THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE ENGLISH EDITION (03/02/13)

Bishop 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

March:

Women’s History Month

Mark and Save Date in your Calendars:

Easter Sunday – March 31, 2013

AME Church Connectional Day of Prayer – April 13, 2013

Pentecost Sunday May 19, 2013

General Board Meeting - June 22-26, 2013

Bishop Sarah F. Davis Investiture – June 24, 2013

1. TCR EDITORIAL – GETTING READY TO DEAL WITH SOME “SACRED COWS”:

Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III,

The 20^th Editor, The Christian Recorder

FaceBook postings last week have been an active platform for some lively discussion. Richard F. Norris III began the discussion with his statement, “One of my pet peeves in our church is that I see churches that have an "assistant pastor," when in fact, in the AME Church; there is no such thing as an ‘assistant pastor.’”

The comment of Richard Franklin Norris III opened the door for all kinds of discussion. The discussion was insightful and at times contentious, which shows that people have strong feelings and a love for the AME Church.

I am anxious to share some of the FaceBook comments, but I will not list any of the other names of the contributors of the FB exchanges, but I will deal with some “sacred cows.” A figurative “sacred cow” is subject or issue that is considered immune from question or criticism. Most people try to avoid “sacred cow” issues. By the end of this editorial I will have dealt with a couple of AME “sacred cows.”

Let’s deal with the easy FB postings

In response to Brother Norris’ posting, I commented the title of “minister” for unordained ministers is inappropriate.  The AME Church title for unordained persons is, “brother,” sister,” or “licentiate,” abbreviated “Lic.” as in “Lic. Cynthia Thomas.”

The Discipline does not list “co-pastor,” “executive pastor,” or “senior pastor.”  The appropriate term, according to The Discipline is “pastor-in-charge.” I added my personal belief that some pastors feel more affirmed with the term, “senior pastor” because it sounds more impressive and more important than “pastor-in-charge.”

My response provoked the response, “It appears to me that some legislation needs to be drafted to include these positions if they are needed. Just as we changed our motto to 21^st Century inclusive language; maybe it's time to do likewise with titles for clergy.” 

Another person agreed with the need for a definition of the various ministry titles and posted: “assistant and associate pastors must be clarified in glossary of The Book of Discipline.” Someone added, “The AME Church may not officially sanction an assistant, but everybody needs some help, call them what you may, ‘associate or assistant,’ - they are there to help.”

It was also pointed out that in large churches, pastors need help with the ministry and the respondent felt that the “assistant pastor” and “associate pastor” were appropriate.

In response a person wrote, “Yes, pastors need help. When I taught at the college level I had a “research assistant”; and when I was in my Ph.D. program, I worked under my senior professors as their “teaching assistant” (TA). A teaching assistant, however, is not an “assistant professor.”

It was also pointed out that the connectional church did not have the funds for a vibrant evangelism program and churches had to use available resources. 

I responded, “Our folks never had money. It is always ‘easier said than done.’ Ministry has always been hard; never been easy. Black churches have never had enough money.” I closed with, “We are losing evangelistic thrust of people going out and establishing churches.”

Another FaceBook post: “There was no need for a ‘Senior Pastor’ when you only had two or three ministers on staff. However, when you move to a point where you have 20-30 ordained clergy; and no churches in which to assign them; they have to serve somewhere and under someone … maybe it makes sense to define the various ministry titles.”

What!

I was surprised and find it unbelievable to learn that we have churches with 20 – 30 itinerant ministers on staff.

My FB response: “In Methodism, local churches should not have 20-30 itinerant preachers. Those who are called should go in faith and establish a congregation; that’s how denominations grow and that’s how denominations grew in the past.”

The AME Church didn’t grow by ordaining people to remain in the local church.  The AME Church established local orders for people to work in local church ministries and who were not going to “travel” as itinerant preachers.

“Sacred cows”

The itineracy does not support the notion of one local church with 20 – 30 itinerant preachers; that smacks in the face of Methodism.  If 20 - 30 preachers are sitting in a local church; 10 - 20, or 5 – 10, or 2-5 itinerant credentialed preachers are serving in one church, they are not itinerant, in reality, they are “local” preachers. The definition of the itineracy is a clergyperson serving as “traveling preacher.”

A local church with multiple itinerant credentialed preachers is an indication that a bishop has ordained too many itinerants. Persons should not be ordained with itinerant orders unless there is a ministry available to them. Theoretically, every itinerant elder is guaranteed a pastoral appointment. When that does not happen, there is a breakdown in the system and the African Methodist Episcopal Church has a serious breakdown of the itinerant ministry.

And then the bombshell

I read these words in a FaceBook post: “That's why you're seeing more models of ‘one Church, two Locations,’ which … is not in The Discipline, but [the practice] was encouraged by many Bishops.”

“One church, two locations”

“One church with two or more locations,” as impressive and as good as it might be, is not a Methodist model. Multiple church site locations are a non-denominational church model. It’s not a historical Baptist or Pentecostal model.

African Methodism grew because committed preachers and laypersons, both male and female went north, south, west and across the ocean and established local churches. And, when those churches grew, they “planted and grew” other churches. Clergy and laity, men and women went out and “planted and grew” other churches; and the bishops of the Church “guarded” the itineracy. Churches were “planted” and the denomination grew. And, not only were churches “planted,” but episcopal leaders, clergy, and laity saw the need, and established AME schools of higher learning.

The AME Church did not grow by encouraging local churches to set up second locations under the pastorate of a single pastor. Rather, the church grew because our episcopal leaders, pastors, and progressive laity saw the value of “planting” churches and letting those churches go on their own, as a mother bird guides her “baby” birds, coaching them to fly on their own.

In the human family children are birthed and the expectation is that they will grow up and be productive law-abiding members of society. We want grown children to be independent and self-sustaining.

Let me say that there is nothing wrong with churches that have multiple locations; it’s a credit to the ministry of the pastor and the congregation. It shows foresight, progressiveness and evangelistic thrust and shows discipleship-building. I wish all of our AME Churches could develop multiple-location ministries.

The progressive pastors who developed churches with multi-locations are to be commended for their ecclesiastical leadership and foresight. I don’t have enough words to commend those pastors being pastors par excellence. There is no criticism for their pastoral and leadership acumen; they are the “best among the best.” And the succeeding pastors who maintain offsite ministry are to be commended. The rest of us can only stand in awe of their accomplishments.  

Having said that…

Having said that, I believe that it is important to follow the time-tested Methodist model for evangelistic growth. Churches are “planted,” nurtured, and funded to the best of everybody’s ability. Ideally those offsite church programs should be turned over to the Conference and the presiding bishop should make the pastoral appointment; that’s the bottomline! Of course, the smart bishop would follow the recommendation of the pastor of the “mother church.”

The rules are the rules

I have always been a proponent of following the rules. The military worked well because I knew the rules and was comfortable with the rules and comfortable following the rules.

I am an AME because I like the rule of The Discipline and that’s the reason I am an AME because we follow the Bible and The Discipline. I am uncomfortable with unprecedented environments. I am uncomfortable when people take it upon themselves to break or change the rules. I am comfortable with The Discipline.

Why are rules so important?

Let me give a scenario as to why it’s important to follow the rules of the protocol that we already have in place.

But, let me digress.  “Your friend today may not be your friend tomorrow.” My mother use to tell me, “Be careful who you share secrets with, because the keeper of your secret today might be the bearer of your secret tomorrow.” What she was telling me was that relationships change and that it was unwise to be careless with my behavior because relationships change.

My father-in-law, the Rev. Charles E. Blake counseled me as a young pastor to follow the rules.  He went on to explain, people might dislike the fact that you are following the rules, but they will respect you.” “Following the rules will save you trouble in the long-run because people can’t “come back at you or sue you if you let things slide and then later decide to follow the rules,” he said.

If we follow the rules equally for everyone, there is a good chance that potential problems can be avoided.

The AME Church has outstanding pastors

The pastors I know who have churches in multi-locations are dedicated clergypersons of God. I believe they love the AME Church and I believe they respect authority and everything is fine today; but, what happens “down the road” if conflict raises its ugly head.

Scenario

Dr. Samuel Rogue becomes the pastor of St. Jude AME Church, which has three off-site locations. He has assigned assistant pastors to the offsite locations, but he often preaches at each of them.  Dr. Rogue is a caring pastor and the people love him. The off-site locations are striving and he and the stewards are thinking of adding an additional location. The presiding bishop is supportive of Dr. Rogue and his ministry.

Six years pass and a new bishop has been assigned.  Dr. Rogue and the stewards don’t care for the new bishop and problems develop in the church. There is a faction that loves Dr. Rogue and a vocal group who dislikes him and is calling for his transfer. The pastoral climate in the church becomes toxic. The bishop finds herself in a quandary.  Dr. Rogue is tired of the conflict, but he already has the largest church in the district.

He talks to his stewards and it is decided that he and those who love him are going to pull out of the denomination. After a lot of discussions, he and the stewards decide that they are going to “move on” and they decide that they are going to try to stay in the “mother” church and keep the offsite locations under their control. They have a backup plan that if the courts deny them the “mother” church property that they will simply take possession of the offsite church properties and their congregations because clearly the denomination had nothing to do with setting up the offsite locations and have provided no oversight for any of them. A long and costly court battle ensues, which might have been avoided if the offsite congregations were each set up as autonomous AME local churches with the presiding bishop making the pastoral appointments.

I will raise the question: Why one church with 2 locations? Why not make the second and succeeding locations new plants and let the bishop make pastoral appointments to the second location and subsequent locations?

The bigger question

Why the hesitations of, at least at some point, a plan of transferring offsite congregations to the connectional church (annual conference)?

Is the issue power?  In AME Church or in the Methodist system there is only one position that appoints or assigns pastors – and that’s the bishop.

I would agree that a “mother” church has a right and responsibility to “birth” a congregation(s). I wish every church would take the responsibility to “birth” new congregations.

Let’s use our imagination and say ten congregations established 2 or 3 offsite congregations, it would be ludicrous to think that they each of those “senior” pastors would make the pastoral appointments to those congregations. If they did, where would that leave the bishop because the pastors of each of those ten congregations would in effect be suffragan bishops.

That’s what happens in some Pentecostal and nondenominational organizations. They encourage pastors to spawn congregations and when pastors “birth” a certain number of congregations they become bishops; suffragan bishops, so to speak!

A “sacred cow” question. Do we want to go to a suffragan bishop model?

If we follow the rules and intent of The Discipline, we will save ourselves a lot of potential legal problems down the road.

Well, I told you in the beginning that I was going to deal with a couple of “sacred cows.”

Deal with the hard issues now and deal now the other issues that could become problems later and we will save ourselves time, money and frustration. When we identify “sacred cow” issues, the leadership of the Church needs to deal with them.  

This editorial is not directed at any multi-site AME congregations – they are to commended. I have not heard of any problems with any AME multi-site congregations, only positive things. The AME Church doesn’t have a problem today, but that does not mean we won’t have problems in the future.

We welcome TCR op-ed articles that deal with this and other subjects concerning the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

TCR Editor’s Comment: Beginning this week, we are adding a new column in The Christian Recorder Online entitled Church School Lesson Brief, which will provide a brief overview of the Sunday Adult Sunday School lesson. The column will be penned by Dr. Bill Dickens and will serve as one of the anchor columns along with Meditation by the Rev. Dr. Joseph Darby and Getting to Zero by the Rev. A. Oveta Fuller. Ph.D.

Brother Bill Dickens, Ph.D. is currently the Church School Teacher of Bible Class Number 2 for Allen AME Church in Tacoma, Washington.  He has served as a local Church School Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent for the Tallahassee District of the AME Church.  He is currently a member of the Fellowship of Church Educators for the AME Church.

2. TCR OP-ED: UPHOLDING AFRICAN METHODIST TRADITION: MAKE THE DECALOGUE MATTER:

The Rev. Monica C. Jones, Ph.D.

“…no Christian whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments, which are called moral.” (Chapter I, Section VI, “Of The Old Testament,” Doctrines and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, 1817).

AME congregations around the world pronounce the words of the Decalogue in morning worship, special services, conferences and other occasions.  The Ten Commandments and the summary of the two most important of all are spoken from our lips on Sunday mornings, and in many cases, we do it from memory. But do we know why we recite them?

Found in two texts (Exodus 20:2-17, Deuteronomy 5:6-21) of the Old Testament (with a third version in Exodus 34:12-26), the Decalogue is a time-honored tradition of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In fact, in the very first Disciplines and Doctrine of our tradition, AME leaders declared that “no Christian was free” to disobey God’s law.

According to scholars, the Ten Commandments were written about 1500 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.  They represent God’s law in motion for humankind.  In other words, the Ten Commandments depict what God expects from us in our behavior toward God and toward each other.  That is what they mean. Furthermore, when they are recited, they serve as the people’s public declaration to serve God above all others and to treat one another with love, kindness and respect.  This is why we recite them, and that lesson never grows old.

Making the Decalogue Matter in Worship

Most popular among AME congregations is the Summary of the Decalogue. Mark 12:30-31 (NIV) allows us to witness Jesus’ words as He teaches the people: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." However, although expedient, when this recitation is used at every worship service, there is no emphasis on the specific commandments from God and worshippers do not hear the individual laws.

For the sake of enlightening and educating the people, one approach might be to incorporate the full version of the Decalogue on 5^th Sundays, during Church School or during a particular service in any given month.  Time constraints, though very real, are not as challenging when creativity and compromise are utilized.  Clergy and lay can work together to identify workable solutions to incorporating the Decalogue into the order of worship.

Making the Decalogue Matter in Church Life

Other opportunities to teach the Decalogue and why we recite it might be found in existing ministries of the church. Youth church is one example.  Why not use the Decalogue as a theme for skits or presentations, short seminars or forums or incorporate it into the order of worship for special church events? Also, the Ten Commandments may be introduced as a part of sermons or preaching moments that focus on Bible themes. 

As we move forward to make African Methodism real to all of our people, teaching our doctrine is an important part of the process. Who we are is made clear by establishing what we see as reality in the Holy Scripture. And without a doubt, a big part of that reality is the Decalogue. Let us embrace it; let us make it matter.

*The Rev. Monica C. Jones, PhD serves on staff at Big Bethel AME Church in Atlanta and also serves as associate pastor at St. Paul AME Church in Madison, Georgia. 

3. READER RESPONSE TO EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES:

- To the Editor:

RE: TCR Editorial - "Women Inspiring Innovation through Imagination: Celebrating AMEC Women In Ministry”

Oh, let the church say, Amen!  I certainly applaud you for your commitment to gender equity and recognition of the contributions of women in ministerial leadership.  Thank you. 

"Episcopal districts and annual conferences would do well to follow the example of the connectional church and reject tokenism as the norm for assigning women pastors. Women are among our most educated clergy." 

Well said - and you touched on so many other truths.  How often have I been addressed as, "Sister" or "Ms." while male counterparts are given the respect of earned (and not earned) titles.  It is a reality that even when untended, gender bias runs very deep.  Your March issue will not only be timely, but also much needed.  God bless you as you move forward to enlighten and educate.

The Rev. Dr. Monica C. Jones, Atlanta 

- To the Editor:

RE: TCR Editorial - "Women Inspiring Innovation through Imagination: Celebrating AMEC Women In Ministry”

I applaud you Dr. Sydnor for tackling this important issue, everything that needed to be said was stated and your article was eloquently written. I thank God for you. As a young woman in ministry, there was a moment I became discouraged but after reading this article I encouraged myself in the Lord.

The Rev. Audrey J. Edwards

- Letter to the Editor:

RE: TCR Editor FB question: Has anyone heard about any Full Gospel AME Churches?

I have not heard of these churches, especially in South Africa. Only one recently formed / launched / established (16th Dec 2012) was

The Redeemed AME Church – this was the splinter group recently broke off in the Cape Annual Conference, 15th Episcopal District under the leadership of the Rev. Nigel Titus; they now appointed/consecrated the Rev Shane Appollis as their bishop (former Presiding Elder of Cape Town District during Bishop Messiah’s tenure).

I took very little interest in these splitting groups.

We must just be very clear and careful what is happening around us, who are using our name / discipline and doctrine without the AME Church approvals, how do we handle these matters?

Secondly – the naming of churches with our Zion, is there a standard guideline? My former Bishop A. J. Richardson Jr. used to encourage us to stick to Bible names there is many and there is enough, like Bethel AME Church, Ebenezer AME Church, etc. What the Redeemed AME Church is doing is now copying our names and just adding “The Greater” or “The New,” e.g.,  “the New Bethel Redeemed AME Church,” the “Greater St. John AME Church, etc. Let us be careful

Just some thoughts.

The Rev S. J. Tau

4. “YOU ASK”:

Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry

I Ask:

When is it proper to use “The Right Reverend"?  It is being used quite a bit lately.

Sister Barbara Ransom

Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry’s Response to the Question:

It is a tradition in the African Methodist Episcopal Church to address only the elected and consecrated bishops as "The Right Reverend."  While this title is not found in The Book of Discipline, it appears to have been used to address Bishop Richard Allen and the early Bishops of our Church.  In 1842 when the Rev. Noel C. W. Cannon wrote the History of the AME Church, he addressed both Bishop Richard Allen and Bishop Morris Brown as the "The Right Reverend." 

By the way, this title for ecclesiastical officials appears to date back to at least the 15^th Century when addressing the bishops of the Catholic and Anglican churches. 

The term "Presiding Prelate” is also a title for ecclesiastical officials and used in the AME Church for our bishops only.

There are now of course some other ministries where these titles are sometime used as titles for those other than "ecclesiastical types."

5. KIRKLAND KEEPS FOCUS IN CHALLENGING TIMES:

Written by Cora Jackson-Fossett (Religion Editor)

Bishop T. Larry Kirkland, Sr., strolls along the shore as he reflects on the past and anticipates the future.

Bishop T. Larry Kirkland, Sr., stands strong, committed to Christ, and determined to display leadership in the midst of challenging times.

As the presiding prelate of the Fifth Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church, he has guided and encouraged A.M.E.s in Southern California through pastoral changes, mismanagement allegations, and multiple lawsuits resulting in negative press for the past four months.

Fortunately, the Bishop is experienced in navigating turbulent waters. His 52-year ministerial career includes 16 years in ecclesiastical service and 20 years as pastor of Brookins Community A.M.E. Church in Los Angeles as well as other pastoral assignments.

In light of his success in ministry thus far, Bishop T. Larry Kirkland, Sr., urges his A.M.E. members to have courage in difficulties.

“I’m convinced that blessings come through difficult situations. So, I tell people to focus on Christ, because He is actually our example. So often we look to human beings for example and when we don’t find it, we’re discouraged,” said Bishop Kirkland, the 114^th elected and consecrated bishop of the A.M.E. Church.

“When you hear things [about the A.M.E. Church], and you will continue to hear a lot of things, remember the early church went through all kinds of persecution, but they became stronger because of persecution.

“It is my hope for the A.M.E. Church that even in the persecution, even in the allegations against some preachers, that our church will become stronger.”

Regarding his recent decision to relieve the Rev. John Hunter as pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church in San Francisco, Bishop Kirkland said, “I’m still praying about who will serve that church. In the meantime, the presiding elder takes charge until the right person is sent.”

Pairing pastors with congregations requires much prayer and spiritual discernment, admitted the Bishop, but he’s encouraged about the new assignments he made in Southern California.

“I believe the young pastors I appointed have the vision, the energy, the training, and what it takes to work hard. My objective was to find new people excited about the ministry. I believe these persons will bring the AME Church back and erase that image we received in the last few years.

“I made changes to see if I can bring back that vitality to serve the people. I believe if we serve the people again, the church will grow again.”

In addition, Bishop Kirkland will continue implementing his seven-point vision for churches in the Fifth Episcopal District, which comprises the 14 states west of the Mississippi River.

The vision emphasizes evangelism, economic development, health and human services, education, church planting, youth development and inclusion, and mission work.

“We want to carry out the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19-20, and fulfill the mission of the A.M.E. Church to minister to people spiritually, intellectually, physically, emotionally and environmentally by preaching Christ’s liberating Gospel.”

As for his legacy, the Bishop hopes it will be defined by his service to God and people. He shared, “I hope to be remembered as a person who is serious about his ministry, that I served the church and worked hard to make the lives of others better.”

By Cora Jackson-Fossett, cora@lasentinel.net

Published with the permission of the LA Sentinel

6. ZION AME CHURCH SCHOOL LOOKS TO OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO GROW ITS CHURCH SCHOOL ROLLS:

*Ms. Angelena Spears

When church school rolls at Zion AME Church, Philadelphia, began to drop for the youth classes, some members began canvassing the neighborhood around the church to fill the empty seats.

The initial efforts were led by a group of seven women:  Sisters Sherel Ann Lesesene and Willie O. Bowie, both retired teachers; and Sisters Valerie Zack, Catherine Gaines, Anna Bowser, Beatrice Jefferys and Rochelle Harrall.

Their results were promising.  It took about six to eight weeks of knocking on doors to build a Saturday Church School of roughly 10 – 12 students.

Four years later, the Saturday Church School at Zion (which is now called the Saturday Education Ministry) continues to thrive and the 200-member church continues to seek ways to have a greater impact on the community.

Zion’s emphasis on community outreach was evident this past Christmas when the fellowship hall was packed with hundreds of brightly wrapped Christmas presents for the children in the community.

The church teamed up with the U.S. Marine Corp’s Toys for Tots program to spread goodwill to needy families.

The effort was spearheaded by the church’s new director of Christian Education, the Rev. Nancy Jackson, who says that although this wasn’t the first time the church had participated in a Christmas toy drive; this was by far the largest.

It started in October when a sign-up sheet was created to tally the needs of the surrounding community.  There was an application process – where moms wrote down the ages of their children and crossed off desired gifts.

Things began to snowball as Zion members began spreading flyers about the program. Before long, the church was receiving phone calls from all over the area – including the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where a staff member had seen the flyer and wanted to know how the hospital could get involved.

208 children, representing 92 families, received four to five gifts each.   Gifts included dolls, trucks, transformers and craft kits – mostly for children ages 3 – 14.  When members found out there was a lack of gifts for certain age groups, they pitched in by digging into their own pockets to purchase more gifts.

Others, like one senior, donated all of her own gift-wrapping paper and another member purchased $50 worth of wrapping paper – ensuring that every gift was presented in shiny Christmas wrap.

The best result of the program was that four women from the community joined the church and seven accepted Christ. 

No one could be prouder of Zion’s outreach efforts than their pastor, the Rev. Simon P. Bouie, who says, “We have lifted our church up to [fulfill] the AME Mission Statement – which is ‘to minister to the social, spiritual, and physical development of all people.’”

The Rev. Bouie says the church continues to look for ways to reach out to the youth in the community, and very recently added a young men’s basketball ministry.

*Ms. Angelena Spears serves as the Philadelphia Annual Conference Reporter

7. ROSA PARKS STATUE UNVEILS IN US CAPITOL - STATUARY HALL:

*Sistah "Jackie" Dupont-Walker

AMEs Represented in the House

Today, Mother Rosa Louise Parks' long awaited statue was unveiled to a standing-room only crowd in Statuary Hall and two overflow locations in the Capitol Visitors' Center on Wednesday, February 27, 2013. 

The members of Congress and the US Senate along with the historic African-American civic leadership were present.   Rounding out the attendees was a diverse cultural group of Americans, Parks family, and Ms. Elaine Eason Steele, longtime friend and co-founder of the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute. 

The arrangement of "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" was sung by the US Army Chorus created a worship-like atmosphere that inspired a series of powerful remarks.

Among the program participants bringing remarks was South Carolina Congressman James Clyburn, Assistant Democratic Leader of the US House of Representatives (and a member of Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina) who brought greetings and joined in the unveiling.  He took note of the Supreme Court hearing re Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, (which he had attended) being held simultaneous to the unveiling and its significance to the struggle that Mrs. Parks had committed her life and resources.  As an AME, Congressman Clyburn could fully relate to a life commitment to achieving justice for all people, and being an advocate for the voiceless.

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader of the US House of Representatives proudly recapped her role in moving the motion introduced by Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. through both houses of government to the President's desk in a record 30 days by Dec 1, 2005 - the 50th anniversary of the Montgomery bus incident that led to 285 day boycott of the segregated buses.  

President Barack Obama spoke, after thunderous applause and "hoots," about the quiet action of a seamstress who made the world a better place for all people.

  

Notable in Statuary Hall were other AMEs proudly witnessing the world is honoring one of the daughters of Allen.  In the audience were the Rev. Dale Synder, pastor of Bethel AME Church in Columbus, Ohio; Ralph Smith, Chairman of the Social Action Commission at First AME Church in Manassas, Virginia; Dr. Elsie Scott, professor, Howard University and member of Metropolitan AME Church in Washington, DC; Councilmember JoAnn Watson of Detroit City Council and member of  Greater Quinn AME Church in Detroit; Pastor Jamal Bryant of Empowerment Temple AME in Baltimore, Maryland: and the AME Church's Director of the Commission on Social Action, Sistah "Jackie" Dupont-Walker, who is a member of Ward AME Church in Los Angeles.

"Even with short notice, it was well worth the journey to be a witness to the Rosa Parks Statue unveiling.  Our church must take a leading role in preserving her legacy and future generations cannot be left uninformed about the leadership that Mother Rosa Parks provided in her lifetime.  Today's unveiling, in an historic building constructed by slaves, insures Rosa Parks' place in the history books...but we must keep it vibrant among our people."  The "ball cannot be dropped on our watch," said "Jackie" Dupont-Walker.

The inclusion of Mrs. Parks' statue in Statuary Hall represents the first new statue since the 1870s and the first African American woman. This month, has also included the unveiling of a forever stamp honoring Rosa Parks and released on what would have been her 100th birthday. 

Every American - young and elders alike, and especially every AME should add a visit to the US Capitol Visitor Center to their itinerary when visiting the Washington, DC.   It is open Monday - Saturday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  For more information, visit www.visitthecapitol.gov.

*Sistah "Jackie" Dupont-Walker is the Director, AMEC Commission on Social Action

8. CLYBURN REMARKS AT ROSA PARKS STATUE UNVEILING:

WASHINGTON—U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn delivered the following remarks today at the official ceremony unveiling the Rosa Parks statue in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol:

“This is a good time and a great place to honor a most honorable woman.  This year marks the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, which jumpstarted a march to freedom for many who, while in servitude, built this great edifice.

“This year is also the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, a watershed event in our quest for human dignity.  Rosa Parks, the first lady of civil rights, the mother of the movement, the saint of an endless struggle—however one may wish to refer to her, this statue forever ordains Rosa Parks’ status as an icon of our nation’s struggles to live out its declaration that we all are created equal.

“One hour ago, I sat across the street witnessing the opening arguments of a voting rights case before the United States Supreme Court—a case that many feel could turn the clock back on much of the progress that has been made, and for which we pause today to honor Rosa Parks.

“The struggle goes on.  The movement continues.  The pursuit is not over.  To honor Rosa Parks in the fullest manner, each of us must do our part to protect that which has been gained, defend the great documents upon which those gains were obtained, and continue our pursuit of ‘a more perfect Union.’ ”

9. AME DEACONESS ROSA PARKS BECOMES THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO BE HONORED WITH A FULL-LENGTH STATUE IN THE CAPITOL’S STATUARY HALL:

By The Admin on February 27, 2013

President Barack Obama and congressional leaders unveiled a full-length statue of civil rights icon Rosa Parks in the Capitol Wednesday, paying tribute to a figure whose name became synonymous with courage in the face of injustice.

Parks becomes the first black woman to be honored with a full-length statue in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall. A bust of another black woman, abolitionist Sojourner Truth, sits in the Capitol Visitors Center.

Obama said that with the installation of the statue, Parks, who died in 2005, has taken her rightful place among those who have shaped the course of U.S. history. He said her presence in Capitol would serve to “remind us no matter how humble or lofty our positions, just what it is that leadership requires.”

Obama and House Speaker John Boehner jointly led the unveiling, standing with the statue between them as they grasped and pulled in opposite directions on the braided cord that held the covering. Congressional leaders in the House and Senate joined Parks’ niece in tugging on the cord.

“We do well by placing a statue of her here,” Obama said, “but we can do no greater honor to her memory than to carry forward the power of her principle and a courage born of conviction.”

The statue portrays Parks seated, wearing a hat and clutching her trademark purse — “a permanent reminder of the cause she embodied,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

The several hundred lawmakers, family and congressional staff who gathered for the ceremony in the vaulted hall rose to their feet and whooped as Boehner opened the ceremony.

“Here in the hall, she casts an unlikely silhouette — unassuming in a lineup of proud stares, challenging all of us once more to look up and to draw strength from stillness,” said Boehner, R-Ohio.

Parks is famous for her 1955 refusal to give up her seat on a city bus in Alabama to a white man, but there’s plenty about the rest of her experiences that she deliberately withheld from her family.

While Parks and her husband, Raymond, were childless, her brother, the late Sylvester McCauley, had 13 children. They decided Parks’ nieces and nephews didn’t need to know the horrible details surrounding her civil rights activism, said Rhea McCauley, Parks’ niece.

“They didn’t talk about the lynchings and the Jim Crow laws,” said McCauley, 61, of Orlando, Fla. “They didn’t talk about that stuff to us kids. Everyone wanted to forget about it and sweep it under the rug.”

He said more than 50 of Parks’ relatives traveled to Washington for the ceremony.

In a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a city bus in segregated Montgomery, Ala. She was arrested, touching off a bus boycott that stretched over a year.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Parks had “moved the world when she refused to move her seat.”

Jeanne Theoharis, author of the new biography “The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks,” said Parks was very much a full-fledged civil rights activist, yet her contributions have not been treated like those of other movement leaders, such as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Rosa Parks is typically honored as a woman of courage, but that honor focuses on the one act she made on the bus on Dec. 5, 1955,” said Theoharis, a political science professor at Brooklyn College-City University of New York.

“That courage, that night was the product of decades of political work before that and continued … decades after” in Detroit, she said.

Parks died Oct. 24, 2005, at age 92. The U.S. Postal Service issued a stamp in her honor on Feb. 4, which would have been her 100th birthday.

Parks was raised by her mother and grandparents who taught her that part of being respected was to demand respect, said Theoharis, who spent six years researching and writing the Parks biography.

She was an educated woman who recalled seeing her grandfather sitting on the porch steps with a gun during the height of white violence against blacks in post-World War I Alabama.

After she married Raymond Parks, she joined him in his work in trying to help nine young black men, ages 12 to 19, who were accused of raping two white women in 1931. The nine were later convicted by an all-white jury in Scottsboro, Ala., part of a long legal odyssey for the so-called Scottsboro Boys.

In the 1940s, Parks joined the NAACP and was elected secretary of its Montgomery, Ala., branch, working with civil rights activist Edgar Nixon to fight barriers to voting for blacks and investigate sexual violence against women, Theoharis said.

Just five months before refusing to give up her seat, Parks attended Highlander Folk School, which trained community organizers on issues of poverty but had begun turning its attention to civil rights.

After the bus boycott, Parks and her husband lost their jobs and were threatened. They left for Detroit, where Parks was an activist against the war in Vietnam and worked on poverty, housing and racial justice issues, Theoharis said.

Theoharis said that while she considers the 9-foot-statue of Parks in the Capitol an “incredible honor” for Parks, “I worry about putting this history in the past when the actual Rosa Parks was working on and calling on us to continue to work on racial injustice.”

Parks has been honored previously in Washington with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1999, both during the Clinton administration.

But McCauley said the Statuary Hall honor is different.

“The medal you could take it, put it on a mantel,” McCauley said. “But her being in the hall itself is permanent and children will be able to tour the (Capitol) and look up and see my aunt’s face.” (AP)

- See more at: http://blackpoliticsontheweb.com/2013/02/27/rosa-parks-statue-unveiled-at-capitol/#sthash.HpTWFPOm.dpuf

10. PRIVATE THOUGHTS OF AN AME PARISHIONER:

At 3:30 a.m. I'm listening to news reports about gun laws, etc. on radio. Thinking: "Thou shalt not kill" and thinking that if people had heard that often enough during their lives, maybe they wouldn't be so quick to think about killing. But ... Ten Commandments have been removed from everywhere. The Ten Commandments are not to be mentioned "in public." Then, my thoughts turned to church since that's where the words of the Ten Commandments and the teachings of Jesus should be heard. I always seem to go to "What are we doing FOR our young people?"  Surely, they hear and learn The Ten Commandments in church. Surely, they will know that there is a LAW that says not to kill anyone.

Then, by 3:40 a.m., I'm thinking, "But they don't learn that in church any more," judging from my own church worship service. It's all about shortening the Decalogue so that it has no resemblance to The Ten Commandments. Takes too much time to say them every week, or even on the First Sunday as some churches do. Therefore, they don't learn it anywhere! Trying to remember when last I heard The Ten Commandments in church.

By 3:45 a.m. I'm realizing that we're not doing one single thing in our church to combat the thoughts of killing. If we don't teach AGAINST it, how are our children going to grow up knowing that there are other ways of settling an argument besides carrying around a gun for that purpose?

My early morning thoughts move on to:  "How come it's okay for officials to say, 'Pray for the families in Connecticut whose children were killed? How come it's okay for officials to say, 'Pray for the family of the soldier who was killed in Iraq? How come it's okay for us to hear about prayer and God at times like this - all over the media - but when those events are over, we'd better NOT even mention God or Jesus or prayer or anything connected with those things." What's that all about anyhow?

   

Final thought before 7:30 a.m., the alarm goes off: "Prayer. Oh ... I wonder if any of these mass-killers ever heard of that word. Did anyone ever kneel beside their little beds and say goodnight prayers with them when they were little? Did they ever learn to pray on their own as they grew older? What gets into them? Would they be that way IF they had ever been advised of the power of prayer and all that goes with that?" 

Awake half the night ... nothing solved.

Name Withheld

11. METROPOLITAN AME’S DANIEL A. PAYNE CDC RECEIVES $10,000 GRANT:

The Daniel Alexander Payne Community Development Corporation (CDC), the outreach arm of Metropolitan AME Church, has received a $10,000 grant from the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) to attract and expose middle school students to careers in various facets of medicine.  The CDC’s Percy Julian Institute (PJI) will administer the program which addresses one of the AAMC’s Strategic Portfolios, namely “the educational and career development of health professionals from middle school until retirement”. 

The 30-month program is intended to expose students to opportunities and professionals that range from medical researchers and bio-medical engineers to health care providers.   The CDC identified ten (10) STEM-focused Target Schools to constitute the student population to be served.   The Target Schools located across the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area; includes four located in the city, and three each from the Maryland and Virginia suburbs.  The program includes STEM events and field trips to local biotechnology and medical facilities, bringing relevant speakers to the schools to talk about various medical and health fields, career opportunities, and academic preparation. 

The Percy Julian Institute will be partnering with Mentoring in Medicine (MIM), a 501 (c) (3) that mentors and provides both academic enrichment and leadership development for students underrepresented in medicine in disadvantaged areas. 

The program goals are: (1) to expose students to hands-on activities and direct contact with STEM professionals, (2) initiate a meaningful introduction to the medical and healthcare arena, and (3) strengthen the student’s support network to include informed parents.  

Prior to the grant, PJI sponsored very successful STEM events for middle school students.  Two of the events were held at Howard University and Howard University Hospital and focused on medical themes.  

Voting Rights Act - Section 5, Argument by NAACP-Legal Defense Fund Director AME member Sherrilyn Ifill, Esq.

12. VOTING RIGHTS ACTION - SECTION 5:  DO WE STILL NEED SECTION 5? SUPREME COURT HEARD ARGUMENTS ON FEBRUARY 27, 2013

By SIStah "Jackie" Dupont-Walker, Director -Social Action

Argument before Supreme Court by NAACP-Legal Defense Fund Director AME member Sherrilyn Ifill, Esq.

The Supreme Court heard arguments that "all is well" and that certain protections are no longer needed to insure that every American can exercise his/her right to vote.  That same morning, and perhaps coincidentally, U.S. House Speaker John Boehner scheduled the unveiling of the statue of Mother Rosa Parks in Statuary Hall on the U.S. Capitol. 

At first, I was incensed that either occurrence would not be given the full-attention of this nation, all those who cherish our freedoms, and especially the persons of African descent who still carry the torch that Rosa Parks lighted. God revealed to me, that God is still using Rosa Parks, a lifelong AME laywoman; to speak quietly to her people.  Yes, she is calling her people of all colors and ethnicity to Washington, DC to celebrate the hard fought victory of having her legacy portrayed in Statuary Hall, and drawing attention to the hearing just across the street at the Supreme Court, where another injustice must be stopped. 

What does the scripture say in Genesis 50:20 - "You plotted evil against me, but God turned it into good, in order to preserve the lives of many people who are alive today because of what happened." (NRSV) or “Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now—life for many people." (The Message Bible)

So we hearken unto those words and…Join in the rally on the steps of the Supreme Court building.  Pray mightily as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, led by Sherrilyn Ifill, another AME laywoman with a storied AME name – the cousin of News host Gwen Ifill and 6th Episcopal District Presiding Elder Earle Ifill, argues “our” case before the Justices of the Supreme Court. 

Formerly a professor at the University of Maryland before taking the helm of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund last month as its 7th President and Director-Counsel, Ms. Ifill noted in a recent interview that she began her career handling voting rights cases for the fund. In her AME life, Sherrilyn Ifill is a member and Co-Director of the Children’s Choir at Mt. Calvary African Methodist Episcopal Church in Towson, Maryland.  And...like Esther, God has her “in place” for such a time as this!

Visit www.ame-sac.com to get updates.  Visit www.naacpldf.org/ for more details about the upcoming Shelby vs. Holder case being argued on Feb 24th.  Read the article below for an excellent perspective on the question at hand: Do we still need Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act?

*Article from Black Politics on the Web, 2-20-2013

13. ST. PAUL AME CHURCH DEDICATES NEW BUILDING:

The Rev. Salatheia Bryant-Honors

Texas Annual Conference

Surrounded by his St. Paul congregation and scores of other well-wishers, the Rev. Roderick D. Dawson officially opened the doors to the $2.3 million Christian life center during a special dual church anniversary and dedication service.

The January 27, 2013 service marked the completion of the second of a three-phase vision for the congregation, which voted about 12 years ago to relocate from Houston’s central business district to a northwest neighborhood in the city. Since coming to this area locally known as Greenspoint, St. Paul’s motto has been “Making Greenspoint, God’s Point.”

For Dawson the sprawling contemporary facility will help St. Paul extend its ministry reach within the community.

“It’s about being able to meet the needs of the community and the members.  It helps us to meet the needs of the community throughout the whole week,” said Dawson. “It shows the awesomeness of God of what he can do. We had so many people supporting us. Even people who were unable to give made a point of encouraging us and telling us how they were praying for us. “

Dawson said construction on the state-of-the art 28,000-square-foot building started January 2012. It was completed in November. The life center has a seating capacity for 1,100. The multi-million dollar facility joins a $750,000- 500-seat sanctuary that was completed in 2002 and dedicated by Bishop McKinley Young. The Rev. Dawson was assigned to St. Paul in 1997 by Bishop John R. Bryant.

Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, the Presiding Prelate of the Tenth Episcopal District, was the guest preacher for the occasion. She preached a message entitled “The Best is Yet to Come” to the capacity crowd using Joshua 4:1-7 as her text.

Bishop McKenzie said Joshua’s assignment was to lead the people through the Jordan River. But she reminded the congregation that the people also had a job to do.

“Joshua is not going to carry the load by himself,” said Bishop McKenzie.

Then McKenzie used a group of St. Paul officers to completely encircle Pastor Dawson to illustrate her point that the officers would bare their load so that he would be free to focus on priestly duties including preaching, praying, and teaching.

“The devil will try to disrupt the house. There are 12 of you surrounding the leader; to get to him they’ve got to come through you. If they get him, then you’re not doing your job,” she said.

“God still does the unexpected for us. He still works miracles for us. This is not a stopping place this is not the end of the road but the beginning of the journey,” said Bishop McKenzie.

Also on hand for the church anniversary-dedication service was U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston.  Jackson Lee who represents the 18th Congressional District presented Dawson with an American flag that had been flown over the U.S. capitol. Jackson Lee called veterans in the audience to come forward to unfurl the flag. It was then ceremonially refolded and presented to Pastor Dawson.

Jackson Lee said the St. Paul building comes at a critical time for the U.S. government as it debates gun violence and gun control.

“You are in a place where people are picking up guns,” said Lee. “What you are doing is the American dream. You are allowing young people to come in from the cold.”

In addition to the dedication, the gathering also celebrated the church’s 144th church anniversary. During the service a video presentation of St. Paul’s journey from 1710 Edward Street to 1554 Gears Road was shown. The theme for the service was “God’s People Paving a Way for the Present and Future Generation.”

Bishop McKenzie called it a day of celebration: “We come to celebrate what God has done in our midst.”

Following the message Bishop McKenzie was symbolically given keys to the building and helped the Rev. Dawson cut the ribbon to officially open the building for use. Pastors and members from both the North Houston District and the South Houston District attended the service.  It was also a proud moment for North Houston District Presiding Elder Alfred J. Baker.

“The mission of every church should be to serve the needs of the community,” said Baker. “I think this new building is very appropriate for meeting the needs of the folks at Greenspoint. The church has grown because it had a goal to meet the needs. This is just another milestone in their ministering to the people.”

Pastor Dawson acknowledged everyone for their support including his wife, Stacey; his mother, Cora Dawson and his sisters Carol and Detoma.

Trustee Chair J.C. Steady said he hopes the building will be a safe and spiritual haven for young people to keep them connected to Christ.

“The building is there for the purpose of the Lord. I am glad to see something like this,” said Steady. “It is a place where they can call their own.  This might encourage others to do similar things in their area.”

The building has class room space for after school tutorials, a full-court basketball court, volleyball court, commercial kitchen, administrative office space, and a weight room. There are plans to open a daycare in the facility. Already basketball camps are being held in the gym. The facility will be available also for community activities such as meetings or other special events.

Dawson, 49, is following in the footsteps of his late father, Marvin L. Dawson who was an AME pastor, and his grandfather, the Rev. Ollie L. Dawson who was an AME pastor and presiding elder.

“Both of them were builders. My grandfather built the Ward Chapel campus and it still stands. My father built the old Jones Chapel and started a new facility at Evangelist,” said. Dawson. “It’s a special anointing.  Destiny met up with purpose and the Lord worked out the rest. It’s only the Lord’s doing. I can’t take any credit.”

Dawson said the final piece to the three-phase vision is a cathedral.

14. BETHEL RICHMOND OBSERVES FOUNDERS’ DAY:

Founder’s Day at Third Street Bethel AME Church in Richmond, Virginia was held February 17, 2013 at the 11 a.m. worship service; and what a grand occasion it was. First there was a re-enactment of the most significant event in the history of the AME Church, the removal of our founding fathers, Richard Allen, Absolom Jones and others from St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church in 1787. The short dramatization was written by the Rev. G. Ray Patterson, pastor at Bethel AME Church.

The Bethel family was also blessed with the presence of the Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, the 20^th Editor of The Christian Recorder, who was the speaker of the hour.  Dr. Sydnor’s topic, “The Second Sin” was taken from Genesis 3: 10-13. He admonished the congregation embody the attributes of our Founder, Richard Allen and not to pass blame, and to take responsibility for your actions.

The Third Street Bethel family was truly blessed with the spirit Dr. Sydnor brought and the message he left with us.

*Submitted by J.R. Hall, Director of Public Relations, Virginia Conference

15. DYNAMIC GUEST PREACHER AT THE ALLEGHENY SCRANTON DISTRICT, THIRD EPISCOPAL DISTRICT,  FOUNDER’S DAY CELEBRATION IN FARRELL,  PENNSYLVANIA:

*Ms. Shelly Brown

The Rev. Dr. Eugene l. Schoolfield II, pastor St. Andrewes African Methodist Episcopal Church in Youngstown, Ohio was the dynamic guest preacher at the Allegheny Scranton District (Third Episcopal District) Founder’s Day celebration in Farrell, Pennsylvania.

The Allegheny Scranton District celebrated Founder’s Day on Sunday, February 10, 2013 at Greater Morris Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Farrell, Pennsylvania. The host pastor was the Reverend Geoffrey E. Tate II.

As clergy and laity assembled to celebrate the 253^rd birthday of Richard Allen, the ministry of music was provided by various choirs of the district; Wayman Chapel, New Brighton; St. James, Erie, Pennsylvania; and Greater Morris Chapel, Farrell, Pennsylvania; and the guest church choir St. Andrewes AME Church in Youngstown, Ohio. The Holy Spirit was present and feet were tapping and hands were clapping!

The Rev. Dr. Eric L. Brown, Presiding Elder of the Allegheny Scranton District introduced the Rev. Dr. Eugene L. Schoolfield II, pastor St. Andrewes African Methodist Episcopal Church, Youngstown, Ohio.

The Rev. Schoolfield preached with power and conviction from the subject, "We need the Wind to Blow" taken from I Kings 19:11 and Ezekiel 37:9-10. He stated just as just as the wind opened and closed the Red Sea which kept Pharaoh's Army crossing it and as there was helpless and brokenness in the Valley, when the wind blew, change began to take place. When Richard Allen led a group of black worshipers out of St. George's Methodist Church in Philadelphia due to social injustice, the wind started to blow and the change began to take place as African Methodist Episcopal Church was launched!

*Ms. Shelly Brown is the Allegheny Scranton District Administrative Assistant

TCR Editor’s Note: The spelling of “St. Andrewes” is how it is spelled on their FaceBook site and on the Yellow Pages website

16. ALLEGHENY SCRANTON DISTRICT’S 4TH ANNUAL DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. CELEBRATION:

*Ms. Shelly Brown

Aliquippa, Pennsylvania

The snowy weather did not stop clergy, laity, friends and family from convening at New Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania to attend the 4th Annual Dr. Martin Luther, Jr. Celebration “Keep the Dream Alive” on Monday, January 21, 2013.

The Worship Leader was the Reverend Dr. Helen M. Burton, pastor Payne Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Duquesne, Pennsylvania. Praise and Worship ushered in the Spirit of the Lord by members of New Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. Following the ascription of praise, the Call to Worship and the singing of  “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”, the invocation was rendered by the Reverend Dr. Floyd Alexander, supply pastor Greater Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the welcome by host pastor, the Reverend Jeannette Hubbard. New Ebenezer Choir rendered two selections “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” and “Like the Dew in the Morning”.  The Reverend Geoffrey E. Tate, II, pastor Greater Morris Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church Farrell, Pennsylvania read Psalm 9:1-10 and Romans 8:28-32. The congregation sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing”. Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church Choir rendered the selections “Something Within” and “Christ is my all and all”.

The Reverend Dr. Eric L. Brown, Presiding Elder Allegheny District, presented the guest preacher, the Reverend Samuel Chambers, pastor Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, New Brighton, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Mrs. Erma Chambers, wife of Reverend Samuel Chambers, sang “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow’ before the Spoken Word by Reverend Samuel Chambers.  The Reverend Samuel Chambers theme was “What’s in your hand”.  The scripture Exodus 14:16-22. God gave Moses specific instructions to pick up the rod and stretch it forth toward the Red Sea. Before God brings us to a blessing, he wants to see who will lean on.  Once we stretch forth our hands and step into the unknown, God is going to put something in it as there may be a mountain we may have to climb or we may be in the valley low or even going through the water being tossed and fro, but if we stretch our hands up, deliverance and healing is overhead.  The invitation to Discipleship as well as altar call was rendered by the Reverend Samuel Chambers, everyone joined in signing “Jesus There is Something About that Name”.

The recipients of the 4^th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Award for their dedication and commitment to service inside and outside of the church were: Mother Nicey Simmons, Payne Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Duquesne, Pennsylvania, Mother Trudie Powell, New Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church, Mother Rosa Houston, St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the Reverend Samson Manoah Cooper, St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Two of the recipients are 102 years and they have both witnessed space exploration, the invention of electronic technology, from the early radio and television to cell phones, computers, laptops, iPads and FaceBook for which Mother Powell has her own page!  Each recipient was presented a plaque by their respective Presiding Elder Reverend Dr. Eric L. Brown.

*Ms. Shelly Brown is the Allegheny Scranton District Administrative Assistant

17. BEULAH AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA TO HOST GOLF TOURNAMENT:

Beulah African Methodist Episcopal Church in Farmville, Virginia will host a Golf Tournament at the Manor Golf Club in Farmville, Virginia on Saturday, April 13, 2013. Registration begins at 11:30 AM. Lunch starts at Noon. The Shotgun start time is 1 PM. The Golf Tournament is a part of Beulah's Annual Celebration of Men's Day on Sunday, April 14, 2013. 

       

The registration fee for an individual golfer is $75.00. The registration fee for a four-person team is $300.00. If a four-person team registers by March 22, 2013; the registration is only $280.00. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Golfers will receive lunch, golf cart, range ball, one mulligan, awards, and the opportunity to win prizes.  Hotel reservations can be made by March 22, 2013 at the Hampton Inn in Farmville, Virginia. The group rate is under "Beulah Golf." 

       

Beulah African Methodist Episcopal Church is a part of the Virginia Civil Rights in Education Heritage Walking Trail. For more information about the Golf Tournament, including the Registration form and the Golf Tournament brochure, please go to our website: www.beulahamechurch.com or you can send an email to:

beulah@beulahamechurch.com 

Submitted By: The Rev. Matthew Shannon, Pastor, Beulah African Methodist Episcopal Church, Farmville, Virginia  

18. FROM THE TENNESSEAN ARTICLE: WHERE FOOD AND FAITH MEET:

Members of a North Nashville church gathered to watch a film called “Soul Food Junkies” about the culinary tradition and its relevance to black cultural identity. But along with the images of pies, slabs of ribs, scoops of mac and cheese and collard greens, the group heard stories about diabetes and food deserts, areas where fresh, healthy food is much harder to find. Vanderbilt divinity student and food activist Jennifer Bailey, an AME student at Vanderbilt Divinity School and a member of the ministerial staff at Greater Bethel AME Church moderated the discussion.

Read more and view video-clip: http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130227/LIFE01/302270071/1971/NEWS06

19. MAJOR BANKS PROFIT FROM PAYDAY LOANS; AFRICAN-AMERICANS MORE LIKELY TO BORROW:

By Nick Chiles

Tagged With: African Americans, Bank of America, payday loans, renters, Wells Fargo

As many states crack down on so-called “payday” loans, a new report reveals that major banks like JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo are behind-the-scenes partners in the practice of giving short-term loans to consumers with interest rates as high as 500 percent.

The lenders who issue the payday loans are trying to avoid the bans currently in effect in 15 states by setting up shop in more hospitable states or beyond the U.S. borders, in countries like Belize and Malta, and in the West Indies, according to a story in The New York Times.

“While the banks, which include giants like JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo, do not make the loans, they are a critical link for the lenders, enabling the lenders to withdraw payments automatically from borrowers’ bank accounts, even in states where the loans are banned entirely,” Jessica Silver-Greenberg wrote in the Times. “In some cases, the banks allow lenders to tap checking accounts even after the customers have begged them to stop the withdrawals.”

“Without the assistance of the banks in processing and sending electronic funds, these lenders simply couldn’t operate,” Josh Zinner told the Times. Zimmer is co-director of the Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project, which works with community groups in New York.

As the Times throws the covers off the major institutions involved in these controversial loans, a new study by the Pew Charitable Trusts reveals that 5.5 percent of American adults – 12 million people – receive $7.4 billion annually from payday lenders. Most of the borrowers are white women between the ages of 25 and 44, and there is an over-representation of renters, lower-income workers and African-Americans.

The study by the Safe Small-Dollar Loans Research Project at Pew found that 10 percent of renters have used a payday loan, compared with 4 percent of homeowners; 11 percent of people making between $15,000 and $25,000 have used a payday loan, with the proportion decreasing further up the income ladder; and 12 percent of African-Americans have taken out payday loans, more than twice the figure for whites (4 percent), and twice the figure for Hispanics and other races or ethnicities (both at 6 percent).

“Although payday loans are marketed as short-term emergency loans, in reality, most borrowers used them for recurring living expenses and become indebted for an average of five months,” Nick Bourke, the research project’s director, told USNews.com.

A phone survey that found 69 percent of borrowers say that they took out the loans to cover recurring expenses such as monthly bills and rent, while only one in six say they used the loans for unexpected expenses.

The typical term of a payday loan is two weeks, with borrowers paying a fee of about $15 to $20 per $100 borrowed. The study said the average loan size is $375, with an average fee of $55. Borrowers on average take out eight loans annually, spending $520 on interest, with each loan lasting approximately 18 days.

In the Times story, the major banks claim they are serving customers who have authorized the lenders to withdraw money from their accounts. “The industry is not in a position to monitor customer accounts to see where their payments are going,” said Virginia O’Neill, senior counsel with the American Bankers Association.

But as state and federal authorities try to stop banks from loans with exorbitant rates, New York financial officials have sent letters to the state’s debt collectors warning them against trying to collect on illegal payday loans.

Officials in New York say state law limits interest rates to 25 percent. Department of Financial Services Superintendent Benjamin Lawsky says his agency will aggressively enforce the law, including lending over the internet and by mail, and that loans with an interest rate above the statutory maximums are legally void and unenforceable.

About Nick Chiles

Nick Chiles is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author. He has written or co-written 11 books and won over a dozen major journalism awards during a journalism career that brought him to the Dallas Morning News, the Star-Ledger of New Jersey and New York Newsday, in addition to serving as Editor-in-Chief of Odyssey Couleur travel magazine.

20. PROTECTING CHILDREN IN THE MIDST OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET DEBATES:

By LaVida Davis, Director of Grassroots Organizing and Capacity Building at Bread for the World

February 2013

Nearly one in four children is at risk of hunger in the United States. That’s 16.7 million kids who will have difficulty reaching their potential.

While hunger hurts people of all ages, it is particularly devastating to children. Even brief episodes of hunger can forever damage their development—putting children at risk of a range of cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and physical problems. Hungry children tend to be more inattentive in class and earn lower test scores. They are sometimes more aggressive. And hungry children are more likely to be tardy, absent, and sick.

Bread for the World—a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger—advocates for maintaining and expanding federal child nutrition programs, which have proven extremely successful in reducing child hunger and improving health and educational outcomes. Programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); school breakfast and lunch programs; and preschool, summer, and after-school meal programs have proved vital in providing children with the food they need for healthy development.

Unfortunately, child nutrition programs do not reach every child in need. Of the 20.6 million schoolchildren receiving food assistance at lunch, 11 million do not receive breakfast assistance and 18 million do not receive summer meals. Many eligible children lack access to programs or face other barriers to participation—whether it is because a program is not offered in their communities, transportation is limited, or eligibility provisions lack coordination with other agencies.

Child nutrition programs could do far more to reduce hunger simply by reaching more kids.

In late 2010, Congress passed child nutrition legislation giving children greater access to these critical programs and increasing participation among eligible low-income children. The bill included a $4.5 billion investment in preventing child hunger over 10 years and expanded the number of school breakfast and summer feeding sites.

In conjunction with a new documentary by Participant Media called, A Place at the Table, Bread for the World’s 2013 Offering of Letters campaign, “A Place at the Table,” will urge lawmakers to protect and strengthen domestic programs and initiatives like these, as well as poverty focused development assistance programs abroad. The campaign will also urge both Congress and the president to work together on a comprehensive plan to conclusively end hunger. President Obama committed to ending worldwide hunger in 20 years during his State of the Union Address in February. We plan to hold him and future presidents to that promise.

Charity alone cannot feed all of the hungry children. While our representatives in Congress work to reduce our nation’s deficit and balance our federal budget, we pray they will keep children top of mind. Hungry children did not create our deficit, and they should not be required to pay our way out of it. Now is not the time to cut programs that can literally change a child’s life.

For more information or to get involved, please visit www.bread.org/ol.

21. GETTING TO ZERO: “WHAT HOLDS US BACK?”:

By the Rev. A. Oveta Fuller, Ph.D.

Why has HIV infection led to a pandemic of HIV/AIDS and related disorders?  If stopping HIV transmission and slowing progression to AIDS so an AIDS-free generation becomes reality, what holds us back? What keeps us from getting to no new infections, no mother to child infection transfer and no HIV/AIDS stigma or discrimination?

James 2:26 says, “Faith, without works, is dead.” A paraphrase of this might state “What good is knowledge if what is known is not put to use?”  Proverbs 4:7 advises, “Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”

It is good to just know some things. For instance, it is good to know that the earth circles around the sun in a relative time span of 365 days- one year. It is good to know that the heavenly space holds millions of stars and galaxies besides the planet on which we dwell.

It is good to know, but better to understand the implication of these.

Because the earth circles around the sun in a repeated time span, we have the seasons of the year that come and go, dependably. In much of the northern hemisphere we apply knowledge of the seasons to plant in springtime, water in summer and, if we are blessed, take in a bountiful harvest in autumn.

We understand that of all the millions of stars and galaxies, so far, earth is unique in its life (as we know it) supporting features. Some of these features- water, an atmosphere of non-toxic gases, a life compatible temperature range, fundamental organic elements- are required to support physical life as we know. Therefore, it makes sense that each person is to protect the planet as the only known home that will sustain physical life.

Knowledge is good, but understanding is better!

If you have paid attention to world events or events in your neighborhood, you know that HIV/AIDS and other preventable diseases devastate individuals, families and communities. You know that many governments, other agencies and individuals continue to address, reduce and stop impact of preventable diseases. If you have been faithful in reading TCR and the Getting to Zero column, you understand that we have within our reach the possibility of reversing the spread of HIV infection and reducing its impact.

We can know and get our minds around some basic good news regarding possibilities in control of HIV/AIDS.

There is free and relatively easy access to HIV counseling and testing (VCT) that will determine if one has encountered the virus that can reproduce silently. When HIV is inside the body, it can slowly destroy immune defenses. This will happen whether we know the virus is present or not. It is better to know, so that one can act. There are several relatively easy ways to undergo VCT using either saliva or blood. Now that HIV presence can be detected, what holds back the understanding that testing in screening is necessary and the smart responsible action?

We know that a variety of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) are more widely accessible at a lower cost or free in some locations. With constant supervised medical care and correct usage, these can slow progression to AIDS related illness and death. We know that frequency of HIV transfer from mother to a newborn can be lowered to less than a 5% chance per birth with pre-natal care that includes testing and ARV therapy.

We have stopped most HIV transmission from blood transfusions and casual blood contact. We know that intravenous needles should not be shared. We know that sexually active persons can protect themselves from encountering HIV by at all times using any one of the ABCs of prevention.

We know that HIV will infect anyone it encounters regardless of their income, gender, ethnicity, race, geographical location or social status. We understand that those with lower, or no, reliable income can be impacted more by HIV because of less access to basic medical care and the supports to take control of HIV/AIDS. Economics have a profound impact on families who are affected if HIV infects a family member.

Now that we know, what do we do?

We know of concrete science-based evidence that use of multiple approaches (VCT, PMTCT, PrEP, TAP) in concerted long term sustained efforts can turn around new infection rates, lower appearance of new AIDS cases or stop deaths from AIDS-related complications.

Now that we know, what do we do?

What holds us back from putting in the needed efforts with current resources in effective initiatives to move towards zero?

The question was asked in the autumn 2012 class at Payne Theological Seminary, “What is one critical thing that the AMEC (or any individual or group) can do to contribute to moving towards zero?”

People of faith, members, officers, clergy, pastor leaders of the Church of Allen, now that you know, what is your answer? What is your answer, followers of Christ? We are followers of the One who said, “Go and do likewise,” to an attorney who seemed to earnestly seek an understanding.

Now is the time to act. Faith, without works, is dead.

Note: March 3-9, 2013 is The Balm in Gilead National Week of Prayer for the Healing of HIV/AIDS. 2013 Theme:  “The End of the AIDS Epidemic is in Sight with Prayer, Education, Testing and Treatment|. Register at http://nationalweekofprayerforthehealingofaids.org/

We are setting up a broad HIV testing campaign in the 17^th Episcopal District and maybe the Connection. If TCR readers have feedback on the G20 column contents, please share with Dr. Oveta Fuller: fullerao@umich.edu.

22. CHURCH SCHOOL LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 3, 2013: ‘DANIEL’S VISION OF CHANGE’ (DANIEL 7:9-14):

*Brother Bill Dickens

Basic Need

The AME Adult Church School will be looking at the life of Daniel for the next three lessons.  Daniel was not just a major prophet; he was courage incarnate in the midst of adversity.  The March 3, 2013 lesson demonstrates that even when circumstances look grim and hopeless, believers in Christ need to remain hopeful.  Our witness should always be:  Hope Springs Eternal!  The prophet Daniel provides an exemplary example about how hope in the right source will bring change, order and calm to a chaotic situation.

Basic Lesson

Our lesson captures one of the great apocalyptic descriptions recorded in Holy Writ.  Daniel has correctly interpreted King Belshazzar’s demise (handwriting on the wall) in Chapter 5 and survived the Lion’s Den ordeal and character assassination efforts of jealous colleagues in Chapter 6.  Chapter 7 describes a vision consisting of 6 key symbols: Four Beasts representing the   soon-to-be defeated four empire-nations Babylon, Media, Persia and Greece (v 10-12), the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man.  The Jews endured deep and long suffering during their post-exilic captivity.  The psalmist captures this period of hopelessness and despair by asking the question ‘How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” (Psalm 137:4).  The answer is found in the hope represented by the Ancient of Days and Son of Man.  The Ancient of Days symbolizes the eternal rule of God the Father (v 9).  The Son of Man is the apocalyptic vision of Jesus bringing hope, justice and peace to a dysfunctional world through his ministry of reconciliation (v 13-14).  Yes, we can give God glory that hope indeed springs eternal!

Basic Application

To paraphrase a popular quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the true test of a person’s character is not measured during times of comfort and ease but during conflict and adversity.  Daniel’s vision in Chapter 7 teaches us that if we keep our hope anchored in the Lord we too will be delivered during difficult times.  This is why we sing the great hymn ‘My Hope is Built” because this provides us with comfort about the eternal stability of God’s love and care.  As AMEs we know a lot about hope.  I am AME because I believe in HOPE.  HOPE for me is not only an important theological concept it is an acronym for the four important components that define our Zion – History, Organization, People and Education.  Richard Allen’s vision of change in colonial American was based on HOPE.  With God’s help we too can be productive agents of change by allowing hope to permeate throughout our Kingdom-building activities.  As the Nike slogan correctly states, ‘Just Do It.”

*Brother Bill Dickens is currently the Church School Teacher of Bible Class Number 2 for Allen AME Church in Tacoma, Washington.  He has served as a local Church School Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent for the Tallahassee District of the AME Church.  He is currently a member of the Fellowship of Church Educators for the AME Church.

23. MEDITATION BASED ON DANIEL 3:1-27:

*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby

Like many families in this health conscious age, those of us in the Darby family try to be careful about what we eat and to opt for healthy foods.  That means things like choosing whole wheat bread instead of white bread and fresh fruit and vegetables instead of their canned counterparts.  That desire to “eat healthy” has given me an appreciation for something that we often take for granted - refrigeration.

Whole wheat bread and fresh fruits and veggies are great and flavorful, but they tend to “spoil” more quickly than their chemically processed counterparts.  Nothing is so detrimental to a snack than to pick up a piece of fruit and find that it’s too soft or too juicy or to grab a couple of slices of whole wheat bread for a sandwich, only to find that they’re green instead of brown!

Putting easily perishable food in the refrigerator fixes that problem.  The cold air in the fridge slows the growth of mold and bacteria and keeps fresh foods fresh longer.  Refrigeration isn’t exactly new technology, but it’s a great option for preserving food that stays fresh longer if it’s kept cool.

God’s Holy Spirit does for our lives what refrigeration does for fresh and easily perishable food items.  The demands, stresses and strains of life often try our patience, hinder our well-being, play havoc with our peace of mind and sometimes leave all of us feeling spiritually stale, moldy and burned out. 

When we have the faith, however, look to and trust in the Lord and let His Holy Spirit adjust our spiritual thermostats, He’ll preserve our well-being in a demanding world, regulate our lives in ways that enable us to find new hope, new peace of mind and new possibilities and enable us to keep our cool in the midst of life’s hot times.

Life gets hot for all of us sooner or later, but when the Spirit of the Living God anoints and guides us, we can keep our cool and expect new blessings come what may.  We’ll do so knowing that the God we serve may not save us from life’s hot times, but that God will always be with us - even in life’s hot times.

If you are in the Charleston, South Carolina area, join us on the first Sunday in March for Church School at 8:45 a.m. and for worship and Holy Communion at 10 a.m.  The Combined Choir, Gospel Choir and Morris Brown Mass Choir will offer praise.

Sunday’s Scripture Lessons are:

Psalm 34:1-8

I Corinthians 5:6-8

John 6:25-35

Sunday’s Sermon is:

Are You Ready For Your Bread?”

*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby is the pastor of Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina

24. CLERGY FAMILY CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS:

-- The Rev. Dr. Erika D. Crawford graduated on February 1, 2013 from The Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education at Fordham University with a Doctor of Ministry

The Rev. Erika D. Crawford graduated on February 1, 2013 from The Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education at Fordham University with a Doctor of Ministry with a concentration in Pastoral Care. Rev. Crawford's Doctoral Project was titled "Serving Them is Killing Me: Using Technology as a Vehicle for Self-Care for Bi-Vocational Pastors in The Black Church." Rev. Crawford is the Pastor of Ebenezer AME Church in Rahway, NJ and 3rd Vice President of the Connectional AME Women in Ministry.

Congratulations can be sent to PastorEDCrawford@gmail.com.

The Office of Ebenezer AME Church

253 Central Avenue

P.O. Box 1081

Rahway, NJ 07065

Telephone: 732-382-0541

FAX: 732-587-6178

The Rev. Dr. Erika D. Crawford, Pastor

-- The Reverend Dr. Michael W. Waters appointed Chair of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center Board by the Dallas City Council

The Reverend Dr. Michael W. Waters, founder and Senior Pastor of Joy Tabernacle A.M.E. Church in Dallas, Texas, has been appointed Chair of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center Board by the Dallas City Council effective February 13, 2013. Dr. Waters was nominated as Chair by Dallas Mayor Michael S. Rawlings. More than 300,000 Dallas citizens receive services from the MLK Center every year. The Center is located on a 10.5 acre campus in five free-standing buildings. Each building provides a variety of services with more than 25 affiliate agencies operating within the Center, including the MLK Family Clinic, Senior Citizens Program, Community Technology Center, Emergency Social Services Unit, Recreation Center, and the South Dallas/ Fair Park Trust Fund. The Center serves as a polling site in all elections, frequently hosts job fairs, is used for recruitment by the military, colleges, and universities, and serves as a meeting place to many civic, social, educational, fraternal and community groups as well as local businesses. The MLK Board also coordinates the City of Dallas' annual Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration and Parade, Juneteenth Celebration, Hispanic Heritage Month, and other special events.

Congratulatory remarks may be sent to:

pastor.mike@joytabernacleame.org.

The Rev. Dr. Michael W. Waters

Founder and Senior Pastor, Joy Tabernacle AME Church

Joy Tabernacle AME Church

3203 Holmes Street

Dallas, TX 75215

Telephone: (214) 565-8975

www.joytabernacleame.org

25. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

Please remember in your prayers the family of Gloria Dean Jackson, mother of the Rev. Dr. Benjamin N. Thomas, Sr. Senior Pastor of Historic Tanner Chapel AME Church IN Phoenix, Arizona and the Mother In Love of Mrs. Beverly Thomas, Fifth Episcopal WMS President, Grandmother of the Rev. Benjamin N. Thomas, Jr. and Mrs. Tamara Thomas, Great-Granddaughter Samara Jean Thomas, thank our entire Church family for all of your acts of kindness.

Mrs. Gloria Dean Jackson's Homegoing Celebration was held Saturday, February 23, 2013 In Kansas City, Missouri.

You may send condolences:

benjaminthomas@tannerchapel.org.

26. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We are saddened to announce the passing of Sister Willie Lee Lamar Bivens, the mother of the Reverend Albert Bivens, Jr., Pastor of Bethel AMEC in Bellville, Florida.

The funeral service is scheduled for Saturday, March 2, 2013 - 12 noon at Bethel AMEC in Monticello, Florida; the Reverend Helen Johnson-Robinson, pastor.

27. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We are saddened to share news of the passing of Reverend Benjamin Booker, Presiding Elder Emeritus, 13^th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.  The Reverend Benjamin Booker served as a pastor and Presiding Elder in the 13^th Episcopal District for more than forty years. He and his wife, his partner in ministry, Mrs. Nell Harvey Booker, past Corresponding Secretary of the Connectional Women’s Missionary Society, served throughout the states of Tennessee and Kentucky.

Arrangements are pending.

Expressions of sympathy may be emailed to:

Mrs. Nell Harvey Booker, nbooker96@aol.com

28. 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

Blog: http://ameccfic.blogspot.com/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMEC_CFIC  

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-AME-Church-Clergy-Family-Information-Center/167202414220  

29.  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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