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
April is National Health Disparities Month
Mother’s Day: May 11, 2014
Pentecost Sunday: June 8, 2014
-- STATEMENT FROM
THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER:
Dr.
Calvin H. Sydnor III
The
20th Editor of The Christian
Recorder
I
am blessed in having been elected to be the Editor of The Christian Recorder.
This
ministry is, and has been, a blessing to me and my family. I feel as if I am at the heartbeat of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church. The feedback I get from across our Zion is
awesome, which allows me to address some of the issues of our great
denomination; and I hope that I am doing that appropriately.
I
am privileged to hear from constituents across the Church; here in the United
States and Abroad.
I
suspect that some people, both clergy and laity, feel more comfortable and less
threatened expressing themselves to me, the editor of The Christian Recorder, than they would to the hierarchy of the
church. I want people to feel comfortable expressing themselves in this forum
and that’s why we created the op-ed section and “I Ask” penned by retired
Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry; and of course we have always encouraged letters to
the editor and article submissions. We want articles that address all sides of
issues concerning the AME Church.
The
editorials each week are not from things I “pull from the sky,” but are the
results of messages, telephone calls and conversations with AME parishioners,
persons seeking to learn more about African Methodism, former AMEs, disgruntled
AMEs, FaceBook postings, news articles and periodicals, other denominations’
resources, pastors, presiding elders and bishops.
I
am constantly looking for editorial resources and as a result, there is no
“casual conversation” when people are conversing with me. I am always on the
lookout for editorial content as pastors and preachers are looking for sermon
materials.
So,
I am again soliciting clergy and laity to write op-eds (Opposing-Editorials)
and articles. If you have a question concerning our Zion, the local and
connectional church, or questions about doctrine, polity or issues in the local
church, please feel free to send me a message chsydnor@bellsouth.net
and I will forward your question to Bishop Guidry.
The Christian
Recorder
is your newspaper and we want to address the issues that are important to
you. And, like The New York Times, we, The
Christian Recorder, print “All the News that’s fit to print.”
We have been doing
it for a long time
Adolph
S. Ochs, the owner of The New York Times,
created the famous slogan "All the
News That's Fit to Print” in 1897 and it appears on the masthead of that
newspaper today.
The Christian
Recorder
has been printing "all the news
that's fit to print" since 1852. We have a rich history. We stood head
and shoulders above the best and, in America, we stood strong against slavery
and we were staunch supporters of the Civil Rights movement and other equal
rights issues; and on the continent of Africa, we were strong opponents of
apartheid and colonialism. We have stood firm in opposition of discrimination
and inequality.
A rich history
The
African Methodist Episcopal Church has a rich history! Our episcopacy and various
departments of the AME church have a rich history. Our academic institutions
have a rich history!
The
AME Church has produced outstanding private and public servants who have made
significant contributions in the United States and abroad. Our denomination has
"birthed" freedom fighters, educators, scientists, medical doctors,
lawyers, judges, clergypersons, theologians, academicians, homileticians,
business leaders and the list can go on and on.
All of us…
All
of us, from the episcopacy to the parishioners in the pew, and every person,
clergy and laity have the responsibility to be guardians of our legacy and not
let anyone disparage or neglect the great calling and legacy of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church. All of us who call ourselves the sons and daughters
of Richard and Sarah Allen must be committed to being stalwarts of the faith
and defenders of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
We
can be creative, but we must not abandon the religious foundations set forth by
our founder, Richard Allen, and the mothers and fathers of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church.
1. TCR EDITORIAL – BRANDING IS IMPORTANT:
Dr.
Calvin H. Sydnor III
The
20th Editor of The Christian
Recorder
Branding
sustains organizations and businesses closely guard their brands or trademarks.
A company or business does not permit other entities to infringe upon their
brand. Companies have been sued for brand infringements.
It
seems to me that many of us are not only allowing others to infringe upon our
AME brand, but some pastors are not faithful to the AME brand and are throwing
away the AME brand.
I
was asked a two-fold question several weeks ago. What is Methodist worship? What is AME
worship?
Methodist worship
brand
We
visited our dear friend, Catherine Myrick and her son, Todd in Georgia on the
weekend of Palm Sunday and they attend St. James United Methodist Church in
Alpharetta, Georgia. We were invited to
attend their church.
When
Catherine moved to Alpharetta, St. James was a small wooden structure, but in
the last decade, St. James United Methodist Church has grown from approximately
100 members to over 2000 members. The church currently has more than 30
ministries, two worship services, two corporate Bible studies, and weekly
concentrated areas of study for men, women, youth, children, seniors, singles
and married couples.
We
had to scramble for a parking space in the large parking area. When we arrived,
the large sanctuary was almost full, so we had to sit up towards the front of
the sanctuary; the pews in the back were already taken.
The
parishioners and choir were in the midst of “high praise.” The church was
“rocking” and the sanctuary was full of young adults, young people and some old
folks.
St.
James didn’t have a traditional bulletin, just a brochure with some
announcements. The church made extensive use of technology by flashing the
hymns, and scriptures on the screens mounted on the walls in the front of
the church. The announcements were professionally flashed on the video screens
and a voice quickly shared the announcements. The worship continued to “rock,
and even roll!”
But
in the midst of all the high praise, the Methodist liturgy was present. The
call to worship, the opening hymn, the prayer, the scripture lessons, the
Apostles Creed, the Offertory, altar call; and at several points, mention was
made of the connectional United Methodist Church programs.
The
service was a high praise and the Spirit was high and formal liturgical acts in
worship complimented the high praise. The “old school” and the contemporary
blended together nicely.
The
pastor preached a dynamic theologically sound sermon too!
The
worship remained faithful to its United Methodist brand.
When
we departed the church with its high praise from beginning to end, I knew that
I had been in a Methodist worship service; albeit a contemporary United
Methodist worship. The old remained in place, but contemporary liturgical
movements were added to the worship experience.
The AME worship
brand
The
AME Church has a distinct brand and people who have been in AME churches know
the AME brand.
The AME brand
The
African Methodist Episcopal Church has a brand. The Cross and Anvil together is
a visible brand of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Many church people,
if shown a Cross and Anvil will think of the AME Church. We have had the Cross
and Anvil as a brand for a number of years. “The Cross and Anvil” is a
registered trademark and its use is supervised by the AMEC Sunday School Union.
The
AME Church has a brand, but unfortunately some of our leaders, both clergy and
laity have little or no understanding or appreciation of our brand. It seems
that some members of our Zion, unthinkingly, are quick to discard our brand.
More than the Cross
and Anvil
The
AME Church brand is more than the Cross and Anvil, the AME brand is the
character, worship, liturgy, spiritual, ethical and moral fiber of our denomination.
Our brand helps to define how we are perceived by those outside of the AME
Church and strengthens the connection to our constituency within the AME
Church.
Strategically,
branding should be one of our most effective evangelism tools.
We have a worship
brand
The
most visible and recurring brand of our Zion should be observable week after
week in our worship services. Worshippers and visitors should be able to
recognize our brand the moment they enter the sanctuary.
For
example, as a sacramental church the altar, chancel rail and the pulpit should
make any member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church feel at home, but the
altar, chancel rail and pulpit could easily be observed in United Methodist,
Presbyterian, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, or any other sacramental church. The
altar, chancel rail, and pulpit are the brands for a number of churches, but
it’s our brand too. If the altar, chancel rail or pulpit is removed from the
sanctuary, a visual branding symbol is eliminated.
In
many of our churches the choir processional and recessional were unique
representation of the AME brand. Folks wanted to get to church on time in order
to observe the preachers and choir process into the pulpit and the choir loft.
Some of our churches have lost that AME branding and choir members just amble
to the choir stand, chatting with each other as they meander to their seats. No
drama, no decorum, just “let’s get this thing started and get it over with.”
AME Liturgical
brand
At
the point in the worship service when the pastor stands behind the pulpit and
announces the Doxology and invites the congregation to sing, "Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow,"
it is at that point a worshiper, might know that he or she is in an AME worship
service because the Doxology at the beginning of worship is part of the AME
brand.
And
following the Doxology, the pastor intones, "I was glad when they said unto me…" And, at that point, an AME
worshiper would definitely know that he or she is in an AME worship service
because the brand of the Doxology at the beginning of the worship service would
have been reinforced by the AME Call to Worship. Of course, other calls to
worship are permitted, but I am addressing “AME branding.”
The
prayer or invocation is not just a brand of the AME Church, because prayer is a
brand of all Christian churches, but the prayer before the Scripture is
Methodism. In Methodism we have the prayer before the Scripture because we
invoke God’s presence before the reading of the Word of God; and that’s the
reason we pray before reading the scripture.
And,
following the Scripture, if the worship and ritual of the AME Church is
followed, the Preface Hymn to the Decalogue is sung; and at that point, an AME
worshiper would know for sure that he or she is in an AME worship service
because the Preface Hymn to the Decalogue and the Decalogue are uniquely AME,
which makes it our brand.
The Decalogue is our AME
brand!
- To be continued in the next issue
Editor’s
Comment: We welcome an op-ed on this subject.
2. READER RESPONSE TO EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES:
-- To the Editor:
RE:
Easter Message from the Council of Bishops
I
trust all is well with you and yours.
I
write to express my gratitude for the periodical communiqué of the Council of
Bishops, through that Bishop Jeffrey N. Leath, the Acting President. The
Christian Recorder Online is an important instrument to transmit them to us.
Popping up as breaking news, it brings encouragement and inspires one to look
forward to doing ministry of the Gospel of Christ (Rev. Dr. Lee P. Washington,
at Reid Temple, preached on "Breaking News" this Easter Sunday). One
feels the company of the Church Fathers and Mothers in the trenches. Thanks to
Bishop Leath.
Warm
and kind regards.
The
Rev. Teboho G. Klaas
-- To the Editor:
Re:
NEWSBREAK - TCR
I
thank God for being a subscriber to The Christian Recorder.
Now,
I know A.M.E. Church better than before.
The
Rev. Willard Machiwenyika
20th
Episcopal District
North
East Zimbabwe Conference
Presiding
Elder District Mutare
Rumbidzai
(Praise) Temple AME Church
-- To the Editor:
RE:
The Christian Recorder News Break – An Easter Prayer for Pastors
I
am grateful for the boldness and honesty of the author and pray that pastors
and preachers will preach the simple gospel on Easter Sunday. God is love and
after receiving the sacrificial love of Jesus, we have a mandate to change.
Resurrection
blessings to you and my AME Church family.
Peace!
The
Rev. Velma E Grant
3. AME-SADA WORSHIP SUNDAY - MAY 18, 2014 – THE CONNECTIONAL DAY OF FUNDRAISING
FOR AME-SADA:
The
AME Church Service and Development Agency, Inc. (AME SADA) is a 501c 3
corporation created by the AME Church 37 years ago.
AME-SADA
is embarking on an annual fundraising campaign scheduled for May 18, 2014: AME-SADA Worship Sunday. The action of an AME-SADA Worship Sunday was approved by the General Board and
Council of Bishops at the June 2013 meeting in Kingston, Jamaica.
The
world is in economic crises and many of our sisters and brothers around the
world are experiencing extreme economic and health issues and the AME-SADA
staff continues to multiply its efforts to raise funds from outside of the AME
Church and has provided services to thousands of people, but more funds are
needed.
In
order to help to strengthen and expand its work and outreach, AME SADA is
requesting assistance from the connectional church in building a funding base
of unrestricted non-government money, which will allow AME-SADA to continue to
deliver support and clinical services to the nation of Haiti, continue the
rebuilding and renewal of the Wilberforce Community College in South Africa,
and to support the work of International Development and assist in many other
countries where our AME sisters and brothers live and worship.
We
are requesting all Church congregations in all episcopal districts to celebrate
AME-SADA Sunday as a time to focus
and reflect on the work and the mission of AME-SADA. We are asking AME congregations to give
generously in a special offering for the support of current projects in Haiti
and South Africa. AME-SADA is committed to expanding its assistance to our
brothers and sisters in West, Central and Southern Africa; and throughout the
Caribbean.
Individual
donations can be made directly on the AME-SADA website: http://www.ame-sada.org/ and each donor
will be able to indicate his/her home district and organization. Alternatively, the funds can be collected
through the Episcopal District Offices are encouraged to collect funds and send
checks to AME-SADA, 1134 11th
Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001.
An information fact sheet is enclosed.
Faithfully
yours,
Robert
Nicolas, Executive Director
Bishop
McKinley Young, Chair
About AME-SADA
The
African Methodist Episcopal Church Service and Development Agency, Inc.,
(AME-SADA) is committed to its mission of “Helping People Help Themselves.”
AME-SADA
is the international humanitarian relief and development agency of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church and currently works in Africa and the Caribbean.
Founded
in 1977, AME-SADA grew out of the collective efforts of several primary
individuals including, Bishop John Hurst Adams, Bishop Frederick C. James, the
Reverend Lonnie Johnson, Mrs. Wilburn Boddie, Dr. Joseph C. McKinney, with
critical support from Bishop Donald G. K. Ming, as they sought to strengthen
the mission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the lives of people in
Africa and the Caribbean. Hence,
AME-SADA was created to coordinate and administer international development and
relief projects outside of the United States.
AME-SADA works in collaboration with grassroots communities to institute
programs in education, health care and economic development to encourage people
in Africa and the Caribbean to actively participate in the economic life and
development of their communities and nations.
AME-SADA’s Work
Responding
to local conditions and needs, AME-SADA seeks to enhance the activities of the
local population and provide appropriate additional assistance and resources in
the areas of health, education and micro-credit. AME-SADA uses both formal and informal
methods to encourage people to review the manner in which they lead their lives
and make the best possible decisions for their own futures.
Programming in
Haiti
Since
starting with a life saving vaccination program in the Arcahaie and Cabaret
regions of Haiti in 1987, AME-SADA has developed a comprehensive program of activities
in Haiti that moves beyond relief efforts to address the fundamental
impediments to self-improvement.
Child and Maternal
Health Program
AME-SADA
provides comprehensive pre/postnatal health care to women aged 15-49, newborn
care, vaccination of children under 5 years against infectious diseases,
comprehensive treatment of diarrheal diseases, nutritional recuperation for
malnourished children, family planning and counseling, TB treatment, HIV/AIDS
and STD education, counseling and treatment, home/community visits by health
workers and traditional birth attendants through its 8 fixed site outpatient
clinics. Currently, AME-SADA has over 60
staff members, 125 Health Agents and more than 400 Traditional Birth Attendants
providing health and other services to a population of over 400,000 individuals
in the Western Department of Haiti.
Maternal and Child Health Care Services
Bercy
Transitional and Treatment Facility for At-Risk Pregnant Women with support
from private donors AME-SADA has begun to focus on the needs of at-risk
pregnant women residing in Arcahaie and Cabaret, isolated mountainous regions
of Haiti. Design work has started on a new treatment facility for these
patients with special needs. In the meantime
they are being treated in the Pont Matheux facility.
AME-SADA Orphans
and Vulnerable Children Support Project
Occasionally,
Haiti clinic staff identifies cases which require financial support. Haiti and Washington staffs have opened a
modest fund to address these cases and are now seeking outside resources to
help maintain it. Some of these cases
require specialized medical attention and other assistance.
School Health
Program
AME-SADA
provides targeted health care services to 30,000 elementary school children
from some of the poorest neighborhoods in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.
SADA KREDI
SADA-KREDI
is a micro-credit program providing guidance and promotion of rural and urban
income generating activities and micro–loans of up to $500 to as many as 2000
participants.
SADA
KREDI Micro Credit Group Meeting
Emergency Care
The
effects of the Earthquake of January 12, 2010 continue to impact several
hundred thousand people still in temporary shelters. Employment, food shelter, transportation and
health care are still a challenge for many of these victims. The aftermath of the earthquake included the
several waves of an ongoing cholera epidemic which have touched nearly every
part of the country. AME-SADA continues to provide critical health care and
humanitarian assistance to the victims of theses disasters.
Programming in
South Africa
Wilberforce
Institute, founded by the AME Church, is one of the oldest institutions of
higher education for Blacks in South Africa.
The AMEC chose to close the Institute during the time of enforcement of
the apartheid policies of Bantu Education rather than be forced to cooperate
with the laws of the regime at that time.
With the dismantling of the apartheid laws, the AMEC decided to reopen
Wilberforce and AME-SADA was called upon to assist in this endeavor.
Wilberforce reopened under the name, Wilberforce Community College (WCC),
keeping the original campus, renovating its buildings and undertaking a
modernization program to serve the people of South Africa.
The
United States Agency for International Development/ American Schools and
Hospitals Abroad awarded a total of five grants to AME-SADA for new
construction at WCC. These grants
included funding for the Multipurpose Educational Facility with classrooms,
library and administration areas which was dedicated in 2000. The Distance
Learning Center construction project included an electronic classroom, video
conferencing and a resource center.
Faculty Housing was also funded by this grant and all were dedicated in
2003. Dormitory Facilities for male and
female students were constructed with the third grant and dedicated in
2007. Most recently, grants for the
Dining Hall and Students’ Community Center were awarded. Construction has been
completed and the facilities are in use.
The formal dedications of both these new facilities are expected in the
near future. In addition to the grants
provided by USAID/ASHA, counterpart funding for these several buildings was
provided primarily by the AME-Church and its supporters.
Students’/Community
Center at Wilberforce Community College
Founders’ Awards
Gala
AME-SADA
is grateful to the many supporters of its Founders’ Awards Gala regularly held
in the fall of the year. The Gala, which is a major fund raising event,
continues to be a success due to the unstinting generosity and untiring work of
our Chairman, Bishop McKinley Young and our many friends. The most recent Gala held in November 2012,
featured the Founders’ Reception, and Awards Banquet, a fashion show
highlighting new designers as well as an Art and Crafts Sale.
Board of Directors
Bishop
McKinley Young, Chairman
Bishop
Adam J. Richardson, Vice Chairman
Mr.
Richard Lewis, Treasurer
Dr.
Paulette Coleman, Secretary
Bishop
Wilfred J. Messiah
Bishop
Paul J. M. Kawimbe
Bishop
David R. Daniels
Bishop
John Franklin White
Bishop
Clement W. Fugh
Bishop
Reginald T. Jackson
Mrs.
Wilburn Boddie
Mr.
Anthony Grant
Dr.
Jeanne Maddox Toungara
Ex-Officio
Mrs.
Shirley Cason-Reed
Dr.
George F. Flowers
Mr.
Robert Nicolas
Support
for AME-SADA comes from the AME Church, charitable foundations, corporations,
other private organizations, the United States Government, international
agencies, foreign institutions and thousands of persons committed to AME-SADA’s
vision for a better World. AME-SADA
depends on contributions to carry out its essential work in Africa and the
Caribbean.
To
make a contribution or to obtain more information about gift options, please
contact AME-SADA.
AME-SADA
is a charitable institution under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue
Code.
AME-SADA
Headquarters is located at 1134 11th Street, NW, Washington, D.C.
20001
Dr.
Robert Nicolas is the Executive Director
Email:
rnicolasamesada@gmail.com
Telephone:
(202) 371-8722
Fax
(202) 371-0981
Website:
www.ame-sada.org
4. AME CHAPLAIN
PROVIDES MINISTRY IN AFGHANISTAN:
The
African Methodist Episcopal Church endorsed U.S. Army, Active Duty Chaplain
(Captain) Samuel D. Siebo of the 7th Episcopal District, is the only AME
chaplain currently Serving in Afghanistan among over 100 U.S. Army Chaplain
present in Afghanistan.
Chaplain
(CPT) Siebo deployed to Afghanistan in late December of 2013; he took over the
Gospel Service at Camp Marmal, which had between 21 parishioners in attendance
on Sundays. Under Chaplain Siebo’s leadership, the Gospel Service has out-grown
the chapel space, making it feasible for Chaplain Siebo to schedule Sunday
evening worship services for the Gospel Service participants; that session has
also outgrown the chapel space.
Chaplain
Siebo established a Wednesday evening Bible Study and Friday evening prayer
meeting to meet the spiritual resiliency needs of the soldiers, Department of
Defense Civilians and U.S. contractors in the Area of Operation.
The
Gospel service under Chaplain Siebo’s leadership has established a Gospel
Choir, Praise and Mime Dance teams.
The
Gospel Service brought together over 200 Soldiers and civilians from across
Camp Marmal International Community in a Grand Easter Gospel Musical Cantata
and Worship Service, on Sunday, April 20, 2014. Because of the number of
people, the Easter service could not be held at the chapel; instead, the
service was moved to the largest Tent on the Forward Operating Base (FOB).
The
2000 hours (8 p.m.) Gospel Service will now be held in the large tent due to
the size of the congregation.
To
God be the glory, great things he hath done!
V/R
CH
(CPT) (OF-2) Samuel D. Siebo
1-41IN
BN, UMT OIC
Camp
Marmal, AFG
Email:
samuel.siebo@afghan.swa.army.mil
TCR Editor’s Note: Please feel free to drop Chaplain Siebo an email message. I
know he would be happy to hear from you. Hostile fire zones are lonely places.
5. A BLESSED
RESURRECTION DAY:
*Sistah
"Jackie" Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker
On
Easter Sunday 2014, we rejoiced in Jesus Christ's glorious Resurrection; the
most important event in all of history for Christians and the world.
Last
week at my church, Ward AME in Los Angeles, began the celebrations with a beautiful
6 a.m. sunrise service of remembrance and re-dedication. Immediately after the service, the Stewards
prepared and served a delicious hot breakfast. It was a full-California-style
breakfast, not a continental breakfast.
Following
the breakfast, the Church School teachers or gave a refresher course on the
meaning of Easter.
Afterwards,
the parishioners who had not risen early joined us for worship services with
Pastor Taurus Myhand serving up
soul-stirring preaching of the Good News.
I
capped my day delivering Easter lilies to some members who are on our church's
Prayer List for healing and restoration.
The day was an opportunity of reflection of the Resurrection of Jesus
Christ and I joined with Christians across our Zion in giving thanks for Jesus'
death, burial, and resurrection.
Just
as Jesus died and was raised from the dead, we, who are baptized into Christ,
receive new lives, free from the effects of sin and the power of death.
I
hope you took time on Easter Sunday to consider the profound realities of the
Resurrection, and what Jesus Christ's sacrifice meant to you.
In
our calling to advocacy... speaking for the voiceless and the timid... there is
no shortage of work for us to do.
Together let's continue to give thanks for Jesus’ sacrifice with our
renewed commitment to making a difference.
I
wish you and your love circle had a blessed post-Resurrection Day!
*Sistah
"Jackie" Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker is the Director of the AMEC Social
Action Commission
6. DR. MICKARL D.
THOMAS, SR. RETURNS AS PASTOR OF EBENEZER AME – DETROIT:
Forty
five years after Mickarl D. Thomas received the call to ministry at his home
church, Ebenezer AME in Detroit; Bishop John R. Bryant appointed this seasoned
minister as Pastor of the Historic Ebenezer AME Church. The appointment was made at the 4th District
Mid-Year Conference in March, 2014.
Pastor
Thomas, a graduate of Wayne State University in Detroit received his formal
training at Turner Theological Seminary, and was conferred his Doctor of Ministry
Degree by Boston University School of Theology, along with a Masters Degree in
Public Administration from Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.
He
has held pastoral assignments at Allen Temple AME in Columbus, Georgia; Mt.
Zion AME in Norristown, Pa; Charles Street AME in Boston, Massachusetts; Mt.
Pisgah AME in Philadelphia, PA; Grant Memorial AME in Chicago, IL; and Vernon
Chapel AME in Flint, MI. His return to
Ebenezer (where he was admitted to the Michigan Annual Conference in 1969 and
held his first assignment as Youth Pastor) is indeed an honor and a challenge
Dr. Thomas is more than ready to address.
Throughout
his pastoral career, Dr. Thomas has proven to be an energetic and spirit filled
shepherd showing leadership and compassion for kingdom building. Churches under
his leadership developed consistent worship attendance, growth in church
organizations, ministries, WMS engagement, lay activities, presence of an
active and vibrant Sunday school, openness and transparency about financial
affairs of the church and a commitment
to Doctrines and Discipline of the AME Church.
Pastor
Thomas is passionate about outreach ministries such as early childhood education,
mental health, community and social justice and empowerment, elder care, youth
activities, addictions and prison ministries. “These are concerns that make the
difference on how outsiders come to God. People see the power, glory, grace and
mercy of the Lord by the way the church reacts to their everyday needs. With 149 years of service, we have had
periods of growth, prosperity, recession, depression, and recovery –
ecclesiastically and financially.
Ebenezer is now in the recovery mode and God is preparing us for
greatness. We are a Christ centered
church, utilizing Divine power to encourage and maximize a quality of life for
humanity states Pastor Thomas. “As we
grow in spirit, well being, worship and knowledge, our vision is to form
collaborations with other entities to enhance personal development and the
beautification of the church and its presence in our community.”
Dr.
Thomas is married to Mrs. C. Ann Pettigrew Thomas, who enhances and supports
her husband’s vision. In addition to
being advisor to Ebenezer’s Grant Women’s Missionary Society, she serves on the
CONN-M-SWAWO as Recording Secretary for the Ministers Spouses Organization. She
is a graduate of University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and a member of Alpha
Kappa Alpha Sorority. Pastor Thomas
views Ebenezer as his Ecclesiastical Mother.
He stated, “Whenever a mother is ill, it’s only proper to return and
take care of Mama”. Following in the footsteps of his “father in the Ministry,”
the Rev. Dr. Fred E. Stephens (the pastor who assigned him youth pastor at
Ebenezer 45-years ago).
Dr.
Thomas is a life member of Kappa
Alpha
Psi Fraternity, Inc.
7. AME PASTOR
RECEIVES CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP AWARD:
The
Rev. Brainard Crawford received the prestigious Certificate of Excellence and
the Robert E. Knox Leadership Institute Award from the Georgia Municipal
Association (GMA) and the University of Georgia (UGA). The Rev. Crawford has
served as a councilperson for the City of Tennille, Georgia for 25 years. The
Rev. Crawford also serves as the associate pastor of New Tennille AME Church in
Tennille.
The
Rev. Joel L. Hills, the pastor of New Tennille AME Church of the Wrens /
Vidalia District of the Augusta, Georgia Annual Conference, presented the
certificates to the Rev. Crawford. In presenting the awards to the Rev.
Crawford, the Rev. Hills commended the Rev. Crawford for a job well-done in the
community as well as serving the New Tennille AME Church as the associate
pastor and a volunteer chaplain for the Washington County Regional Medical
Center in Sandersville, Georgia.
8. AN APPRECIATION
EVENING FOR REVEREND ALAN H. AND DR. GLORIA WICKER:
By
Alphonso B. Varner
With
the Macon Georgia Annual Conference on the horizon, the clergy and laity wanted
to show their profound appreciation to their spiritual leaders of the Macon
District in the Macon Georgia Conference,
the Reverend Alan Hale Wicker, Presiding Elder and The Reverend Dr.
Gloria Wicker, First Lady of the District.
The
Reverend Ernest Gordon, the innovative pastor of Greater Turner Tabernacle AME
Church in Macon, Georgia spearheaded the leadership in working out the
logistics in coordinating this wonderful occasion by contacting pastors and lay
leaders to convene at O' Charley's Restaurant in the vicinity of the Macon Mall
Friday, April 11, 2014 at 7:00 P.M.
The
group enjoyed a delicious meal of their own choosing. Pastor Gordon, the presiding leader, called
upon leaders of district components (WMS, YPD, Sons of Allen, and Lay Organization)
to give remarks and present gifts in an appreciation to the Wickers. The Rev. Nathaniel Holt made remarks on
behalf of the pastors and presented Presiding Elder Wicker a gift. Pastor Gordon then collected gifts from the
laity.
Dr. Gloria Wicker thanked the clergy and laity
for showing their appreciation to them in a marvelous way. Elder Alan Wicker likewise gave thanks to the
group for this wonderful occasion and the ministry they are doing in the District. He also gave information on the upcoming
Macon Georgia Annual Conference.
Everyone
departed this activity feeling good about their District spiritual leaders.
9. SURPRISES,
SURPRISES AND SURPRISES:
Dr.
Calvin H. Sydnor III
The
20th Editor of The Christian
Recorder
I
usually measure the size of annual conferences and presiding elder districts by
the number of subscriptions to The Christian Recorder because The Doctrine and Discipline of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church- 2012 on Page 719, Number 14 in the Disciplinary
Questions asks, “Have all the preachers subscribed to The Christian Recorder and also... I am assuming that the
Disciplinary Questions were asked and responded to in each annual conference. I
am surprised at how small some of our annual conferences and presiding elder
districts are.
Based
upon the notion that every pastor has to subscribe to The Christian Recorder…
I
was surprised to find out that the Albany/South Georgia District in the South
Georgia Conference has only seven churches based upon the 7 subscriptions to The Christian Recorder.
I
was also surprised to find out that the Augusta/Athens District in the Sixth Episcopal
District has only six churches based upon the 6 subscriptions to The Christian Recorder.
I
have also been surprised at how small some of the other annual conferences are.
A couple of years ago the West Kentucky Annual
Conference had only 6 churches based upon the subscriptions to The Christian Recorder.
I
did not know that we had presiding elder districts that small. How do they
support a presiding elder? How do those
districts support the annual conference budgets? Do we have other AME Church presiding
elder districts that small?
I
am surprised!
10. MUSICAL ICON
STEVIE WONDER ATTENDS “UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY” EVENT AT BROWN MEMORIAL AME
CHURCH:
(PASADENA,
CA) – Musical icon Stevie Wonder received a standing ovation as he entered the
church building of Brown Memorial AME Church in Pasadena California to
attend “Unity in the Community,” a
series hosted by Pastor LeSean Tarkington and his lovely wife, First Lady the
Rev. Johnetta Tarkington. The
informative and powerful series shares with attendees how to rebuild the
churches community presence.
Famed
musician Stevie Wonder was one of the special guests at this month’s
series. Wonder was also on-hand to
support his lovely daughter Aisha Morris, one of the special honorees at this
well-attended event.
Pastor
Tarkington is one of the youngest pastors in the City of Pasadena and is
serving in his second appointment at Brown Memorial AME Church in Pasadena
California. Since Tarkington’s
appointment, he has worked to rebrand the church’s presence in the community
and an increase of church membership. In addition to pastoring Tarkington works
in the entertainment industry as a chaplain to R&B artist Mindless
Behavior, and other notable artist, formally served two years on the Board of
Trustees at the Interdenominational Theological Seminary and was featured in
Ebony Magazine as one of the “Emerging Leaders Under 30.”
11. PERSONS
ORDAINED AT THE 2014 WASHINGTON ANNUAL CONFERENCE:
Itinerant Deacons:
The
Rev. James Busby
The
Rev. Andre Christian
The
Rev. Leslye Dwight
The
Rev. Kimberly Anne Giles
The
Rev. Ali Holness
The
Rev. Mark Jones
The
Rev. Erika D. Lewis
The
Rev. Fredrica Snead
The
Rev. Milwina Locklear—Re-Obligated
Itinerant Elders
The
Rev. Joseph Chandler
The
Rev. Gerald Folsom
The
Rev. Jennifer Gillyard
The
Rev. Belina Wimbush-Hale
The
Rev. Kini Spady
The
Rev. Russell St. Bernard
Local Deacons
Name, Church
The
Rev. Byron Warner, Star of Bethlehem AME Church
The
Rev. R. L. Petties, Ebenezer AME Church
The
Rev. W. E. Collier Jr., Jerusalem AME Church*
The
Rev. Gloria Bradley, Mt. Pisgah AME Church
The
Rev. Yvonne T. Davis, Allen Chapel AME Church
The
Rev. Doris C. Kitchings, Allen Chapel AME
Church
The
Rev. Robert Burnett, Ebenezer AME Church
*Will
be ordained in another annual conference - In hospital
12. NICHOLE
PHILLIPS: SHARING DISCOVERIES IN RELIGION AND RITUAL:
By
Kimber Williams, Emory Report, April 16, 2014
Candler
School of Theology Assistant Professor Nichole Phillips explores the power of
religious rituals to create social cohesion and dismantle barriers. Emory
Photo/Video.
Editor's
Note: In 2010, Emory was awarded a $2.4 million Humanistic Inquiry Program
(HIP) grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support a strengthening of
the humanities across the University, funding key faculty hires to blaze
interdisciplinary trails of humanistic inquiry. In this occasional series,
Emory Report catches up with current HIP Fellows to discuss their ongoing work.
Nichole
Phillips was on her way to medical school when she heard a different calling.
"I
had always been interested in religion, but medical school was my goal,"
recalled Phillips, an assistant professor of religion and human difference in
Emory's Candler School of Theology. "Taken together, I thought I would be
a more empathetic, compassionate physician."
So
she embraced them both: an undergraduate biochemistry major and religion minor
who was both president of her pre-med society and deeply involved in ministry
to black women through Ethos, a Wellesley College student organization for
women of African descent.
With
research interests that today span religion, psychology, African American
history and culture, as well as community and ritual studies, Phillips still
considers herself a scientist: "I'm both a social scientist of religion
and a practical theologian," she explains.
As
a Humanistic Inquiry Program (HIP) Fellow, a position supported through a grant
from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to strengthen the humanities and expand
interdisciplinary inquiry, Phillips is in her element — among a new generation
of humanities scholars with both deep training in the humanities and broad
training in other areas.
"I think it's wonderful," she says.
"Because I hold science and religion in tension, I've always been
interdisciplinary. I'm bringing sociology, anthropology and ethnography into
the conversation about the science of religion."
The power of
religious ritual
Intrigued
with religious studies, Phillips attended Harvard Divinity School for her first
master's degree, but medical school remained firmly in her sights.
"I
did it so I could be a more theologically formed physician," she recalls.
"I started with medical ethics and religion as a concentration."
"Being
able to critically engage the issues of prominence and relevance of the day, to
be able to impact thought in that way, I think that's what divinity school gave
me," Phillips says. "I got to dig deeper into the subjects that I
love — it was a life transforming experience."
For
her doctoral work, Phillips continued at Vanderbilt University's Graduate
Department of Religion, where she completed a MA in religion and a PhD in
religion, Psychology and Culture. Her dissertation showcased ethnographic
research on ritual, race, evangelical faith, and Southern civil religion in a
rural West Tennessee community.
She
arrived at Emory in 2012 as a postdoctoral fellow in the Practical Theology and
Religious Practices program at Candler, in collaboration with Emory's Graduate
Division of Religion, where her research explores the power of religious
rituals in creating social cohesion and dismantling the barriers that divide us,
among other areas of interest.
"I
use the social sciences as an analytical tool, but the actual humanistic
discipline is the study of religion," she explains. "I was hired to
teach community, congregational and ritual theory and methods — very much from
a cultural studies perspective."
Scholarship that
engages students
As
a result, Phillips' course listings span a rich spectrum of scholarship: Black
Religion and Black Consciousness; Rituals: Priestly and Prophetic Practices of
Congregations; and Redeeming Memories: Cultural Memory, Christian Witness, and
Social Genocide.
"We
deal with very real, contemporary issues and look for the answers religion and
theology brings to those perspectives," Phillips explained. "The
classes enable them to draw on their personal experiences and backgrounds. I
provide the tools for them to go out into the community and look for
answers."
So
for her class on "Trauma, Culture and Memories," students learn about
groups that have faced social genocide — from Holocaust survivors to Native
Americans — and consider the role theology plays in redeeming cultural trauma.
Her
course in "Ritual Theories," taught from a social scientific
perspective, examines the socially transformative nature of rituals. Elementary
ethnographic research led one of Phillips' students to return to her rural
North Carolina community in order to study the "welcome moment" at
her own church, a tradition that had long been in place, was removed by a new pastor
and then reinstated.
"She
came to understand it as an important part of the service, something that does
bond the church community," Phillips recalls. "It wasn't just form
and fashion; it was a chance for people to catch up. When you have social cohesion,
all kinds of things happen in that space."
In
her own research, Phillips continues to explore the role of rituals in
sacralizing public and private space. She is currently revising for publication
her doctoral dissertation, which examines what death rituals disclose about
Southern Christianity, race and politics in a rural West Tennessee community.
And
she's settling into a teaching role that has already presented surprising
rewards.
"I
think it's coming together for me now," Phillips says. "I've realized
that I really love teaching, that engagement with students. They ask a million
questions and you wonder if you have all the answers. But you have to have the
humility to say, 'Here is my answer — I'm willing to do the research to find
out more.'
"While
I am the expert in particular areas, they come to me with questions that I may
not have even thought about. So while I'm a teacher, I'm also a learner,"
she adds. "I really do love that."
13. HAVE WE BECOME TOO PROFESSIONAL?
*Thom
Schultz
It’s
happened again. The church has been appropriated by the professionals.
It’s
one of the factors that is weakening the American church. The focus within the
church has moved to the professional Christians, the people on stage on Sunday
morning.
The
public now believes that ministry is something that only paid professionals do.
Most churchgoers assume it’s their job to go to church, sit passively, and
watch the professionals on the stage perform ministry. Being salt and light in
the community? That’s the pastor’s job. Introducing children to the God who
loves them? That’s the children’s minister’s job. Helping teenagers navigate
questions of faith? That’s the youth worker’s job. Out in the world, if the
topic of faith comes up, churchgoers often say, “You really ought to talk to my
pastor about that.”
Has
the Body of Christ become convinced that it is deaf, dumb and deactivated?
An historical
phenomenon
Some
2000 years ago the religious elite also controlled the scene. It was Jesus who
democratized the faith and made it accessible to all. He encouraged and
empowered everyday people to carry out his transformative message of love.
And
again, about 500 years ago, the church was bound up in the notion that clerics
held the reins to the Kingdom. It took a renegade priest, Martin Luther, to
democratize the faith once again, encouraging everyday people to live out their
faith.
Since
then the church has again abdicated its work and thinking to the professionals.
And the people’s lack of ownership is contributing to the current decline of
the church. Fewer and fewer people want to be mere spectators to a faith
journey articulated and practiced exclusively by paid spokespersons.
Some
of these professionals, like those of past millennia, rather like this exclusive
setup. They relish thoughts of being in charge, possessing superior knowledge,
safeguarding doctrinal purity, controlling the shots, and basking in the
admiration of the little people. And, the emergence of the celebrity pastor has
also served to distance the people from a sense that “we’re all in this
together.”
Perhaps
it’s time for another spiritual awakening that re-engages all the faithful.
Today’s church leaders could help this along with some intentional actions.
Such as:
-
Remind the people that ministry is the work of all the people, not just a
select few.
-
Share the microphone. Allow everyday people to tell their stories of faith.
Every week.
-
Empower people to run with significant ministries–without “helicopter”
professionals hovering over every decision.
-
Go beyond preaching at people to share their faith. Enable them to actually
practice it. (This is one of Lifetree Cafe’s most important benefits–allowing
members a weekly opportunity to talk about their faith in a safe environment.)
-
Encourage questions, give-and-take, and conversation during times that have
been traditionally reserved for professional monologs.
-
At least sometimes, put the professional musicians out of sight. And encourage
the people to spontaneously come forward and lead the house in worship.
-
Resist the temptation to always be the one who offers a professional prayer.
Encourage everyday people to pray in worship, in meetings, at meals.
-
As a leader, be vulnerable and authentic. Admit–often–that you do not have all
the answers. Act more like a fellow disciple than a messiah.
The
time has come for another era of the priesthood of all believers.
*By
Thom Schultz. From Holy Soup (www.holysoup.com).
Copyright 2014 Thom Schultz.
14. AME HUMOR:
--Instead of...
The
Rev. John Smith the new pastor of Bethel AME Church was canvassing his
neighborhood for members. He met a poor widow with three young daughters. He
introduced himself and asked if she attended church?
She
said “I am pleased to me you, my name is Mrs. Mary Jones; I do not attend any
church. I cannot attend your church
because your members wear very fine clothes to church and our clothes are very
plain because I am struggling to make ends meet.”
The
Rev. Smith said “Jesus said come as you are.”
“Thank
you Reverend Smith, you are very kind, but I rather not.”
Well
Mrs. Jones, I am going to ask our missionary president to help you."
The
pastor went back to the church and talked to the Sara Allen Missionary Society
and they went out and purchased new clothes and donated some and also collected
$500. They delivered the clothes and the money on Saturday to Mrs. Jones and
each of her three daughters.
The
next Sunday, the whole congregation watched for the family, but they never
showed up for worship.
Disappointed,
the pastor went to their house after the service and asked why they did not
attend church.
"Well,"
the woman said, "we got all dressed up in our new clothes and we looked so
nice. We rented a limousine with some of that $500 and we went to the Episcopal
Church instead!"
- Why the Preachers
Don't Go Fishing Anymore
Four
preachers would go fishing once a month; a Baptist, a Presbyterian, an AME and
a Pentecostal.
They
decided to confess their faults to one another.
The
Baptist said "well, my only fault is I like the drink... yep; I hit the
bottle quite often."
The
Presbyterian confessed ''Well my shortcoming is that I do chase the women, but
that's my only fault."
The
AME said, “My fault is every year I tell my Bishop a little white lie at our
annual conference. I under-count my membership and how much money I raise
because I don’t want the bishop to raise my assessments.
And
finally the Pentecostal spoke out gleefully. “I have 2 faults, I play golf when
I should be in church; as a matter of fact, I play golf with your bishop … and
my second fault is that I tell everything I know. And I can't wait to get back
to town to tell everybody about what I just heard from y'all...
-- Daddy Comes to
Church
The
new pastor was glad that his father finally came to church. The father loved
the singing of the choirs; however the son was embarrassed by his dad falling
asleep during his sermons.
So,
he decided to come up with a plan to keep him awake. He told his young son,
Tony to sit by "gramps" and keep him awake by giving him a little
prod each time he started to nod off and he would give him $5.
Well,
"gramps" started into his nap again right on schedule and the little
boy just sat there.
After
church his dad asked, "Tony, why didn't you wake up "gramps"
when he fell asleep.
"That's
easy," said his son, "Gramps pays better!" as he pulled out a
$20 bill!
*Submitted
by Brother Darwin Curry
15. U.S.
SUPREME COURT OVERTURNS LOWER COURT, RULES MICHIGAN’S PROPOSAL 2 IS
CONSTITUTIONAL:
WASHINGTON – In a 6-2 decision today, the Supreme
Court overturned a lower court and ruled that Michigan’s Proposal 2 is
constitutional. Proposal 2 is a 2006 ballot initiative that led to a state
constitutional ban on race-conscious college admissions policies in Michigan.
It specifically barred students from lobbying universities to consider race as
one of many factors in admissions.
"Proposal 2 unfairly keeps students from asking
universities to consider race as one factor in admissions, but allows
consideration of factors like legacy status, athletic achievement and
geography," said Mark Rosenbaum, the American Civil Liberties Union
attorney who argued the case, Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action,
before the Supreme Court in October. "This case is ultimately about
whether students of color in Michigan are allowed to compete on the same
playing field as all other students. Today, the Supreme Court said they are not."
In 2006, the ACLU, ACLU of Michigan, NAACP, NAACP
Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and the law firm of Cravath, Swaine and
Moore, LLP, filed a lawsuit on behalf of students, faculty and prospective
applicants to the University of Michigan challenging Proposal 2. In
2012, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit found Proposal 2
unconstitutional for placing an unfair burden on those seeking to have race
considered as one of many factors in university admissions.
"This decision gives donors, athletic officials,
and alumni unencumbered access to university officials when lobbying for their
constituents, however completely shuts out supporters of greater diversity on
campus from the admissions process," said Kary L. Moss, executive director
of the ACLU of Michigan. "In order to have their voices heard; students of
color must now take on the arduous task of overturning the constitutional
amendment. This is the definition of a separate and unequal system that will
result in Michigan continuing to lose students and faculty of color to states
that have the flexibility to consider the whole person before them."
There has been a notable decline in minority
enrollment since Proposal 2 took effect. For example, African-American
enrollment plummeted 33 percent at the University of Michigan/Ann Arbor between
2006 and 2012, even as overall enrollment grew by 10 percent.
"While this decision is a setback for diversity
efforts in Michigan, it is important to note that this case did not
address the merits of race-conscious admissions, which have been previously
upheld by the court, as the justices emphasized in today's ruling," said
Leticia Smith-Evans, interim director of the Education Group at the NAACP Legal
Defense and Educational Fund.
Plaintiff Kevin Gaines, a professor of history and
African-American Studies at the University of Michigan, said he is concerned
with how today’s ruling will impact the quality of education students receive
at Michigan universities.
"Students deserve a robust education where a
variety of viewpoints are shared and debated," he said. "Proposal 2
has meant less diversity in our universities, which has had a chilling effect
on the quality of discourse in the classroom. Unfortunately, that will
continue, at least for the time being, in Michigan."
This press
statement is available online at:
More
information on this case is at:
aclu.org/racial-justice/schuette-v-coalition-defend-affirmative-action
aclu.org/racial-justice/schuette-v-coalition-defend-affirmative-action
16. NAACP STATEMENT ON
SUPREME COURT DECISION TO UPHOLD MICHIGAN BAN ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION:
(Washington,
DC) – The NAACP released the following statement on the Supreme Court’s
decision to uphold Michigan’s ban on affirmative action. In a recent 6-2
decision, the Supreme Court overturned a lower court and ruled that Michigan’s
Proposal 2 -- a 2006 ballot initiative that led to a state constitutional ban
on race-conscious college admissions policies in Michigan – is indeed
constitutional. The ruling specifically prohibits students from lobbying
universities to consider race as one of many factors in admissions.
From
Lorraine C. Miller, NAACP Interim President and CEO:
“The
Supreme Court’s decision embraces discrimination and rejects diversity. It’s in
our nation’s best interest to ensure talented students from all backgrounds get
a close look and a fair shot at overcoming obstacles to educational
opportunity. The NAACP is committed to fighting Michigan’s constitutional amendment
at the ballot box and helping other states advance diversity in higher
education.”
From
Hilary Shelton, the Director of the NAACP Washington Bureau and the Sr. VP of
Policy & Advocacy:
“The
NAACP is outraged with the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Michigan’s ban on
the use of equal opportunity programs such as affirmative action as race
conscious solutions must be available for racially discriminatory problems. As
we approach the 60th anniversary of Brown v. the Board of Education, we are reminded
that there remain challenges to securing educational opportunities for all
Americans regardless of race or ethnicity. The Supreme Court has impeded our
country’s efforts to address the underrepresentation of racial and ethnic
minorities in higher education and puts the access of future generations to
high quality and well-rounded education in serious jeopardy.”
17. MAKE PLANS NOW FOR NEXT YEAR’S TAX RETURN:
Most
people stop thinking about taxes after they file their tax return. But there’s
no better time to start tax planning than right now. And it’s never too early
to set up a smart recordkeeping system. Here are six IRS tips to help you start
to plan for this year’s taxes:
1. Take
action when life changes occur.
Some life events, like a change in marital status, the birth of a child or
buying a home, can change the amount of taxes you owe. When such events occur
during the year, you may need to change the amount of tax taken out of your
pay. To do that, you must file a new Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance
Certificate, with your employer. Use the IRS
Withholding Calculator on IRS.gov to help
you fill out the form. If you receive advance payments of the premium tax
credit it is important that you report changes
in circumstances, such as changes in your
income or family size, to your Health Insurance Marketplace.
2. Keep
records safe. Put your
2013 tax return and supporting
records in a safe place. That way if you
ever need to refer to your return, you’ll know where to find it. For example,
you may need a copy of your return if you apply for a home loan or financial
aid. You can also use it as a guide when you do next year's tax return.
3. Stay
organized. Make sure your
family puts tax records in the same place during the year. This will avoid a
search for misplaced records come tax time next year.
4. Shop
for a tax preparer. If you
want to hire a tax preparer to help you with tax planning, start your search
now. Choose a tax preparer wisely. You are responsible for the accuracy of your
tax return no matter who prepares it. Find tips for choosing a preparer at IRS.gov.
5. Think
about itemizing. If you
usually claim a standard deduction on
your tax return, you may be able to lower your taxes if you itemize
deductions instead. A donation to charity
could mean some tax savings. See the instructions for Schedule
A, Itemized Deductions, for a list of
deductions.
6. Keep
up with changes. Subscribe
to IRS Tax Tips to get emails about tax law
changes, how to save money and much more. You can also get Tips on IRS.gov or
IRS2Go, the IRS’s mobile app. The IRS issues tips each weekday in the tax
filing season and three days a week in summer.
Remember,
a little planning now can pay off big at tax time next year.
Additional IRS Resources:
-
Publication
505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax
IRS YouTube
Videos:
IRS
Podcasts:
18. THE TRUTH IS
THE LIGHT:
*The
Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr.
Based
on Biblical Text: Ecclesiastes 3:1: “To every thing there is a season, and a
time to every purpose under the heaven. “
A
season represents a period of time. Our calendar year from January to December
consists of four seasons. Sports fans recognize that we deal in seasons. The
same is true in our lives. We experience different seasons. It is a fact that
as seasons come and go we come to realize that the season for certain things in
our lives has passed. The fact is that there are some things that we just
cannot do anymore. It is not always that we don’t want to do it; most times the
truth is that we are not physically able to do it anymore, because that season
has passed.
In
our text the word season refers to a suitable period, and a time implies an
appointed moment. Thus our text could very well read, to every thing there is a
suitable period and an appointed moment to every purpose under the sun. Most
believers have no problem understanding that whatever God has purposed for our
lives is going to come to pass. Our dilemma is not if it is going to come to
pass, the difficulty for some us is when is it going to come to pass. We
understand that life consists of seasons and the seasons in our lives consist
of particular moments in time.
So
much hinges on when rather than if, therefore it becomes critical for us to be
able to discern the seasons in our lives. We must learn to recognize when God
is ready to take us from one point to the next. It is important for us to
understand when a shift is coming, because it might be necessary for us to
brace ourselves and get ready. We need to recognize the shift as we might need
to pack up and get moving.
There
are times in our lives when things happen and we look everywhere for something
on which to place the blame. Ultimately we find it is not the devil but we are
our own biggest encumbrance. The devil is not our biggest difficulty. We know,
because the Bible says that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. We know,
because the Bible encourages us that greater is He that is in us than he that
is in the world. We know, because the Bible assures us that the gates of hell
shall not prevail against the church.
So
then the devil is not our biggest hindrance because we have the victory over
him. That does not mean that we will not be attacked. Nor does it mean that we
will not feel the effects of the attack. But we are encouraged that, troubles
don’t last always, and all things work together for good to those that love the
Lord. The fact is the devil is coming, but if we just stand on the Word and the
promises of God, that season of temptation will pass. Incidentally, the reason
the psalmist could boldly declare that weeping may endure for a night, was
because there is a season for weeping. Thank God he went on to say that joy
comes in the morning, because there’s a season for joy.
It
is necessary that we be able to recognize the seasons, because we don’t want to
be weeping when it is time to rejoice. We don’t want to be mourning in a season
for laughter or keeping in a season when we should be casting away. In other
words we want to know when the seasons change so we can be in tune with what
the Lord is doing. We want to know when appointed moments have arrived.
We
mark seasonal changes in the natural realm by a calendar. The calendar
announces the month and day of the atmospheric season changes. However, the
weather does not always cooperate. The calendar says spring but we find that we
must dress for winter. The physical manifestation of a season does not always
appear on the date that the calendar lists. The season does not change because
the day has arrived, the season changes because the time has arrived. In other
words, seasonal change does not follow any strict plan.
We
can see in Creation that we serve a God of season. The four seasons that God
created are based upon the rotation of the Earth as it orbits the Sun. The
seasons change as the earth moves, but the S.U.N. sun in our planetary system
remains constant, and everything revolves around it.
Like
the earth revolves around the S.U.N. sun, our lives should revolve around the
S.O.N. Son, Jesus Christ. Our lives will change, and we will enter and exit
many seasons, but the Son remains constant. He is the same yesterday, today and
forever.
God
does not measure seasons with instruments. God measures seasons through truth
and revelation. Whenever God gives us a new revelation and a fresh Word, we
find that we have stepped into a new season. Our text says, to every thing
there is a season. That means that every aspect of our lives is as to a season.
It also means that there is a purpose and a reason for those seasons. There is
also a purpose for the process.
Many
of us can recall times in our lives when God has revealed particular truths
that have propelled us into a new season. As we moved into our new season we
found that some of the things and the people that were very necessary in our
previous season are not at all important in our new season. That is because
there is a time to every purpose under the heaven. Once God has fulfilled what
He purposed for that season, He will move us into another season. God moves us
from faith to faith and from glory to glory. It is important for us to
understand that our walk with the Lord is designed to be a progressive walk. In
other words we ought to be headed somewhere.
There
are several times in the Bible where we are reminded that our journey is
progressive. We are not always ready when we think we are ready. Jesus told His disciples and He tells us from
time to time, there are some things that I want to reveal to you, but right now
you can’t handle it. Right now is not the time for that. Our time is not always God’s time.
An
example is following the time when Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan.
Jesus could have set up the church right then, after all it was already in the
plan of God. It was not however the right time. Another example is when Saul of
Tarsus had his conversion experience on the Damascus Road. The Lord could have
appeared to him earlier and set him on the road to do ministry, but it just
wasn’t time. King David was anointed to
be the King of Israel; however it would be years later before He would be
appointed King, because the time of his anointing was not the time of his
appointing.
We
are creatures of habit. It is critical for us to come to grips with the fact
that when the season shifts it symbolizes change. It is good for us that God
has a system in place to automatically produce change. Think about it, we all have ideal conditions
we would like to see. We would love for it to always be 70 degrees and sunny.
The same is true with our spiritual lives. We each have ideal conditions we
would like to see. If we had our way some things would never change, but change
is one thing that the Lord is constantly producing. It is a fact that the only
thing constant in this world is change. However, when the times and the seasons
are changing we can look to the Word of God and we can listen to the voice of
the Spirit. The Lord will open the eyes of our understanding.
God
loves us so much and wants so much for us to have life abundantly that I find
it difficult to believe that He derives any pleasure out of catching us off
guard. Could it be that many of the times when we are caught off guard is the
result of our not listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit?
Change
comes and it presents a challenge. It could very well be that many of us who
dislike change don’t like challenge. Rather we like contentment. We are
comfortable with the status quo. If Jesus is our example, then we must know
that He always challenged the content and the comfortable. Jesus changed the
whole world and He changed it by issuing the challenge to follow Him. If Jesus
is our example then we ought to always welcome change and challenge.
Following
Jesus is a challenge. Sometimes we will want to do some things and react in
some ways that Jesus would not and it will be a challenge to remain true to the
Lord. Jesus will challenge us every day of our life. We must welcome the
challenge because we know it is for our development and the Lord is just preparing
us for our next season. The reason for every season in life is to bring us
closer to the Lord. We are called to live for the Lord. If we are not living
for the Lord we are not really living.
The
Apostle Paul said, when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a
child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish
things. We must be in prayer for those who are content to live their lives and
never change. Many we know are so set in their ways that when the Lord is trying
to do something in them or through them, they reject the move of God because it
will require change. Jesus was widely rejected by the very people He came to
save, because at the heart of His message was change. Jesus appeared on the
scene because it was the season for God to shift the way He dealt with man. God
does not change, but the way He deals with people does. God was then and He
still is today, looking to continue to fulfill His eternal plan for man. People
rejected Jesus then and many reject Jesus today because for the plan of God to
be fulfilled, it would require change.
“To
every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
The good news is that the harvest comes at the end of the season. “Let us not
be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.”
*The
Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., is the pastor of Morris Brown AME Church
in Charleston, S.C.
19. iCHURCH SCHOOL
LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2014 - FROM SUFFERING TO GLORY - ISAIAH 53:5-8 & LUKE
24:25-27 & 44-50:
Bill
Dickens, Allen AME Church, Tacoma, Washington
The
joy of teaching comes from always exploiting an opportunity to convey knowledge
and wisdom to those seeking information and truth. I have taught the nuances of economics for a
long time. My audience has consisted of
both non-specialists and specialists of the dismal science. Irrespective of the audience, I derive great
pleasure in demystifying the esoteric structure of economics in order to make
the profound concepts simple and the simple concepts profound. My pedagogical technique is derived directly
from the teaching philosophy used by Jesus.
In
the Adult AME Church School lesson for April 27, 2014 Jesus demonstrates his
love for teaching, even after His Resurrection!
How does He do it? I thought you
would never ask!
Jesus’
ministry can be summed up in two major activities: Helping the disenfranchised
and Teaching the uninformed.
From
the recording of his first miracle at the Cana wedding, thru the many parables
he taught to healing the Roman soldier
whose ear was severed by Peter’s sword, Jesus is non-stop, 24/7 in helping
those in need and teaching eternal truth.
In
today’s lesson we find Jesus seizing an opportunity to teach in His
post-Resurrection appearance. Like many of us today, the Disciples were slow
learners. Despite having unlimited
access to the Greatest Teacher in human history, many still did not fully
comprehend or grasp His essential message. He reminds His disciples, over a
meal no less, that the events that led up to His Resurrection had been properly
foretold in Holy Writ. The prophet
Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah must endure suffering and physical abuse prior
to experiencing the joy seen through His glorious Resurrection. While not intuitively obvious to most,
suffering is a prerequisite for glory.
Many
athletes understand this theological truth as “no pain, no gain.” In other words, before we can experience the
thrill of victory we must pay the price by sacrificing temporal enjoyments thru
hard work and long, painful practices.
Jesus
paid the ultimate price by voluntarily laying down His life so that we will
have an opportunity to be reconciled back to God.
The
teaching opportunity in Dr. Luke, Chapter 24 shows Jesus connecting the dots
with the events in Isaiah 53 and the events seen by His followers. The Suffering Servant depicted in Isaiah
Chapter 53 is simply one side of the “coin.”
The other side of the coin is the victory over death and the penalty of
sin (see I Corinthians 14: 54-57).
Knowing
the truth is liberating and cathartic.
We
no longer have to remain in darkness but can experience God’s marvelous
light. This is why we give God all Glory
and Honor!
*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. GETTING TO
ZERO: A CLOSER WALK
*Dr.
Oveta Fuller
In
one of the documentary films used in the Payne Theological Seminary intensive
course “What Effective Clergy Should Know about HIV/AIDS”, a pastor is filmed
while he preaches the morning message to the congregation. The scene is similar
to what many TCR readers and others are part of on most Sundays during morning
worship. The choir is in place wearing their colorful robes, the pews have
attentive people of various ages dressed in their Sunday finery, the stained
glass windows glisten and beautiful wooden pews are evident. The pastor rises
to bring the Good News in the message or sermon of the day.
In
this documentary film “A Closer Walk” that is narrated by Glenn Close and Will
Smith, an African American male pastor does not preach a typical sermon. In the
excerpt of the Sunday morning service that is part of the documentary, the
preacher talks about his cousin. The cousin has the same name as the preacher.
His cousin is dead. His cousin died alone. He tells the congregation that his
cousin wrapped himself up in a blanket and sat alone in an abandoned home until
he died, alone. The young cousin had not contacted his parents, the preacher’s
aunt and uncle. He had not contacted his cousin, the pastor preacher. He died
sick and all alone.
Why?
The cousin was gay and had contracted HIV that led to AIDS. Apparently the
cousin felt that he was not loved enough that he could share this part of his
life and his illness with his parents, his family members or his
preacher/pastor cousin with whom he shared the same name. So, the man died,
untreated and alone.
The
highly recommended documentary A Closer Walk is subtitled as “A film about AIDS
in the world. A story about the way the world is.” It was first released in
2003. An updated version was released in 2006. The documentary description
states “A Closer Walk is about people everywhere acquiring knowledge about the
realities of AIDS in the world, and then passing that knowledge on to others.
Ending AIDS will require sustained action on the part of millions of people
around the world.”
This
incident in some black church somewhere in America occurred before 2002 when
the film was finished. This was during the early years when highly active
anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) was practiced, but the drugs and therapy were not
as accessible as they are now in 2014. We had learned a great deal about HIV by
2002. We know even more now in 2014. Yet people are still reluctant to disclose
that they are HIV+. Some are reluctant to disclose that they are homosexual or
same-gender loving. Both often are kept as a secret because of the fear of what
others will think.
Its
2014, what should Christians think about these matters?
In
2014, more people know that HIV is a relatively fragile virus that can only be
transmitted by direct contact with semen, vaginal fluid, blood and breast milk.
We know that such contact can be avoided by using at all times one of the ABC’s
of prevention. These are abstinence from reusing needles and from sexual
intercourse, being faithful to one partner in sexual engagement who also is
faithful to you, or, if not A or B; always correctly using latex condoms for
each sexual intercourse contact.
In
2014, why are new HIV infections still occurring and at the disproportionate
levels? Why are 68% of the newly infected females in the USA in 2010 African
American? Why is it that black men, who
are 6.2% of the population, were 31% of all new HIV infections in the USA in
2010? Why in 2010 were nearly 11,000 Black males who have sex with men (MSMs)
newly diagnosed with HIV.
Will
these new diagnoses of HIV infection lead to treatment that can prevent or slow
progression to AIDS, or prevent death from AIDS and AIDS related complications?
Do newly diagnosed men and women feel that they can share with someone that
they are infected by HIV and thus are HIV+?
If
you are a preacher/pastor/minister, would your cousin or nephew or son or
daughter feel that they could come to you after learning that they are HIV+?
Maybe you are a lay leader, a missionary, a trustee, a steward or a Sunday
school teacher. Would a member of your family or a member of your congregation
seek guidance and wisdom from you on how to navigate the waters of life while
living with HIV/AIDS? Or, would they feel alone, isolated and think that there
are few options except the choice made by the pastor’s cousin in “A Closer
Walk”?
What
is needed? What must occur so that AME members, Christians or people in general
get past the negative perceptions of HIV and understand that it is another
human viral pathogen? It is not a punishment. It is not a sentence. It is not a
conspiracy to destroy. It is simply a virus that takes advantage of human
sexuality to move from person to person in order to survive.
Would
it matter that the person who wants to talk with you is same-gender loving?
Have you ever pondered why some people are same-gender loving? Does sexual
preference or orientation increase the risks of exposure to and infection with
HIV? If so, how and what can be done to reduce infection risk?
Yes,
I am convicted that we have not discussed the fast growing numbers of HIV+
black men who have sex with men and perhaps also with women. We have not talked
much about the roles of homosexuality, imprisonment or bisexuality as prevalent
factors that allow HIV to travel through communities of color in the USA. Can we talk? What would Jesus say? What would
Jesus do?
A
well-known gospel song has lyrics, “Just a closer walk with Thee. Grant it
Jesus if you please. Daily walking close with Thee. Let it be, dear Lord, let
it be.” We must ask the questions and seek out answers and viable options.
Will
you think on these things as we continue to engage in the much needed
conversation?
*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, Michigan 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.”
21. MEDITATION
BASED ON PSALM 121:
I’m
writing this meditation on Earth Day 2014, an annual reminder that we should be
responsible stewards of the earth’s resources.
I regularly do my part, because I’ve pretty much “gone green” when it
comes to the use of paper.
I
send emails and text messages instead of written letters whenever possible and
my sermons, letters, receipts, photos and other documents are stored not in
file cabinets or photo albums, but on my computer. My daily schedule, contact information and
phone messages are stored on my iPhone and iPad.
I
make notes in meetings on my iPad and do things like my grocery shopping and
“to-do” lists on my iPhone. My critical
information is stored not just on my computer, but is also backed up in “cloud”
storage so that it can be easily recovered if any of my marvelous modern
devices unexpectedly happen to “crash.”
I’ve
“gone green,” but with one exception - I still print out sermons and speeches
before delivery. I’ve tried preaching
from my iPad, but I sometimes lose my place, and my iPad sometimes “freezes”
unexpectedly and leaves me uncomfortably “ad-libbing” while I frantically
“reboot” and try to find the place where I left off! I like “green technology,” but when it comes
to critical and essential matters, technology doesn’t replace what’s familiar
and dependable.
Remember
that when it comes to your relationship with God. Today’s technology does a lot to make our
lives more manageable, but technology can’t answer life’s hard questions, can’t
cheer us in our troubled times, can’t offer enduring peace of mind in stormy
times and can’t bring us well-being when life gets complicated and confusing.
Emails
and text messages don’t always go through, cell phone calls drop, modern
technology sometimes goes “off line,” but the Lord Jesus Christ is still just a
prayer away, is always there to hear our prayers and can still handle life’s
challenges in ways that technology can’t match.
Take
the time each day not just to send text messages and e-mail, but to slow down,
meditate on your blessings and go to God in prayer. You’ll find the answers, strength, joy and
direction that you need, and you’ll find out why those who struggled to get a
phone call though - in the days when “party lines” shared by many wired phone
users often hindered phone communication - first sang, “Jesus is on the main
line, just tell Him what you want.”
Get
Ready for Sunday, and have a great day in your house of worship!
*The
Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby is the Presiding Elder of the Beaufort District of the
South Carolina Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church
22. CLERGY FAMILY
CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS:
-- Presiding Elder
and Mrs. Robert A. Strode will celebrate their 40th Wedding
Anniversary
Presiding
Elder and Mrs. Robert A. Strode, Lexington District, Kentucky Conference will
celebrate their 40th Wedding Anniversary on April 19th. When asked what has contributed to their
marital longevity: They invited Christ
into the marriage before inviting others to the wedding.
Congratulatory
email messages can be sent to:
Sister
Shelby Strode: Shelby.Strode@aol.com
Presiding
Elder Robert A. Strode: IAMABIBLEMAN@aol.com
*
Lexington District, Kentucky Conference
-- The Reverend
Charmayne G. Davis successfully defended her Doctor of Ministry dissertation
The
Reverend Charmayne G. Davis, Ordained Elder, South Annual Conference, Eleventh
Episcopal District, successfully defended her Doctor of Ministry dissertation
on March 26, 2014 from the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
(Louisville, Kentucky). The title of her
dissertation is "Clergy Sexual Misconduct in the African Methodist
Episcopal Church" This dissertation examines the moral ethics of sexual
misconduct within the church setting and its damaging effects on its victims,
their families and the congregations in which the misconduct occurs. This
groundbreaking research brings healing to the body of Christ as victims are
empowered to recognize unhealthy boundary crossing and offenders are empowered
to maintain healthy professional boundaries as they minister within their
congregations. Graduation Day is Sunday, May 18, 2014.
Congratulatory
message can be emailed to: charmayne@charmaynedavis.com
*
The Reverend Charmayne G. Davis
23. EPISCOPAL
FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE UPDATE:
Services
for nephew of Bishop T. Larry Kirkland
Service
arrangements for Alfred Kirkland, nephew of Bishop T. Larry Kirkland, Presiding
Prelate of the Fifth Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church:
Wednesday,
April 30, 2014 at 11:30 a.m.
Riverside
National Cemetery
22495
Van Buren Boulevard
Riverside,
CA 92518
Contact
information for Bishop T. Larry Kirkland
Fifth
Episcopal District AME Church
4519
Admiralty Way, Suite 205
Marina
Del Ray, CA 90292
Telephone:
(310) 577-8530
Fax:
(310) 577-8540
Email:
BishopTKirkland@aol.com
24. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
This
is to announce with great remorse that God's faithful servant, Sister Mary
Louise Cooperwood, passed early Wednesday morning April 16, 2014 and made her
transition from earth to glory with her family and friends by her side. Sister
Cooperwood was a devoted member of Providence AME Church, North Memphis
District, in Memphis, TN.
She
was preceded in death by her beloved Jack who was also a pillar of the West
Tennessee Conference. Sister Cooperwood
has held various conference positions as well as being a willing laborer in the
army of the Lord.
She
is a past Lay President as well as answering the call from God to preach the
Gospel and was a much sought after Lay Minister. Funeral arrangements are below. Please pray for her entire family as they
mourn the loss of their family member.
Funeral
was held on Monday, April 21, 2014 at Christ Missionary Baptist Church in
Memphis.
25. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
It
is with heartfelt sympathy that we inform you of the passing of the Reverend
Alexander Giles, the pastor, St. Peter AME Church in New Orleans - Bogalusa
District of the Louisiana Conference. On
Monday, April 21, 2014, his wife, Mrs. Barbara Giles and other family members
were by his bedside as he made his earthly transition. The Reverend and Mrs. Giles were married for
more than 51 years.
The
Reverend Alexander Giles pastoral ministry began in 1980. He served in the Second Episcopal District
and later in the Eighth Episcopal District. In both districts, he served
faithfully and with great distinction.
In the Second Episcopal District, he served Adams Inspirational AME
Church in Brandywine, Maryland and Metropolitan and Dickerson AME Churches in
Cumberland, Maryland.
He
served the following congregations in the Eighth Episcopal District: Fluker Chapel in Fluker, Louisiana; Grant
Chapel in Amite, Louisiana; Bethel A.M.E. Church in Alexandria, Louisiana; St.
James in Hammond, Louisiana and Historic St. Peter AME Church, Cadiz,
Louisiana. The following information
has been provided regarding funeral arrangements.
Viewing
and Funeral Service: Saturday, April 26, 2014
Viewing:
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Funeral
Service: 10:00 a.m.
Mount
Olive A.M.E. Church
2457
Second Street
Slidell,
Louisiana 70458
The
Reverend Margaret Simms, Pastor
The
Right Reverend Julius H. McAllister, Sr. Eulogist
The
Reverend Jacob W. Hilton, Jr., Presiding Elder
Visitation
and Committal Service: Saturday afternoon, April 26, 2014
Union
Missionary Baptist Church
506
Day Bridge
Mobile,
Alabama
Services
Entrusted to:
D.
W. Rhodes Funeral Home
3933
Washington Avenue
New
Orleans, Louisiana
Telephone:
(504) 891-2549
Expressions
of Sympathy may be sent to:
Mrs.
Barbara Giles
317
Southwood Drive
Gretna,
Louisiana 70056
26. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
regret to inform you of the passing of Sister Betty Bryant Ervin, the wife of
the Rev. W. C. Ervin III, pastor of New Greater Gordon African Methodist
Episcopal Church in Georgetown District, Palmetto Annual Conference of the
Seventh Episcopal District of the AME Church.
Bless
the Lord O My Soul: Sister Ervin slept away very peacefully at 2:03 a.m. on
Wednesday morning, April 23, 2014. For the last 46 years, besides the Lord of
course, she had been the very center of the Rev. Ervin's existence. Seven years
of courtship followed by thirty-nine years of marriage.
Please
note the following:
Culminating
Celebration of Life
11
a.m., Saturday, May 3, 2014
Mt.
Zion A.M.E. Church
Bloomingville
Community
8201
Thurgood Marshall Highway
Andrews,
SC 29510
Telephone:
(843) 221-5530
The
Rev. Herman Ford, Jr., Pastor
Funeral
Director:
Henryhand
Funeral Homes
1951
Thurgood Marshall Hwy
Kingstree,
SC 29556
Telephone:
(843) 354-2292
Family
Correspondence:
The
Rev. W.C. Ervin III
1
Ervin Road
Andrews,
SC 29510
Cell:
(843) 325-0102
Home:
(843) 651-1636
Email:
revwcerviniii@aol.com
27. 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/
Telephone: (615) 837-9736 (H)
Telephone: (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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