The
Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The
Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, the 20th Editor, The Christian Recorder
Pentecost Sunday: June
8, 2014
1. TCR EDITORIAL – THE MOST
HELPFUL TOOL FOR MINISTRY IS OFTEN IGNORED:
Dr. Calvin H.
Sydnor III
The 20th
Editor of The Christian Recorder
Sometimes in life,
we miss the obvious.
Sometimes we miss
the obvious because of ignorance - we don’t know any better.
At other times we
miss the obvious because of carelessness. We know the better or even the best
way, but we choose to take shortcuts and hope we can be successful in spite of
our carelessness.
Some miss the
obvious because of stubbornness. Some people are hard-headed and obstinate and
refuse to do things differently.
And, still others
miss the obvious because they feel that they are privileged because of their
position, intellect or experience.
When I was growing
up, I often missed the obvious benefits of the rewards of good behavior because
of poor decisions.
After infractions
of bad behavior, my parents, and especially my mother, always wanted to be sure
that I understood why I was being punished (a good whippin’) or reprimanded (denial of something I really
wanted). I had to articulate what I had done, why I did it and assure them that
I was not going to repeat the bad behavior. And, after that was all over, I was
given a good dose of feedback of why I shouldn’t have done what I did and the
consequences if I did it again.
The whippin’ or
other punishment were certainly deterrents, but the feedback was the “real
deal” because it spelled out what would happen if I did that again, and if I
thought the punishment I received was
bad, I was assured that the next time, if I committed the same offense, the
punishment would be worse. So, there was never a “next time.”
I didn’t have to do
anything wrong to receive feedback from my parents, other relatives and the
neighbors (the village), if I or my young friends were headed in the wrong
direction.
My life was full of
feedback. “Get your education. If you want to be successful, finish school. No
one can take knowledge away from you. Don’t hang with the wrong crowd. You
can’t go out and play until you have done your homework. We don’t care what everybody else is doing,
you are ‘not allowed to do it’ or ‘you are not allowed to go there.’ Yes we are
going back to church this afternoon and you have ACE League after the
service. Always tell the truth. A lie
leads to another lie. You will always remember the details of the truth.” And, I could go on and on and most of the
older folks reading these words can resonate with them because you heard all or
many of the same statements.
Feedback
Most of us probably
grew up with feedback and as we got older, we came to understand the value of
feedback. And sometimes, especially the first time away from home, when we went
away to college, the military or starting a family, when tempted to do
something foolish, the early feedback from parents, family and the “village”
prevented us from making foolish mistakes.
And, in that sense,
I am deeply appreciative of the feedback I received as I was growing up.
I received feedback
in my academic career from kindergarten to high school and beyond each time I
received my report card or my grades.
I received feedback
during my military career in the form of Officer Efficiency Reports or
performance counseling sessions.
And, in my
ministry, I am indebted to the feedback I received from older pastors and
concerned laity.
Sometimes I asked
for feedback and at other times the feedback was unasked for; sometimes
appreciated and at other times not appreciated; but afterwards always
appreciated. Feedback was invaluable to my ministry.
I believe that most
of us can testify about the importance of feedback in our lives.
As the editor of The Christian Recorder I have sought
feedback in establishing the TCR
Op-ed column, Letters to the Editor, and inviting writers to submit articles
with no restrictions.
So
why?
So, why is it that
so many clergy: bishops, presiding elders and pastors and laity don’t seem to
value feedback? Or don’t provide a formal procedure for feedback?
Here’s
what I mean
On the episcopal
level we have connectional meetings, annual conferences and other episcopal
district events and rarely are the participants given opportunities to provide
feedback.
Are the meetings
too long? Too short? Are the offerings about right? Should more time be given for fellowship?
Shopping? What training is needed? Do we need more preaching? Less
preaching?
Bishops might ask,
“What am I doing well? What can I do better? How am I perceived in the
district? What recommendation can you share?
Presiding elders
and pastors would benefit from asking similar questions.
Presiding elders
might seek feedback about how they handle quarterly conferences. “Are my
quarterly conferences too long? What can I do to help this congregation? How can we attract more youth to the Sunday
School Convention and other district meetings?
Pastors should
always be in a posture to receive feedback; and in the case of pastors, they
really need to have a “thick skin” because some parishioners are brutally
frank.
Pastors might ask,
“Are my sermons challenging? What can I do to be a better pastor? What am I doing well? Where do I need to improve?
The clergy, at all
levels, needs feedback, but so do the laity.
The stewards,
trustees, presidents of organizations, choir directors and musicians should ask
the pastor for honest feedback.
They might ask
questions as, “What do we need to do to help the church grow? What are we doing well? What improvements do we need to make? What can we do to more effectively assist the
ministry of this church? How can we improve collectively and
individually?”
Feedback
is essential
Feedback is
essential for every organization because it precipitates “ownership” and
“buy-in.” Feedback is a component of participation.
When stakeholders
provide feedback, they become a part of the solution.
If participants
refuse to provide input, they are abdicating and shirking their
responsibilities.
If they are not
allowed to provide feedback, they may feel as if they were not valued
participants and they are given “license” to give less than 100%.
Another way of
saying it is that church leaders should demand feedback and refuse to let those
who are a part of the organization; whether it is the connectional church,
episcopal district, annual conference, district conference, quarterly
conference or church conference abstain from providing feedback.
Feedback is an
important component of participation. Feedback helps organizations to improve
and grow. Feedback encourages increased
participation. Feedback is essential for organizations that want to grow and be
more effective.
Feedback should be
encouraged at all levels of the church, and yet, feedback, one of the most
helpful tools for ministry, is often ignored.
TCR Editor’s Comment: We welcome your comments and invite you to write an
Op-ed. Your feedback is valued
2. TCR OP-ED – ANOTHER MOMENT WITH MAYA ANGELOU:
-- Ms. Jacqueline Dupont Walker
I truly enjoyed reading about your memorial
encounter and it triggered my similar precious moment.
Assemblywoman Maxine Waters invited Maya
Angelou to meet a group of women of African descent of all ages who were
interested in public service. Dr. Maya
Angelou arrived with all of us sitting in the "parlor" awaiting the
encounter.
When the door opened, a wind of calm ushered
her in. While her handlers were trying
to move her quickly to her designated seat - up front - she paused to greet
each of the 26 women who had gathered and personally took time to shake hands
with each of us.
We were in awe. Some of us stumbled when speaking, but most
of us were able to audibly give our names.
She spoke with us for over an hour urging us
to follow the paths that God had laid out for us. She reminded us that we might
not always know our destinies, but we should know that we were making a
difference for others.
Maya Angelou emphasized how important it was
to value each person we met, not only because they are human begins created by
God, but because no meeting is an accident or coincidence Therefore it was incumbent upon us to know
why God placed that person in our pathway or life.
Much more was shared and we were able to
dialogue with her about a lot of issues.
Then it was time for her to leave, and to
our amazement, she said farewell to each of us by name.
Her parting words were that she was able to
do that because she listened to us as she greeted us and made an association
with our faces and names at that time.
She cautioned that most people don't listen, but are thinking about
their responses when meeting people, so that person's identity becomes less
important.
Maya Angelou floated from our presence, but
her spirit of calmness and womanhood has been a source of strength over those
almost 30 years ago.
I will now tell that story more often as a
way of keeping her legacy alive.
Again, thanks for sharing and triggering
wonderful memories for me.
SIStah "Jackie" Dupont walker
3. MEMORIAL SERVICE REMEMBERING DR. MAYA ANGELOU AT WAKE FOREST
UNIVERSITY:
Wake
Forest University will livestream the private memorial service for Dr, Maya
Angelou on Saturday at 10 a.m. (U.S. Eastern Time)
The Dr. Maya Angelou Memorial Service will
be held on Saturday, June 7 2014 at 8:55 a.m. CDT — Sat Jun, 7 2014 11:30 a.m.
CDT
Michelle Obama to speak at Maya Angelou’s
memorial service and will add her voice to those honoring Maya Angelou at a
memorial service for the poet and author this weekend.
The White House said Thursday that Mrs.
Obama will deliver remarks at the event honoring Angelou on Saturday at Wake
Forest University in Winston Salem, North Carolina.
Angelou died last week at her Winston-Salem
home at age 86. She was known worldwide as a literary pioneer and civil rights
champion.
Saturday’s service is closed to the public,
but Wake Forest is streaming it online at go: http://new.livestream.com/wfu/angelou
The school says Angelou’s family will be
planning additional events in other cities across the country. That information
will be released later.
4. A TRIBUTE POEM TO DR. MAYA ANGELOU BY OMEKONGO POSTED ON FACEBOOK, DECEMBER 15, 2009:
For Maya, a healer for all humanity
This is a love letter
From a poetic son,
To mother of poetry for
the human spirit
From South Africa,
To far away places like
South Arkanasia
Your words of wisdom
touch all humanity,
From a lover of
literacy like Oprah,
To a freedom fighter
like nelson Mandela
In a time where
fightin’ was natural,
You reminded us to
never forget
That we are a human
family
From the prisoner to
the pusher to the poor girl,
Your prose and poetry
Puts all people on a
parallel podium
From the aspiring
junkie and the melancholy men,
To a man bigot and the
phenomenal woman
You make us run the
gamut
From tears of personal
pleasure and pain,
To a manageable
mourning grace
It’s no accident that
you have become our mothering blackness,
Nurturing a society
suffering from
The sickness of senses
of insecurity
You write for us,
Who dare not dare to
challenge the status quo
And you champion the
cause of equality,
Only making ignorance
feel insignificant
With you Maya, we saw
beyond our seeming
And dreamed beyond our
dreaming,
And, in retrospect,
You helped me have the
prescience
To also promote healing
Oh, Maya Angelou,
Maya Angelou,
May-a-angel-o-u all the
blessings in heaven
That you bestow on the
often heavy heart of humanity
Avec merci, Mother Maya
for your vision,
And being willing to
take time out
To help us all be free,
And for helping me
realize
That when I think about
myself,
It ain’t that bad to me
5. WAX FIGURE TO MARK ‘EVERYBODY’S BISHOP’S’ LIFETIME OF MINISTRY:
By Roberto Alejandro
Bishop John R. Bryant,
the longest serving bishop in the AME Church. (AFRO File Photo)
It was 1975 when the
Rev. John R. Bryant arrived at Bethel AME Church and transformed it into an
exemplar of faith-based community activism and development in Baltimore City.
He was already an established preacher and went about transforming its worship,
infusing it with a neo-Pentecostal sensibility that would contribute to
Bethel's exponential growth over the course of the next 13 years.
"The AME church was
typically a quiet type of a service, very solemn," said Wanda Watts,
director of the Watts line who joined Bethel AME in 1977, "and he changed
that with choirs that sang contemporary music, and a different way of praising
than AME had been accustomed to."
In addition to
introducing a new style of worship, Bryant also instituted a number of
important community development programs at Bethel, including a credit union, a
food co-op, an investment program, an elementary school, an outreach center, a
women's center, and a bookstore.
These programs were, in
part, a response to the lack of services available to African-Americans in this
period. At a time when most Black people did not have access to traditional
lending institutions, Bethel's programs provided an alternative means to home
ownership and other forms of wealth building.
Under Bryant's
leadership, Bethel was also one of the first churches to become involved in the
'Free South Africa' movement, shedding light on the oppressive apartheid
policies, then in place, so reminiscent of the segregationist policies Bryant
had fought against in the '60s.
"Bethel was the
place to be politically active and involved," said long-time friend,
former treasurer of Bethel AME, and chair of the Baltimore/Washington Bryant
Legacy Commission, Ronald Flamer. Bethel's new style of worship, along with its
political and community activism exploded its membership. "We went from
300 members to – on the roll – 11,000" Flamer said in an interview with
the AFRO.
On June 7, at his alma
mater Morgan State University, the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum will
unveil a wax figure of Bishop Bryant. It will serve as a monument to a lifetime
spent pursuing justice in Baltimore City and abroad.
Bryant spent the early
'60s studying history at Morgan State University and fighting for integration
in Maryland. Bryant participated in freedom rides and civil rights marches,
helped integrate Gwynn Oak Amusement Park, the movie theater and Woolworth's in
Northwood, and was arrested along with 400 others while sitting in at Read's
Drug Store in Baltimore, Flamer said.
After graduating from
Morgan in 1965, Bryant spent two years in Liberia serving in the Peace Corps,
an experience that, along with his activism during the civil rights era, honed
Bryant's political and social consciousness, informing the ministry he would
eventually bring to Baltimore City.
After serving in
Liberia, Bryant moved to Boston to pursue a master's degree at the Boston
University School of Theology. While there, he met Cecilia Williams, now
Cecilia Williams Bryant and also a minister. They married in 1969.
According to Flamer,
"Cecilia was one of the smartest people he had ever met."
Williams Bryant would
help her husband with his sermons while he presided over St. Paul AME Church in
Cambridge, Mass., taking him from "a mediocre preacher," according to
Flamer, to a dynamic one.
In 1988, Bryant was
consecrated as a bishop in the AME church, the nation's oldest African-American
denomination. Bryant is currently the longest serving bishop in the AME church,
and five years ago introduced the denomination to India, where there are now
over 85 established AME churches.
Bryant also has 99 sons and
daughters in the ministry, including Jamal and Thema Bryant, his two children.
Topaz Bryant, Bryant's granddaughter through son Jamal, is currently on the
ordination track in the AME church as well.
"They call Bishop
Bryant the pope of the AME church," said Flamer.
"He's everybody's
bishop," said Watts of the man who will soon be immortalized in wax.
"If you're Baptist, he's still your bishop."
6. THE AME SURVEY OF D.MIN AND S.T.D. HOLDERS:
By Frederick Hilborn
Talbot, S.T.M., D.Min. (90th Bishop, Retired)
After several persisting
years, the voluntary above-mentioned survey was completed and presented in 2012
during the 49th Session of the General Conference. The vision is to update it and present it
during the 50th Session in 2016. The
hope is that this exercise will be significant enough to be continued in the
future.
The first printed survey
was dedicated to those pioneers in the study for the D.Min and S.T.D.
degrees. They are, in the order of
doctoral degree earned; the Rev. Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, D.Min. 1971; Bishop
Phillip Robert Cousin, Sr., D.Min. 1975; Bishop John Richard Bryant, D.Min.
1975; and Bishop Adam Jefferson Richardson, Jr., S.T.D. 1975.
The Survey presented 163
holders from 44 accredited seminaries. The vision is to update this report with
responses from the following degree holders: those who earned the degree after
the first printing of this survey, those who were not able to provide this
information to meet the deadline of the first printing, and those who have earned
the degree but did not choose to participate in the first printing.
The format remains the
same: Full name, (M.Div.) Name of Seminary, (D.Min. or S.T.D.)Name of Seminary,
Date received, Title of Dissertation and present vocation along with a
passport-size photograph, preferably in color.
Please email this
complete information as early as possible to the AMEC Publishing House under
the subject “AME D.Min.
If you wish to contact
me directly, my email address is fhtalbotn@aol.com;
my telephone is: 615-429-0081.
I urge you to send this
information to the Publishing House as soon as possible. The goal is to record
200 degree holders or more by 2016.
The AME Publishing House
will provide the unit cost of the updated printed version with postage and this
information will be emailed to each degree holder.
We thank those Bishops
who shared in the funding of the first survey, as well as those degree holders
who made a contribution. We also thank the District Coordinators for their
enthusiasm and encouragement.
Arrangements are now
being made so that the complete report will be ready for the 50th Session of
the General in 2016.
Shalom and may blessings
abound!
Bishop Frederick Hilborn
Talbot S.T.M., D.Min. (90th Elected and Consecrated Bishop,
Retired), Innovator/Coordinator of Survey
7. D.C. MAYOR AND CONGRESSWOMAN HONOR
METROPOLITAN’S THE REV. AISHA KARIMAH:
By Nancy C. Harvin
They are honors that many desire but few
receive.
On May 5, 2014, Washington, D.C. Mayor
Vincent E. Gray issued a proclamation pronouncing “Aisha Karimah Day” in the
Nation’s Capital, commemorating her 45 years of service at NBC4. No one was more surprised by the declaration
than the honoree herself, the Rev. Aisha Karimah, Associate Minister of
Metropolitan AME Church in the District of Columbia. She said she had no idea what was going on
until it made news on her station!
“To God be the Glory,” she responded to
numerous emails and calls she received.
In a further surprise honor the very next
day, on May 6th, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) also recognized Rev.
Karimah in remarks to the U.S. House of Representatives that became part of the
Congressional Record. The Rev. Karimah,
who serves as Director for Community Affairs at NBC4, has spearheaded a number
of initiatives which impact citizens of the District of Columbia.
As
Rep. Holmes Norton noted: “Aisha has brilliantly used her talents to help NBC4
grow and has championed our city and region and its many community
campaigns--Beautiful Babies Right from the Start, Drug Free Zones, It Takes a
Whole Village, Make the Right Call, Camp 4 Kids, Get Healthy 4 Life, Backpacks
4 Kids, Food 4 Families, and The NBC4 Health & Fitness Expo--we can hardly
name even a representative group of community causes that Aisha has not
touched." In addition to these
events and projects, Rev. Karimah also produces television programs for the
outlet. Jim Vance, veteran news anchor and colleague, called Rev. Karimah “the
conscience” of the station.
A native Washingtonian, the Rev. Aisha
Karimah resolutely praises God for lifting her from a humble upbringing in the
Lincoln Heights public housing units, working from the age of 10, to a position
where she is able to reach and serve thousands.
She came to channel 4 merely in need of a job, not realizing that she
was in the midst of an agitational push by the Black community to demand more
diversity in the media. She acknowledges
that God has continuously guided her steps to move from one opportunity to
another to give back to her people and affect change. In the meantime, she raised two boys, Donnell
and Jay, modeling a faith that would lead them to the accomplished Christian
men they have become.
The Rev. Karimah answered her call to
ministry through an epiphany that came to her during her battle with
cancer. She joined Metropolitan under
the Rev. Dr. Louis Charles Harvey, who is now a presiding elder in the
Washington Annual Conference and accepted her “call” under the Rev. Dr. Ronald
E. Braxton and was ordained in 2005. She
currently serves under the Rev. William H. Lamar IV.
She excitedly awaits the birth of her first
grandchild, a boy, and looks forward, after retirement, to working in radio and
compiling a book of daily affirmations.
8. CHURCH HELPS STUDENTS STRIKE GOLD ON
SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH:
By Eric Stirgus
The $3,000 their church raised for the
college scholarships was nice, but Mychal and Nina Wynn thought it could do
more.
In 2007, the couple approached Turner Chapel
AME Church senior pastor, the Rev. Kenneth Marcus, with the idea of a ministry
to help students search for other scholarships and, just as importantly,
provide them with the skills to get those scholarships.
On Sunday the church, in Marietta, held a
service for 50 church members who have been awarded scholarships. The offers
totaled $4.3 million.
Some students, like Brittany White, have
earned full scholarships. White earned a Gates Millennium scholarship, which
pays the entire tuition to any school the recipient attends. White’s choice was
Spelman College.
“It feels really great knowing they want me
to succeed as much as I want to succeed,” said White, 18.
Most of the students attend high schools in
Cobb and Marietta, but some have graduated from schools in Cherokee, Fulton,
Gwinnett, Paulding counties and Atlanta.
Community organizations and houses of
worship across Georgia are getting more involved in helping aspiring college
students find scholarships. Few, though, are as involved or successful as
Turner Chapel AME, observers say.
Dr. Emily Lembeck, superintendent of
Marietta City Schools, said, “I always enjoy attending this special service at
Turner Chapel, where the number of graduates recognized continues to grow each
year. This year MHS had a record number of graduates earning the largest amount
of scholarship funds ever and I appreciate the contribution to this success
that stems from the support some of our students received from the Education
Ministry.”
At Turner Chapel AME, the Wynn family’s
youth pastor, the Rev. Don Ezell and others worked with student members to find
scholarships that fit their academic interests. They also helped with resume
and essay writing, tutoring and preparing for the Criterion-Referenced
Competency Test. The church also holds a college fair each October. Last year,
about 50 colleges came, said Mychal Wynn.
Reginald Lyon, president of the Duke Black
Alumni Connection, which has about 1,500 members nationwide, attended the fair
and was astounded by the preparedness of the students and workshops the church
had on financial aid, college interviews and other topics.
“This was the most impressive setup I’ve
seen at a historically black church,” said Lyon, who lives in Dallas, Texas.
The church began in the mid 19th century. It
has about 6,000 members.
Like Jesus urging his disciples to follow
him and vowing to make them fishers of men, the Wynns have travelled to other
churches to share what they are doing at Turner Chapel AME, with the
inspirational message that they can do it too.
“We have created a scholarly culture and a
culture of service,” said Mychal Wynn.
That culture of service includes requiring
church members in college to return on their breaks to help other students, or
to mentor other Turner Chapel AME students once they arrive on campus. Many
students are the first in their family to attend college and were unaware many
of these scholarships existing. Some students say their guidance counselors,
swamped with the hundreds of students seeking their attention, don’t always
have time to help.
Linette Andrea, whose daughter, Jordan
Fessehaie, 17, will attend Boston University this fall, echoes the thoughts of
many parents. A blessing, mom called it.
“Jordan had a clear vision of her goals
since the tenth grade and working with the Wynns allowed both of us to be more
focused and acquire information that was not at school or in the community,”
Andrea said.
For Kyla Baron, 17, the long hours of prep
work in the ministry have resulted in a full scholarship from Xavier University
in New Orleans, where she wants to study biology. Barton, who graduated from
Kennesaw Mountain High School, said she’s received other scholarships that will
help her pay for books, her dorm room and transportation to school “so my
parents don’t have to pay for that.”
This article appeared it in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
9. ST. PHILIP MONUMENTAL AFRICAN METHODIST
EPISCOPAL CHURCH 149TH ANNIVERSARY:
Pastor George A. Moore, Jr. and the members
of St. Philip Monumental A.M.E. Church, located at 1112 Jefferson Street, will
be celebrating their 49th Church Anniversary starting Tuesday, June
3, 2014 through Sunday, June 8, 2014.
The theme for their celebration is: “We are Deeply Rooted in our Past, but
Pressing on towards Our Strong and Vigorous Future.” The key scripture for the celebration comes
from Colossians 2:7-Let your roots grow down into Him and draw up nourishment
from Him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were
taught. Let your lives overflow with
thanksgiving for all he has done.
The celebration began with nightly evening
services starting at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 3rd with our guest speaker from
First Bryan Baptist Church, the Rev. Aaron M. James, Sr. and Wednesday, June
4th, our guest speaker will be the Rev. Charles Purnell from Bethel AME Church.
Thursday, June 5th will highlight the Sons of St. Philip Monumental A.M.E.
Church, featuring guest speaker Rev. John Morse, pastor of Pleasant Grove
A.M.E. Church, Hinesville, GA. The
evening will also feature the Rev. Anthony Scott, the Rev. Terry Alexander, and
the Rev. Earl Perkins as program participants.
“Saturday, June 7th will be our
Youth Day Celebration from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. The activities will include a Sunday School
lesson and review, a Talent Show with Karaoke, a Quiz Bowl and a visit from J.
Carter, grandson of former President Jimmie Carter. Lunch will also be
provided.
The anniversary events will culminate on
Sunday, June 8th starting at 9:00 a.m. with the rededication of the
historic church marker at the former church site on Turner Blvd. (formerly Hull
Street). After the rededication service
we will caravan back to the church. Our
Morning Worship Service will begin at 10:30 a.m. Our own the Rev. Dr. Jeffery Cooper will
bring the message.
The pastor and members of St. Philip
Monumental AME Church cordially invite you to join us during this powerful week
of activities to reflect on our roots as we move forward to our vigorous
future. Bro. Nathaniel Pierce serves as
Chairperson, Sister Janette Scott and Sister Pearl Reddick; serve as
Co-Chairpersons, and Brother Jamir Gardner and Sister Taylor Golden, serve as
Youth Co-Chairpersons. We look forward
to seeing you there.”
10.
PERSECUTION IS A STILL A REALITY FOR MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD:
By the Reverend
Darryl R. Williams
I traveled to India
in 2013 and that trip and the recent raiding of villages by the Boko Harem have illustrated to me more
clearly how we, who live in the United States, have misused the word
“persecuted.”
In India, our AME
pastors preach the gospel constantly under the threat of Hindu extremists that
always sought to do them harm, as well as destroy their places of worship.
But, similar to the
early Christians, persecution has not deterred them; it has caused them to
grow!
Bishop John R.
Bryant reported that to date we now have 105 congregations in India!
In Nigeria,
Africa’s most populous country, the Boko
Harem, extremist Islamic groups have already killed thousands of Christians
since its founding by Mohammed Yusef in 2002. Now under the leadership of
Abubakar Shedau, they have vowed to wreak even more havoc on Christians, their
own government, and even mainstream Muslims.
They have kept
their promise. They have raided Christian villages, abducted residents and
forcibly converted them to Islam. They have made Nigerian government facilities
targets of bombing, and of course, probably the vilest act, the one that caused
international outrage was the kidnapping of Nigerian school girls.
Their goal,
according to most religious and political scholars, is to create a “pure
Islamic state, free of Christians, but also free of other Muslims or anyone who
voice opposition to their theology and tactics.”
It is worth noting
that just as every Christian is not an extremist (for example bombing abortion
clinics or clinging to the right to carry around military style weapons), every
Muslim is not an extremist either.
Congressman Keith
Ellison from Minnesota and Andre Carson from Indiana, the only two Muslims in
congress, along with other Muslim leaders, denounced Boko Harem and its recent kidnapping of those school girls.
“Your Justification
for stealing the children that education for girls goes against Islam has no
basis in our faith…you do not represent Islam or what Muslims know to be
Islam,” many of the voices of Islam exclaim.
The pure Islamic
state that Boko Harem wants to
Institute is called “Sharia law.”
Sharia law is a
very strict moral and legal system that extremist say can be extracted from the
Qur’an. They believe this law to be sacrosanct and inviolable; therefore there
is no room for any differing opinions, even if it means violently and
ruthlessly maiming and killing those who hold them.
To preach the
Gospel under these conditions is persecution!
My “bad” steward and
trustee meetings pale in comparison, but in a land where the first amendment
holds sway, and thank God it does, too often little disruptions in meetings and
other inconveniences are how we define persecution.
I am sure our
brothers and sisters in Nigeria and India and other places in the world would
love to experience our brand of persecution.
If we consider the
context of Matthew 5:10-12: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of
righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people
insult you, persecute you falsely and say all kinds of evil against you because
of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the
same way they persecuted the prophets before you.”
The kind of
persecution that Christians in India and Nigeria are experiencing is precisely
what Jesus was talking about when using those words.
I certainly don’t
want to make light of the personal trials we experience when standing for
Christ, but to only consider our challenges in life only is to make light of
the real bodily harm that Jesus’ disciples experienced as well as the people in
India and Nigeria, and other places around the world.
Mathew wrote the
words of Jesus at a time when the birth of the church was just years away.
Certainly Jesus would have wanted his disciples to be aware of the persecution
that awaited them. It would be more than a disagreement in a meeting!
Consider this:
Matthew was slain with a sword, Mark was dragged through the streets, Luke was
hung upon an olive tree, John was banished to Patmos, James was beheaded,
Andrew was hung on a cross, Peter was hung upside down on a cross, Thomas was
stabbed with a lance, Bartholomew was flayed alive, Matthias and Paul were both
beheaded; and we say we are persecuted?
In light of the
recent occurrences in Nigeria, it behooves us to have a global perspective when
thinking of the church.
To view it any
other way is to run the risk of working counter to the mission of Jesus and his
disciples, which should be ours as well, “To preach the Gospel to the whole
world.”
What is happening
in Nigeria and other places in the world is a threat to the Great Commission.
We are rightfully
concerned. Let us pray fervently for Nigeria, India and all the other
Christians across this world. They are the true persecuted.
11. HOW THE PEW CAN HELP THE PULPIT:
It was the last day of the revival. I had
just finished my ninth sermon of the meeting. I stood to give my lasting
remarks. And I said what I was thinking. Usually, I am able to mind my business
when I preach away home. But since I had no intention of ever returning to that
church, I took a shot at them.
Thanks for putting up with my preaching this
week and for all of your kindness and encouragement, but the glory goes to God.
Any human credit goes to the church I serve. They give me time to think, read,
and pray. They provide the resources I need to study. And they only demand that
I be ready to teach and preach. If I am not a good preacher, shame on me. Any
church can have good preaching if they take care of their pastor and encourage
him.
I had been there for a week. And the pastor
didn’t have time to host me. He worked part time to make ends meet. He did
funerals and hospital visits every day I was there. He had one meeting after
another. I was exhausted just watching him. In the process, he was discouraged,
his marriage was in trouble, and his children resentful of the ministry.
Then it happened.
One of the deacons slyly criticized his
preaching in front of me, suggesting his seasoned pastor should take preaching
lessons from me, who was in my early 20s. I had preached for men that I wasn’t
sure could read. But their members would tell me, “I enjoyed your preaching,
but you can’t touch my pastor” - that’s love. This deacon’s remark, and his
fellow deacons’ agreement, was just cruel.
The pastor was a good preacher. He was just
in a bad situation, at a historic church that thought too highly of itself. I
had to say something. And I did.
Sometimes pastors struggle in preaching
because they don’t take their pulpit work seriously. Others struggle in
preaching because they struggle alone. But good preaching is a partnership
between pastor and congregation, pulpit and pew, the one who preaches and the
one who listens. The pastor preaches to help those in the pew. But the
congregation can and should help the one in the pulpit, as well.
There was a vocal old lady in my first
church. When I was preaching "good," she would say, “Help us, Lord,”
but when I was flunking, she would say, “Help him, Lord.” But there are better
ways the pew can help the pulpit and motivate the pastor to be a better
preacher. Here are seven…
Pray for your pastor
I mean, pray specifically for his preaching.
Pray that he will have the time to study and will use it well. Pray the Lord
will open his eyes and give him understanding (Ps. 119:18, 24). Pray that he
will guard his life and doctrine (1 Tim. 4:16) Pray that he will rightly handle
the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). Pray that the Lord will keep his heart and
mind free from sinful distractions. Pray that God will give his power in the
pulpit.
I highly recommend you read the booklet by
Mike Faberez, entitled, Praying for Sunday.
Give time the pastor to study
Members love pastors who are always
available. But it is not good if he is always available. He will be more help
to you if he shuts himself up to pray and study. You want a pastor who has
something to say, rather than someone who has to say something. This requires
times to prepare. Give it to him.
Provide for your preacher
Bi-vocational pastors are the unsung heroes
of the church, who work a job to care for their families as they do the work of
ministry for little or no pay. Many churches are not able to adequately
compensate their pastors. But others are just stingy. Being determined to
deprive the preacher, they rob themselves. Do your best to care for the needs
of your pastor and his or her family.
Be marked present
A blind and deaf Christian was asked why he
attended church, since he could not see or hear the service. He answered, “I
just want people to know which side I’m on. Your regular church attendance is a
statement to the world. It is an act of obedience that builds up other
believers (Heb. 10:24-25). And it is a great encouragement to your pastor. You
challenge him to prepare a better meal if you consistently show up with a good
attitude and a big appetite.
Listen to the sermon
Just because you are in the service does not
mean you hear the sermon. And the pastor knows it. He stands on a raised
platform in a room with people sitting in front of him. And he sees what’s
happening in front of him. When you spend the sermon talking, walking, texting,
or sleeping, it’s distracting and discouraging. But nothing makes a man want to
preach harder than to have people actually listening, sitting up, following
along, and taking notes. An occasional “Amen” doesn’t hurt either.
Encourage your preacher
Preaching can be discouraging work. If I
stopped writing this article and didn’t get back to it for a week, I could pick
up right where I left off. Preaching doesn’t work that way. We try to reach out
people on Sunday mornings. The world tries to reach them all the rest of the
week. The gravitational pull is against the things of God. And the pastor often
feels he is not making a difference. Encourage him. Don’t stroke his ego. But
give him specific ways you are learning and growing.
Be a doer of the word
A church is not committed to the word, just
because the pulpit preaches the truth. A church is committed to the world when
biblical preaching together shapes its life. To hear the word without doing
what it says is self-deception (James 1:22-25). Members often leave the service
and rate the pastor’s sermon. But the real issue is what you do with what you
hear. Be eager hear the word. But don’t stop there. Live it out by Christ’s
power and for God’s glory!
What do you think? What would add to this
list? How do you think the pew can
better supper the pulpit?
This article taken from blog: http://www.hbcharlesjr.com/2014/06/04/how-the-pew-can-help-the-pulpit/
12. CONNECTIONAL LAY ORGANIZATION
PRESIDENT'S REPORT:
"I
am redeemed, brought with a price"
Jesus
has changed my whole life
If
anyone ask you who I am,
Tell
them, I am redeemed."
To the Lay Commissioner, Bishop William
Phillips DeVeaux, Sr. in his absence; Host Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Vashti Murphy
McKenzie and Supervisor of the WMS, Mr. Stan McKenzie; other Bishops,
supervisors, General and Connectional Officers, Clergy and fellow Laypersons.
Indeed, I am happy to greet you in the joy
of Jesus as we just concluded an exciting time in the life of Christendom. We celebrated anew the resurrection of our
dear Savior, Jesus the Christ.
His Resurrection again asserted that we, as
an organization, are a ministry with a charge to "Fulfill the Great
Commission" of winning souls for Christ!
In the General Church's theme Christ showed
us; it cost be a disciple. As stated in
a previous report; the mantle of service has been given to us for a season, a
season to hold high the living Savior, the African Methodist Episcopal Church
and Global Connectional Lay Organization.
Since the Biennial we have been busy with
Lay Activities on all levels. Some of my
major events include:
•
Speaker at the Central Florida Annual Conference Lay Night in the
Eleventh Episcopal District.
• Speaker at Lay nights of the Ohio and
North Ohio Annual Conferences in the Third Episcopal District.
• Participated in the Executive Board
Retreat in Atlanta.
• Made initial site visits for the 2017
Biennial
• Attended the Global Development Council in
Lusaka, Zambia. On arrival over 70 people were at the airport to greet and
welcome the Director of Lay Activities and me; dressed in Lay uniforms. It was a very moving moment.
• Attended the New York Conference
Recognition Luncheon for Mrs. F. Jane Harris.
The capacity crowd celebrated her years of service to the Lay
Organization at all levels.
I thank God for the spirit of love and
warmth experienced on all the trips.
Strategically, we must began to effectuate
plans, voices and establish a collaborative thrust in promoting what we believe
best for the Church. Some areas of
concerns are:
• Legislative thrust by developing bills to
enhance our polity and governance
• Sensitivity to the plight of the Local
Church
• Laity having voices in consideration of
clergy's ethics
•
Accountability in enforcing the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church
•
Bills which will promote globalization of the Church:
-
Sensitivity to Redistricting especially in Episcopal Districts 14 - 20.
-
India's legitimacy
-
Promoting leadership
As laypersons we have the obligation to
speak and act with integrity and not controlled by the fear of losing the
offices we hold.
May God bless our great Zion and the Global
Lay Organization.
Respectfully submitted,
Willie C. Glover, Ph. D., Global President,
the Connectional Lay Organization
**Reprinted from the Connectional Lay Online Newsletter
13. ALABAMA CHURCH SEEKS HEALING AFTER
SHOOTING:
Though many feel lost in a terrible sea,
members of Gardendale-Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church were reminded on Jan.
13 that Jesus Christ is in the boat with them.
Just days after their pastor, the Rev. Terry
Greer was accused of shooting and killing his wife and wounding his daughter,
worshippers came through the doors of their church seeking comfort and answers.
A judge on Wednesday, May 28, found Terry
Greer, a former United Methodist pastor, not guilty by reason of insanity in a
shooting that killed his wife and wounded his daughter. Greer has been assigned
to a state mental hospital. He is on involuntary leave from all pastoral duties
and not receiving any pay or benefits from the North Alabama Annual (regional)
Conference.
Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett, episcopal
leader of the North Alabama Annual (regional) Conference; the Rev. Bob Alford,
superintendent of the conference's Central District; and the Rev. Jeri Hunt,
interim pastor of Gardendale-Mt. Vernon, offered words of healing in all three
worship services.
On Jan. 10, according to police reports,
Greer, 53, shot his wife, Lisa, 52, and daughter, Suzanna, 18, while in the
church's parsonage. Lisa Greer died of her wounds later that night. Suzanna
Greer reportedly took the gun from her father and ran to a neighbor, who called
police. Rev. Greer then took a kitchen knife, went into the bathroom, and
repeatedly stabbed himself in the neck and chest.
Suzanna Greer, a college freshman, was
released from the hospital and is staying with family friends. Rev. Greer is
still in the hospital with warrants for murder and attempted murder against
him. As church members prepared to go to Sunday worship, local news channels
were leading with the news of the shootings.
'My heart breaks for the people'
Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett gives the
sermon during worship.
"This church is facing a difficult
time, but we are blessed to come into the house of God," Hunt said.
"Despite what has happened, we are still the body of Christ." Hunt
has been serving as interim pastor at the church since early December while
Rev. Greer was on medical leave.
Wallace-Padgett told worshippers there was
no place she would rather be on this Sunday morning than with them. But she
also added she hoped she never sees another church under her care have to deal
with a situation like this again.
The bishop said she looked at many
Scriptures trying to find the right word for her sermon. She said Mark 4 - the
story of Jesus calming the Sea of Galilee - seemed most appropriate. She said
there are parallels between that ancient story and what this church is facing.
"We are in a ferocious storm, and it
has left us feeling off balance," she said, adding that just as Jesus
stayed in the boat and calmed the seas, he will do the same for us.
"My heart breaks for the people of this
congregation, for the Greer family and all their friends that are in such
pain," she said.
During each of the services, members of the
congregation came to the altar to pray and comfort each other. Many hugged and
whispered to each other, "We will get through this; we will be
stronger."
After the end of each service, the pastors
also announced funeral arrangements for Lisa Greer and plans for a fund for
Suzanna. Visitation will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Jan. 14 at
Scottsboro Funeral Home. The funeral will be at Scottsboro First United
Methodist Church at 2 p.m. Jan. 15.
Donations can be made to the Suzanna Greer
Fund and sent to the North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church at
898 Arkadelphia Road, Birmingham, AL 35204.
Moving forward
Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett (right) and the
Rev. Bob Alford pray with parishioners during the closing hymn.
Wallace-Padgett and the Rev. Sherri
Ferguson, executive director of pastoral care and counseling for the
conference; met with local media in a news conference after the last worship
service. She said the conference is in
the planning stages of finding another pastor for Gardendale-Mt. Vernon and
will announce that soon.
In an interview with United Methodist News
Service, the bishop said Greer had some physical health issues for a number of
weeks. "We anticipated those would be short-term, but it went longer than
expected. He has had some issues that popped up over the course of the past few
weeks."
Hunt said many in the church had been
concerned about the family; Lisa and Suzanna had not been attending
Gardendale-Mt. Vernon during Greer's illness. The family "wanted their
privacy," she said.
"This is a community of faith that is
in shock," said Ferguson. Ferguson and other counselors have been on hand
since the news of the shooting. Four counselors were in the church's fellowship
hall from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday and more will be available during the week.
Ferguson said she was also preparing some
tips for parents about how to talk to their children about the pastor and his
family.
"I have seen about 75 people - eyeball
to eyeball," Ferguson said. "But that is just a drop in the
bucket." She is working on the short-term pastoral care but also is
developing a yearlong program for the church and staff.
Greer was appointed to Decatur First United
Methodist Church for nine years before being appointed at Gardendale-Mt.
Vernon. Wallace-Padgett and Ferguson said members of that church also have been
receiving pastoral care.
"They are a body of Christ we want to
make sure has care," Ferguson said.
Wallace-Padgett said Greer has been in the
North Alabama Conference for a number of years and has many friends. She also
said people from around the world have been calling and sending messages that
they are holding the congregations in prayer.
"This experience is a visible reminder
what power there is in the connection," she said. "I want to thank
the people across Methodism for their love and support."
*Gilbert is a multimedia reporter for the
young adult content team at United Methodist Communications, Nashville, Tenn.
14. OPINIONS! FAITHFUL LIVING, HEALTHY
LIVING, INSPIRATION:
Baptists are an opinionated crowd. We were
taught to be that way. Preachers invest a lot of time and energy saying we
ought to do this and that we should not or must not do that. If you grew up
when I did, we were given instructions three times each week—Sunday morning,
Sunday evening and Wednesday night—on how to behave in every conceivable
circumstance. And, as if that weren’t enough, we were “trained” in Training
Union and warned in Sunday School about a thousand temptations that never made
their way into sermons. We were taught to care mightily about everything from
alcohol to zodiac signs.
Actually, we didn’t even know these were
opinions. Our parents, our pastors and our Sunday School teachers established
our religious DNA earlier than most of us remember. We just accepted certain
things as right and wrong. Taking a soft drink into the sanctuary was akin to
desecrating the Temple. Some things just weren’t done!
I graduated from high school in 1965 and
lived on the cusp of the Hippie Revolution. The full blown “Don’t trust anybody
over 30” anti-war flower-power thing never made it to North Augusta in full
force, but like everybody in America, I was affected. Once the door was open to
questioning “just because I said so” authority, once Rosa Parks sat down on
that bus in Montgomery and refused to get up, the world changed for all of us,
whether we knew it or not.
Once I learned that the Bible doesn’t say
anything about a lot of things that were a part of our tradition, from what we
wear to church, to whom we let come to church, I have been in the process of
discovering what the Bible actually does say. The Bible, it turns out, says we
need to hold onto most of our highly valued opinions lightly—“Love doesn’t
insist on its own way.” Rather it commands us to:
• Quit judging.
• Don’t be so anxious.
• Treat others as you want to be treated.
• Quit being so easily offended.
• Love one another.
• Be patient.
Why are some church people so critical? So
angry? So indignant? So easily offended? So afraid? Why do some people demonize
what they do not agree with? Does it have something to do with being an Alpha
Male Bully or a Fearful Female, or vice versa? Doesn’t each of us have enough
sin in our own life to keep us busy?
I’ve begun to notice how much in the Bible
is actually an effort by the people of God to work out what is right and what
is wrong. Paul says, more often than people who don’t read the Bible would
believe, “This is not an explicit command from God, but it is my best wisdom.”
That is true of much of our Holy Scripture. The book of Acts is the story of
the church trying to learn how to be the church. The Christian life was and is
a process of trial and error, of give and take, and much that was attempted did
not turn out well—from the early experiment in communism (Acts 2) to the
attempt to make Jews out of Gentiles (Acts 15). Just because a preacher, or a
parent, or a beloved Sunday School teacher, or a friend at church has an
opinion does not make that judgment true. We need to distinguish between
Universal, Eternal Truth and human opinions.
If anybody ever fought religious traditions
and customs, it was Jesus. Instead, he taught Grace, Liberty, openness to the
Holy Spirit, and Compassion.
Read the Bible. Jesus tells us to listen
more than he tells us to talk, to forgive more than to judge, to be grateful
more than to be critical, to be understanding rather than to be arrogant.
What a wonderful church that would be!
*The Rev. Marion D. Aldridge, a Baptist
clergy, is a popular preacher, public speaker, workshop leader and an
award-winning writer. Author of numerous books and hundreds of articles on
topics ranging from religion to sports to travel, Aldridge’s interests are
wildly eclectic. Aldridge has invested a lifetime in discovering what it means
to be a citizen and participant in God’s wonderful world.
15.
THE VIRGINIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE CONSECRATION / ORDINATIONS/ PASTORAL
APPOINTMENTS:
Bishop William P.
DeVeaux, Presiding Prelate
Dr. Pam DeVeaux,
Episcopal Supervisor
Consecrated
Deaconesses
Deaconess Deloris
Blow, Brown’s -Smithfield
Deaconess Dora
Johnson, St. Mark-Virginia Beach
Deaconess Vernice
Willis, Gaskins Chapel
Ordained
Itinerant Deacons
The Rev. Linda
Clark, New Union Chapel-Norfolk
The Rev. Janine
Watkins, Bethel-Hampton
Towanda Wyatt
Stepp, New Mt. Zion-Norfolk
Ordained
Itinerant Elders
The Rev. Temera
Tatem
The Rev. Christian
Darlene Belton (Washington Conference)
The
Norfolk / Eastern Shore District
The Rev. Chester
Morris, Presiding Elder
The Rev. John D.
Burton, St. Johns-Norfolk
The Rev. Vanessa A.
Copeland, Mt. Zion-VA Beach
The Rev. Vernon L.
Ricks, Sr. St. Mark-VA Beach
The Rev. Orin Gill,
New St. John
The Rev. Ronald J.
Knight, New Union Chapel
The Rev. Sherri L.
Brooks, Macedonia-Accomac
Hands of the Elder,
New Allen Memorial
The Rev. Oretha P.
Cross, Gaskins Chapel
The Rev. Timothy W.
Johnson, Bethel-Eastville
The Rev. Ira K.
McMillian, New Mt. Olive
The Rev. Anthony R.
Sanders, Ebenezer-Capeville
The Rev. Horace B.
Cross, Lee’s Chapel
The Rev. Ronald L.
Freeman, Sr., St. Luke-Daugherty
The Rev. Timothy F.
Smith, Sr., Greater St. Andrews
The Rev. Billy R.
Hunter, Bethel-Onancock
The Rev. Joel Tomlin,
New Mt. Zion-Norfolk
The Rev. Debbie L.
Bryant, Shorter’s Chapel
The Rev. Herbert
Gibbs, Greater Bethel
The Rev. Stephanie
M. C. Webber, Belle Haven Circuit
The Rev. Harrilene
S. Powell, St. Luke-Chesapeake
The Rev. Kenneth L.
Ruff, Holly Grove-Windsor
The Rev. Rufus L.
Mosley, Jr., Mt. Moriah-Elberon
The Rev. David L.
Holliday, Centerville Chapel
The Rev. Gwendolyn
C. Minor, Macedonia-Carrolton
The Rev. Abraham
Mackey, Campbell’s Chapel
The Rev. Alfred
Vann, Mt. Gilead-Franklin
The Rev. Eugenia
Bowser, Gordon Chapel
The Rev. Olivia
Collins, St. Stephens
The
Portsmouth/ Richmond/Roanoke District:
The Rev. Quinton
White, Presiding Elder
The Rev. Reuben
Boyd, Third Street Bethel
The Rev. Granger
Flythe, Emanuel,
The Rev. Andre’
Jefferson, Sr., Bethel-Hampton
The Rev. Donald
White, St. Paul-Newport News
The Rev. Amy
Hodge-Ziglar, Mt. Zion-Roanoke
The Rev. Darrell
Wade, Macedonia
The Rev. Linwood
Daugherty, Campbell Chapel
The Rev. Gilbert
Harper, Brown’s
The Rev. Willie
Boothe, St. Paul-Portsmouth
The Rev. Norman
Vick, St. James -Norfolk
The Rev. Jeannette
Phelps, Ebenezer-Roanoke
The Rev. Willie
White, First Trinity
The Rev. Kevin
Wilson, St. Paul-Winchester
The Rev. Bernard
Holmes, Rehoboth
The Rev. Phyllis
Whichard, Bethel -Smithfield
The Rev. Jacqueline
Hardy-Harris, Ebenezer-Richmond
The Rev. Delphoney
Kargbo, Bethel-Cave Spring
The Rev. Edward
Scott, Allen Chapel
The Rev. Isaac
Jackson, St. Paul-Danville
The Rev. Frank
Hill, Mt. Zion-Martinsville
The Rev. Glenn Orr,
St. Paul-Blacksburg
The Rev. Michael
Dunn II, Meadowview-Fieldale
The Rev. Leonard
Davis, St. John-Roanoke
The Rev. Otelia
McNorton-Barksdale, New Hope
The Rev. John
Swann, Jr., Bethel-Rocky Mount
The Rev. Matthew
Shannon, Beulah
The Rev. Gloria
Skinner-Pettiford, St. Michael’s
The Rev. Sydia
Bailey, Harmony Circuit Mt. Pisgah
The Rev. Jackie
Mumford, Bethel/Red Bluff
The Rev. Carl
Melvin, Bethel-Harrisonburg
The Rev. Temera
Janelle Tatem, St. James-Prospect
The Rev. Andrea
Cornett-Scott, Christ Our Redeemer
The Rev. Temera
Janelle Tatem, Marshall Chapel
The Rev. Ruby
Brown-White, Petersburg Mission
The Rev. Welton
Williams, Chesterfield Missions
16.
THE NORTH CAROLINA ANNUAL CONFERENCE CONSECRATION / ORDINATIONS/ PASTORAL
APPOINTMENTS:
Bishop William P.
DeVeaux, Presiding Prelate
Dr. Pam DeVeaux,
Episcopal Supervisor
Evangelist
Certification
Evang. Beverly
Connelly Harris
Itinerant
Deacons
The Rev. Mycal
Xavier Brickhouse
The Rev. Glenda
Gayle Hawkins Poindexter
Re-obligated
The Rev. Virginia
Ware
The Rev. Abdul Knox
Itinerant
Elders
The Rev. Timothy
Boone
The Tonya Anderson
(Washington Conference)
The
Northern Districts of the North Carolina Annual Conference
The Rev. Larry
Hinton, Presiding Elder
The Rev. Wayne
Johnson, St. Stephen-Wilmington
The Rev. Howard Johnson,
St. James-Kinston
The Rev. Jerould
Richburg, Mt. Zion-Wilmington
The Rev.
Christopher Haywood, Allen Chapel-Jackson
In the hands of the
Elder, St. Mark, Rocky Mount
The Rev. James A.
Knox, Haw Branch
The Rev. Tracy
Tann, Willow Oak
The Rev. Millard
Davis, Harrison Chapel
The Rev. Phillip R.
Lynch, Sr., St. Augustine
The Rev. James
Baker, Wayman-Enfield
The Rev. Mildred
Brown, Galatia-Nashville
The Rev. Abdue
Knox, Bethel-Selma
The Rev. Robert Yarbrough,
Union Hill
The Rev. Freda O.
Humphrey, Wesley Chapel
The Rev. Brandon
McAfee, St. Mark-Smithfield
The Rev. Edward
Sloan, Evans Chapel-Smithfield
The Rev. James N.
Sheares II, New St. John--Goldsboro
The Rev. Charles G.
Corbett, New Bethel-Magnolia
The Rev. Gaylian
Barbour, Phillip-Rose Hill
The Rev. Tony
Mills, James-Kelly,
The Rev. Jonathan
D. Ford, Paul-Kenly
The Rev. Timothy
Boone, James-Kennansville
The Rev. Tanya
Lowe, John-Conway
The Rev. Harold D.
Sidbury, John-Wrightsboro
The Rev. Willie L.
Sanders, Bethel-Spring Hope
The Rev. Pamela G.
Faison, Macedonia/Oak Grove Circuit
The Rev. Daphne
Solomon, St. John-Selma
The Rev. Janice
Harris, Old Scotts Hill-Wilmington
The Rev. Cassandra
Sparrow, St. Matthew-Weldon
The Rev. Charles G.
Corbett, St. Peter’s Warsaw
The Rev. Keith
Davis, St. Luke-Wilson
The Rev. Wayne
Lofton, New Kelly’s Chapel
The Rev. Mary W.
Faircloth, Anderson Chapel-Greenville
The Rev. Doris
Lindsey, Mann’s Chapel-Whitakers
The Rev. Sabrenia
S. Moore, Praise & Deliverance
The Rev. Joanne
Bedford-Boyd, Lebanon-Littleton
The Rev. Joan A.
Hopton, Rue Chapel-New Bern
The Rev. Robert
Bland, White Rock-Micro
The Rev. Annette
Joyner-Moore, Mt. Carmel-Bailey
The Rev. Serena
Lofton, Shocco-Spring Hope
The Rev. Elberta
Pugh Hudson, Lee’s Chapel-Selma
The Rev. Raynard
Griffin, St. Paul-Teachey
The Rev. Angela
Clark, St. Stephen-Scotts Hill
The Rev. Kathy
Alston Kearney, Oak Chapel-Warrenton
The
Southern District of the North Carolina Annual Conference:
The Rev. Evelyn
Dunn, Presiding Elder
The Rev. David
Morrison, Sr., St. Luke-Fayetteville
The Rev. Anthony R.
Watson, Mount Olive-Wilmington
The Rev. Patricia
Freeman, St. Phillip
The Rev. Artie
Odom, Jr., St. James-Castle Hayne
The Rev. Ruth L.
Pugh, Island Creek
The Rev. Theresa
Holmes, Mount Calvary
The Rev. Arthur
Jenkins, Rockfish
The Rev. Horace
Lawrence, St. John-Fairmont
The Rev. Philip
Blair, Turner Station
The Rev. Gloria
Fields, Maple Hill
The Rev. Michael G.
Redd, New Pike Creek
The Rev. Wilma
Hansley, Mount Moriah
The Rev. Dewey C.
Farmer, St. James-Whiteville
The Rev. Joseph
Nixon, Jr., Bethel-Leland
The Rev. Jerry
Pearson, Mount Horeb
The Rev. Robert
McKoy, Jr., Union Bethel
The Rev. Betty
Strickland, St. John-Hampstead
The Rev. Judy V.
Johnson, McCormick’s Chapel
The Rev. Joseph U.
Batts, New Light
The Rev. Richard
Smith, Mack’s Chapel
The Rev. Stephanie
Murserow, Kendall Chapel
The Rev. Edward
Hansley, Mount Carmel
The Rev. Gwendolyn
McNeill, Mount Pleasant
The Rev. Jesse
Peacock, Sr., St. Paul-Fairmont
The Rev. Sandra
David, Sand Hill
The Rev. Jeffery
Gainey, New Zion
The Rev. Hannah C.
Green, Myrtle Grove
The Rev. Hannah C.
Green, Rutland Chapel
The Rev. George
Cockell, Moore’s Swamp
The Rev. Derrick
Farmer, Ohovah
The Rev. Geraldine
Dereef, Macedonia
The Rev. Cassandra
Maultsby, St. Paul-Rocky Point
The Rev. Ronald E.
Davis, St. Matthew
The Rev. Germain S.
Robinson, Murphy Chapel
The Rev. Erica
Price-Pollock, Hank’s Chapel
The Rev. Jerry
Powers, Mount Ararat
The Rev. Libby
Malloy-Kisseih, St. Matthew-Rowland
The Rev. Onita
Dupree, St. Matthew-Tabor City
The Rev. Ronald E.
Davis, Bethel Currie
The Rev. Jacqueline
Mitchell, St. Mary
The Rev. Tammy
McDonald, Friendship
The Rev. Veronica
Murphy, Allen Chapel-Rose Hill
17.
MEGACHURCH PASTOR BISHOP T.D. JAKES ADDRESSES HU CONFERENCE:
By Austin Bogues
HAMPTON — Bishop
T.D. Jakes looked at the throng in front of him at the Hampton University
Convocation Center as he took the stage. He took a second to survey the
audience gathered for the university's annual Ministers' Conference.
"I don't know,
it feels like somebody came to have church here," Jakes said.
The crowd roared in
approval.
Jakes is pastor of
The Potter's House of Dallas, which boasts a congregation membership of more
than 30,000. He has risen to national stardom as the author of several books
and he has produced films, including "Woman Thou Art Loosed" and
"Not Easily Broken."
Jakes was the
keynote speaker and received a rock star's reception at the conference Tuesday
night, which is celebrating its 100th year. More than 7,000 people gathered to
hear him speak.
He urged ministers
to listen to their calling and "break the mold."
"Be careful
when folks try to name you from the outside. People will stand from the outside
and call you all kinds of stuff. They will call you what they need you to
be," Jakes said.
He added, "Be
cautious then by allowing history to define your destiny. Sometimes just
because you came from something doesn't mean that you are it," Jakes said.
"Too many
people are trying to fulfill somebody else's dream and somebody else's
legacy," Jakes said, pacing his sermon with deep breaths as the organist
played riffs.
"Tonight is
your night for a breakthrough. Tonight is your night for deliverance," he
said.
Throughout his
sermon, audience members rose to their feet to clap, shout and, at times, even
dance.
The annual
conference is typically a who's who of prominent African-American preachers,
which stretches across a range of denominations including Pentecostal, Church
of God in Christ, Presbyterian and African Methodist Episcopal.
Previous speakers
at the conference have included the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the Rev. Al Sharpton,
and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. President Barack Obama also addressed
the conference in 2007 when he was a U.S. senator.
Adding to the
conference's spectacle is the diversity in dress. Ministers are clad in
everything from flashy purple and pink three-quarter-length suits, traditional
robes; conservative business attire and some wore linen leisure suits, sandals
and fedoras. In between speakers, the audience enjoyed performances of gospel
hymns.
"It gives us a
chance to recharge our batteries. It gives encouragement," said Milton L.
Grady, an associate minister at New Bethel Baptist Church in High Point, N.C.
Grady said Jakes is an inspiration to many preachers because of his commitment
to his congregation and ability to focus his message.
"He's a man of
God," Grady said.
Environmental
Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy will address climate change
during Wednesday's convention. The conference concludes Friday.
Bogues can be
reached by phone at 757-247-4536.
18.
WHY THE HAMPTON MINISTERS' CONFERENCE STILL MATTERS:
Suzan Johnson Cook
This is my 31st
consecutive year in attendance at one of the greatest conferences in the world,
the Hampton Ministers conference.
I started attending
when I was a new seminarian. We couldn't afford to fly back then, so we car
pooled, and along the way, would join other car pools on their way to
"Hampton". It was, and still is, an amazing "experience"
It can be summed up
with yesterday's lineup and theme as we looked at the past and looked towards
the future. Powerful.
We were in worship
services from 8:30 in the morning, starting with Pastor E. Dewey Smith of
Georgia, a combination of Holy Ghost power, intellect and charisma, followed by
New York's Dr. James A, Forbes, a most requested lecturer, then Dr Cynthia
James, of Dallas, Texas who dealt with power and justice, and luncheon preacher
from Virginia.
Then 1,500 women
ministers, yes 1,500, crowded into the Student center for the Women in Ministry
hour, something I started and helped to build some 25 years ago, when it was
still questioned by many as to whether women should have full participation in
the conference.
Pastor Susie of
Washington, DC was our guest preacher, and the place went wild for the Lord. We
gave our Founders awards to women who had worked with me, all along the way, as
we had to have our secret "underground railroad meetings" years ago.
The night before,
along with four former presidents, we received gifts for our leadership. When
they read my name, I reminded them I was the first and only female President;
the U.S. Ambassador and the place erupted in applause. The sisters and the
brothers stood up.
Then last night we
came back to hear Bishop TD Jakes, as he preached. It had been ten years since
he had been there. When he was last there, he had written the book, God's Leading Ladies and presented it to
me on the night of my election as President
We wept then. We
leapt for joy now, as we were reminded, "Weeping may endure for a night,
but joy comes in the morning." It's morning time at Hampton, and I'm so
glad I endured the night. I am part of the 8,000 clergy-strong family and
invite you to "come on down."
Ambassador Sujay
was the 3rd Ambassador at Large for International religious freedom, the first
Female President of the Hampton Ministers Conference, the 1st female
Chaplain of NYPD and the creator of the ProVoiceMovement
for women.
Read More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/suzan-johnson-cook/why-the-hampton-ministers-conference_b_5444057.html
19.
PRESIDING ELDER SENDS MESSAGE TO THE DISTRICT PREACHERS TO REMIND THEIR OF
THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO GO TO THE POLLS:
- This message is
to be read in your church this Sunday
To the Pastors and
Members of the Beaufort District:
Pentecost greetings
in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The 18th
Chapter of I Kings recounts how the prophet Elijah performed a mighty work at
God’s command to remind God’s people of God’s power. Before he did so, Elijah
challenged God’s people to do the right thing, even though it meant going
against King Ahab and his government.
I Kings 18:21 says,
““Elijah went before the people and said, ‘How long will you waver between two
opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.’ But
the people said nothing.”
We can’t afford to
walk in their footsteps and say nothing on this coming Tuesday, when primary
elections will be held across our state. As children of God and as AME’s - a
liberating and reconciling people - we must stand up and make our voices heard
with our votes at the polls at every opportunity, for there’s no such thing as
an unimportant election.
In Matthew 5:14-16,
Jesus calls us to be the light of the world. When we shine at the polls and
elect people who will go beyond playing games with our well-being and
faithfully represent our best interests, we’re doing God’s will.
Don’t commit a sin
of omission and stay home on Election Day. Talk to those who can inform you of
where the candidates stand, go to the polls, and encourage - and if necessary -
take your family, church family and neighbors with you.
We can change our
communities, our state and our nation for the better when we go to the polls
and let God lead our choices. That’s why those who know and fear our voting
strength tried to pass a law to make it harder for us to vote. Don’t let anyone
steal your joy or your right to vote, for those who don’t vote choose to let
others run their lives.
Go to the polls and
cast your vote on this Tuesday. Our families, our children and our community
are depending on us. May God bless and inspire you and yours to do the right
thing and vote this Tuesday.
The Reverend Joseph
A. Darby, Presiding Elder, the Beaufort District of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church
20. RICHBURG REFLECTS ON DONALD STERLING:
*The Rev. Dr.
Caesar Richburg
The greatest trick
that the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he doesn’t exist.
The second greatest
trick that he ever succeeded with was telling us that he was winning.
The Los Angeles
Clippers were purchased in 1981 for 12.5 million dollars; they were recently
sold for 2 billion dollars. On the surface, it really seems like the devil is
winning. It seems like Donald Sterling will make a colossal profit off of his recorded
hate speech and will cash out his investment to retire in extraordinary wealth.
It further seems like the devil is winning because this man has both a wife and
a girlfriend and the wife knows about the girlfriend, has known about the
girlfriend and is okay with the girlfriend. When we see a man that harbors such
vile opinions about the people that we live with and worship receive a paycheck
for his ignorance and indignation it can make us disillusioned and cause us to
question why the wicked are prospering greater than the righteous.
The good news of
this soap opera is that the devil isn’t winning. The truly wealthy have money
tied up in the fabric of America - their investments make them money while they
are asleep. The truly wealthy take money and use money to make more money with
- they pass money down from generation to generation- they establish trusts and
foundations and endowments with their wealth- as a matter of fact if there’s
one thing that the truly wealthy never do - it’s liquidate their wealth. The
wealthy never sell - and the National Basketball Association told Donald
Sterling- your money - your investment - your presence is no longer welcome
here - take your money and leave. There are less than 100 major sports
franchises in this country; Donald Sterling will never own another of them.
Donald Sterling’s businesses will never be sponsored or partnered with any
Fortune 500 company. Donald Sterling’s presence will be met with cat-calls,
sneers, jeers and possibly even brushes with violence wherever he chooses to
travel. Reuters just reported that Donald Sterling is the most hated man in
America according to recent poll data.
The good news of
today is that the devil is not winning; the devil is losing and losing
decisively.
Be encouraged now
sisters and brothers, you may feel like the devil is gaining ground on you, you
may feel like evil is winning, you may feel like you’re so far behind that all
you can do now is give up - I remind you that the devil is under your feet and
he is losing.
Donald Sterling is
now a billionaire, but I bet if you were to ask him, he’d exchange those 2
billion dollars for his ownership of the Clippers.
I also believe that
the devil would give anything to take your pride and slow you down.
Let’s disappoint
them both.
*The Rev. Dr.
Caesar Richburg is the pastor of Williams Chapel AME Church in Orangeburg,
South Carolina
21. NCC URGES
SUPPORT OF THE JUNE 4 ‘SMARTER SENTENCING’ CALL-IN:
Washington, June 3,
2014 – Fresh from its May Christian Unity Gathering where more than 250
participants focused on the crisis of mass incarceration in the United States,
the National Council of Churches is urging support of a national call-in to
U.S. senators to demand passage of the Smarter Sentencing Act.
The bipartisan
bill, S. 1410, sponsored by Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah and Democratic
Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, would reduce excessively long sentences for
low-level drug offenses, and authorize judges to review cases for possible
resentencing.
The National
Council of Churches and several of its member communions are urging members to
call the Senate switchboard tomorrow at 1-888-427-0484 to be connected to their
senators’ offices.
“This crucial bill
has been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, and this is a critical
time to help push it to the Senate floor,” said the Rev. Ann Tiemeyer, interim
Associate General Secretary for Joint Action and Advocacy.
Tiemeyer urged
supporters to call their senators tomorrow, and to ask others in their networks
to do the same.
Prison reform
experts who addressed the Christian Unity Gathering May 19 and 20 reported
there are 1.7 million persons incarcerated in the U.S., the vast majority of
them persons of color and persons convicted of non-violent crimes and drug
offenses.
Bill Mefford,
director of civil and human rights of the United Methodist General Board of
Church & Society, told gathering participants that “there is no simple
legislation that can end mass incarceration. It will take a long time but we
must do it.”
The Smarter
Sentencing Act “can cut in half mandatory sentences for minor drug offenses,”
Mefford said, urging widespread support of tomorrow’s national call in.
As part of the
NCC’s ongoing efforts to pass the Smarter Sentencing Act, Jim Winkler,
president and general secretary of the National Council of Churches, has joined
more than 1,100 clergy and faith leaders in signing a letter to Senate
Leadership.
“As clergy and
faith leaders from a diversity of beliefs, we believe in the inherent dignity
of all people,” the letter states.
“We believe the
criminal-justice system should treat people, regardless of their offense,
justly and humanely. We call on you to uphold these principles by supporting
and passing the Smarter Sentencing Act, S. 1410/H.R. 3382.”
The full text of
the letter can be found by clicking here.
22. THE
4TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT SCHEDULE OF ANNUAL CONFERENCES AND DISTRICT
MEETINGS:
Bishop John R. Bryant. Presiding Prelate
The Rev. Dr. Cecelia Bryant, Episcopal Supervisor
Christian
Education Congress
July 23
– 26, 2014
Pheasant Run Resort
St. Charles, IL 60174
Telephone: 800-474-3272
Host Information:
The Rev. Dr. Reginald Blount, Congress Director
The Rev. Ernest Nia, Congress Dean
India
Annual Conference
May 3 –
10, 2014 (includes travel dates)
Radisson Blu Hotel
Chennai, India
Host Information:
Presiding Elder Minnie Sarah, Host
Presiding Elder Abraham Peddiny, Host
Canadian
Annual Conference
August
7 – 10, 2014
Stonecroft Inn (lodging only)
3032 Dougall Avenue-Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 800-665-6296
Group Code: AME Church
Caesars Windsor (lodging only)
377 Riverside Drive East-Windsor, Ontario Canada
Telephone: 800-991-8888
Group Code: CAM0806
Host Information:
Tanner Price AME Church – Windsor, ON
Telephone: 416-690-5169
Presiding Elder Tracey Thomas, Host Pastor
Bethlehem AME Church – Windsor, ON
Telephone: 519-974-2891
The Rev. Larry Wilson, Jr., Host Pastor
Michigan
Annual Conference
August
13 – 17, 2014
Four Points by Sheraton (lodging only)
4960 Towne Centre Road – Saginaw, MI
Telephone: 989-790-5050
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites (lodging
only)
2501 Tittabawasee Road – Saginaw, MI 48604
Telephone: 989-792-750
Hampton Inn & Suites (lodging only)
2695 Tittabawasee Road – Saginaw, MI 48604
Telephone: 989-797-2220
Host Information:
Bethel AME Church – Saginaw, MI (conference site)
Telephone: 989-755-7011
The Rev. P. David Saunders, Pastor
Illinois
Annual Conference
September
3 - 7, 2014
Hilton Hotel - Springfield
700 East Adams – Springfield, IL 62701
Telephone: 217-789-1530
Host Information:
Springfield Ministers Alliance
Indiana
Annual Conference
September
17 – 21, 2014
Courtyard by Marriott (lodging only)
1150 South Harrison Street - Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Telephone: 260-490-3629
Host Information:
Turner Chapel AME Church – Ft. Wayne, IN
The Rev. Kenneth Christmon, Pastor
Chicago
Annual Conference
October
8 – 12, 2014
Marriott Cedar Rapids Hotel
1200 Collins Road NE - Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
Telephone: 319-393-6600
Host Information:
Bethel AME Church – Cedar Rapids, IA
319-363-1251
The Rev. Williams Perkins, Host Pastor
Planning
Meeting
October
23 – 25, 2014
Hilton Hotel - Springfield
700 East Adams – Springfield, IL 62701
Telephone: 217-789-1530
Host
Information:
Illinois Conference
– South District
The Rev. Gary
McCants, Presiding Elder
23.
THE TRUTH IS THE LIGHT:
*The Reverend Dr.
Charles R. Watkins, Jr.
Based on Biblical
Text: Luke 9:62: “And Jesus said unto
him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for
the kingdom of God.”
I am writing most
of the time with the understanding that most of the people who will be reading
have already made the decision to follow Christ. The writing is posted where
Christians read. We know the Lord. We are members of a church. We believe Jesus
is worthy of our service because He suffered and died for our sins. I realize
that I am, for the most part, preaching to the choir. Or am I really?
How many among us
that claim to be believers and profess to be followers have truly stopped to
count the cost of our discipleship. Have we considered that when we responded
to the invitation to discipleship, giving our hand to the pastor and our hearts
to Jesus, there was a cost involved? Beloved, it cost to be a follower! There
is a price to pay if we are to be true disciples of the Living God. It is a
price we all must pay. Discipleship, in its truest sense, costs everything we
are and everything we have. Joining the church may be done without much thought
of what is expected of us. However, true discipleship is complete submission to
the Lord with all of our hearts, minds and souls. We are challenged to submit
wholly and without reservation. We are
reminded that, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is
fit for the kingdom of God.”
In our text we find
that Jesus is confronted by men who believe they are earnestly seeking to be
His disciples. Jesus confronts them challenging them to consider the cost of
their discipleship.
The text refers to
a “certain man”. This could be any man or any one of us in the crowd following
Jesus to hear his teachings. This “certain man” had obviously been moved by
something Jesus said and declared, “Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou
goest.” There was a time in each of our lives when we, like this man, first
accepted Jesus as our Savior and we were overwhelmed with desire to follow Him.
This man, like many of us, excitedly offered to become a follower of Jesus, and
follow Jesus wherever He led. For many of the same reasons we fell in love with
Jesus we find that this “certain man” vowed to go the distance with Him. Like
us he loved to be in the presence of the Lord and found it enjoyable to be
among His followers. Like us this man was motivated by the Lord’s incredible
wisdom and was awed by His inspirational teaching. The man much like us was
appreciative of all the good work Jesus did.
However, the man
like many of us had not really counted the cost of following Jesus. Jesus wants
him to know and He wants us to know that to become a true disciple we must
first develop a deeper conviction. There will be times when our faith will be
tested. Not everyone we come in contact with will treat us with respect. We
will not be welcomed everywhere we go. Jesus says, “Foxes have holes, and birds
of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” In
other words if this man would become a disciple, Jesus knew that he first had
to count the cost.
Jesus tells the man
and us to count the cost. We can declare our allegiance however our profession
will not be enough. Jesus challenges us that even our being willing to follow
Him will not be enough. Jesus lets us know that He offers no luxury or material
comfort, “but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” Jesus offers only self-denial. This “certain
man” had to deny himself and sacrifice all he was and all that he had.
Jesus charges us to
deny self and follow Him. He Himself is our prime example of the sacrifice He
requires. Jesus denied Himself completely sacrificing and giving all. Jesus
gave Himself and all that He had. The animals of the world had a home. The
birds had their nests and the foxes had their holes but Jesus did not even have
a place to lay His head. Jesus had no
place to call home. Jesus sacrificed all to meet the needs of a dying and
desperate world. Jesus demands that we deny ourselves completely, sacrificing and
giving all we are and all we have to meet the needs of a lost and desperate
world.
Jesus called
Himself the Son of Man. Like this “certain man” we will never be a disciple
unless we accept Jesus, not as a good teacher, but as the Son of Man. We must
accept Jesus as the ideal Servant of man. To be a true disciple we must know
Jesus as the one who loved all, cared for all, felt for all and ministered to
all. We are challenged to go and do likewise.
Some among us claim
we are willing and determined to follow Jesus to the ends of the earth. Lamentably,
following is not enough. The cost of our
profession of willingness and determination is that we accept Jesus’
sacrificial pattern for living. It is not enough for us to profess with our
mouth self-commitment. The cost is that we live out our lives with a
Christ-centered commitment. Many of us
possess strong wills, strong determinations and strong discipline and from
those traits self-commitment may arise. This may cause us to appear to be
dedicated on the surface. Unfortunately self-commitment is not enough for
Jesus. The cost of our allegiance is a total commitment to the Son of Man. We
are to abandon all of ourselves and all of the world. “Not my will but Thine.”
Luke 9:23 says, “And he said to them all,
If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross
daily, and follow me.”
Jesus cautions us
not to miscalculate the cost of discipleship that we might fall short in our
desire to serve Him. We cannot allow our mixed motives and good intentions to
prove insufficient for discipleship. Counting the cost will enable us to
prevent old obligations from getting in the way of our new birth and old habits
from becoming obstacles to our new responsibilities. We must be prepared to
surrender all to Jesus. The song writer penned, “all to Jesus I surrender, all
to Him I freely give.”
As we consider the
cost of our discipleship we must analyze our motive for service to the Master.
We must ask ourselves; does Jesus possess all of me? Jesus wants all of us, heart, mind and soul.
“Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me.” Consider
the cost and we will realize the all required is much more than our dedicated
devotion during the worship hour. All is so much more than our voice in the
choir or our hands distributing bulletins. All is even more than the work we do
or the dinners we cook. It is so much more than even our sacrificial giving and
our earnest prayers. Jesus wants us without reservation, without hesitation! “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put
his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
We must consider
the cost. Jesus wants all of us heart and soul!
“All to Jesus I surrender, all to
Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live.
I surrender all. All to Thee my blessed
Saviour, I surrender all.”
The Reverend Dr.
Charles R. Watkins, Jr., is the pastor of Morris Brown AME Church in
Charleston, South Carolina
24. GETTING TO ZERO: POSSIBILITIES FOR NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY IN
JUNE:
*Dr. Oveta Fuller
June 27, 2014 is the National HIV Testing Day (NHTD). The 2014 theme “Talk HIV, Test HIV, Treat
HIV”, summarizes the strategy to get to zero infections and deaths from
HIV/AIDS.
The single most important item in stopping HIV/AIDS is for each person to
know their HIV infection status. The standard way to determine HIV infection
status checks saliva or blood for antibodies that are made to HIV. Antibodies
are made upon first exposure of the body’s immune system to the AIDS-causing
virus. It takes 3-10 weeks after infection before antibodies to HIV are
detectable in blood or saliva.
Locate an HIV Testing Site
Go to www.hivtest.cdc.gov to use a zip code to locate HIV
testing sites within a 20 mile radius. Or use a smart device (phone, tablet or
computer) to put in a zip code at www.locater.aids.gov/. These
search tools provide a list or map with names and type of organization, phone
number, directions and types of HIV service offered. They also provide a list
of other testing or vaccine services provided by the agency.
For instance, when I put in my zip code, 10 matches appear in the
list. Some offer free services while
others require a small fee. In the Ann Arbor, Michigan area, most of the
agencies provide testing services for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and
herpes simplex virus. Many offer vaccines for human papilloma virus (HPV) and
hepatitis B. Along with HIV, all these are highly prevalent sexually
transmitted infectious diseases. Chances are higher that if one of these is
detected, another might be present.
The most widely used test now for HIV antibodies is an HIV rapid test. The rapid test with counseling can be
completed in less than 30 minutes. Home kits that are similar to home pregnancy
tests can be purchased at most USA and some international pharmacies.
Global Focus on HIV Testing
The June 27, 2014 National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) is sponsored by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. The annual observance was initiated in
1995 by the National Association of People with AIDS.
In 2014 the National HIV Testing Week, June 21-27 seeks to expand HIV
testing. It is hosted by the Urban Coalition for HIV/AIDS Prevention (UCHAPS)
in conjunction with a coalition of over 30 national and international
institutions and organizations. Information, list of sponsors and how to
participate can be found at www.nhtwus.org.
Update on HIV prevalence in the USA
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that now
about 1,100,000 persons in the USA are infected with HIV. Of these about 20%
(220,000) are unaware that they are infected. Besides lacking the treatments
that will slow or prevent progression to AIDS, a person who is infected but
does not know this can easily spread the virus to a sexual partner.
The prevalence of 1,100,000 persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) is down
from the previous estimate of 1,500,000 of PLWHA in the USA in 2010. This is due to focus by the CDC and others to
increase awareness of prevention of HIV infection, increase availability and
compliant use of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) and increase HIV testing and
counseling (HTC). Targeting populations with high prevalence such as
communities in the 13 southern states, college campuses, persons of color and
men who have sex with men (MSMs) has increased HTC numbers. This is all good
news.
A Possible Dream: An HIV Testing Competition
NHTW can be used by churches and organized groups to mount an HIV testing
campaign or event. Imagine what could be accomplished in a competition of
organizations or network of organizations around which organization could get
the most people to take HTC.
For example, the Michigan Annual Conference of the Fourth Episcopal AMEC
District could have a competition between congregations located in the North
District vs those in the South District. Presiding Elders would work with
pastors, the local church Health Commission representative or a pastor’s
designee from each church. Churches could partner to arrange on-site HIV rapid
testing at different places during the weeks of the NHTD friendly testing competition.
There could be some kind of prize to the winner- bragging rights at the
least. Winning the HIV testing competition could bring something more. Perhaps
there could be a handsome trophy that is kept by the winner until the next
year. I can imagine the Soaring South
AMEC members at the Michigan Annual Conference bursting with pride to say, “We
won the HTC competition in 2014. And in 2015, we are ready to defend our HIV
Testing Championship title!” “We might even go for a three peat!”
Such a friendly competition is a win-win-win for all involved. It would
show visionary and courageous leadership on the part of the Presiding Elders of
the participating districts. It would be blessing for the church and community
members.
One could even imagine a friendly HIV testing competition across the
connectional AMEC. One Episcopal District would compete with the other 19 for
the title of “HTC Champion of the Year.”
Bishops and Episcopal Supervisors could get their clergy, pastor’s spouses,
missionary, men’s ministry and YPD organizations excited to get the community
out for testing. Pastors and clergy
request that stewards, trustees, ushers, choir members, class or birthday month
coordinators and other officers and leaders lead in the HTC campaign. These
would in turn, fire up the congregation and members of the surrounding
communities. “On your mark, get set, go! Get that test.”
Timing and Value of an HIV Testing Campaign
Such an HTC campaign competition would be a win-win-win blessing in the
weeks surrounding NHTD. It could be continued through World AIDS Day in
December 1, or the National AIDS Awareness Day in February or even the National
Week of Prayer for Healing of HIV/AIDS in March. It would get people working together in a
community wide focus. It could allow collaboration among different churches,
even of different denominations in the same community or across a city of
county. People might get to know each other a bit better.
An HIV testing campaign would strike a major blow against HIV/AIDS stigma.
People would learn their HIV infection status. There are either no HIV
antibodies, which means the person testing has not contracted the virus. Or,
there are HIV antibodies present which means the virus is in the body. The
person (who now knows HIV is inside) will be sent for follow-up medical care to
determine status of immune system health and how much virus is present. They
will learn what medication to take so to counter attack the virus before it
destroys the immune system.
Imagine. Teens and young adults might be surprised and very proud of their
families and their churches. Young adults, teens and others might decide to get
involved. They might even grow spiritually from the increased interactions and
be a blessing to the Kingdom of God through their local church.
Many Positive Outcomes of an HIV Testing Campaign
Who knows what would happen if there was a healthy HIV testing competition
between Episcopal Districts, within an Annual Conference or across a city among
ministerial alliance members.
Who would get the most people tested by and connected to local community
agencies? The major purpose for existence of some of these agencies is to
provide HIV testing and counseling and other support services. Besides testing and counseling, services
include referral for medical care for those who are HIV+, suggestions on how to
reduce risk of infection for those who are HIV- and a plethora of other
resources to assist in community wellness education and healthcare.
These agencies would better fulfill their community health roles.
Increasing their HIV testing numbers might qualify the agencies for more
support. They might need to hire more people. Jobs would be created and college
and high school students could volunteer or be hired to work for the summer
with HIV testing or care agencies.
Imagine the Impacts on Lives
Think about the giant step taken towards getting to zero with
HIV/AIDS. Focus on testing could occur
at any date through NHTD in June 2015. A testing event could be hosted as a
Non-National HIV Testing Day. This is like having a party to celebrate an “It’s
Not My Birthday” day.
Most importantly, lives and families would be affected by a sustained
testing campaign.
People would know if they are free of HIV or if they must take specific
sustained care to be live free of progression AIDS and illness that can lead to
death.
In the process of increasing HIV testing, some persons might be open anew
to hearing the Good News. Someone might hear about or see in action the unequivocal
love, hope and light that salvation made available by the life, death and
resurrection of Christ.
Just imagine. June 27, 2014 is this
month. In moving towards zero “Talk HIV, Test HIV, and Treat HIV.” You know
what to do!
*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.”
25. iCHURCH SCHOOL LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 8, 2014 - TRUST GOD’S
PROMISES - HAGGAI 1:12, 2:1-9:
*Bill Dickens, Allen AME
Church, Tacoma, Washington
- This
Church School column is dedicated to Bishop John R. Bryant who like me will be
celebrating a birthday on June 8th.
One of the most
important verbal contracts we participate in is a promise. When we make a promise to someone, the other
party interprets that statement as an action item where we will deliver some
tangible beneficial or non-beneficial outcome.
Sometimes we are reluctant to accept promises due to our suspicions
about a person’s intent; that’s a problem with credibility. Does God have a
credibility problem? This key question
is raised in our AME Adult Church School Lesson for June 8, 2014. If God has a credibility problem people will
not put much trust in what God says. Our expectations will continue to come up
short.
Fortunately, God has a
prophet to motivate us to think and behave differently.
The prophet Haggai
continues his appeal in encouraging fellow Jews to remain focused on completing
the task of rebuilding God’s Temple. Haggai sensed there were too many workers
who decided to take long breaks during the rebuilding season.
In Chapter 2 verse 3 God
himself asks the important question to those who witnessed the Temple in its
former glory. How did that Temple contrast with the dilapidated condition of
the Temple at Haggai’s writing? Yahweh
admonishes the post-bellum Babylonian Jews to be strong and courageous because God
was in their midst and will honor the Promises He made during their Egyptian
captivity. God is in total control. He
commands all the resources needed to build and will see to it that the finished
product will exceed the splendor reflected in the former Temple.
God has an impeccable
track-record of doing precisely what God says He will do.
Why then are we like
Haggai’s contemporaries who choose laziness over work/thrift? Why do we allow doubt and disbelief to
supersede trust and faith?
Jesus admonished us to
work while there is daylight because when night arrives no one can work. The
work of the Gospel requires commitment and discipline. There is no room for
slothfulness. God’s promises represent the effective incentive/motivation we
need to complete the task!
*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.
26. MEDITATION BASED ON ISAIAH 42:1-9:
I recently had the
pleasure of meeting with the leadership of The Beaufort District Young Adult
Ministry to do a “debrief” following their first annual “Black and Gold Gala.”
We discussed what went right and what went wrong, and agreed that the Gala was
a well-attended and thoroughly enjoyable success - although some of the more
“straight-laced” older folks in attendance were bothered by the fact that the
Gala music included songs by The Temptations and Sam Cooke, but no gospel
selections!
Our short meeting
evolved into a longer discussion of the pros and cons of the church in general,
and that discussion left me feeling good about what young adults have to offer
the church in terms of input, involvement and leadership. They were positive, frank and spiritual, and
more than willing to honestly discuss what the church needs to do to - as a
hymn by Charles Wesley says - “To Serve the Present Age.” Their hopes, dreams and aspirations aren’t
limited by the expectations, challenges and disappointments that sometimes
govern our lives as we get older and - supposedly - wiser.
I offer up my experience
with those exuberant young adults for consideration in a world where many of us
often let this world’s demands, challenges and disappointments shape our lives
and limit our expectations. Too many good people with much to offer let life’s
negative experiences discourage them, hinder them, steal their dreams and make
them settle for just getting by and doing little or nothing new or innovative
as they get older, restricted by the limits of what they think they can do.
We’d do well, in a world
of ups and downs, to remember that there’s still no limit to what God can do
and to trust in the God who turns problems into possibilities, hurt into
happiness and limitations into lasting and unlimited blessings.
Take the time each day
to trust in the God who created us and redeemed us through the gift of His
Son. When you do, you can expect new
blessings each day - regardless of the obstacles that life puts in your way -
and face each day with new optimism, new confidence, and the ability to go
beyond the limited expectations of this world and say with one writer, “It is
no secret what God can do; what he’s done for others, He’ll do for you.”
And on Facebook at:
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
27.
EPISCOPAL FAMILY AND CLERGY FAMILY CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS:
--
The Golden Wedding Anniversary of Bishop C. Garnett Henning and Episcopal
Supervisor Ernestine L. Henning to be Celebrated and Honored by their Daughters
and Grandchildren
The Daughters and
Grandchildren of Bishop C. Garnett Henning and Mrs. Ernestine L. Henning will
celebrate and honor their father, mother and grandparents' 50 years of Marriage
on Saturday, June 7, 2014 at 3 o'clock in the Afternoon at Ward African
Methodist Episcopal Church, Margaret Murray Fellowship Hall, 1177 West 25th
Street, Los Angeles, California 90007; Program-Dinner.
In Lieu of Gifts:
Donations may be made to AME University, Liberia.
Contact:
Bishop and Mrs. C.
Garnett Henning
9301 11th Avenue
Inglewood, CA 90305
Telephone: (310)
259-6310
Telephone: (601)
519-8876
--
Ms. Olympia Mary Allison Mix Received Her Master of Arts in Teaching from the
University of Southern California
Ms. Olympia Mary
Allison Mix received her Masters of Arts in Teaching from The University of
Southern California - Rossier School of Education. Olympia is the daughter of
Paschell Cummings Mix and the late Gregory R. Mix, and granddaughter of Bishop
and Mrs. Frank C. Cummings. Olympia will be teaching Social Studies at Arabia
Mountain High School in Dekalb County School System in Georgia.
Please send
congratulatory responses to: olympiamix@yahoo.com
- The
Reverend Ella Mae Samuels Retired from her position as Presiding Elder of the
Augusta-Athens District in the Sixth Episcopal District
The Reverend Ella
Mae Samuels, the first female to be appointed to the position of Presiding
Elder in the Sixth Episcopal District, retired from her position as Presiding
Elder of the Augusta-Athens District, where she served for 14 years. The Late Bishop Donald George Kenneth Ming
appointed Rev. Samuels to the position of Presiding Elder. She retired during the 100th Session of the
Augusta Georgia Annual Conference on May 2nd, 2014, under the leadership of
Bishop Preston Warren Williams, II - the Presiding Prelate of the Sixth
Episcopal District. Reverend Samuels was also appointed to serve as a Marshall
for the Council of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
The Rev. Samuels's
states that she retired from her position due to physical restraints brought on
following a back surgery she had in 2010.
She expressed her desire to continue serving her beloved AME Church in
whatever capacity she can be helpful, especially as a consultant, a preacher,
and/or a teacher.
The Rev. Ella Mae
Samuels, Presiding Elder (Retired); pastor of New Zion Hill AME Church; weekly
columnist featured in the McDuffie
Progress - Thomson, Georgia; and member of the McDuffie County Board of
Education
Messages can be
emailed to:
-- The Rev. Paul
Mugala and the Rev. Faith M. Simfukwe-Mugala Announce the Birth of their Second
Grandchild
Joyfully we
announce the birth of our second grandchild, a grandson born on Sunday, June
1st, 2014 to our second eldest twin Daughter and Son-In-Love, Mr. Mbuyoti and
Mary Nachamba Mugala Malenga.
As you can imagine,
the maternal grandpa & grandma are delighted. Mother and grandson are doing
fine and the proud father is happy. We pray God's presence as they begin an
awesome task of Nurturing & Raising our handsome special jewel grandson in a
way and manner always glorifying God. Thank you in advance for your prayers.
You may reach the
Malengas (proud parents), using the email below:
Contact for the
proud grandparents:
28.
EPISCOPAL FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
Regretfully We
Share the Following Bereavement Notice:
We are saddened to
acknowledge the passing of Ms. Camille Hildebrand, the daughter of the late Rt.
Rev. Richard Allen Hildebrand, the 88th Elected and Consecrated
Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Sister Hildebrand's
Going Home Service was held at Macedonia AME Church, Fernandina Beach, Florida
on Friday, May 30, 2014.
The viewing was at
10:00 am, followed by the service at 11:00 a.m. (EST).
Profession services
were provided by Huff and Battise Funeral Home, 410 Beech Street, Fernandina
Beach, FL 32034; telephone: 904-261-4367.
Acknowledgements
and correspondence may be addressed to:
The family of
Camille Hildebrand
2915 Park Square
Place
Fernandina Beach,
FL 32034
The Rev. Anthony
Daniel, Pastor
Macedonia AME
Church
202 South 9th
Street
Fernandina Beach
32034
Telephone: (904)
261-411
29.
CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to inform
you of the passing of the Rev. Jackie Whitted, of Piedmont, SC on Tuesday, June
3, 2014. The Reverend Whitted was the
husband of the Reverend Ruth Whitted and pastor of Mount Sinai AME Church, Bradley,
SC, Abbeville-Greenwood District, Piedmont Annual Conference.
Funeral Services
for Reverend Jackie Whitted:
Monday, June 9,
2014
11:00 a.m.
Mount Sinai AME
Church
105 Puckett Town
Road
Bradley, SC 29819
Telephone: (864)
746-6188
The Rev. Samuel L.
McPherson, Presiding Elder
Abbeville-Greenwood
District
Expressions of
sympathy may be sent to:
The Rev. Ruth
Whitted
2213 Easley Highway
Piedmont, SC 29673
(864) 642-9618
The Right Reverend
Richard Franklin Norris, Presiding Prelate, 7th Episcopal District
Mother Mary Ann Norris,
Episcopal Supervisor
Please remember the
family in your prayers.
30.
CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to inform
you of the passing of Mrs. Lynette Mitchell, of Cross, SC on Sunday, June 1,
2014. Mrs. Mitchell was the mother of
Brother Clarence Mitchell, YPD President of the 7th Episcopal District. Mrs.
Mitchell was a member of Jehovah AME Church, Cross, SC.
Funeral Services
for Mrs. Mitchell:
Saturday, June 7,
2014
2:30 p.m.
Jehovah AME Church
1565 Old Highway
#6.
Cross, SC 29436
(843) 753-2400
The Rev. Jonathan
Baker, Eulogist
The Rev. Dr. Allen
W. Parrott, Presiding Elder
Services Entrusted
to:
Eutawville
Community Funeral Home
440 Porcher Avenue
Eutawville, SC
29048
(803) 492-3150
Please send all
condolences and acts of kindness to:
Brother Clarence
Mitchell
486 Murphy Bay Road
Cross, SC 29436
31.
CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE/SERVICE UPDATE:
The Twelfth
Episcopal District is saddened to share news of the passing of the Reverend
Lewis A. Norful, a retired pastor and Presiding Elder in the 12th Episcopal
District. He is the spouse of Mrs. Alice
Faye Norful, a faithful member of the 12th Episcopal District M-SWAWO, who was
a formal First Place winners in CONN-M-SWAWO, Plus PK's annual First Lady,
First Gentlemen Contest held to fund scholarship awards for graduating high
school PK’s who are winners of the essay contest.
The passing of the
Reverend Dr. Lewis A. Norful: a retired
pastor and Presiding Elder in the 12th Episcopal District. He is the uncle of
Dr. W.R. (Theresa) Norful, Sr., retired pastor of St. John AME Church in Pine
Bluff, AR.
Contact for Mrs.
Alice F. Norful (wife):
711 Parkrose Avenue
Memphis, TN 72301
32.
CLERGY FAMILY SERVICE UPDATE:
Please note the
following as update for services for Mrs. Lynette Mitchell, the mother of
Brother Clarence Mitchell, YPD President of the 7th Episcopal District.
Wake Service:
Saturday, June 7,
2014
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Jehovah AME Church
1565 Old Highway
#6.
Cross, SC 29436
(843) 753-2400
Funeral Service:
Sunday, June 8 at
2:00 p.m.
Jehovah AME Church
1565 Old Highway
#6.
Cross, SC 29436
Rev. Jonathan
Baker, Eulogist
Rev. Dr. Allen W.
Parrott, Presiding Elder
Kingstree District
Interment: Julius
Spann Cemetery, Cross, SC
Services Entrusted
to:
Eutawville
Community Funeral Home
440 Porcher Avenue
Eutawville, SC
29048
(803) 492-3150
Please send all
condolences and acts of kindness to:
Brother Clarence
Mitchell
486 Murphy Bay Road
Cross, SC 29436
33. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICES AND CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS
PROVIDED BY:
Ora L. Easley,
Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family
Information Center
Telephone: (615)
837-9736 (H)
Telephone: (615)
833-6936 (O)
Cell: (615) 403-7751
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-AME-Church-Clergy-Family-Information-Center/167202414220
34. 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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