too high,” she
said.
In conjunction with the John Wesley
Community Center, the church administers HIV tests every Tuesday and the fourth
Saturday of the month.
“We’re here to celebrate an AIDS-free
generation — it’s coming,” the reverend said.
The theme of Sunday’s service was
“Getting to Zero”, working to eliminating new AIDS cases and finding a cure.
The Rev. Ronniere Robinson, state
coordinator for the medical reserve corps with the Division of Public Health,
shared during the service that by 2015, the World Health Organization,
estimates that HIV contraction by sexual intercourse will be decreased by 50
percent. While the stigma of the disease is still prevalent, there is progress
with community outreach.
“You have to go outside the walls — the
church is out there,” Rev. Benson said.
Carla Benson-Green, assistant
coordinator of the John Wesley Community Center, said she has lost four family
members to the disease. During the emotional candlelight service for the
reading of the names of those lost, she sang the loudest.
She hopes there is an end in sight for
those in suffering.
“We’ll be down to zero (new cases),” she
said. “It won’t happen again.”
By going to www.hivtest.org, individuals
can type in their ZIP code and see which of the state’s 52, free HIV testing
sites are in the general vicinity.
The Delaware HIV Consortium’s website,
www.delawarehiv.org, also offers an electronic resource guide for individuals
struggling with HIV.
Staff writer Jen Rini.
16. NEW REPORT EXAMINES IMPACT OF CREDIT CARD DEBT ON AFRICAN AMERICAN
MIDDLE CLASS:
December 4, 2013
Washington, DC — African Americans face
unique financial strain and suffer more negative consequences than other groups
from their credit card debt, according to a new report from Demos and the NAACP.
Having experienced the greatest economic losses and highest unemployment rates
of any group in the wake of the Great Recession, the research illustrates ways
in which the current economic difficulties of African American households are
compounded even further by a legacy of discriminatory policies that have left
African Americans with significantly fewer assets and lower rates of
homeownership than white households.
Read the report: The Challenge of Credit
Card Debt for the African American Middle Class
Download: http://tinyurl.com/knrc62q
Drawing from Demos’ National Survey on
Credit Card Debt of Low- and Middle-Income Households, this new research shows
that despite owing less today than in 2008, 42 percent of indebted African
American households are borrowing to make ends meet, relying on credit cards as
a “plastic safety net” to supplement earnings and pay for basic living expenses
such as rent, groceries and utilities. Like the American middle class as a
whole, African Americans also use credit cards to make critical investments in
their future including higher education, entrepreneurship, and medical
expenses.
Nearly all of the African American
respondents in the survey who accumulated credit card debt from costs
associated with starting new businesses have reported difficulties paying down
these debts – 99 percent of African American households still carry that
expense compared to 80 percent of whites. The African American middle class
reports worse credit scores and vastly different causes of poor credit, with
just two-thirds of households identifying a score of 620 or above, compared to
85 percent of white households. Among those reporting poor credit, African
Americans were more likely to cite late student loan payments and errors in
their credit reports as contributing factors, compared to late mortgage
payments for white households. The study also reveals that African Americans
are far more likely to have seen their credit tighten and to be pursued by debt
collectors – 71 percent, compared to 50 percent of white middle-income
households.
“Much of the disproportionate impact of
credit card debt can be attributed to the fact that African Americans have
fewer assets than other households to fall back on in emergencies,” said
Catherine Ruetschlin, report co-author and Demos Policy Analyst. “Unlike white
households, more than half of African Americans’ wealth is held in housing,
which was devastated in the financial crisis. We’re also seeing African Americans
turning to credit cards to cover their household finances as incomes continue
to stagnate and unemployment rates hover around twice that of white workers.”
“African Americans rely on credit cards
to make ends meet and invest in their futures because they have faced (and
continue to face) persistent structural and economic barriers that limit their
ability to create wealth and build a solid credit history,” states Dedrick
Asante - Muhammad, report co-author and Sr. Director of NAACP Economic Department.
“And when African Americans are engaging in the credit market, they are more
likely victims to predatory and discriminatory lending which further increases
their economic insecurity. Unless we want to maintain the nation's historic and
contemporary racial economic divide, we must confront the reality of today's
racial inequality and advance reforms that address these disparities, fairness
and security around consumer credit.”
A system of credit reporting and scoring
that reproduces racial inequality further undermines the economic opportunities
of African American as their widespread use has expanded to encompass
non-lending purposes including employment and housing decisions. Demos’
previous research shows employers may eliminate applicants with credit
problems. Terms and rates of service often depend on credit reports, creating
additional barriers for families trying to meet basic needs or control
household budgets.
An optimistic finding in the survey, the
2009 CARD Act, which requires credit card companies to comply with fair and
transparent practices for billing and fees, has helped African Americans in
particular to pay down debt faster and save money by avoiding unreasonable
charges. More than a third of the indebted African American households in the
survey, reported paying more toward their credit card balance as a response to
information in their statements mandated by the CARD Act. Since the passage of
the Act, 25 percent of African American households experienced a drop in the
interest charges on their credit card, proving that well-designed policy can
have a positive impact on the financial security of many Americans.
While the study focuses on the specific
circumstances of African American households, the difficulties facing all low
and middle income Americans require renewed consideration of how the nation
deals with debt and credit. The report highlights positive steps towards
providing protection for the country’s weakening middle class, and makes policy
recommendations in several areas including medical debt protection, financial
regulation and credit scoring.
17. THE 2ND EPISCOPAL
DISTRICT 2014 SCHEDULE OF ANNUAL CONFERENCES:
Bishop William Phillips DeVeaux,
Presiding Prelate
Dr. Patricia (PAM) DeVeaux, Episcopal
Supervisor
The Baltimore Annual Conference
April 19, 2014-YPD/Youth Annual Day
April 26, 2014 -DMC
April 22, 2014, WMS Annual Day
April 23-25, 2014, Annual Conference
Empowerment Temple AME Church,
Baltimore, MD
Host Pastor: The Rev. Rev. Dr. Jamal
Bryant
Host Presiding Elder: The Rev. Cordell
Hunter
The Washington Annual Conference
April 5, 2014, YPD/Youth Annual Day
April 6, 2014- DMC
April 8, 2014, WMS Annual Day
April 9-11, 2014, Annual Conference
Reid Temple AME Church, Glenn Dale, MD
Hosted: Washington Conference
Host Pastor: The Rev. Dr. Lee P.
Washington
Host Presiding Elders: The Rev. Dr. Goodwin Douglas and the Rev. Dr.
Louis-Charles Harvey
The Virginia Annual Conference
May 17, 2014, YPD/Youth Annual Day
May 18, 2014- DMC
May 20, 2014, WMS Annual Day
May 21-23, 2014, Annual Conference
Marriot, Newport News, VA
Coordinating Pastor: The Rev. Vanessa
Copland
Host Presiding Elders: The Rev. Chester
Morris & the Rev. Quentin White
The North Carolina Annual Conference
May 31, 2014, YPD/Youth Annual Day
June 1, 2014- DMC
May 27, 2014, WMS Annual Day
May 28-30, Annual Conference
St. Luke AME-Fayetteville/Sea-trail, NC
Host Pastor: The Rev. David L. Morrison,
Sr.
Host Presiding Elder: The Rev. Evelyn G.
Dunn
The Western North Carolina Annual
Conference
June 7, 2014, YPD/Youth Annual Day
June 8, 2014, DMC
June 10, 2014, WMS Annual Day
June 11-13, 2014, Annual Conference
Marriott/ Embassy Suites, Winston Salem,
NC
Host Pastor: The Rev. Steven Lyons
Host Presiding Elder: The Rev. Dr.
Conrad K. Pridgen
The SED Planning Meeting/ Leadership
Congress
July 13-16, 2014
Venue: TBA
Hampton, VA
18. GETTING TO ZERO – MUCH FOR WHICH TO BE THANKFUL:
*Dr. Oveta Fuller
Earlier this week two of our children
who live in other states arrived safely to home after a day long drive. The
third arrived only ten minutes before after a fifteen minute drive home from
across town. It was wonderful having all of us together again for this
Thanksgiving holiday. I am most grateful.
This Thanksgiving season and beginning
of Advent in 2013 is a time to reflect on the many blessings for which we are
grateful. Before a simple late supper, our family shared celebratory prayer and
a toast in gratitude. We are delighted to be together for the first time in
almost a year. I am profoundly thankfulness.
I am thankful for safe travels for each
over many miles. I am thankful for the faith and the confidence it brings that
allows us to leave one another and trust God to protect, guide and bring all together
again. I am thankful for the physical shelter of home, for opportunity, purpose
and resources to travel, to attend college, to go to meetings or to live in
seemingly faraway places. I am thankful for the ties that bind us to each
other, to other biological family, to spiritual family and to friends and
co-workers. I am thankful for
opportunities. I am thankful for meaningful work of our hands and heart that
serves also to keep the lights on. (Only God could bring these together in such
a manner).
I am thankful for The Christian Recorder
(TCR) and an opportunity to promote discussion about health and wellness. If no
additional laboratory experiments were ever conducted, information already
understood from science and medical research could change many lives, if used
consistently.
I am thankful for the opportunity and
responsibility to write about wellness. I am thankful for TCR readers- those
who share what is learned with others, those who provide feedback and those who
may never do either of these. I am thankful for the editor of the Christian
Recorder (not editor-in-chief as he is the only editor). I am thankful for the
AME Church, its members and its leaders.
In this season, I pray for families. I
pray for those who have experienced loss in 2013 of family members or others
who are dear. I pray for comfort and good memories that remain. I pray for hope
and places of light when things are well and when there is only hope for a
better day to come.
In this season of THANKS giving (and
anytime of any day), I urge each to pause, to be fully present in this life and
to give thanks to God for those you love and those who love you. Cherish and
actively make the most of the relationships that nourish our souls and even
those that may not. As God gives us breath and movement of our limbs, we can
show to others some of the love that has been provided.
“For God so loved the world that He gave
HIS only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but will
have everlasting life.”
For this precious unwarranted
unconditional gift that is available to all and gives eternally, I am
especially grateful.
*The Rev. Dr. A. Oveta Fuller
is a tenured professor in Microbiology and Immunology and faculty in the
African Studies Center at the University of Michigan. An Itinerant Elder in the
4th Episcopal District, she served as pastor of Bethel AME Church in Adrian, MI
for seven years before focusing fully on global health research in Zambia and
the USA for HIV/AIDS elimination. At Payne Theological Seminary she teaches a
required course, “What Effective Clergy Should Know about HIV/AIDS.”
19. iCHURCH
SCHOOL LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2013 - MARY’S SONG OF PRAISE LUKE 1: 46-56:
Bill Dickens, Allen AME Church, Tacoma,
Washington
Church School Lesson Brief
The testimony of the human experience is
to respond with joy when unexpected great things happen. The players of the
Miami Heat reacted with joy and jubilation when the last seconds ticked off
sealing their status as repeat NBA Champions in 2013. Parents, relatives and friends cheer
unceasingly as their favorite graduate’s name is announced to receive his/her
high school diploma.
In short, adults respond with great joy
when good things happen to them. It is not uncommon to sing when we are
happy. According to Mahatma Gandhi,
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in
harmony.” For Gandhi at least, happiness
is just as much cerebral as it is an external display of emotion. Our lesson today looks at how Mary responds
to the news about being the vehicle to bring the Messiah to the world. Like great Biblical women before her who
praised God with a song, e.g., Miriam, Deborah and Hannah, Mary provides the
quintessential song of praise for her happiness reflected in the Magnificat (Latin: [My soul]
magnifies)—also known as the Song of Mary or the Canticle of Mary). Mary’s song of joy is instructive because it
radiates appreciation, humility and celebration about her a-typical pregnancy.
The Magnificat
is fascinating and inspiring in that it communicates how the powerful are taken
down by the powerless. Mary recognizes
this and offers praise in song. Modern
day Gospel musicians like Richard Smallwood and Kirk Franklin continue this
tradition by showing us why it is important to give God full and unconditional
praise thru song and action. Richard
Smallwood’s classic rendition, "Total Praise”, provides the musical
template for authentic Christian praise for God’s matchless love and care. Kirk Franklin compliments Mr. Smallwood by
reminding us why we sing. Franklin’s
song is equally magnificent by posing a set of questions and offering
definitive answers (like Mary) why we sing. When you are asked why do you sing
or hold your hands up to God or cry intermittently during worship, Mr.
Franklin’s reply is appropriate:
I sing because I'm happy
I sing because I'm free
His eye is on the sparrow
That's the reason why I sing
*Brother Bill Dickens is
currently the Church School Teacher at Allen AME Church in Tacoma, Washington.
He is currently a member of the Fellowship of Church Educators for the AME
Church.
20. MEDITATION BASED ON JOHN 3:1-16:
*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby
I’m writing this meditation in the midst
of the Advent season that precedes Christmas Day and in a time when all of the
traditional signs of the season are evident.
Churches are holding Advent services and lighting Advent candles, people
are furiously shopping for the right Christmas gifts and planning Christmas
dinners and social occasions, decorations are up, Christmas carols are playing
in the malls - and a few genuinely deluded people are decrying the “War against
Christmas!”
Every Christmas season for the past few
years, dubious and deluded political pundits have expressed shrill and amazing
rage that store clerks completing transactions sometimes say “Happy Holidays”
instead of “Merry Christmas,” and see that as a sign of a
“Socialist-Liberal-Left Wing-Communist plot” to destroy Christmas and promote a
Godless society.
When given the opportunity, I usually
remind those folks of three things. The
first is that if your God can be obliterated by people saying “Happy Holidays”
instead of “Merry Christmas,” you need a bigger God. The second is that those living in a diverse
nation should respect people of all faiths.
The third is that the essence of Christmas lies not in whether public
areas and businesses are adorned with Christmas decorations or in what people
say, but in what Christians believe that God did for all humanity.
God loved us so much that God sent Jesus
the Christ into this world to endure all of life’s victories and defeats, all
of life’s trials, temptations and triumphs, all of life’s moments of challenge
and celebration and to sacrifice His life so that all of those who believe can
receive gifts unparalleled by anything to be found under any Christmas tree -
the gift of peace of mind, hope and joy as we travel life’s roads and the
ultimate gift of eternal life.
Remember that as you go through the
Advent season and celebrate the traditions of the Christmas season. Take the time to celebrate the birth of the
Christ who warms our spirits, comforts our souls and changes our lives for the
better. When you do so, then you can do
more than get ready for Christmas Day.
You can celebrate God’s gift of the Christ who blesses us each day and
who led one writer to say, “He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes
the nations prove the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love.”
Get Ready for Sunday!
*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby
is the Presiding Elder of the Beaufort District of the South Carolina Annual
Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church
21. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to inform you of the passing
of Mr. Kirkland Lamb, Sr., brother of the Reverend Thurston B. Lamb, pastor of
Allen Temple AME Church in West Helena, Arkansas; brother-in-law of Mrs.
Phyllis Hollingsworth Lamb, and the uncle of the Reverend Tameka Lamb. He died
on Saturday, November 30, 2013.
Arrangements have been entrusted to:
Simpson Mortuary
3443 West Manchester Blvd.
Inglewood, CA 90305
Office 1-323-752-5524
Fax: 323-752-7710
Family Hour:
Sunday, December 8th, 2013 at
2 p.m.
Simpson Mortuary
Celebration of Life:
Monday, December 9th, 10:00 a.m.
Simpson Mortuary Chapel
Expressions of condolence may be shared
with the family via:
The Reverend and Mrs. Thurston B. Lamb,
Sr.
10819 Marche Road
North Little Rock, AR 72118
501.851.3230
22. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to inform you of the passing
of Brother Clarence A. Martin, Jr., son of the Rev. Clarence A. Martin, Sr.
& the Rev E. Joyce Martin, Metropolitan AME Church in Lansdowne,
Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Conference, South District). Brother Martin departed
this life on December 1, 2013 following a long bout with brain cancer. Brother
Martin leaves to mourn his death, his wife's Sister, Deirdre Martin; two
daughters: Remy & Celine and his parents, the Reverend Clarence A. Sr. and
the Reverend E. Joyce Martin; two brothers Kevin & Bryant and a host of
other relatives and friends.
Homegoing Services will be held
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Viewing: 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Home going Service: 10:00 a.m.
Ward African Methodist Episcopal Church
728 North 43rd and Aspen
Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Telephone: 215-222-7992
Fax: 215-222-9209
The Rev. Terrence C. Hensford, Pastor
Eulogist: The Rev. Clarence A. Martin,
Sr.
Professional Services Entrusted to:
Slater Funeral Home
1426 Fitzwater Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146
Telephone: 215-545-3055
Condolences may be sent to:
The Rev. Clarence A. Martin, Sr. &
Family
7 King Court
Boothwyn, PA 19061
23. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to inform you of the passing of
Gloria Dean Williams on December 1, 2013. She is the mother of the Rev. Leslie
Porter, pastor of Mt. Friendship, AME Church in Smyrna, Delaware (Delaware
Conference, Wilmington District).
Friday, December 6, 2013
Viewing: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Homegoing Services: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00
a.m.
Location: Macedonia Temple Baptist
Church
121 W. Chapel Avenue
Cherry Hill, New Jersey, 08002
Telephone: 856-663-0166
Please send all letters of condolence
to:
Carl Miller Funeral Home
831 Carl Miller Blvd
Camden, NJ 08104
Telephone (856) 365-2966
Fax (856) 365- 0790
Attention: The Rev. Rhett on behalf of
Gloria Williams at Macedonia Temple Baptist Church
24. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
With great sadness, we inform you of the
passing of the Reverend George Ashford, Sr. Presiding Elder (Retired) from the
Wateree District, Columbia Conference, Seventh Episcopal District.
Please continue to pray with and for
Presiding Elder George Ashford's family.
Viewing/Visitation:
Sunday, December 1, 2013
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Palmer Memorial Chapel
1200 Fontaine Rd
Columbia, SC 29223
Telephone: (803) 786-6300
Service of Celebration:
Monday, December 2, 2013 at 12 Noon
Bethel AME Church
819 Woodrow St
Columbia, SC 29205
Telephone: (803) 779-0138
The Rev. Dr. Ronnie E. Brailsford, Sr.,
Pastor
Interment:
Memorial Gardens of Columbia
9301 Wilson Blvd.
Columbia, SC 29203
Condolences and memorials may be made on
the web page @ http://www.palmermemorialchapel.com/obituaries/George-Ashford3/
25. CLERGY
FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICES AND CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:
Ora L. Easley, Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family Information Center
Email: Amespouses1@bellsouth.net
Web page: http://www.amecfic.org/
Phone: (615) 837-9736 (H)
Phone: (615) 833-6936 (O)
Cell: (615) 403-7751
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMEC_CFIC
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-AME-Church-Clergy-Family-Information-Center/167202414220
26. CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FROM THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER:
The Chair of the Commission on Publications, the Right Reverend
T. Larry Kirkland; the Publisher, the Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour and the
Editor of The Christian Recorder, the
Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III offer our condolences and prayers to those
who have lost loved ones. We pray that the peace of Christ will be with you
during this time of your bereavement.
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