The Right Reverend T. Larry Kirkland - Chair, Commission on
Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, the 20th Editor, The Christian Recorder
1. TCR
EDITORIAL – “AND ARE WE YET ALIVE, TO SEE
EACH OTHER’S FACE” - IN THIS SACRED PROFESSION:
Dr. Calvin H.
Sydnor III
The 20th
Editor of The Christian Recorder
Last week, I
attended and answered the roll call at the Kentucky Annual Conference. It was my 48th time answering the
roll. Most times I have answered roll call with my physical presence, but there
were several times when I answered the roll in absentia because I was stationed
overseas and was physically unable to travel to Kentucky.
Attending annual
conference is always a unique experience for me. It began when I was admitted
to the Philadelphia Annual Conference in 1963. My admission to the Philadelphia
Annual Conference was a continuation of the journey which began in 1959 in
Rahway, New Jersey when I finally acknowledged my “call” to the ministry and
preached my “trial sermon.”
As in annual conferences for over 200 years
Each annual
conference worship service begins with the singing of “And Are We Yet Alive” and it was so at our annual conference. I have noticed that with each passing year,
the hymn, “And Are We Yet Alive”
becomes more meaningful and each year it’s harder for me to hold back the
tears.
The hymn gets more
emotional because it floods my mind with the friends and colleagues in years
past who sang that hymn and answered the roll call with me in the Philadelphia
Annual Conference and in the Kentucky Annual Conference.
The strange thing
is when I visit other annual conferences and sing “And Are We Yet Alive,” it’s emotional, but not as emotional as when
I sing it in the Kentucky Annual Conference. I know it’s because as the words
in the hymn written by J. B.F. Wright that says, “Precious memories, how they linger How they ever flood my soul.” When “And,
Are We Yet Alive” is sung, memories of my ministry pass before my mind and
I hear the “Echoes from the past” and
tears well up in my eyes.
I know age has
something to do with the “memories that
flood my soul” and, as when I was much younger, the young pastors today
sing the hymn with liveliness, but as the years pass the hymn will take on a
greater emotional significance; just watch the older clergy when they sing the
hymn.
A few words about the conference
In addition to all
of the work of the annual conference, it gives the bishop an opportunity to
share his or her vision and to provide teaching needed by the laity and the
clergy.
Bishop Jeffrey N.
Leath did just that and took opportunities to share teaching moments with the
annual conference. He is a stickler for
time and values everybody’s time. Not a
moment was wasted. The conference sessions began and ended on-time.
The worship
services were spiritual and focus of the worship services was worship. In the
Kentucky Annual Conference and the West Kentucky Annual Conference no business
was conducted before, during or after the worship.
Here’s what I mean
The roll call and
conference organization were done prior to and apart from the annual conference
opening worship service. The conference recessed and the preachers robed up for
the opening session of the annual conference.
There is no money
offering taken up at the worship service. Bishop Leath received the offering
from the presiding elders prior to the annual conference. Clergy and lay
delegates who may not have taken the opportunity to contribute their offering
were invited and encouraged to make their contributions to their presiding
elder. There was an opportunity during
the annual conference to take a missionary offering, but it’s done without
fanfare; no, “Who will give $100, $50 and so on.”
It’s an amazing
phenomenon to witness worship services of the annual conference without the
hustle and bustle of “lifting an offering” and changing the tenor of the
worship service. And, no matter how many
times a worship leader or bishop says, “We are not changing the order of the
worship service…” the way many offerings are taken, does change the tenor of
the worship service.
Collecting the
funds of the annual conference before the convening of the annual conference
has several advantages: one, the financial business is out of the way; two,
there is no reason for clergy or laity to “dodge the offering”; and three, a
bunch of preachers and laity don’t have to leave the worship service to count
the offering.
It also appears
that there is less standing outside and congregating during the worship
services. Everybody can worship from beginning of worship to the
benediction. It’s distracting to see
preachers undoing their robes rushing out of the sanctuary with the collection
plates to count the money.
As an aside
Jewish synagogue
worshippers make their contributions at a specified time and not during
worship. Synagogues do not pass
collection plates during worship.
In some nondenominational
churches, parishioners make their contributions in the narthex before or after
worship. Collection plates are not passed during worship.
Getting back on track
In our annual
conference, worship is not distracted by clergy or laity’s anxiety about the
offering; it’s all done beforehand or maybe afterwards in the case of presiding
elders who may not have collected all of their apportionments before the annual
conference.
Just one more thing
Each time I attend
the annual conference, I have come to respect the preachers who are doing the
work of ministry; many of them pastors of small congregations. I respect the
laity who struggle with “not enough resources,” but, year after year love and
support the work of ministry and attend the annual conference to make their
pastor’s report. Tears come to my eyes as I write these words.
I listen to the
reports of pastors who are trying to make ends meet. Their churches are not
located in areas where the congregation can grow into a mega-church. If you sent
T.D. Jakes to their locations, he wouldn’t have a mega-church. And, besides, every church is not meant to be
a mega-church. Everybody does not want to attend large churches.
Annual conference
should not be a time to hassle pastors and laity who have worked hard. We need
to find ways to make annual conference more relaxing and encouraging and I
believe that Bishop Leath is achieving that goal.
Most of our
churches in the 13th Episcopal District are small congregations with
dedicated and committed clergy and laity; and that is something to behold.
Tears came to my eyes as I listened to some of the pastors give their reports
with a faithful member standing next to them. The ministry is indeed a sacred
profession.
Some pastors and
laity have struggled and yet they rejoice when giving their reports and I know
the stanza of the hymn, “And Are We Yet
Alive” that says, “What troubles have
we seen, what conflicts have we passed, fightings without, and fears within,
since we assembled last” is real to them.
I respect and honor
the pastors of smaller churches who “stay on the battlefield” in spite of the
challenges they face.
The pastors of our
churches are dedicated men and women and I wish there was a formal way to honor
their ministry; all of them because the ministry is a sacred profession.
2. NEWS AROUND THE AME CHURCH:
I
heard earlier this week that Bishop Gregory G.M Ingram is requiring all
churches in the First Episcopal District to conduct fire drills this Sunday.
What a great initiative that most of us have not even thought of, but which is
a great idea because knowing how to exit a church sanctuary, whether it’s a
fire or another kind of emergency is important.
Perhaps
other episcopal district might want to consider emergency exit plans. We live
in a world where anything can happen.
3. TCR EDITOR'S COMMENT: A NEW TCR COLUMN – THE COLLEGE CORNER:
The
article below is the first article of our new column, The College Corner. Ms. Kandace Taylor submitted the first
article for our new column. The College Corner column is the idea of Mr. Joseph
Turner, a member of Greater Bethel AME Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. Turner is also a member of the
Wilberforce University Board of Trustees.
4. THE COLLEGE
CORNER - “WORKING YOUR CORNER”:
*Ms.
Kandace Taylor
Sometimes
as young adults it feels as if we are struggling to carve out a corner for
ourselves, whether we are at our home churches or, for those who are away at
school, in our church homes-away-from-home.
I was fortunate during my time in college to have attended a church with
a vibrant and active collegiate and young adult ministry, but that’s not the
case for everyone.
Students
who attend college in their hometowns and who are attending their home church,
which they have attended most of their lives may experience that finding “a
corner” can feel especially challenging. Even Jesus said, “A prophet is without honor is his (or her) hometown.”
College
students who stay at home or go away to college might have ideas for change
within the framework of their church both in regard to young adult needs and to
the needs of the church body in general, but don’t know where to start. You see
something that is needed in your local church and feel inspired to address it,
but can’t seem to find the first steps to doing so.
So
what do you do?
This
post is for the college kids, both home and away, who are looking for answers
to that question.
The
list below is far from a comprehensive, but here are a few tips for young
adults to remember:
Tip #1: Don’t get
discouraged.
If
the church you’re in right now doesn’t have a program similar to one you might
want to start or implement; it can be really hard to know what to do first.
Don’t
get discouraged. Plan anyway. Be able to
articulate to yourself exactly what change you want to enact in your church and
how you think you want to get there so that when opportunities arise to share
your ideas, you can do so confidently.
Tip #2: Be vocal
As
discouraging as your situation might seem, be honest with the people around you
who you think might be receptive to your ideas.
Just as we can make our desires known to God, God will put people in our
paths who are looking to help young adults carve out their place within the
church. If no one knows your ideas then
your ideas definitely won’t get off the ground.
Tip #3: Remember
that your opinion matters.
This
kind of falls under not getting discouraged, but I think as young adults we can
feel like, “Who am I to try and push change through?”
We
can feel as if we should “wait our turn” and keep our heads down until the
people ahead of us give us permission to take leadership roles within our
church communities.
Whether
you’re at home or in a different city, the college years are some of the ripest
times for creating the church you want to see.
You have the time (even if it doesn’t always feel like it), you have
access to resources you didn’t have when you were in high school. i.e.,
professors, advisors, other young people, and you have what it takes to be the
change you want to see in the AME Church.
So
carve out your corner. And when you have
it, work it!
*
Kandace Taylor has a B.A. in English and is a graduate of Florida State
University. She is a member of St. Stephen A.M.E. Church in Jacksonville, FL.
Her pastor is the Rev. Dr. Michael L. Mitchell."
5. JACKSON STATE
UNIVERSITY NAMES A RECITAL HALL TO HONOR LONG-TIME MUSIC PROFESSOR:
Jimmie
James served on the staff at Jackson State University in Mississippi for 43
years, rising through the ranks to chair the department of music. During his
long career at the university, he also served as director of music activities,
coordinator of the Graduate Music Program, director of the concert band, and
director of the brass ensemble.
To
commemorate his service, Jackson State University has named the Recital Hall in
the F.D. Hall Music Center in honor of Jimmie James.
“I
am very humbled by this entire experience of receiving the honorable
recognition and having the recital hall named in my honor,” James said. “I will
forever be grateful for having my name permanently and visibly displayed for
others to see.”
James
holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Jackson State University. He
received a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and his doctorate
from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Dr.
James is an AME and a member of Pearl Street AME Church in Jackson and is also
the Historiographer for the Connectional Music and Christian Arts Ministry of
the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He also serves as the Connectional
Director Emeritus of the Music and Christian Arts Ministry of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church.
Dr.
James also established the Jimmie and Carrie James Scholarship at Jackson State
University and is well known for his unique instructional methods and has led
music workshops, seminars and other instructional presentations that draw
church musicians from throughout the United States and abroad. Dr. James has
also written articles for The Christian
Recorder.
Dr.
James was one of the featured directors for the Tennessee Annual
Conference/Pearl Street Combined Choirs when they sang for the 125th
AMEC Publishing House Anniversary worship service in 2007.
The
Jackson State University honor of naming a recital hall in honor of Dr. Jimmie
James is also an honor for his family, friends and the African Methodist
Episcopal Church.
6. JSU NAMED THE
AUDITORIUM OF ITS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS IN HONOR OF AME COUPLE:
In
2012, Jackson State University named the auditorium of its College of Business
in honor of Winston R. Pittman Sr. and his wife Alma Dent Pittman. The Jackson
State University held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the naming of the auditorium
occasion. The Pittmans contributed $250,000 to the university and the U.S.
Department of Education's Title 3 program matched the Winston's gift for a
total of $500,000 to the university.
The
Pittmans own automotive company Pittman Enterprises, which has six dealerships
in South Carolina, Ohio and Georgia. Winston, president and CEO of Pittman
Enterprises, founded the company in 1987. The company sells Chrysler, Jeep,
Dodge, Nissan, CDAC, Lexus, Toyota, Ford, Lincoln Mercury, Scion and Subaru
vehicles.
A
Grenada native, Winston is a Jackson State University alumnus. He attended Mary
Holmes Junior College in West Point, Mississippi before transferring to JSU in
1970. He majored in accounting at JSU until he left the university during the
last quarter of his senior year in 1972 to take a job as a manager with United
Parcel Service in Jackson, which he viewed as an opportunity to jumpstart his
career in business. He later attended Chrysler Dealer Development School in
Detroit, Michigan.
His
wife, Alma is a native of Yazoo City and attended Hinds Junior College and the
University of Mississippi, where she majored in nursing. She started her
nursing career St. Dominic Hospital in pediatrics. Alma is the Health and
Wellness Director for Pittman Enterprises and organizes health fairs and
screenings. She is also the company's Vice President of Community Affairs,
working with television and radio companies on behalf of Pittman Enterprises.
Winston
made the generous contribution to Jackson State to help students who came to
the university in need of funds.
The
Winstons believe in giving back to the community.
The
Winstons are members of Quinn Chapel AME Church in Louisville, Kentucky. They
were members of Pearl Street AME Church in Jackson, Mississippi under the
pastorate of the Rev. Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr.
Jackson
State University has two facilities named in honor of members of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church: Mr. Winston R. and Mrs. Alma Dent Pittman and Dr.
Jimmie James. All three were members of Pearl Street AME Church in Jackson,
Mississippi.
7. 50TH
YEAR CELEBRATION OF THE I. A. MILLER SCHOLARSHIP FUND:
This
year marked another milestone in the history of Ward Memorial African Methodist
Episcopal Church (AMEC) located in our Nation’s Capital. The Isaac Alphonso Miller Scholarship
Committee held a two-day celebration to commemorate 50 years of donating
monetary assistance to Ward students by providing scholarships and incentive
awards.
Co-Chairs
for this half a century celebration were Mrs. Angela Dixon-Van Croft, Mrs.
Kimberly Jenkins-Chapman and Mr. Richard A. Myers, Jr. Honorary Co-Chairs were Ms. Lorraine Brock
and Mrs. Darion Miller Griffin.
A
Scholarship Born Out Of a Great Loss and the Civil Rights Movement
The
scholarship was named in honor of the late Reverend Isaac Alphonso Miller, one
of Ward’s preeminent ministers who suddenly passed away while serving as pastor
of this great church. The fund was initiated in 1964 by a group of Caucasian
students from Eastern Michigan University who camped out in the basement of the
church while attending a Civil Rights demonstration in Washington, DC.
Upon
hearing of the death of Reverend Miller, the group’s organizer and students
considered a method of showing their appreciation and chose to send funds to
the church to establish a scholarship in his name.
The
church immediately set up a committee to manage the funds and established
guidelines for awarding scholarships.
In September 1966, the first two scholarships were awarded to Miss.
Lorraine Brock and Miss. Darion Miller.
Scholarship
Recipients Who Give Back
The
Scholarship Committee used this occasion as a twofold purpose:
To
communicate with former scholarship recipients and incentive award winners to
invite them to join ranks with the Committee on the occasion of the scholarship
banquet and worship service; and
To
ask each recipient and incentive award winner to “give back” in support of the
newly established 50th Year Scholarship Fund.
In an effort to help support the fundraising concept, the Co-Chairs,
spearheaded by Mrs. Van Croft and organized by Mrs. Linda Dixon (a
mother/daughter team), held an extremely successful Book Fair at Ward and invited
members and local schools in the community to participate.
The
Banquet was held at the Washington Navy Yard Catering and Convention Center in
Washington DC. Upon entering the room, a
slide show presentation of former Scholarship Recipients, Incentive Award
Winners and a sundry of individuals who helped to build and grow the
Scholarship Fund was shown. There was such a flutter of chatter, “oohs, aahs
and comments such as, ‘oh, there is Mrs. Hundley’ or, ‘there is Mrs. Jamison
and Mr. Myers!’” The presentation was reminiscent of past I.A. Miller
scholarship recipients, incentive award winners, and visionaries of the
mission.
Mrs.
Darion Miller Griffin served as the Mistress of Ceremonies and introduced the
keynote speaker, Reverend Luke J. Robinson, Pastor of Quinn Chapel AME Church
and former I. A. Miller scholarship recipient. The audience enjoyed his wit and
his profound message of encouragement.
Mr. Ryan Harris gave the invocation.
The
program consisted of “reflections” from several past scholarship recipients who
expounded on what receiving the scholarship meant to them and how it helped
them financially. Also featured on the
program was the incomparable singer and former scholarship recipient Ms. Alison
Carney. Alison has shared her musical
gift throughout the USA and abroad. She is the daughter of Mrs. Darion Miller
Griffin. Mr. Nicholas Ford masterfully
played a wonderful saxophone solo.
Mrs.
Mary F. McKinney presented the “Occasion” and Mrs. Kimberly Jenkins-Chapman
gave the “History of the I. A. Miller Scholarship Fund”. Mr. William Ayers Jr. presented certificates
to honor Ward’s scholarship donors (past and present) for their financial
giving to the Fund.
The
Rev. Dr. Michael O. Thomas, Pastor of Ward AMEC gave “Closing Remarks” and
commended the Committee for a “job well done” and concluded this outstanding
Banquet Celebration with the Benediction.
A Sunday Service of
Praise and over $10,000 in Scholarships
The
culminating event was the Sunday morning worship service coordinated by Dr.
Linda Jones. Worship service
participants included our two scholarship winners, Mr. Ryan Harris, who will
attend Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH, and Mr. Nicholas Ford, who will
attend Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD. Together, they received over $10,000 in
scholarships.
Guest
speaker for the morning service was Dr. Karl W. Reid, newly appointed Executive
Director of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), a 40-year old
student-run organization of 30,000 members whose mission is to increase the
number of Black Engineers worldwide. He
gave a biblically-based and well-received presentation entitled “Being the Best
You Can Be with God by Your Side.” In
the audience were former scholarship recipients, incentive award winners and
our supportive congregation and friends.
Pastor Thomas charged the students to continue to excel and to keep God
in the equation.
A Legacy of
Excellence with More to Give
During
these past 50 years, the Scholarship Committee has awarded almost $100,000 in
Scholarships and Incentive Awards to Ward’s graduating students. The Committee also established an Incentive
Award Program, a Home for the Holidays (Christmas) event, initiated a Higher
Education Forum and continues to seek the sponsorship of church members to
establish scholarships in their name or in memory of a loved one. As a result, we currently have 12
scholarships to offer our graduating students who qualify. Remember, you too, can become a Scholarship
Donor.
“To
God Be the Glory” for the students from Eastern Michigan University who gave
the impetus to establish the I. A. Miller Scholarship Fund and for the past
scholarship chairpersons and pastors who had the wisdom and vision to keep the
scholarship program as an integral part of Ward’s ministry.
Special
thanks to the members of Ward who established a scholarship and to the
congregation who so generously support the Scholarship Committee’s effort to
provide funding for our high school students to “climb the ladder of success”
through higher education.
The
Co-Chairs and their hard working committee members did an outstanding job in
successfully planning and implementing all events associated with this major
historical church-wide effort. We thank
them for their creativity, commitment and teamwork.
Submitted
by: William E. Ayers, Jr., Chairman, I.A. Miller Scholarship Committee
8. SAINT MARK AME
CHURCH, MILWAUKEE WORKING TO SAVE WILBERFORCE UNIVERSITY:
By
The Rev. Samuel Jenkins
The
Saint Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church of Milwaukee, Wisconsin has made
a commitment to support the continued accreditation of Wilberforce University,
Wilberforce, Ohio. Wilberforce University was founded in 1856, by the African
Methodist Episcopal Church and is the first historically African-American
university in America. In recent months Wilberforce University has received a
challenge to its accreditation status from the North Central Association-Higher
Learning Commission.
In
response to the accreditation crisis at Wilberforce University, the Saint Mark
AME Church of Milwaukee has made a commitment to become the first African
Methodist Episcopal Church, to serve as a student recruitment center to
identify students to attend Wilberforce University. Perspective students can go
to the Saint Mark Church and apply for admission to Wilberforce
University. Saint Mark Church will also
serve as an alumni registration site, so Wilberforce Alumni can join the
national alumni association.
The
pastor of Saint Mark Church, the Rev. Dr. Darryl Williams, was recently elected
Vice-President of the Greater Milwaukee Chapter of the Wilberforce University
Alumni Association. The Rev. Williams is a 1982 graduate of Wilberforce
University. The National Wilberforce University Alumni Association (WUAA) in
November 2014 will begin a national alumni membership campaign called 1000+ in
2015. The Rev. Samuel Jenkins, Chair of the1000+ in 2015 Campaign, recently
recognized Pastor Williams, and the St. Mark Church for their commitment to
recruit students and register alumni for the campaign. The Rev. Samuel Jenkins
also presented a Jerusalem Cross to Pastor Williams in recognition of his
commitment to Christ, and service to the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
For more
information contact:
Student
Recruitment/Alumni Registration:
The
Rev. Dr. Darryl Williams
Telephone:
414-562-8030
Greater
Milwaukee Chapter WUAA, President
Betty
Nicholas Braxton
Telephone:
414-899-5410 or 414-873-5371
WUAA
1000+ in 2015 Campaign:
The
Rev. Samuel Jenkins 708-224-9980
9. OCTOBER 1, 2014
DAY OF PREVAILING INTERCESSION FOR THOSE LIVING in the EBOLA REGIONS:
The
intercessory prayer gathering of the Episcopal Supervisors of the AME Church
encourages all members of our AME Church family to set aside time on Wednesday,
October 1, 2014 to be in prayer for the 14th Episcopal
District. We especially seek a move of
God to eradicate the Ebola Virus from the earth. We need the prayers of clergy, laity and
youth.
Excerpt from the
CDC Report
"Yet
another set of ominous projections about the Ebola epidemic in West Africa was
released Tuesday, in a report from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention that gave worst- and best-case estimates for Liberia and Sierra
Leone based on computer modeling.
In
the worst-case scenario, the two countries could have a total of 21,000 cases
of Ebola by Sept. 30 and 1.4 million cases by Jan. 20 if the disease keeps
spreading without effective methods to contain it. These figures take into
account the fact that many cases go undetected, and estimate that there are
actually 2.5 times as many as reported.
In
the best-case model, the epidemic in both countries would be "almost
ended" by Jan. 20, the report said. Success would require conducting safe
funerals at which no one touches the bodies, and treating 70 percent of
patients in settings that reduce the risk of transmission. The report said the
proportion of patients now in such settings was about 18 percent in Liberia and
40 percent in Sierra Leone."
Supervisor
Claytie Davis, President
Supervisor
Phyliss Green, Secretary
Senior
Supervisor, Rev. Cecelia Williams Bryant
**Message received
from Mrs. Ora L. Easley, Administrator, CFIC
10. AME CHURCH AND GIRLTREK PARTNER TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHIER
LIVING:
The
Rev. Miriam Burnett, MD, MPH said, "It is my absolute pleasure to tell you
about something exciting happening across the country - a partnership between
the African Methodist Episcopal Church and GirlTrek."
GirlTrek is a national
organization that inspires Black women and girls to live their healthiest,
most-fulfilled lives – simply by walking.
GirlTrek has been featured on CNN, in The New York Times and was
recently named “Health Heroes” by Essence Magazine for rallying 25,000
neighborhood walkers across the country.
Last year, the White House commended GirlTrek for starting walking teams
in over 150 churches.
Starting
October 1st, we want you and your church to join us! GirlTrek is
beginning its third annual “9-Day Prayer Trek.”
Last year, the national champions were members of DuPage AME Church in
Lisle, Illinois. Which church will take the trophy home this year?
What is the 9-Day
Prayer Trek?
Here’s how it works
Mark
your calendar! On October 1st, we start
walking – 30 minutes per day for 9 days straight. You can walk by yourself or in a group.
As
you walk, pray and practice acts of kindness in accordance with the 9 Fruits of
the Spirit, i.e., love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
GirlTrek will email
positive affirmations, prayer starters, trek destinations and “extra mile”
service challenges to inspire team members to keep the faith and finish the
course! We will be on double duty
walking and praying to fight against unhealthy habits, inspire our girls and
take back the streets of our neighborhoods.
Organize
a team at your church! It’s easy and
free! The more women and girls who walk
with you, the more points your church earns.
This is a health journey and a spirited competition!!! Last year, 150 churches participated across
America! The willing church team will
win bragging rights and be honorees at a catered awards reception to receive GirlTrek’s national trophy!!
Ready,
set, spread the word. Register yourself
at www.GirlTrek.org.
Then,
register your church team and download everything you need – a roster, order
form for T-shirts, daily walking assignments – at http://www.girltrek.org/#!prayer-trek/c1n4q
Special invitation
for AME Churches:
Please
mark your calendar - all health ministry leaders are invited to join the Rev.
Natalie Mitchem, Executive Director of the AMEC Connectional Health Commission
and the GirlTrek team on Friday,
September 26th at 8 p.m. ET.
To
participate, dial into the Health Commission conference call line at
424-203-8405 / Passcode 993296# or listen in online at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/girltrek
Fall
is a time to reflect on God’s grace. For 9-Days – beginning October 1st, we will serve as “Walking Witnesses” giving
thanks for our “temples.” (See: I Corinthians 6:19-20)
The
Rev. Miriam J Burnett, MD, MPH
Medical
Director
AMEC
Connectional Health Commission
The
Rev. Morgan Dixon
Chair,
GirlTrek Church Commission
11. AN INVITATION
FOR 740 STEPPING FORWARD:
Peacefully
protesting citizens threatened by a militarized police force. Young men and
women detained, arrested, and shot at for the crime of being black. Renewed
assaults on the right to vote for our most vulnerable populations.
Decades
after the freedom marches, rides, and demonstrations of the '50s and '60s, it's
nearly impossible to believe we are still engaged in these same fights for our
rights. The fights were led by NAACP members decades ago. Members continue to
make the world more equal and just today. And if the past few months are any
indication, our work is not done. We are needed now more than ever.
So
I've set a challenge: For our 2014 Membership Week, I want to welcome 740 new
and renewed members to the NAACP family.
Become
one of the first to renew your commitment this Membership Week.
During
last year's Membership Week, 739 civil rights activists claimed their place on
our membership rolls. If at least 740 activists step forward this week, we
won't have to take even one step back.
Joining
the NAACP is one way to work toward civil rights and human rights. Another is
voting, which is at the heart of the issues we hold dear. And in 43 days, we need
our communities to head to the polls.
Whomever
we vote into office will decide if progress is made to end police brutality and
militarization in Ferguson and throughout the country. They will decide if we
put an end to codified racial profiling and inequalities in education and our
economy.
We
can't leave those decisions in the hands of those who seek to silence us. We
need to work now to register voters, and to continue fighting voter
discrimination. And when our newly elected officials take office, your support,
your voice, and your membership will be even more vital.
Every
member of the NAACP represents another champion in the continued fight for
equality and justice. Renew today to take the next step toward victory:
In
solidarity,
Cornell
William Brooks
President
and CEO
NAACP
12. ATTORNEY
GENERAL HOLDER ANNOUNCES $2.6 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOMICIDE
PREVENTION:
WASHINGTON—Attorney
General Eric Holder announced Monday that the Justice Department has selected
four sites to receive a total of $2.6 million in grants to implement promising
models aimed at reducing domestic violence homicides. Over the next two years, these sites—Pitt
County, North Carolina; Cuyahoga County, Ohio; Contra Costa County, California;
and the Borough of Brooklyn, New York—will institute screening models and
evidence-based strategies that will allow them to anticipate potentially lethal
behavior, take steps to stop the escalation of violence, and – ultimately –
save lives. The National Institute of
Justice will conduct an evaluation of the models in each of the selected sites
to identify the key components needed to successfully adapt the domestic
violence homicide prevention models nationwide.
“Domestic
violence is more than a crime against just the victim,” said Attorney General
Holder in a video message posted on the Justice Department’s website. “It is a crime against all of us as a
society. And our collective response
must treat it as such.”
The complete text
of the Attorney General’s video message is below:
“Domestic
violence is a devastating crime that claims far too many lives. Studies have shown that, on average, three women
die every day in America at the hands of their partner or ex-partner. And from 2009 to 2012, 40 percent of mass
shootings started with the killer targeting a girlfriend, wife, or ex-wife. These are tragic and shocking statistics, and
the Justice Department is working hard to bring an end to this horrific status
quo.
“Under the Violence Against Women Act,
which was reauthorized last year, the Department of Justice is taking vital
action to protect and empower women and partners who are being exploited and
abused. Through our Office on Violence
Against Women, we are working to support victims and hold perpetrators
accountable by promoting a coordinated community response. And in the reauthorized Act, this
Administration helped to secure important new protections for women in Indian
Country, LGBT individuals, and others.
“These
are important achievements – but we must do more. That’s why, in 2013, I was proud to stand
with Vice President Biden to unveil a new grant-funded initiative to help reduce
domestic violence homicides. This
funding provided twelve communities– in states across the country – with the
opportunity to reduce domestic violence homicides by effectively identifying
potential victims and monitoring high-risk offenders.
“And
today, I am pleased to announce that four sites have been selected to receive a
total of $2.6 million to implement promising models aimed at reducing domestic
violence homicides. In Pitt County,
North Carolina; in Cuyahoga County, Ohio; in Contra Costa County, California;
and in the Borough of Brooklyn, New York – these two-year awards will make a
tremendous difference, helping local officials to put their anti-violence
initiatives into practice.
“In
that time, they will institute screening models and evidence-based strategies
that will allow them to anticipate potentially lethal behavior, take steps to
stop the escalation of violence, and – ultimately – save lives. These innovative programs can then be studied
and replicated in order to protect those who are at risk – and stop would-be
abusers – across the United States.
“We
have come a long way since the time when these incidents of abuse were
considered private, household matters.
But we have a ways to go still.
Domestic violence is more than a crime against just the victim. It is a crime against all of us as a
society. And our collective response
must treat it as such.
“Going
forward, the Justice Department will continue to build our important efforts to
end violence against women and girls – no matter who they are or where they
live – because all Americans deserve to feel safe and secure in their homes, on
their college campuses, and on the streets of our communities.
“As
we strive to end the epidemic of domestic and intimate partner violence, all of
us have a great deal of work to do. But
this Administration, this Department of Justice – and I personally – will not
waver in that effort: to shine a light on violence and abuse; to protect and
empower women; and to make domestic violence homicide a thing of the past.”
The
full video of the Attorney General’s message is available at http://www.justice.gov/agwa.php.
13. PEACE CORPS
& AMERICORPS PLEDGE EXPAND OUTREACH EFFORTS TO REDUCE STUDENT LOAN DEBT
THROUGH PUBLIC SERVICE:
Peace
Corps director highlights agency’s efforts to increase outreach to diverse
communities at National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week
Conference
WASHINGTON,
DC, Sept. 23, 2014 – Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet and
Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) CEO Wendy Spencer today
joined U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Richard Cordray in pledging to help public
servants and national service participants, including Peace Corps volunteers
and AmeriCorps members, reduce their student loan debt. The agencies are among
the first federal agencies to take CFPB’s public service pledge on student
debt.
“This
marks an important step forward in Peace Corps’ continuing effort to break down
barriers to service and open doors of opportunity for new generations of
potential Peace Corps volunteers,” Hessler-Radelet said at the National
Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week Conference in Washington,
D.C. “Student loan debt is a significant factor for many young people
considering public service, including Peace Corps volunteers, so it is
incumbent upon us to help educate them on the benefits available.”
“Given
that more than 60 percent of AmeriCorps alums go into public service careers,
it’s important they know about options that can help them reduce their student
debt,” said Spencer. “Our nation needs more public servants, and the effort we
are kicking off today will help more AmeriCorps alums translate their service
commitment into careers in the public interest.”
Through
this pledge, the Peace Corps and CNCS commit to share information about options
for managing student loan debt with applicants, volunteers, and employees. In
partnership with the U.S. Department of Education and the Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau, the Peace Corps launched a new web portal and public
education campaign to help current, future and returned volunteers understand the
benefits that may be available to them to help manage their student loans if
they choose public service.
“Student
loan forgiveness has become a key tool to enhance the affordability of public
service careers,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “We are working to raise
awareness of this program by getting more employers involved and are so pleased
that leading public service agencies like the Corporation for National and
Community Service, AmeriCorps, and the Peace Corps are joining our efforts.”
“I
am delighted to sign this pledge to actively inform the employees at the U.S.
Department of Education about Public Service Loan Forgiveness as a way to
reduce their student loan debt,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
“This program can save thousands of dollars for government workers and
non-profit employees who dedicate their lives to public service. It’s also a
great recruiting tool for government agencies and tax exempt non-profits that
want people to be able to follow their heart and passion—and not just chase a
big paycheck because they have to pay back loans. We can’t afford to lose that
talent because of student debt.”
There
are a number of benefit options to help reduce student loans for Peace Corps
volunteers and returned Peace Corps volunteers, including the Public Service
Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). Peace Corps volunteers may qualify for
forgiveness of remaining federal student loan debt after they have made 120
qualifying payments (10 years, if consecutive payments) on those loans while
employed full-time by certain public service employers. If enrolled in PSLF
under an income-driven repayment plan, volunteers may have qualifying payments
as low as $0 throughout their service.
AmeriCorps
engages more than 75,000 Americans in intensive service each year at
non-profits, schools, public agencies, and community and faith-based groups
across the country. After successful completion of their term of service,
AmeriCorps members are eligible to receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to
help pay college tuition or pay back student loans. Since 1994, AmeriCorps
members have earned more than $2.7 billion in Segal AmeriCorps Education
Awards. AmeriCorps members can take advantage of a number of student loan
benefits, including the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
Find
tools and resources on student loan relief for Peace Corps volunteers at
peacecorps.gov/loans. For more information on the CFPB’s public service pledge,
please visit www.consumerfinance.gov/pledge/.
About
the Peace Corps: As the preeminent international service organization of the
United States, the Peace Corps sends Americans abroad to tackle the most
pressing needs of people around the world. Peace Corps volunteers work at the
grassroots level with local governments, schools, communities, small businesses
and entrepreneurs to develop sustainable solutions that address challenges in
education, health, economic development, agriculture, environment and youth
development. When they return home, volunteers bring their knowledge and
experiences—and a global outlook—back to the United States that enriches the
lives of those around them. President John F. Kennedy established the Peace
Corps in 1961 to foster a better understanding among Americans and people of
other countries. Since then, more than 215,000 Americans of all ages have
served in 139 countries worldwide. Visit www.peacecorps.gov to learn more.
About
the Corporation for National and Community Service: The Corporation for
National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five
million Americans in service through its AmeriCorps, including VISTA and NCCC,
Senior Corps, Social Innovation Fund, and Volunteer Generation Fund programs,
and leads the President's national call to service initiative, United We Serve.
For more information, visit NationalService.gov.
Paul
D. Coverdell Peace Corps Headquarters
1111
20th Street NW • Washington, DC 20526
Telephone:
(855) 855.1961 • www.peacecorps.gov
14. SIX REASONS
YOUNG PEOPLE LEAVE THE CHURCH:
Barna
President David Kinnaman examines the trend.
Compiled
by Eric Reed
Isolationism. One-fourth of 18-
to 29-year-olds say church demonizes everything outside church, including the
music, movies, culture, and technology that define their generation.
Shallowness. One-third call
church boring, about one-fourth say faith is irrelevant and Bible teaching is
unclear. One-fifth say God is absent from their church experience.
Anti-science. Up to one-third
say the church is out of step on scientific developments and debate.
Sex. The church is
perceived as simplistic and judgmental. For a fifth or more, a "just say
no" philosophy is insufficient in a techno-porno world. Young Christian
singles are as sexually active as their non-churched friends, and many say they
feel judged.
Exclusivity. Three in 10 young
people feel the church is too exclusive in this pluralistic and multi-cultural
age. And the same number feel forced to choose between their faith and their
friends.
Doubters. The church is not
a safe place to express doubts say over one-third of young people, and
one-fourth have serious doubts they'd like to discuss.
—Adapted
from a list by David Kinnaman in You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving
Church … and Rethinking Faith
Young Exodus
Six
in 10 young people will leave the church permanently or for an extended period
starting at age 15, according to new research by the Barna Group. And for the
generation now coming of age, it's more than the usual "driver's license
to marriage license" joy ride, according to the pollsters. For church
leaders, the question is, what will we do about it?
Today's
young adults are marrying later, if at all, are technologically savvy, and hold
worldviews alien to their upbringing. Barna Research president David Kinnaman,
after a five-year-study, declared that church leaders are unequipped to deal
with this "new normal."
Their
response is mostly at the extremes, both dangerous. Many ignore the situation,
hoping young adults' views will be righted when they are older and have their
own children. These leaders miss the significance of the shifts of the past 25
years, Kinnaman contends, and the needs for ministry young people have in their
present phase—if it is a phase.
But
the opposite reaction is just as problematic: "using all means possible to
make their congregation appeal to teens and young adults." This excludes
older members and "builds the church on the preferences of young people
and not on the pursuit of God," Kinnaman said.
Kinnaman
prescribes intergenerational ministry. "In many churches, this means
changing the metaphor from simply passing the baton to the next generation to a
more functional, biblical picture of a body - that is, the entire community of
faith, across the entire lifespan, working together to fulfill God's
purposes."
Copyright
© 2012 by the author or Christianity Today/Leadership Journal.
Click
here for reprint information on Leadership Journal
15. POPE: NO 'MAGIC
WAND'; EVANGELIZING TAKES HARD WORK, TRUST IN GOD
Carol
Glatz Catholic News Service
VATICAN
CITY Bring the Gospel to those who need it most: the poor, the frazzled and the
lost, who wander the world without any guidance or protection, Pope Francis
told pastoral workers.
Remember
the church's ministry is like working a field hospital, where the attitude is
helping the wounded and holding those who are hurt more than guarding laws that
only keep people away, he said.
There
are "so many people who are hurt and they are asking us to be close. They
are asking us the same thing they asked Jesus," to be by their side, he
said Friday.
The
pope met with more than 2,000 pastoral workers from 60 countries who were at
the Vatican attending an international meeting on "The Pastoral Project of
'Evangelii Guadium,' the Joy of Announcing the Gospel." The meeting Sept.
18-20 had participating bishops, religious and laypeople look at ways Pope
Francis' apostolic exhortation could guide their work of evangelization.
The
pope said the church's main task is evangelizing, especially to those most in
need of Christ and his good news.
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The
pope also said that when Jesus went to towns and villages to teach, his heart
broke seeing the crowds because, according to the Gospel of Matthew, "they
were troubled and abandoned like sheep without a shepherd."
"How
many people in the many existential peripheries of our day are 'troubled and
abandoned' and wait for the church, they are waiting for us!
"How
much poverty and loneliness unfortunately we see in the world today! How many
people live in great suffering and ask the church to be a sign of the Lord's
closeness, goodness, solidarity and mercy," he said.
In
the hard work of sharing the Gospel, he told them, do not get discouraged, but
have "patience and perseverance."
"We
don't have a magic wand for everything, but we do have trust in the Lord, who
accompanies us and never abandons us,"
The
pope said the enormous amount of work and demands being made on pastoral
workers "make us run the risk of becoming frightened and withdrawing in on
ourselves out of fear and self-defense."
"And
out of that springs the temptation of self-sufficiency and clericalism, that
codifying the faith into rules and instructions, which the scribes, Pharisees
and doctors of the law did during the time of Jesus. We will have everything
exact and everything just-so, but the faithful and those who are seeking will
continue to be hungry and thirsty for God," he explained.
If
pastoral ministry uses the same approach the scribes and Pharisees took,
"never, never will we be witnesses of being close" to people like
Jesus was, he said.
The
pope encouraged church members to go out into the larger community at all times
of day and night to see who may be looking to be fellow "workers in the
vineyard."
Do
not overlook "the weakest and the most disadvantaged," he said, but
be generous with them, letting them be useful contributors to the church's
ministry.
He
also warned people working in pastoral ministry against getting too caught up
in "the song of the Sirens," that call them to engage in countless
"frenetic series of initiatives" and campaigns that keep them busy,
but neglect paying attention to spiritual growth and an encounter with God.
"Let's
not forget to do like Jesus did" with his disciples, he said. After a long
day proclaiming the Gospel, they would go to a quiet place to be together to
pray and reflect.
"Pastoral
programs without prayer and contemplation will never touch people's hearts.
They will stop at the surface never allowing the seed of the Word of God to
take root, sprout, grow and bear fruit," he said.
At
the end of the day, it all comes down to offering credible testimony with one's
life, he said.
"Words
without witness don't work, they don't help," he said.
"Witness
is the start of an evangelization that touches the heart and transforms
it."
16. MY JOURNEY: HOT
COFFEE-SCRAMBLED EGGS- NUCLEAR SUBMARINES:
Lieutenant
Commander Robert Crosby, United States Navy
I
was born in a small town called Hot Coffee, Mississippi. My father had five
children by five different women; some of these children were older than my
mother. My father, a hustler, was abusive. My mother would escape my father’s
abuse by visiting my grandparents’ house to do laundry. One day, she decided to
stay permanently. My mother, who had only an eighth grade education, was now
alone with three children. Still, she knew it was more important to protect her
children than to stay in an abusive relationship.
After
living with my grandparents for a while, my mother was offered a place to stay
with my aunt in the Mississippi Delta, the poorest district in the poorest
state in America. It was during this time that my mother remarried. WJ, my step
father, provided a source of financial stability for us. Soon after, my other
two siblings were born. WJ now had a wife and five children to care for on a
salary of $150/week. We were extremely poor. We did not own a car. I wore my
sister’s shoes to school, and WJ walked five miles to work every day. Because
we were so poor, I was often bullied at school. Unfortunately, my parents’
relationship began to sour as domestic violence again reared its ugly head. My
life consisted of a continual cycle of physically protecting my mother on the
weekends and enduring bullying during the school week. Food was scarce at times
because we depended, almost solely, on government assistance to eat.
Being
on the honor roll at school was my only source of comfort and enjoyment. This
made me feel important, as my report card became a source of pride for my
mother, aunts, cousins, and sisters. I was in 7th grade when my grandfather
became ill, and my family moved from the Mississippi Delta back to Hot Coffee.
This move happened at a critical point in my life. I was beginning to get into
trouble by hanging around the wrong crowd in the Mississippi Delta. Most of my
friends and relatives, who I viewed to be role models in the Mississippi Delta,
would later be sent to prison for drugs or murder. I am certain that if we had
not moved back to Hot Coffee, this would have been my destiny as well. Though I
later found Hot Coffee to be boring in comparison to my life in the Delta, at
this juncture, I was glad to be moving. This move essentially saved my life.
After
the Mississippi Delta, life back in Hot Coffee wasn’t much easier. It was
during this time that I met one of the most important leadership figures in my
adolescent life. Uncle J C Fairley, who we affectionately refer to as Uncle J,
was sixty-five years old and possessed a fourth grade education. Uncle J was my
community’s employer, banker, protector, spiritual advisor, and unequivocal
leader. He was an entrepreneur and displayed compassion by hiring me to work in
his watermelon field.
Uncle
J and I drove two hours to New Orleans, LA to sell the watermelons. Once in New
Orleans, Uncle J had a two-pronged operation. We parked the one-ton truck at a
busy intersection and sliced open a display watermelon. This enticed many
people to stop and buy them. We then drove the pickup truck through the
residential areas of New Orleans, and as my uncle would honk the horn, my
cousins and I would be on the back of the truck screaming at the top of our
lungs in our southern Mississippi dialect, “WE GOT YO MISSISSIPPI WAATAMELOONS!
RED TO DA RHYME!” Folks would come to the truck and ask, “How much dose
watermelons?” and I would say, “Two dollas apiece,” and they would say, “Nooo .
. . too high” and I would reply, “Tell you wat, I’ll give you two for fo
dollas,” and they would say, “We’ll take ‘em!”
I
prided myself on being Uncle J’s best salesman and his favorite yeller in
getting prospective customers out of the house. Uncle J frequently motivated me
by saying, “Boy, you know you can holla!” and “Keep bringing them out of the
house, Bob!” I learned so much from Uncle J as he often taught about standards
of conduct in a raised tone and in his wonderful, southern Mississippi dialect:
“White folk’ll help you if ya wuk hard!” and “You may as well like’em (white
folk) cuz ya godda wuk for ‘em.” I will never forget when he said, “Boy, if you
go to jail for fightin, I’ll gitchu out cause I fought! If you go for jail for
drankin, I’ll gitchu out cause I drank! But if you go to jail for stealin’ or
messing wit dat dope, you gon rot there!”
I
didn’t realize it at the time, but Uncle J was shaping my work ethic, teaching
the value of relationships, and explaining a zero tolerance policy for stealing
and illegal drug use. His experience base was formed while growing up under the
Jim Crow laws of the South but his declarations set a precedent in my heart.
In
the fall of my senior year of high school, I received a phone call from my
girlfriend, informing me that I was going to be a father. I was only seventeen
and the thought of raising a child was overwhelming. After a bit, I told my
Spanish teacher, Mrs. Mayfield, and she asked her husband, the city Alderman,
if I could work in their yard after school to help with the baby’s expense.
They took the time to develop a relationship with me and allowed me the
opportunity to work for $3.35/hr (min. wage) to support my son. Mrs. Mayfield
understood my immediate family issues and included me as part of their extended
family. The Mayfield’s were considered affluent, their children were educated,
and they taught me responsibility, character, and the importance of education.
I am still very close to this family today.
When
my son, Robert Rashad Crosby, was born, I was determined to be a good father
and a good provider, so I enlisted in the Navy in January of my senior year in
high school. The first time I left Mississippi was when I left for Boot Camp in
San Diego, CA. My recruiter had informed me that if I performed well, I could
be promoted to E-2 when I left boot camp. I focused on this promise. Upon
arrival, the Company Commanders gathered the hundred or so recruits and
instructed each of us to sound off. Most of the recruits were shy and timid
when called upon, but when it was my turn, I inhaled a healthy dose of God’s
fresh air and shouted at the top of my lungs, in my full southern Mississippi
dialect: “My name is Robert Crosby! Fo-two-seven- xx-xxxx! I’m from Hot Coffee,
Mississippi! Favorite food is pinto beans and cornbread, Sur!”
After
my “sounding off” an eerie silence came over the group. The Company Commanders
called me to the front and after quietly inquiring to ensure that I was in the
right branch of service (Navy versus Marines) they gave me a spot promotion to
Recruit Chief Petty Officer. They were compassionate leaders and I earned E-2
out of Boot Camp. I was very excited about becoming a Navy cook.
I
reported to the USS Thorn in the winter of 1994 and was immediately assigned to
the general mess to cook for a crew of about 350 people. I was very motivated.
I even memorized the entire crews’ first names so I could greet them by name as
they came through my chow line. My chief noticed my initiative and persuaded me
to go to the wardroom to cook for the officers. My shipmates sneered at that
position and stated, “Rob, you are going to be a slave up there!” My buddies
understood that in addition to cooking, the wardroom cook made the officers’
beds, vacuumed their staterooms, washed their clothes, and cleaned their
toilets. I forced myself to love it because I viewed it as my only alternative
and I wanted to be a squared away sailor. Also, I truly believed that the
officers could not make good decisions if their stomachs were empty and if
their accommodations were not properly maintained. In my mind, I was
contributing to the mission of the ship by keeping them comfortable and well
fed.
One
day, while vacuuming my Captain’s stateroom closet, I saw his Service Dress
Blues. After peeking out of the entrance to ensure no one was around, I tried
on his jacket and cover. They both fit perfectly. I stared in the mirror for a
couple of minutes and thought, “Maybe I can be a Naval officer?” I quickly
replaced the uniform to its original position. A few days later, in the ship’s
library, I found a book entitled Nimitz. Reading about how Admiral Chester
Nimitz, a poor boy from Fredrick, Texas, overcame challenges early in his
career was very inspirational and gave me hope. I fell in love with this book.
One day while reading, one of my shipmates snatched the book from me, looked at
the cover with Admiral Nimitz’s white face on the front, and said, “N(word) who
do you think you are? You are a cook like us!” I laughed, but inside I felt
like the little kid back in the Mississippi Delta all over again. The teasing
by my shipmates intensified. I was labeled a kiss up and an “Uncle Tom.” The
isolation was horrible but my mind was freed in the evenings, as I would get
lost in the book. Imagining that I was Admiral Nimitz became motivation for me
to become an officer so I could lead my own ship someday.
I
had begun to seriously consider becoming an officer, so I visited my Command
Career Counselor and informed him of my aspirations. He told me about the
Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training (BOOST) program, which
was a college preparatory program designed to enable enlisted personnel to
receive a commission in the Navy. I had to cross a major hurdle to get into the
program, scoring a high qualifying mark on the SAT. Given my sparse academic
background this would be challenging.
I
prepared for the SAT between standing watches and during breaks from feeding
and taking care of the officers on my ship. Ensign Floyd, the only
African-American officer on my ship, noticed my efforts and committed himself
to assisting me. Daily, after standing his watch, he would meet with me in the
wardroom to go over the basics of algebra. Despite sometimes falling asleep in
the middle of teaching a concept, he was committed to helping me achieve that
passing score to get into the BOOST program.
In
spite of all of our hard work, my SAT scores did not qualify me for BOOST
program. Still, I submitted my application and I was selected as an alternate,
and later upgraded to a selectee. Upon acceptance to the program, I was
introduced to calculus, trigonometry, and physics. These concepts were very
foreign to me, but if selectees did not successfully graduate from the BOOST
program, they would return to the fleet in their previous field. For me, going
back to cooking and cleaning was not an option. I studied continuously and
graduated with distinction.
After
graduating from BOOST, the Navy awarded me a Navy Reserve Officer Training
Corps (NROTC) scholarship. I decided to choose a major that I could relate to
cooking, so I chose chemical engineering. I related cooking to chemical
engineering because I thought the subjects shared the same foundations such as
maintaining an optimal pressure and temperature for a certain product, and
regulating temperature and pressure at a microscopic level to yield a better
product. I enjoyed my professors at Hampton University as they went out of
their way to help me achieve. I graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hampton
University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering.
After
graduation, I was commissioned as an Ensign in the Navy. Once I passed the
nuclear admissions test in Washington DC, the interviewing four-star Admiral
stated, “Trade your spatulas in for some Nuclear Reactor Plant Manuals. Welcome
to the Club!” The next stage was to complete Admiral Rickover’s personally designed,
academically rigorous, Nuclear Power School. Nothing at this point prepared me
for the sheer volume of information I was required to understand and to be
tested on weekly. I struggled. Several instructors worked outside their normal
working hours to help me grasp concepts such as Reactor Theory and Radiological
Controls. Eventually, I graduated from the school and was awarded the
Director’s Personal Excellence Award, an award given for maintaining a positive
attitude and for logging the most study hours ever at the institution--almost
3000 hours over a six-month period. My family from Hot Coffee attended
graduation and my mother and father cried audibly as I accepted the award.
While hugging my mother as she continued to cry, she whispered in my ear in her
warm and southern way, “I can’t believe a person as smart as you came from an
uneducated woman like me. Praise the Lord!” It was one of the proudest moments
in my life.
After
finishing the Nuclear Power School training curriculum, I reported to my very
first submarine. In the submarine community, training and education never
cease. Within the first days of reporting, I was given a qualification card for
Engineering Officer of the Watch (EOOW). I did well in grasping concepts on
paper, but the practical applications of supervising and giving orders,
especially in a casualty scenario, were very challenging for me.
My
immediate supervisor, the Engineering Officer, noticed that during the weekly
Saturday night pizza celebrations among the officers in the wardroom, I was
routinely absent. He would later walk through the engine room and find me
behind a turbine generator practicing giving oral commands to members of the
engineering spaces. From that point, he practiced with me daily until I
achieved proficiency and qualified as EOOW. Additionally, my commanding officer
took the time to ensure that I grasped certain concepts to qualify as Officer
of the Deck. I would not be a submarine officer today, if it were not for the
direct leadership of these two individuals.
After
finishing my tour on the USS HAMPTON (SSN 767), the Navy sent me to the Naval
Postgraduate School (NPS) to pursue an MBA in financial management. After
graduation from NPS, I received orders to report to the ballistic missile
submarine, USS RHODE ISLAND (SSBN 740), as the Weapons Officer. I was in charge
of all of the ballistic missiles on board. After reporting, I soon developed
too much of a “Gung Ho” attitude that adversely affected other members of the
crew. Instead of publicly reprimanding me, the Commanding Officer and Executive
Officer privately counseled me on the importance of understanding human
relations and how my actions, albeit motivating, were contrary to the command
climate on the submarine. The power of their example inspires me today.
After
leaving USS Rhode Island, I reported to Congressman Robert Brady’s office as
the Military Legislative Fellow. The Congressman’s nomination numbers were
extremely low and he was concerned about the apparent lack of interest students
displayed for the service academies. The Congressman’s district is comprised of
a large underserved community; therefore, I saw an opportunity to make a
difference in the lives of the children of the First District of Pennsylvania.
I went to the district several times and spoke to many schools about my
background and how the military afforded opportunities for me. The following
year, 100 percent of the Congressman’s nominations were filled - a first in
Congressman Brady’s 16 years in office. This would not have happened without
the work place flexibility, which allowed me to share my story with youths of
similar backgrounds.
Where
I’m from, it’s not uncommon for teen parents to live a life of which they are
not proud. I’d like to believe that a major contributor to why so many people
went beyond the call of duty and reached out to help me is because they may
have seen in me a bit of “A&W,” attitude and work ethic. A child cannot
choose their parents, their birthplace, academic ability, or social environment
in which they are reared, but they can choose to have a good attitude and
strong work ethic. Even as an adolescent, I had the ability to see the glimmer
of hope in any situation and the ability to focus on doing my absolute best in
any endeavor, whether it was achieving the honor roll in middle school or
working on Capitol Hill. As I consider the future, I will look for A&W in
my colleagues and subordinates so I can positively contribute to their lives as
so many have contributed to mine. This life has been an amazing journey, my
destination is uncertain, but I am enjoying this wonderful ride. My journey
continues.
**Submitted
by Glenn Sircy, APR, Media Outreach Dept. Head, Navy Office of Community
Outreach (NAVCO)
17. NAACP STATEMENT
ON THE RESIGNATION OF ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER:
WASHINGTON,
D.C. – Attorney General Eric Holder is expected to resign after six years at
the helm of the Department of Justice. The NAACP has released the following
statement.
From Cornell
William Brooks, NAACP President and CEO:
"The
resignation of the most prepared and the most steadfast Attorney General, in
particular in the arena of civil rights, is a moment of lament for the nation
but also celebration. We celebrate his achievements but we also grieve his
absence. From voting rights, civil rights to criminal justice reform, Attorney
General Holder's record from the vantage point of history and the view of
citizens across the country is unassailable and will be enduring."
From Hilary O.
Shelton, Sr. Vice President for Policy and Advocacy, Washington Bureau
Director:
“Attorney
General Eric Holder has been the best qualified attorney general in the United
States. His leadership, courage and his unrivaled commitment to justice for all
people, especially communities of color will certainly be missed. The progress
the Department of Justice made under his leadership, most especially on civil
rights, is unlike anything we have seen in generations. As attorney general, he
has never been fearful of raising the issue of race. From protecting voters
from over restrictive new voting laws that disproportionately affect
communities of color and the elderly, to launching 20 investigations of abuses
by local police departments like Ferguson, Mo., Attorney General Eric Holder
has stood up for Americans who could not stand up for themselves. We applaud
his great work.”
18. IN 11TH-HOUR MOVE, EDUCATION
DEPT. SPARES THE ROD ON LOAN DEFAULTS:
By
Kelly Field
Washington
September
24, 2014
On
the eve of the much-anticipated release of its annual roundup of student-loan
default rates, the Education Department has announced that it will spare some
colleges whose high rates would have cost them their ability to award federal
student aid.
In
a notice published quietly on Tuesday, the department told colleges it had
"adjusted" the rates of institutions that fell short of the strict
new standard that took full effect this year, excluding some defaulters from
the colleges' totals.
Colleges,
many of which depend on student aid for their survival, welcomed the news.
College leaders have argued that recent growth in the share of borrowers
defaulting on their federal student loans is due in large part to factors the
institutions can’t control—a weak economy, for one, and inadequate loan
servicing, for another.
But
student and consumer advocates accused the department of letting
underperforming colleges off the hook and of undermining lawmakers’ efforts to
hold those institutions accountable. They questioned the department’s decision
to offer relief to colleges, but not to the borrowers whose loans are in
default.
As
many as two to three dozen colleges had been at risk of losing their
eligibility under the stricter standard, which holds colleges responsible for
defaults that occur over three years, rather than two. The department did not
say how many institutions would remain eligible as a result of its adjustments,
though the secretary of education, Arne Duncan, told a gathering of leaders of
historically black colleges and universities on Tuesday that none of their
institutions would be penalized.
In
a speech at the department's National HBCU Week Conference, Mr. Duncan credited
the "tremendous effort we made together" with defusing the threat to
colleges.
"The
hard work of lowering default rates remains, and some institutions remain
troublingly close to the line," he said. "But we will continue to
work with you to address this critical issue with urgency."
If
HBCU leaders knew the announcement was coming, community colleges were
pleasantly surprised. Those institutions, which have seen their default rates
rise from 13 percent to 21 percent over the past six years, had been
anticipating this week’s default-rate release with anxiety and dread.
What
about Borrowers?
Congress
raised the default-rate standard five years ago, in part to make it harder for
colleges to manipulate their rates. Before, some colleges would routinely use
deferments and forbearances to push defaults beyond the government's two-year
measurement window.
Under
the new standard, penalties kick in when a college’s cohort default rate—the
share of students who default on their loans in a given period—exceeds 30
percent for three years in a row or 40 percent in a single year.
With
the shift to a three-year standard looming, colleges have been scrambling to
bring down their default rates. A growing number have turned to third-party
vendors for default-management and financial-literacy services.
But
default rates have continued their steady climb. Last year the percentage of
borrowers who defaulted within two years of entering repayment reached 10
percent—the highest rate in nearly two decades—while the percentage defaulting
within three years reached almost 15 percent.
While
the struggling economy explains some of the increase, colleges also blame
legislative changes that have resulted in some borrowers’ having loans assigned
to more than one servicer. They say borrowers with "split servicing"
are more likely to default on their debt than are borrowers with a single point
of contact.
"A
50-percent jump in rates is not explained by the recession alone," said
David S. Baime, senior vice president for government relations and research at
the American Association of Community Colleges. "It did have to do with
the servicing environment."
In
the Tuesday announcement, the department acknowledged the difficulties that
split servicing had caused some borrowers, without providing evidence that such
borrowers default at higher rates.
To
account for such borrowers, the department removed from its calculations those
who had defaulted on a loan but who had one or more loans in repayment,
deferment, or forbearance for at least 60 consecutive days, explained Jeff
Baker, policy director for the Office of Federal Student Aid.
"In
some cases, these adjustments resulted in an institution not being subject to a
potential loss of eligibility," he wrote. Then, almost as an afterthought,
he noted that "the borrower’s defaulted loan remains in its current status."
Consumer
advocates say that’s not fair. "If schools are not going to be held
responsible for defaults presumed to be caused by split servicing, borrowers
shouldn’t be either," said Debbie Cochrane, research director at the
Institute for College Access and Success.
In
a written statement, the top Democrat on the House education committee also
raised concerns about the department's reprieve.
"Any
changes in the student-loan system that reduce transparency and consistency may
compromise our ability to hold poor-performing colleges accountable," said
Rep. George Miller, of California.
19. HISTORY OF
HYMNS - “TIS SO SWEET TO TRUST IN JESUS”:
By
C. Michael Hawn
“Tis So Sweet to
Trust in Jesus" by Louisa M. R. Stead
The
United Methodist Hymnal, No. 462 / The AME Hymnal, No. 440
C.
Michael Hawn
'Tis so sweet to
trust in Jesus,
and to take him at
his word;
just to rest upon
his promise,
and to know,
"Thus saith the Lord."
Jesus, Jesus, how I
trust him!
How I’ve proved him
o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus,
precious Jesus!
O for grace to
trust him more!
From
her childhood, the call to missionary service was the guiding motivation for
Louisa M. R. Stead (c. 1850-1917). Born in Dover, England, and converted at the
age of nine, Stead came to the United States in 1871, living in Cincinnati. She
attended a camp meeting in Urbana, Ohio, where she dedicated her life to
missionary service. Ill health prevented her from serving initially. She
married in 1875, and the couple had a daughter, Lily. Hymnologist Kenneth
Osbeck describes a major turning point in the family’s life:
“When
the child was four years of age, the family decided one day to enjoy the sunny
beach at Long Island Sound, New York. While eating their picnic lunch, they
suddenly heard cries of help and spotted a drowning boy in the sea. Mr. Stead
charged into the water. As often happens, however, the struggling boy pulled
his rescuer under water with him, and both drowned before the terrified eyes of
wife and daughter. Out of her ‘why?’ struggle with God during the ensuing days
glowed these meaningful words from the soul of Louisa Stead.”
The
hymn, “’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus”
was inspired by this personal tragedy.
Soon
after, Louisa and Lily left for the Cape Colony, South Africa, where Louisa
worked as a missionary for fifteen years. She married Robert Wodehouse, a
native of South Africa. Because of her health, the family found it necessary to
return to the United States in 1895. Wodehouse pastored a Methodist
congregation during these years until, in 1900; they returned to the mission
field, this time to the Methodist mission station at Umtali, Southern Rhodesia
(present day Zimbabwe).
Kenneth
Osbeck records a message sent back to the United States shortly after her
arrival in Southern Rhodesia:
“In
connection with the whole mission there are glorious possibilities, but one
cannot, in the face of the peculiar difficulties, help but say, ‘Who is
sufficient for these things?’ But with simple confidence and trust we may and
do say, ‘Our sufficiency is of God.’”
Her
daughter Lily married after their return to Africa. Louisa retired because of
ill health in 1911. Lily continued to serve for many years in South Rhodesia.
Her mother passed away after a long illness in 1917 at her home in Penkridge
near the Mutambara Mission, fifty miles from Umtali. Following her death, it
was recorded that Christians in South Rhodesia continued to sing her hymn in
the local Shona language.
While
the exact date of the composition is not known, sometime between 1880-1882,
Louisa Stead’s hymn was first published in Songs of Triumph (1882). The Rev. Carlton
R., Young, editor of The United Methodist Hymnal, describes the hymn’s content
as “a series of loosely connected key evangelical words and phrases.” Indeed,
the hymn is full of the language of piety common to the day in evangelical
circles. Furthermore, the succession of stanzas lacks the usual progression of
ideas leading to heaven that characterizes most gospel hymns.
Perhaps
the hymn might be best described as a mantra on the name of Jesus. Indeed,
“Jesus” is sung twenty-five times if one sings all four stanzas and the
refrain. Stanza one is a simple statement of “trust in Jesus.” The singer is
invited to “rest upon his promise.” Though the “promise” is not specifically
articulated, it is assumed that all know that this is the promise of salvation.
The stanza ends with “Thus saith the Lord” – a phrase, interestingly enough,
that appears 413 times in the Old Testament in the King James Version, and is a
reference to God rather than Jesus.
Stanza
two continues the theme of trust, drawing upon the “cleansing blood” of Jesus.
The poet demonstrates her trust as she “plung[es] … neath the healing,
cleansing flood,” a possible reference to the William Cowper (1731-1800) hymn,
“There is a fountain filled with blood”: “. . . and sinners plunge beneath that
flood lose all their guilty stains.” The typology of the cleansing flood may
find its biblical roots in Genesis 6-7, the account of Noah and the great
flood, or perhaps the blood and water that flowed from the crucified Christ’s
side (John 19:34), or even a conflation of these ideas. Cowper’s hymn was
probably well known to Stead, and she referenced it in her hymn.
Stanza
three stresses that one should die to “sin and self” by “simply taking life and
rest, and joy and peace” in Jesus. Stanza four is a personal witness by the
author that she is “so glad I learned to trust thee.” The final stanza
concludes with a fleeting eschatological reference, “thou art with me, wilt be
with me to the end.” Though this reference to heaven is not as pronounced as
one would often find in similar gospel hymns of this era, especially in Fanny
Crosby. Referencing heaven in some way is virtually obligatory in this
theological context.
The
refrain establishes the Jesus mantra, singing his name five times, the last
strengthened by adding the qualifying, “precious Jesus.” Though the singer has
“proved him o’er and o’er,” the prayer is for “grace to trust him more.”
C.
Michael Hawn is University Distinguished Professor of Church Music, Perkins
School of Theology, SMU
*Used
with permission of the United Methodist News Service
20. THE TRUTH IS
THE LIGHT:
The
Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr.
Based
on Biblical Text Matthew 28:19-20a: Go ye therefore and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you
We
are instructed to go into the world and spread the Good News of salvation
through Jesus Christ. This commission is issued to all of the soldiers in the
army of the Lord. We are commanded to be the Lord’s arms, legs, voice and heart
in the world.
As
a retired military man I understand a commission is a very serious thing. Any
soldier who is negligent in carrying out their commission is reprimanded harshly,
or worse, he or she is discharged from service. Commissions are what move the
battle forward in time of war. As we complete one commission after another we
find ourselves much closer to winning the war.
Make
no mistake about it we are in the midst of a great war. Unfortunately, I am not
just referring to the global encounters we find ourselves presently engaged in.
I am speaking of the ongoing conflict we are waging between good and evil. We
are at war against “every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come
in the flesh.” There is a terrifying campaign raging between God and Satan. We
will be victorious though as, “Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in
the world.” However, it is incumbent upon each of us to carry out our commission.
On
the surface it appears as though we are not doing so well in our attempt to win
this war. I don’t mean that we are unarmed. We carry our weapons. We carry big
Bibles and wear big gold crosses around our neck to let everyone know that we
are in the army of the Lord. Maybe we are hoping that will be enough to
intimidate those who would otherwise challenge us to a verbal confrontation on
the subject of God, Christ and salvation. Our weapons may be intimidating to
see, however they are useless if we don’t use them. Carrying our large weapons
may present an imposing presence but we are not of much use in God’s grand
scheme to evangelize the world, if our weapon merely lies lifeless at our side,
unloaded.
We
must acknowledge that our commission to evangelize the world is critical. We
have been uniquely set apart to accomplish that task with reckless abandon. In
other words, we are commissioned by Jesus Christ Himself to tell everyone that
He is Lord. Not only must we carry our weapons but the more we know about the
Word of God, and the more we know about Jesus and salvation, the more
ammunition we will have in our weapon to lead someone to Jesus Christ.
The
fact is training is essential. Lamentably we have not led as many to Christ as
we could or should because many of us never attend training (Sunday Church
School or Bible Study) to learn how to witness. It is also another unfortunate
true fact that many professed Christians don’t even open their Bibles during
the week! Too many just rely on the preached word to penetrate their soul and
make them a good soldier. During my time in the military, we referred to those
folk as AWOL (Absent without Leave).
The
question then is how do we share the good news of Jesus Christ with reckless
abandon? The answer, we have to lose ourselves in the mission. That means we
have fixed our mind on the mission, we are focused, we are faithful having
abandoned all earthly reason, and we fearlessly plunge ahead without regard for
the outcome.
The
Bible is rife with exciting examples of saints who served with reckless
abandon; men and women who bravely stood by the tenets of their faith and
refused to bend from the truth of the Gospel, no matter what intimidation they
faced. One such soldier was John the Baptist. John was committed to the cause
of Christ.
John,
a powerful preacher called for radical change and people traveled for miles to
hear what he had to say. John could have lost his focus in the midst of the
fame and popularity he was acquiring and claimed to be the Messiah like many
thought him to be. Instead he kept his focus, remained humble, and insisted, “I
have come to bear witness of the Light. I am the voice of one crying in the
wilderness…Repent and be baptized!”
We
must realize that it is impossible to lead another to Christ living by a double
standard. John was faithful! The Bible tells us that Herod, who feared John
because he was holy and just, put him in prison. John however remained faithful
and would not betray the Word of God, no matter the outcome. John knew that you
can not save a soul by lying or compromising. Only the truth can point the way
to repentance.
John
knew that to be an effective witness for Jesus Christ, he had to be focused,
faithful and fearless. He would have us know that we cannot be effective if we
are afraid. There is no room for wimps in the army of God. God doesn’t need any
coward soldiers! If our weapon is loaded, if we have studied to show ourselves
approved unto God, and if we believe that the weapons of our warfare are mighty
to the pulling down of strongholds, then there is no reason to be afraid. John
faced his accusers without fear. He knew that no matter what happened God was
with him.
John
could have recanted his position against sin, sugarcoated or manipulated the
Gospel, but he didn’t. Instead, he lost himself in the mission and fearlessly
plunged ahead without regard for the outcome. Like John we must keep our focus.
Our mission is to prepare the way, not for ourselves, but for Jesus. We are
called to stand firm on the truth of the Word in the face of the enemy, Satan.
*The
Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr. is the pastor of Morris Brown AME Church
in Charleston, S.C.
21. GETTING TO
ZERO: PAST TIME TO PRAY AND ACT:
*Dr.
Oveta Fuller
On
Thursday, September 25, President Barack Obama addressed the United Nations to
communicate the urgency and crisis status of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.
He explained, “This is more than a health crisis- this is a growing threat to
regional and global security.”
Such is not an
alarmist statement.
Since
March 2014 when it was first recognized in a rural area of Guinea as Ebola
virus, the highly infectious virus, and Ebola hemorrhagic disease has spread in
West Africa in the geographically adjacent countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone,
and Liberia. It appeared in much lesser
numbers in Nigeria and Senegal. A separate outbreak also is occurring in summer
2014 in Central Africa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
There
is good news and not so good news.
Some good news
According
to officials of the World Health Organization (WHO), as of September 22 spread
of Ebola infections in Nigeria and Senegal seems to be under control. These
cases started with one person who traveled after exposure to Ebola virus from
the hardest hit areas in West Africa into these countries. In Senegal there was
one case with 21 suspected contacts. In Nigeria there were 20 Ebola infection
cases with 696 contacts. Also in the DRC spread from the now 68 cases seem to
be contained.
That
infection in these countries seems to be under control means that Ebola disease
was recognized, and importantly contact persons were immediately identified,
isolated and followed for the 21 days incubation period. The quarantine time
allowed detection and treatment by supportive care of anyone showing symptoms
of disease.
By
these identification and containment means, a person infected does not pass the
virus to others. Direct contact with others allows exponentially increase
through virus spread. Critical procedures are to identify, isolate and treat
with supportive care the people who have encountered Ebola virus. These
traditional procedures have allowed control of Ebola epidemics in more rural
areas in the past with a less loss of life. In 2014 they seem to be working for
the more limited outbreaks in Nigeria, Senegal and DRC.
The not so good
news
The
virus continues to spread in the epicenter of the 2014 outbreak of Guinea,
Sierra Leon and Liberia. It has caused death in just fewer than 50% of Ebola
infection cases. Official counts as of September 25 are over 6,200 confirmed or
suspected Ebola virus infections and nearly 3,000 deaths from Ebola disease.
These
are numbers that will grow. Lives already lost are of parents and children,
single and married persons, young and old, those in rural and urban areas who
come in direct contact with someone with the virus. Many families have lost
multiple family members.
Infection
is particularly prevalent for caregivers, especially women who typically
provide the closest care for those in a home who are sick. The body fluids that
transmit the virus such as feces and liquid of diarrhea, vomit, blood, saliva
and possibly other body fluids, are easily encountered by caregivers when they
try to keep a sick person clean, fed and as comforted as possible.
Protection
procedures are essential to prevent transfer of the highly contagious virus.
Computer
modeling predictions of the impact of Ebola virus in West Africa show an
exponential increase in Ebola disease and deaths. Such models make predictions
using results that occurred previously in known conditions. The conditions in
this outbreak differ than for known outbreaks. This 2014 epidemic is urban and
rural area is occurring in multiple countries. Isolating cases is difficult
especially because of poor healthcare infrastructure, lack of communication and
misconceptions on many parts. These factors add great variation in such
modeling.
Predictions
Early
predictions suggest that by January 2015, 20,000 cases of Ebola may occur and
that it would take 6-9 months to get the West Africa epidemic under control.
More
recent worst scenario predictions based on increasing in September of the
number of actual cases now suggest that the 20,000 Ebola cases might occur by
November 2014. Further, it may take up to two years to end the epidemic in West
Africa with some 1.4 million possible cases.
How do we wrap put
minds around this?
After
a visit with officials at the Centers for Disease Control, President Obama
better understands the gravity of the epidemic. It is a grave situation for
those in the affected countries (daily life is completely changed, surreal).
The situation is not only a crisis in the current outbreak, but the effects and
impact on families and on the economies of these countries will last for at
least a generation.
A
PBS Frontline documentary aired September 9 shows the effects in one area with
a focus on one family. www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/
What
should be done?
Funds
are needed immediately for supplies- non-perishable nutritious food and
beverages, protective health deliver equipment, portable beds and tents for
treatment centers, fuel and vehicles for transport Funds and persons are needed
for training an army of personnel who understand how to protect themselves
while attending to physical and emotional needs of others.
President
Obama asked all nations, private and governmental agencies to join in the
effort in some manner now. He explained that the response does not have to be
perfect, but response must be immediate. It is true; sometimes we do nothing in
fear that what we do might be criticized or not go as well as it might. In this
case, every delay results in increased loss of life and suffering.
What
can we do? Who should lead? Where do we go from knowing and watching, currently
at a distance?
Pray and Act Now
The supervisors of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church have called for a global prayer vigil. As a scientist, virologist,
clergy member and person, this is the first step. We ask for supernatural
intervention to bring this epidemic to a halt and all that is required to meet
the need of those who are most directly affected right now. The need to pay
attention is not about whether we should be worried or concerned if Ebola virus
will ever reach the USA or wherever you are reading this. It is about what is
the right thing to do, right now for what is happening right now.
Pray
for answers. Pray for courage to do what is needed. Pray for resources. Pray
for wisdom of leaders. Pray for comfort and provision for those directly
impacted by sickness, bewilderment and loss. Pray for God’s mercy and guidance,
for such a time as this. Then obey to do what we collectively and individually
are told to do.
*The
Rev. Dr. A. Oveta Fuller is an Associate Professor of Microbiology and
Immunology and Faculty of the African Studies Center at the University of
Michigan and Adjunct Faculty at Payne Theological Seminary. An Itinerant Elder
in the 4th Episcopal District, she conducts HIV/AIDS prevention
research in Zambia and the USA. She lived in Zambia for most of 2013 as a J.
William Fulbright Scholar.
22. iCHURCH SCHOOL
LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, LAUGHTER WILL RETURN - JEREMIAH 33:2-11:
*Bill
Dickens
Pharrel
Williams’ song, “Happy” is immensely popular because it combines great lyrics,
beat and a fantastic mood-altering effect on listeners. We are transformed from being grumpy, cold
personalities to warm, affectionate caring human beings. We feel good about ourselves and as a result
we are "Happy."
It
is not the norm however to feel happy when conditions dictate physical and
mental adversity. Incarcerated felons
have no basis for feeling happy given their plight. Citizens living in countries where
dictatorships limit their freedoms and opportunities are not happy. It is unlikely that harsh living conditions
can invoke a feeling of acceptance and hope.
Despite the current existential nightmare many face, there is a “light
at the end of the tunnel.” Hopelessness
and despair are not inevitable. Today’s
lesson illustrates how God’s message of restoration, despite the suffering and
anguish endured by His people, will result in the overall betterment for those
who trust Him. It may look bleak but
nothing is impossible with God for those who put their faith and trust in Him.
May
28, 2014 was a significant date for literary readers and connoisseurs of
creative information. Maya Angelou
breathed her last breath and made the great transition from life to death. Dr.
Angelou’s prolific life was inspirational and educational to many in the USA
and throughout the world. One of her
most beloved poems was “Still I Rise.”
The poem captures the essence of Jeremiah’s prophecy in Chapter 33. The imprisoned prophet conveys a message
containing an amazing trilogy: Destruction, Restoration and Joy. Dr. Angelou’s epic poem displays a literary
tour-de-force of uncanny resilience, grit and determination. Her poem, printed below, is a fitting tribute
not only to the plight and future of Jerusalem but to all of us struggling with
difficulties.
A
brighter day is coming!
Still
I Rise
You may write me
down in history
With your bitter,
twisted lies,
You may tread me in
the very dirt
But still, like
dust, I'll rise.
Does my sassiness
upset you?
Why are you beset
with gloom?
'Cause I walk like
I've got oil wells
Pumping in my
living room.
Just like moons and
like suns,
With the certainty
of tides,
Just like hopes
springing high,
Still I'll rise.
Did you want to see
me broken?
Bowed head and
lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling
down like teardrops.
Weakened by my
soulful cries.
Does my haughtiness
offend you?
Don't you take it
awful hard
'Cause I laugh like
I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own
back yard.
You may shoot me
with your words,
You may cut me with
your eyes,
You may kill me
with your hatefulness,
But still, like
air, I'll rise.
Does my sexiness
upset you?
Does it come as a
surprise
That I dance like
I've got diamonds
At the meeting of
my thighs?
Out of the huts of
history's shame
I rise
Up from a past
that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean,
leaping and wide,
Welling and
swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind
nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak
that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts
that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and
the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.
--
Maya Angelou
*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
23.
MEDITATION BASED ON JOHN 15:1-8:
*The
Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby
I’m writing this
meditation after an excellent – and very long – official opening day of the 151st
Session of the South Carolina Annual Conference of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church. Since the responsibilities of being a Presiding Elder
during the Annual Conference are demanding, this week’s meditation is a
“recycled” one from my days as the pastor of Morris Brown AME Church – I hope
and pray that you still find it to be relevant and encouraging.
The
world of technology has changed considerably in my lifetime. My high school offered a course in computer
programming, which mainly taught us how to create the “punch cards” that
operated the large business computers of the day. My first desktop personal computer, purchased
in 1996, had far less storage capacity than today’s average USB plug-in drive,
connected to a slow moving internet through a regular phone line, and had an
internet modem that made a noise like a duck caught in a washing machine.
Today,
my desktop PC has storage capacity measured in Gigabytes and connects swiftly
to the internet through a DSL phone line, my iPad is even faster than my PC and
has plentiful software applications - or “Apps” as they’re known on mobile
devices - and my iPhone has more computing capacity than the Apollo space
capsules that traveled to the moon in the 1970s.
Each
of those amazing technological advances was useful and made life easier, but
all of them have something in common: computers - no matter how sophisticated
they are - won’t work unless they’re plugged in, and tablet computers and
smartphones have to be plugged in and recharged regularly or their batteries
will die. All of those technological
wonders need a power source to do what they’re designed to do.
All
of us also need power to do what God designed us to do. Psalm 139:14 says that we are “wonderfully”
made by a mighty Creator, but if we try to go through life relying on our own
strength and wisdom, we’ll feel beat up, burnt out, weak and weary sooner or
later. When we call on and trust in the
Lord, however, we’ll find a new source of power for living - a power source
that never weakens, never wears out, and never lets us down.
Take
the time each day - and more than once a day - to “recharge” by going to God in
prayer. You’ll find new strength in your
weakest times, new direction in your confused times and new assurance that the
God who created us has the power to sustain us and motivate us to do wonderful
things. You’ll find out first hand why
those who wore the chains of American slavery found new strength when they
gathered in secluded sacred places and sang, “Everything I do is by the power
of God.”
This Meditation is also available as a Blog on the Beaufort District’s
Website: www.beaufortdistrict.org
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
24. GENERAL OFFICER
CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENT:
--The Rev. Dr.
Jeffery B. Cooper Sr., General Secretary/CIO honored with the Gospel Choice Award
On
September 22, 2014 during the 20th Anniversary of The Atlanta Gospel Choice
Awards Gala at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, the Rev. Dr.
Jeffery B. Cooper, Sr., General Secretary/CIO, was honored along with 19 other
ministry leaders in the Atlanta Community for their effective ministry and
community outreach. Dr. Cooper was
honored with the Chosen Award for the second time. He was first honored by this group in 1998 as
recipient of the Gospel Choice Chosen
Pastor Award.
*Dr.
Jeffery Cooper, General Secretary/CIO, African Methodist Episcopal Church:
Email: cio@ame-church.com
25. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
The
Third Episcopal District Office sorrowfully announces the passing of Mr. Carl
R. Terry, Jr., the father of the Rev Carl R. Terry III, on Sunday, September
21, 2014 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Rev
Carl R. Terry III is pastor of Henderson Chapel AME Church in Wellsburg, West
Virginia. A private service will be held
on Friday, October 3, 2014.
Expressions
of sympathy and comfort may be sent to:
The
Reverend Carl R. Terry III
Henderson
Chapel AME Church
344
Main Street
Wellsburg,
WV 26070
Telephone:
412-651-2281
Email:
Terry3.ct@gmail.com
26. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
regret to inform you of the passing of Mrs. Ellen C. Lawson Strong, the twin
sister of Mrs. Mary E. Lawson White and the sister-in-law of the Rev. Donald T.
White, retired pastor of the Tennessee Annual Conference. The Rev. and Mrs.
Donald T. White are members of Greater Bethel AME Church in Nashville,
Tennessee where the Rev. Edward Lee Thompson is the pastor. Mrs. Strong was the
aunt of the Rev. Dennis D. Lawson I, pastor of Saint Paul AME Church in
Columbia, Tennessee.
Services
for Mrs. Ellen C. Lawson Strong:
Visitation:
Sunday,
September 28, 2014; 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Crown
Hill Funeral Home
700
38th Street
Indianapolis,
Indiana 46208
Telephone:
(317) 925-3800
Toll
Free: (800) 809-3366
Email:
info@crownhill.org
Funeral:
Monday,
September 29, 2014, 11:00 a.m.
Light
of the World Christian Church
4646
N. Michigan Road
Indianapolis,
Indiana 46228
Telephone:
317-254-5922
The
Reverend Dr. David A Hampton, pastor
Expressions
of sympathy may be sent to:
Mrs.
Mary E. White & the Rev. Donald T. White
2960
Franklin Pike
Nashville,
Tennessee 37204-3430
Telephone:
615-292-1062
Email:
maryewhite615@bellsouth.net
And
to:
The
Reverend Dennis D. Lawson I
1013
Chateau Valley Ct
Nashville,
Tennessee 37207-4230
Email:
ALPHALAWS@aol.com
27. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
The
Fourth Episcopal District is saddened to announce the passing of Mother Shirley
Elizabeth Warren, mother of the Rev. Ellen Rice, grandmother of Alaina Rice and
mother-in-law of the Rev. Dr. C. Calvin Rice, pastor of Canaan AME-Maywood,
Illinois. Mother Warren expired on
Friday, September 19, 2014.
The
arrangements for Mother Shirley Elizabeth Warren's Homegoing are as follows:
Saturday,
September 27, 2014
Wake
- 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Funeral
- 11 a.m. – 12 Noon
Bethel
AME Church
5050
Richard Allen Blvd (St. Antoine Street)
Detroit,
MI 48202
Telephone:
(313) 831-8810
Please
pray for health, strength, and safe travel for the Rev. Ellen Rice, Pastor C.
Calvin Rice, Alaina Rice and family during this time of bereavement.
Any
condolences can be sent to:
Canaan
AME Church
c/o
The Rev. Ellen Rice
801
S. 14th Avenue
Maywood,
Illinois 60153.
Church
Telephone: (708) 681-2744
Fax:
(708) 681-9448
28. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
My
dear beloved, it is with sadness and grief that I share the Homegoing of Mr.
Justin Kambole, a dear friend, brother, family man, brother-in-law, brothers
and sisters keeper and a home provider for me in Zambia as I attend to God's
Assignment. Mr. Justin Kambole Kapembwa
passed on Sunday, September 14th, 2014 around 7:30 a.m. Zambian Time following
a motorcycle accident on Tuesday, September 9, 2014.
This
young man was a father of 6 young children, the oldest being in the grade eight
this year, and one on the way. Justin & his immediate elder brother Anthony
were raised by my parents'-in-love (law); their biological Mother was my
Mother-In-Love (law)'s sisters.
Burial
has already taken place. We're now just dealing with our family loss. Please
pray for us, especially his family, as we grapple with this irreplaceable
family man.
Please
send your condolences to my wife, the Rev. Faith Simfukwe Mugala at this email:
faithmundi@gmail.com at your
convenience.
The
Lord continues to Rise & Shine in you daily is our prayer.
In
His Name & Service,
The
Rev. Paul M. Mugala Sr., Lusaka, Zambia
Bishop
Wilfred Jacobus Messiah is the Presiding Prelate of the Seventeenth Episcopal
District
29. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
regret to announce the Home Going of the Rev. Rosalind Kent, pastor of Saint
James AME Church in Savannah, Georgia. The Rev. Rosalind Kent was also a
faithful and dedicated member of WIM. She was currently serving as a member of
the Sixth Episcopal District WIM Executive Board and she served dutifully for
many years as the Georgia Conference WIM Coordinator.
Her
Homegoing celebration was held on Thursday, September 18th at 11 a.m. at the
Saint James AME Church located at 632 East Broad Street, Savannah, Georgia.
Bishop Preston W. Williams II was the eulogist.
Expressions
of sympathy may be sent to:
The
Rev. Shirley and the Rev. Walter Daniels (Rev. Kent's youngest sister)
Saint
Mark AME Church
365
Campbellton Road, SW
Atlanta,
Georgia 30331
And
to:
Ms.
Marilyn Bolden (The Rev. Kent's Sister)
132
Powell Road
Guyton,
Georgia 31312
30. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THE 6TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT:
Please
remember in prayer the following Sixth Episcopal District Clergy Families who
have experienced recent bereavements:
--
The Rev. Scottie Swinney in the loss of his brother
--
Former PE Terrell and family in the loss of his daughter
--
The family of Rev. Bernard McNair in the loss of his son Home# 770-943-1416;
Cell# 678-800-2089-
--
The family of the late Rev. Marjorie Hale (retired pastor of the Atlanta East
District)
--
The Rev. Suzette Adams and family in the loss of her uncle
--The
Rev. Dr. Dee Haigler and family in the loss of her father, Mr. Charles Butler-
--
The family of late Reverend Enoch Roberts
--
The family of the late Reverend TJ Patterson
--
The family of the late retired Presiding Elder Robert Plummer-
--
The Rev. Jeannette Pinkston Jackson and family in the loss of her father
--
The Rev. Conitras Houston Moore and family in the loss of her grandfather
31. CONNECTIONAL
LAY ORGANIZATION BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
regret to announce the passing of Irene Armstrong. Irene was the Chairperson
for First Aid in the First Episcopal District Lay Organization, a member of the
Philadelphia Conference Lay Organization and also served during numerous
Biennials in the First Aid Room. Irene was a faithful Church School Teacher
& YPD Worker.
The
following information has been provided regarding funeral the arrangements.
Monday,
September 29, 2014
Viewing
– 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Funeral
– 11 a.m.
Mother
Bethel A.M.E. Church
419
South 6th Street
Philadelphia,
PA 19147
Telephone: 215-925-0616
Fax:
(215) 925-1402
The
Rev. Dr. Mark K. Tyler, Pastor
Expressions
of Sympathy can be sent to:
Wondlyn
(Sandy) Armstrong
c/o
Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church
419
South 6th Street
Philadelphia,
PA 19147
32. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICES AND CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:
Ora L. Easley, Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family Information Center
Web page: http://www.amecfic.org/
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
33. 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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