The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr.,
Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor
III, the 20th Editor, The Christian
Recorder
AME Church
Connectional Day of Prayer – April 13, 2014
Easter: April 20,
2014
March: Women’s
History Month
1. TCR EDITORIAL – SMART IN THE SAME WAY —
BUT FOR WHAT IS RIGHT - PART 2:
Dr. Calvin H.
Sydnor III
The 20th
Editor of The Christian Recorder
Let me reiterate
the notion that the church can learn a lot from the “world” of business, the
military, academia, government, the corporate world, small and large businesses
and from successful entities that deal with people because many of the same
principles they employ are applicable to the religious community.
Last week’s
editorial ended with some observations about the church’s use of technology.
More
about technology
Churches most
definitely need to make a radical embrace of technology because it’s the world
we are living in! When preachers and
other leaders in local churches confess that they “are not into the technology
thing,” they are behind the “eight-ball.”
When the plumber
comes to our home, he or she has a tablet and information is shared
electronically with their headquarters or home office. The plumber or other
worker can take payment by credit card or check while standing in my
kitchen. The technician asks, “Do you
want a paper receipt or do you want the receipt emailed to you?” Even checks are processed electronically.
The same is true
when I take my vehicle to be serviced. The attendant uses the computer and
other electronic gadgets to retrieve and share data.
I often ask myself,
what did we do before we had the technology that we have today? Our grown children often talk about
technology. Our grandchildren, like many of your grandchildren, use technology
without fanfare; they don’t know any other way. They wouldn’t know how to use a
telephone book.
Our churches need
to embrace technology as an evangelism resource. Some of our churches and all
of our episcopal districts have websites, but some of them are not functional
or their websites are out of date.
Young people and a
lot of older folks too, do not go to the Yellow Pages or to the local newspaper
to find a church location and /or the worship times; they go to the internet.
Like some of you, I
don’t have to stop and ask for directions anymore. I just go to Siri on my
iPhone and ask for directions to any location.
I no longer have to
use a telephone book or the Yellow Pages.
I don’t read
hardcopy books anymore. I read only Kindle Books. I have gotten comfortable
reading the Bible electronically.
Technology is here
to stay. I don’t know why churches are still printing bulletins when all of
that information can be flashed on a screen or on a wall. And, I don’t know why
churches who flash the information on a screen or on the wall, continue to
print bulletins. My advice to churches: “Take the leap and embrace technology!”
Technology is here
to stay and may as well use it. Successful businesses stay abreast of
technology and churches should “get on board” too. Churches need to make a
radical embrace of technology because it’s the world we are living in!
The
calendar
Immediately after
the New Year, images of Valentine’s Day hit the stores. The unsold Christmas
items go on sale. And, not to be outdone, in the week between Christmas and New
Year’s Day, media blasts messages about losing weight and other resolutions
people resolve to work on. It’s interesting that many of the New Year’s
resolutions require some kind of purchase.
Even the short
period between Christmas and the New Year’s Day is not wasted on entrepreneurs.
New Year’s
resolutions are quickly challenged by Valentine’s Day and those who resolved to
give up chocolate are challenged by the heart-shaped boxes of chocolate candy.
Immediately after
Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick Day and Easter images were all over the stores
followed by Mother’s Day, and Independence Day. In the United States, August is
the only month without a holiday.
Not to be outdone,
August is filled with back to school advertisements, followed by Columbus Day,
Halloween, Thanksgiving and the huge marketing season of Christmas.
The business world
knows how to make profits and get people engaged with the creative use of the
calendar all year long.
The
church needs to exploit the calendar too
The Church needs to
follow the business example of the marketing world and make creative use of the
liturgical calendar.
Some of our
churches are facing financial hardships and economic distress and seemingly
don’t know what to do to give themselves relief.
If any church
follows the marketing model of the world, it takes strategy, planning and hard
work.
As I have said many
times before, “God provides food for the birds, but God does not drop the food
in the nests.”
I have seen
congregations let Thanksgiving, Advent,
Epiphany, Founder’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Black History Month, Palm
Sunday, and Pentecost come and go without fanfare. Not only that, but I have seen congregations
half-heartedly and luke-warmly celebrate Christmas, Easter and even Mother’s
Day. Many churches won’t even buy red and white roses for parishioners and many
have forgotten, “red rose for parishioners whose mothers are still alive and a
white rose for those whose mothers have died.”
All of the holy
days and holidays should capture the attention of our churches and be occasions
for celebrations on two levels.
First, the holy
days and holidays should be celebrated on the spiritual level and secondly they
should be celebrated…Okay, I am trying to find nice words, but can’t come up
with any – those days can be celebrated in a way that generates income or to
put it in everyday terms, “to make money.”
Churches need money
to operate and every church, small or large, needs to develop strategies in
order to generate income. Let me paraphrase an earlier statement about God not
dropping food in the nest, “God makes a way out of no way, but God doesn’t drop
dollar bills, euros, dinars, francs, pounds, rands, shekels or riyals in the
offering plates.”
Strategies,
planning and hard work connected to holy days, holidays, liturgical seasons and
even geographical celebrations are necessary ingredients that might help
churches raise money to meet operational expenses and to resources for
ministry.
For instance, if
you are in Louisiana and near New Orleans some connection to Mardi Gras or some Cajun celebration
seems like a no-brainer. Faith won’t bring in revenue. The Apostle James had it right when he said,
“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is
dead.” - James 2:17. That might not be the most accurate exegesis
or hermeneutic, but that’s my take in this context.
I suspect that some
churches experience hard economic times and struggle with low attendance
because they are not strategizing and planning; and in some cases the
leadership, clergy and laity, may not be willing to work hard, but the
operative word is “strategy.”
Organizations need strategies for growth.
Successful
businesses thrive and grow because of hardworking, dedicated leadership and
committed teamwork. Churches that want to grow must take on those attributes.
Additionally,
secular businesses utilize all of the five senses of sight, hearing, taste,
smell, and touch. When you go into successful establishments all five of the
senses are being exploited.
All
the senses
Businesses know how
to use the calendar and colors to their advantage. Fast food establishments
utilize the color scheme of yellow and orange. Experts say yellow and orange
increase our appetites. The smell of the cooking food makes us hungry and we
want to order food, even if we don’t realize that the smell piques our
appetites.
The church has
colors for the liturgical seasons and those colors set the mood for the season
and sermons and musical selections that are appropriate to each season can
stimulate and awaken our “spiritual appetites.”
The smell of the
lighted candles can awaken our “spiritual hunger.” I have never understood why
we have so many unlighted candles on so many altars in so many of our churches.
The problem is that
many churches miss some of the opportunities of exploiting the five senses.
Some
churches miss “taste” and ‘touch”
Kids all over the
world love food. Many churches miss
excellent opportunities to engage youth and could easily do so if they had
refreshment time after worship. It
wouldn’t have to be anything extravagant. I don’t like box cookies, but I think
it wouldn’t make a difference for young people.
If a church served some cookies and soft drinks or tea or Kool-Aid, it
would give the pastor and local church leaders the opportunity to engage with
the youth.
The challenge for
many churches would be finding someone to take responsibility for the
after-church refreshment time. Unfortunately that would be a problem for a lot
of churches; finding someone to take responsibility on an ongoing tedious
ministry.
I have attended churches
that served coffee and pastries every Sunday after the worship service and
parishioners had opportunities to fellowship with each other and relationships
were enhanced. The social time after church made a difference. The “taste
fellowship ministry” is important in the life of the church.
Some churches are
in such a rush to get parishioners “out on time” or are so focused on “getting
their praises on” that they do not allow time for parishioners to fellowship
with one another.
I have attended
several worship services in the Nashville, Tennessee and all of them allowed
time for fellowship. I have been in some churches where parishioners were
instructed to touch the person on your left or right; and that was the extent
of the fellowship. The “touch fellowship ministry” is important in the life of
the church. A generous fellowship time
in the worship service allows parishioners to greet and fellowship with guest
worshippers.
The “touch
fellowship ministry” is important in the life of the church.
Moral
and ethical standards and respect for authority
Successful
businesses demand the highest moral and ethical behavior and they are committed
to enforcing those who violate them.
When I mention
moral and ethical behavior, I am nor referring to murder, adultery, and
stealing or the big things that put people in prison. I don’t believe that we
have those problems and most businesses don’t have to worry about those kinds
of infractions.
The infractions
businesses have to deal with involve issues of a lack of integrity, failure to
be a team-player, self-serving, failure to follow rules, failure to “close
loops” and work collegially, mistreatment of subordinates, being uncooperative,
slothful, unreliable, irresponsible, incompetent, disloyal, insubordinate, and
failure to respect authority.
In fast food
restaurants, stores and certainly not in corporate America or in any
profession; insubordination and failure to respect authority is not tolerated
because it is destructive.
Every organization,
and churches across the board, not just AME Churches, but all churches, have to
deal with some of the same infractions.
In the secular
world, any one of the infractions listed above would probably lead to demotion
or dismissal.
In the religious
realm, across the board, churches and other religious organizations are
encumbered with the complex notion of forgiveness and “giving incompetence” and
lapses of acceptable behavior a “second chance.”
The words of the
boss in the King James Version of the “Unjust Steward” in Luke 16 reminds us
that, “… the sons of this world are wiser
in their own generation than the sons of light…” and that we, the religious
community, can learn from the secular sector of society.
Let
me say again -
Paraphrasing the
Message Bible, “I want us, the AME
Church, to be smart in the same way as the successful enterprises of the world
—but doing it the right way — using every adversity to stimulate you to
creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so we
will live, really live and survive as a church, and not complacently just get
by on good behavior, but because we will morally and ethically learn the best
practices of the successful enterprises of the world.”
Next
Week – “The symptoms of
a failing church”
.
2. READER RESPONSE TO EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES:
-- To
the Editor:
RE: TCR Op-Ed - Our Stories Need to be Told
and We Need to Tell "Our Stories"
Thanks, for
publishing the OP-Ed Editorial by Jacqueline Dupont-Walker in the March 14,
2014 issue of The Christian Recorder Online.
Her comments
relative to the need for us to tell (even document) our stories were very much
appreciated. I am interested in hearing more about AMEs who in addition to
being "good church workers" made and still make noteworthy
contributions to society. I would like more biographical information about
people like the Rev. Dr. Donald Tucker, so that I can include them as addendums
to my book, Call the Roll: Laity in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Yours truly,
Ethel H. Russaw
-- To the
Editor:
RE: TCR Editorial – Smart in The Same Way —
But for What is Right:
Your current TCR editorial addresses many good points
which you have stated in other ways before.
These points cannot be stressed enough.
Please continue to stress them and repeat them again and again until
people get it right. I have heard too
many people over 60+ boast about not being involved in social media, using
email (even if they have an account) or knowing anything about a
smartphone. Technological changes are
happening so fast now, that I know I am behind the curve but I am well in
advance of some people in that age range who foolishly refuse to take one of
many free courses that are available to get up to speed. One can hardly shop at a store or purchase a
candy bar out of a vending machine without interfacing with high technology;
even our automobiles are high tech machines.
The reason so many of our churches are lagging behind is because the
decisionmaking church officers fall into this same age group who resist taking
advantage of technological tools available to them. Congregations must see that the purchase of
professional website design and maintenance services is more important than
dumping more church funds into a maintenance contract with a "Xerox"
machine. A good website reaches out to
many more people than "flyers" on windshields. A good website is not the only thing healthy
churches use to function; it is the bare minimum essential for a church,
regardless of size.
I have heard discussions where the purchase of
electronic devices and internet services are not considered because "we
can't afford it." They fail to see
that churches can't afford NOT to have these technological systems in
place. When one visits new church plants
and growing churches, it is plain to see that the purchase and installation of
these systems was number one (#1) on their list; even above occupying a fancily
decorated physical plant. Younger people,
age 50 and under, rely heavily on the internet to search for institutions and
ministries that may meet their spiritual needs. "Curb appeal" is
pre-empted by "virtual appeal" via internet.
Nothing turns me off more than a poorly designed and
out-of-date website. I'm sure others
react the same way.
Spend a little time surfing the internet for A.M.E.
churches by name and you will get an eye opener. Many churches do not even have a website and
the only internet church listing is through some generic directory full of ads
from the directory sponsor. Others still have photographs and biographical
information posted for the pastoral team that served there two appointments
ago. Many websites have outdated events
posted on them. Still many others do not
adequately inform a person searching for a new place to worship of the location
of the church, how to get there, who to contact and how, and most importantly
"what we believe" or what ministries are offered.
Name Withheld
3. AMEC
HISTORIOGRAPHER BICENTENNIAL PROJECT GATHERING INFORMATION ON AME HOLDERS OF
TERMINAL DEGREES:
"I am working on a project to celebrate 200 years of AME scholars
and scholarship for a webinar or videoconference later this year and the 2016
General Conference. I would like to request AMEs currently holding terminal
degrees of PhD, ThD, EdD and DMin from fully accredited academic institutions;
and those who will obtain a terminal degree by January 2016).
Forward your name, title, degree, dissertation or project topic,
institution, contact information, current position and research interests to
Dr. Teresa Fry Brown at AMECHistoryintheMaking@yahoo.com no later than April 30, 2014."
*Dr. Teresa L. Fry Brown is the Historiographer/Director of Research and
Scholarship& Editor of The A.M.E. Church Review
4. BISHOP VASHTI
MURPHY MCKENZIE NAMED ONE OF THE 50 POWERFUL WOMEN RELIGIOUS LEADERS:
Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie was recently named as one of the 50
powerful women religious leaders in the world by a national online news
organization:
McKenzie was named among this powerful group of religious figures that
included women from all faith traditions and all corners of the globes. These
women were noted as “leading voices in their field” who offer inspiration to
others.
The list was released by The Huffington Post in recognition of
International Women’s Day.
The elite list includes women who serve as bishops, advocates for the
disenfranchised, distinguished professors, noted theologians, and nuns.
Bishop McKenzie is well-known outside African Methodism.
She was appointed to serve on the Advisory Council of the White House
Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships by President Barack Obama in
2009. Most recently, Bishop McKenzie was
a keynote speaker at Bishop T.D. Jakes’ International Pastors and Leadership
Conference 2014 held in Orlando, Florida.
Bishop McKenzie is the 117th elected and consecrated bishop of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church. Her historic election in 2000 represented
the first time in the A.M.E. church history that a woman was elected to the
office of bishop.
Bishop McKenzie is the presiding prelate of the 10th Episcopal District,
which includes the state of Texas.
5. PROJECT IMPACT
MISSION TRIP WILL HIGHLIGHT MISSION, PRAYER AND COMPASSION:
Project impact will be a mission trip held June 16-20, 2014 that invokes
mission, prayer and compassion in a creative spiritual partnership between the
2nd and 16th Episcopal Districts
During his first two Episcopal assignments, Bishop William Phillips and
Supervisor Pam DeVeaux served in the 18TH District countries of
Lesotho, Botswana, Swaziland and Mozambique. Their second episcopal posting was
to the 16th Episcopal District, which consists of Caribbean nations
of Guyana/Suriname, Virgin Islands, European, Dominican Republic, Haiti,
Jamaica, and Windward Islands, as well as the Holland and London Conferences.
Dr. Pam promised our AME brothers and sisters in Africa, the Caribbean and Europe
that we will never forget you and we’ll be back.
Indeed that covenant has been kept as the mission trip to Trinidad
represents a vision fulfilled for the 16th Episcopal District. The
mission trip will also be a memorial tribute to the late Bishop Sarah Francis
Davis, and her episcopal leadership in the 16th Episcopal District,
which she served until her death in November 2013.
Bishop John Franklin White presides over the 16th Episcopal
District as well as the 18th Episcopal District.
Bishop White enthusiastically welcomes and supports this partnership of
the 16th Episcopal District and the 2nd Episcopal
District mission trip.
The purpose of Project IMPACT is to strengthen the spiritual and cultural
exchanges between the two Districts through an interactive series of outreach
activities designed to provide opportunities for mission, service, fellowship
and witness including: worship services, preaching exchanges, shared experiences in providing and giving back
to “the least of these…”
In addition to Project Impact and worship services, the four-day trip
will include time for sightseeing and opportunities to sample Trinidad’s
spectacular cuisine.
Additional information can be found on the 2nd Episcopal
District Website:
6. APP OF THE WEEK:
TELEVISION SCHEDULE ON SMARTPHONE:
This morning, I found a great App called Dijit, remote with TV Guide. It is free and you can find your
favorite television shows whenever they are on live TV, Amazon, Hulu Plus,
iTunes, or Netflix!
The television guide is wonderful and you can checkout what comes on all
of your television channels anytime.
Check it out. Go to the App Store
and download it.
7. ASU PRESIDENT
DELIVERS INSPIRING MESSAGE AT ST. JOHN’S AME CHURCH MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA:
Alabama State University President Gwendolyn E. Boyd delivered a dynamic
and spirit-filled sermon during ASU Day at St. John’s AME Church.
Montgomery’s St. John’s AME Church was filled to capacity during Sunday
service on February 16, as members of the ASU family joined church members for
their celebration of ASU Day.
President Gwendolyn E. Boyd, first female president of the HBCU and
ordained minister in the AME Church, delivered a dynamic, timely, and well
received message to the congregation, which was filled with alumni, faculty,
and students - including Miss Alabama State and her court, members of the
Hornets men and women’s basketball teams, SGA officers, Golden Ambassadors, and
band members.
Students from ASU participated in the worship services. SGA Chief of
Staff, Shenicka Hohenkirk offered prayer; Symone Hinton, SGA Secretary read the
scripture; Foluso Oluda, Miss ASU, brought greetings; and Sharrod Campbell, SGA
President introduced Dr. Boyd. The St.
John’s Mass Choir delivered dynamic and uplifting musical selections.
Boyd’s message was taken from Jeremiah 1:7-19. “God is saying to all of
us today, and especially to our students, ‘Walk in your purpose.’ You need to
walk in your destiny. Embrace the calling that God has placed on your life,”
Boyd said.
Boyd inspired the congregation to seize the moment, much like she has
done. “Go into some places where they said you could not go, and then do some
things that they said you could not do. You are looking at one whose testimony
is that I went into some places where they said I could not go, and I’m doing
some things that they said I could not do,” Boyd said.
Boyd challenged all in attendance, especially students, to get up and
prepare for action, especially when others may have lost courage. “When domestic
violence is on the rise in this community; where are the voices in this
generation? We still have a 50 percent dropout rate in the African-American
community… Where are the voices in this generation when we have bullying in the
schools? Where are the voices in this generation when we have a cradle to
prison pipeline,” Boyd asked. “They are finding the money to build new high
tech prisons, but they can’t find the money to build new high tech schools.”
Boyd encouraged the congregation to stand up, speak out and keep moving.
“Know that when you are moving out, everybody can’t go with you. I say that
especially to you, my students… Your job is to keep moving forward. If you are
determined to be successful, sometimes you have to pull out your smartphone, go
to your contact list, scroll, select and delete,” Boyd said. “Look at it
and say, ‘If you can’t be happy for me that I’m going to the next level,
scroll, select and delete. If you can’t be happy that I want to get a 4.0 grade
point average, scroll, select and delete. That’s the choice that you have to
make today.”
Boyd concluded by encouraging the congregants to dream big. “He (God) is
calling on you to dream big… If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big
enough,” Boyd said.
The Rev. James E. Arnell, pastor of St. John’s presented Boyd with a
plaque and said, “Dr. Boyd is not only the President of Alabama State
University, she is an ordained elder in the AME Church and today she took off
her “president’s hat” and put on her “preacher’s hat.”
St. John’s graciously hosted their ASU guest to a catered dinner in the
Christian Life Center.
The Rev. Arnell was overjoyed with the outcome of this year’s ASU
day. According to Arnell, “The number of
students in attendance exceeded our expectations. We’ve always had a large number of students
to attend our ASU Days, but this year we had an overflow! The amount of positive feedback we’ve
received from both members and non-members has been overwhelming. Sunday goes down in history as “The Best ASU
Day” at St. John’s AME Church.”
ASU Day is an annual outreach program design to open the doors of St.
John’s to the ASU students and invite them to make St. John’s their “Home away
from home.”
Check our Website and Facebook Page for more information about St. John
AME Church.
Facebook - Saint-Johns-AME-Church-Montgomery-Alabama
Submitted by: Hilary Cunningham, Church Recorder
8. TURNER SEMINARY
HONORS ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS WITH INAUGURAL HALL OF FAME BANQUET:
- Jane Jelks Jones
Turner Theological Seminary
The 120th Founder’s Day and
Sixth Annual Isaac R. Clark, Sr. Conference on Ministry of Turner
Theological Seminary introduced a new event to its schedule of activities with
the addition of the Henry McNeal Turner Theological Seminary Alumni Hall of
Fame Banquet.
Supporting the theme "Historical
Reflections: Remembering Our History: Our Legacy, Our Purpose, and Our
Future," the banquet was the first event and the centerpiece of the three-day
observance. Alumni and friends throughout the African Methodist Episcopal
Church (AMEC) came to celebrate and witness the induction of ten esteemed
Turner alumni into the Hall of Fame. Almost 500 persons were in attendance for
this inaugural affair on February 3, 2014, held at the Marcia Moss Fellowship
Hall of St. Philip African Methodist Episcopal Church in Atlanta.
Attorney Jack Sibley, managing partner for Hawkins Parnell, Thackston
& Young and Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Interdenominational
Theological Center (ITC) gave the keynote address. He applauded the history and contributions of
Turner Seminary to theological education and made recommendations for
guaranteeing the seminary a bright future at the ITC. This was followed by the
procession of the honorees onto center stage and the presentation of the Henry
McNeal Turner Hall of Fame Medallion Plaque.
The honorees were cited for their exceptional and outstanding performance
in the ministry of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. They included various fields of service i.e.
innovative pastors, bishops, educators, and Church and community leaders. All were credited with having demonstrated
effective Church growth through groundbreaking programs for educational
excellence, community outreach and public service.
Members of the 2014 Class are: Bishop Adam J. Richardson Jr. (11th
District, AMEC); Bishop Preston Warren Williams II (6th District
AMEC); Bishop Samuel Lawrence Green Sr. (12th District AMEC); Bishop John Franklin
White (16th & 18th Districts AMEC); Bishop Reginald
T. Jackson (20th District AMEC); Dr. George Flowers, AMEC Executive
Director for Global Witness & Ministry; Turner Seminary President-Dean
Emeritus Dr. Daniel W. Jacobs; Womanist Theologian and Professor of Systematic
Theology at the Interdenominational Theological Center, Dr. Jacquelyn Grant;
and retired AMEC pastors, the Reverend Dr. George Moore Sr. and, the Reverend
Dr. James M. Proctor.
A Perpetual Plaque displaying the names of the class members was also
hung in the atrium of Turner Seminary’s Talbot Hall during a special Unveiling
Ceremony the day following the banquet.
Each year, the seminary will induct another class into the Hall of Fame
from alumni who are serving the Church with distinction. Names to be considered for the Class of 2015
may be submitted using an electronic nomination form located on the seminary’s
website at www.turnerseminary.com.
.
The Isaac R. Clark Sr. Conference on Ministry and Turner Founders’
Convocation, commenced February 4-5, 2014 on the ITC campus, featuring profound
and provocative lectures and worship services delivered by other guest
presenters including: The Reverend Dr.
Alan Wicker, Dr. Carolyn McCrary, and the Rt. Rev. Reginald T. Jackson.
Special thanks and kudos were extended to President-Dean John F. Green
and the Planning Committee for the exceptional programs.
9.
MLK CELEBRATION MASSACHUSETTS STYLE:
If you drive
northeast out of the city of Boston, the first suburb you will encounter is a
city named Chelsea, Massachusetts.
Chelsea has a very diverse population of just under 40,000 people. It also has an AME church named People’s AME
Church where the Rev Sandra Whitley is the pastor. On January 20, 2014 People’s AME joined
forces with Mrs. Diane Patrick, the First Lady of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts to celebrate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday with a
community prayer breakfast, a day of service and an anti-homeless project.
On this day almost
300 people gathered at the city’s high school auditorium to hear an inspiring
word from the wife of Governor Deval L. Patrick, the country’s only current
African American Governor. Mrs. Patrick
grew up in Brooklyn New York where she attended public schools from 1st
grade through college. She is a believer
and shared a very personal but inspirational testimony of someone who was able
to rise above discouragement. Despite
being told what she couldn’t accomplish rigorous academic studies, she pursued
a college degree and an opportunity to teach.
When New York’s financial problems caused her to be laid off, she
pursued a law degree and is now a partner with a Boston law firm.
Each year, People’s
AME co-sponsors the Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration with the local
community.
This year, a local
Girl Scout Troop opened the event by leading the audience in reciting the
pledge of allegiance. Participants
included both city and state elected officials, local businesses, churches and
non-prophets, but this program was not about politics or city leaders.
The program focused
on Dr. King’s dream of a “Beloved Community” where people help other
people. Chelsea school students wrote
essays on "Achieving Your Dream: Building Character & Community." Stephanie Bonilla, Aaliyah Samira Colon and
Marcone Correia had the best essays.
With the assistance of Dr. Mary Bourque, Superintendent of Schools,
essay winners received recognition during the program.
Adults were also
acknowledged. Edward Irizarry and Evan
Mitchell received Young Adult Dreamers and Achievers Awards. Finally, Joan Cromwell Umemba and Bruce
Harrison received the Spirit Awards.
Throughout the program the Chelsea High School Cantara and members of
Boston’s Grant AME Church provided music.
In addition to the
awards, three young people, Jenny Le from Hooks Elementary School, Charlie
Rustigian from Wright Academy and Brian Le from Clark Ave School spoke about
MLK Day as a National Day of Public Service.
Chelsea’s young
people have displayed a passion for helping the homeless. The program enabled People’s AME and the
community to provide necessities for 13 homeless families identified by the
Chelsea School District social worker.
This year's MLK,
JR. Program was an example of putting Dr. King’s dream into action and putting
Matthew 25:45 into action, “I tell you the truth whatever you did not do for
one of the least of these, you did not do for me."
10.
PASTOR PUSHING FOR CONNECTION WITH THE BLACK COMMUNITY:
Much has been said
and written about the decline of the African American community. Things like
school testing scores, high unemployment, high percentage of single parent
homes, and difficult living conditions have been well documented in this particular
community.
There is an AME
Pastor by the name of Anthony Steele that is pushing to connect the African
American community with much needed resources. His agenda of Black Family
Values is being pushed in every direction. Pastor Steele who continues to focus
on the theme that “Healthy marriages lead to healthy families, and healthy
families lead to healthy communities, and healthy communities lead to a healthy
country and world.”
He has been meeting
with all political, social, and corporate leaders that are willing to help.
Saturday, Steele was in San Francisco for the California Republican Convention
with Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Pastor Steele took the message
of connecting the Black community to the Republican Party by challenging the
party to put actual resources where they are needed.
He was met with
enthusiasm of party leaders to find common ground that would allow both the
Republican Party and the African American community to work closer together.
The dialogue with party leaders and candidates for various offices including
governor covered education, economics, immigration, and of course, family
issues in the Black community.
While the
convention had many workshops for election training, and even one sponsored by
Grow Elect on connecting with the Latino Community, there were no visible
planned workshops to connect with the Black community. The party leaders were
very interested in speaking with Steele to discuss connecting with the Black
community on issues that are essential to them.
In the 2012
Presidential Election, only 6% of Blacks voting cast their ballots for the
Republican nominee. Pastor Steele commented, “The African American electorate
continues to vote close to 90% as a block for the Democratic Party since 1972,
but the Black community has continued to decline, in that same time frame, in
education, finance, housing, family structure, even some of our churches, which
used to be the cornerstone of our communities, are failing and closing.” He
added, “We need resources and the issues of the Black community addressed
immediately regardless of political party. At some point you have to ask the
question, ‘what is the definition of insanity?’”
The pastor of the Ebenezer
AME Church in Stockton, California has been a pastor in the African Methodist
Episcopal Church across the nation for almost 25 years, and is also the
president of a not for-profit organization, Damascus Corporation, that boasts a
Math Camp for kids, a Sandwich Project for the homeless, and teaches the value
of marriage and family.
On, Sunday, March
23, 2014 Ebenezer AME Church of Stockton, California will host their 3rd
Annual National Black Marriage Day celebration. Pastor Steele has been presiding
over this event in other parts of the country, as well, like St. Louis,
Missouri and Wichita, Kansas for 10 years. The event is to reaffirm their
commitment to the institution of marriage with a mass wedding of couples
renewing their vows and even couples getting married for the first time. The
event is designed not to speak out against same sex marriage, but to speak up
for marriage as prescribed by the Christian faith, between a man and a woman.
Nationally, the African Methodist Episcopal Church does not support same sex
marriage, and will expel any minister that conducts such a wedding. The public
is invited to attend and the event is free. There will be a reception
immediately following the service.
11.
THE 10TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT 2014 SPRING CALENDAR:
Bishop Vashti
Murphy McKenzie, Presiding Prelate
Mr. Stan McKenzie,
Episcopal Supervisor
Praycation
Oasis in the Desert
21-23
August 2014
Campus of Oblate
School of Theology
285 Oblate Drive
San Antonio, Texas
78216
Host Church: Bethel
AME Church
Host Pastor: Rev.
Dr. W. Raymond Bryant
Host Presiding
Elder: Rev. Dr. Ida W. Keener
Associate Presiding
Elder: Rev. Dr. Lawrence R. Emanuel, Sr.
Make hotel reservations:
Hilton Hotel (210) 340-6060
12.
TEN SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS FOR TEENS:
*Akilah C. Thompson
Social media is one
of the most powerful forms of communication teens and adults use today. Here are some tips to help you use social
media safely and effectively.
1) Respect
yourself. Show off how great you are
with class. You are a brand and should represent yourself accordingly on social
media. Make sure your photos are
appropriate. Do not post or text photos
of yourself naked, dressed provocatively, or making obscene gestures. Avoid
uploading anything you would not want your grandmother to see on the front
cover of the New York Times! Social media plays a major role in building and
ruining personal images. Be wise!
2) Post with
positivity - Keep it cool! If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t post.
Avoid ranting or arguing with people on social media and posting when you’re
upset. You may be upset with your mom but it would be very disrespectful to
share your anger with the world. What do you think college recruiters or future
employers might think about you disrespecting your mother on social media? No es
bueno! Share positivity and good
vibes on the web.
3) No “twerking”
videos please! - Just because you see a trend starting on social media, doesn’t
mean it is something you should do. Do not post videos that portray negative
images of you, your friends or family involving profanity, sex, nudity, crime,
drugs, discrimination, violence, lewd gestures, or anything that could be
offensive to the public. Keep your video posts kid friendly. You don't want a
video of you intoxicated and “twerking” inappropriately with friends to surface
while you are campaigning for President in 20 years. Definitely not a good idea!
4) Know your
followers - Allowing strangers to follow you can be very dangerous. Even if
their account looks harmless, be aware that there are many fake accounts where
creeps follow their prey. If you don’t know them, ignore them and don’t let
them follow you. Also, use privacy settings to protect your accounts from being
viewed by strangers. Proceed with caution!
5) Be careful what
you post for likes - You don’t want to end up “instafamous” for something that
could destroy your future. Keep your
posts positive, dignified and smart. Social media is a great way to build a web
presence for future endeavors. Don’t
compromise your future for “likes” or “followers.” Make your mark on the web, the right way!
6) Play nice -
Don't cyber bully! - No one has the right to harass anyone based on their sex,
race, age, orientation, personal beliefs, values, etc. The impact of harassment
is heightened and can have deadly consequences when acted out over the
Internet. Avoid engaging in cyber brawls on twitter and status face-offs on
Facebook. If you have a personal issue with someone, keep it off the Internet.
If anyone is saying things about you on social media, report their account and
let a relative know.
7) Think before you
post. - Nothing is ever truly deleted,
so be very sure about what you post before you hit the "post" or
"send" button. Once you post
a picture or a status it is stored on the site’s server and can normally be
retrieved even if you delete it from your profile. So, be smart and post with
care for your future!
8) If you see
something, say something! - Report anything inappropriate. Block or un-follow
people that post negative comments on your timeline, make you uncomfortable or
harass you in any way.
9) Manage your use
wisely - Too much of anything can become a bad thing. Is social media keeping
you from getting work done? Try putting time limits on your social media usage
to make sure it is not impacting your productivity.
10) Don't post your
every move - Leave some information to share with your real friends and family
over the phone. Your best friend would probably want to know you and your
boyfriend broke up before the whole world knows via your relationship status
change. Also be careful sharing info
when you are going out of town. You don’t want to alert a potential burglar
that you will be in the Bahamas for a week with your family.
As a teenager it is
important that you are aware, informed, and understand the risks that come
along with using social media. Remember
to protect yourself, censor what you post, and chose the crowd you associate
with wisely.
*Akilah C. Thompson
is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of North Carolina A & T State University
where she earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and Business Economics.
She is an IRS Enrolled Agent, Certified Life Coach, Licensed Zumba Instructor,
and Inspirational Speaker. She is the Founder & CEO of her trademark
company ACT Inspires Inc and nonprofit, Generations Inspired Inc. Akilah is
also a model, actor, and author. Her life goal is to inspire and empower others
to be Ambitious, Courageous & Talented.
For more information, please visit Act Inspires.
13. AME RESEARCHER
VIDEO PRESENTATION OF “ALLEN REPORT - RETRACING TRANSNATIONAL AFRICAN
METHODISM”:
Ms. Alanna Lockward - AME researcher has done a wonderful presentation on
her “Allen Report. Retracing Transnational African Methodism (15 min)”
Click or type in your browser the website for her research:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LemKijrCNoE
Alanna Lockward has excelled as a journalist, classical ballet dancer,
author and contemporary arts curator specialized in time-based undertakings.
Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, she has a licentiate degree in
Communication Science from the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco,
México, City, and a master's degree in Art in Context from the University of
the Arts Berlin. She is also associate curator of the post-migrant theatre
space Ballhaus Naunynstrasse and general manager of the Transnational Decolonial
Institute. As a curator she has been awarded by the Allianz Cultural
Foundation, the Danish Arts Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers. Her
first documentary project on Black Liberation Theology and the transnational
history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) has been awarded by
Dirección General de Cine de República Dominicana (FONPROCINE 2013).
14.
THE TRUTH IS THE LIGHT:
*The Reverend Dr.
Charles R. Watkins, Jr.
Based on Biblical
Text: Romans 13:14: But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision
for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.
The Apostle Paul
writes in his letter to the church in Rome, “Owe no man any thing, but to love
one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou
shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou
shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other
commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is
the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time
to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works
of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in
the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not
in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not
provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.
We must understand
that it is our Christian obligation to love our neighbor. We must love even the
neighbor who is hard to love. We are charged to express the love of Christ to
everyone. Love is not a suggestion it is an obligation. We are called to love
with God’s love that embraces all people. We are bound to love everyone with
whom we come in contact!
Love is not an
emotion that we choose to extend according to one’s loveableness or goodness.
We are required to love. Love is one of those hard Christian requirements. Many
Christians would much rather be required to attend Bible Study or help clean
the church than to love their neighbors.
As Christians we
owe everyone the debt of love. Our neighbor does not get their due from us
until we learn to love them. It is a
debt that is never fully fulfilled. Love is not a seasonal obligation it is a
perpetual one. After we display all the
love we can muster to our neighbor we still owe them as love is an undying
debt.
We may grow weary
disbursing so much love, particularly on those we consider unworthy
beneficiaries. However, the words of Paul in our text, when taken to heart will
help stretch our patience, and help us to not be so quick to shut our hearts to
mean spirited neighbors.
We must never seek
only to gratify our neighbor with our kindness. We must however seek to extend
true love. As we mature we will come to understand that true love is not mere
weak indulgence. True love must often chastise or thwart, but it always seeks
our neighbor’s common good. We harm our neighbor when we fail to help them. If
we are able to extend kindness but choose not to, we do our neighbor harm. In other words, choosing not to be kind to
our neighbor is choosing to be evil toward our neighbor. It cannot be made any
plainer. Withdrawal from the love obligation is not an option.
Paul speaks as
though he expects to hear our complaining about this duty. He reminds us that,
“The night is far spent, the day is at hand!” What he wants us to understand is
that every life has a fixed end. We each have a relatively short amount time to
obey God’s will and fulfill our Christian duty. Jesus said, “I must work the
works of Him that sent me, while it is day; for the night cometh when no man
can work!”
Paul reminds us
that we are in the day and we must conduct ourselves as if we are on display to
everyone around us. We are living in full view of the world, so we must live as
a mirror reflection of the Savior who loved us enough to die for us. Paul says,
“Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in
chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.” How is that possible?
There is but one answer, “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Put on Christ!
Put on Christ, He
will be our strength and righteousness. His love can reach even the hard to
love for it is higher than the heavens, deeper than the oceans, stronger than
the wind, and fresher than the morning dew. The love of Christ cannot be
defined, cannot be comprehended and cannot be exhausted. Christ’s love is
inexpressible, incomprehensible and inexhaustible.
If we are to love
our neighbor without reservation, and honor the debt of love, we must put on
Christ. If we are to successfully face up to our temptation to turn away from
our neighbor, we must put on Christ. We must let the old man in us fall away
and we shall no longer entertain any thought of our own flesh, “to fulfill the
lusts thereof”. We will learn to love our neighbor with a love so pure if we
put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ!
*The Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., is
the pastor of Morris Brown A.M.E. Church in Charleston, S.C.
15.
HIDDEN BLESSINGS:
*The Rev. Jarrett
Washington
"To him that
overcomes, I will give him some of the hidden manna to eat." Revelation
2:17b
Each day God gives
you life on this side of heaven you are experiencing an underserved
blessing. In the second chapter of
Revelation the reader is introduced to the city of Pergamum. Pergamum was built on a hill 1,000 feet above
the surrounding countryside. The city
was considered a sophisticated center for Greek culture and education, with a
200,000 volume library. The believers in
the city of Pergamum were surrounded by the beauty of education, culture,
grandeur, yet there was a strong presence of cult worship.
The city of
Pergamum and its residents, much like you and I, faced temptation on every
side. In fact, history teaches us people
traveled from near and far just to get to the city for healing from the satanic
god named Ascelepius, whose symbol was the serpent. John, the Revelator, writes there was a
certain uniqueness about the believers of God in this city. He makes known that the people who held on to
God's Word were considered God's most loyal blessed servants.
I believe that many
times in our lives, we as the called of God; have got to realize our blessings
may not always be visible to everyone else.
Much of the blessings you and I will receive will be blessings God will
give us in the midst of our storms, our trials, and our tribulations that our
purposed to sustain us when everything else has simply fallen apart.
In the text, the
children of God worshipping in the city of Pergamum were to be abundantly
blessed with secret manna if and only if they overcame the weapons of
destruction in their pathway. Today,
many of you will face people, places, things, and ideas that will come against
God's purpose for your life. Yet and
still if you hold on to God, in the midst of your situation, God will bless you
in such a way you won't have the room to receive it. There is no secret God blesses the loyal
believer. But when you become overly
tolerant of the foolishness that is taking place around you, you compromise the
blessing that God has in store for you.
Manna in its most
symbolic form today may not be bread from the sky, but it may be a new job, a
new home, a new car, a new ministry, a new church or a new outlook to your
present situation. Whatever manna is to
you, you must overcome the negative situation(s) you are currently facing and
let God reign supreme in your life. Do
not be tempted to look to the left or look to the right. Don't worry about what others have. But focus your attention on how you can serve
God better each and everyday.
*The Rev. Jarrett
Washington is the pastor of St. James AME Church on Johns Island, South
Carolina www.JARRETTWASHINGTON.com
16.
HUNGER GROWS IN OUR COMMUNITY:
*Bishop Don DiXon
Williams
Brothers and
sisters, it is with a heavy heart that I have to report that food insecurity
remains extremely high, particularly in our community, due to a slow economic
recovery. We at Bread for the World have released a new fact sheet that sadly
shows the return of income inequality on a scale that hasn’t been witnessed
since the Great Depression.
Unemployment in the
United States is 6.7 percent. African-American unemployment is at 12.0 percent;
almost double that of the U.S. population. The best anti-hunger and
anti-poverty program is employment. We must urge our government to focus on
investing in jobs and not on cutting programs that help those in need.
A government
investing in creating jobs is also investing in human capital. We must bring
back dignity to those jobs. It is unjust for someone to work two or even three
jobs and still not be able to provide for a family. We cannot allow jobs to pay
only poverty-level wages especially when productivity in the United States has
increased.
As Scripture tells
us, woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by
injustice, and who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing and does not give
him his wages.
We all need to
remember that workers are human beings and not commodities. It should not be a
privilege to take time off when you are not feeling well. If an immediate
family member passes, you should not fear asking for time off to mourn the
loss. As a society, we say that the family unit is our most important
foundation, yet we make parents choose between keeping their jobs and raising
their infants. If we truly believe in the dignity of a person, these things
should not be benefits but rather the norm.
God reminds us to
not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in your power to do
it. Employers have an obligation to their workers just as workers have an
obligation to their employers. We do not stand for someone cheating and
stealing from their employer. Why do we allow some employers to cheat and steal
from their employees?
As a community, we
must tell Congress that we want a fair deal for workers. We want to work and
want our brothers and sisters to be able to be able to provide for their
families. I pray for the day that we no longer have to create these fact sheets
about hunger, the day when hunger is something from the past. As we all pray,
act, and give, that day comes closer and closer.
*Bishop Don DiXon
Williams is racial-ethnic outreach at Bread for the World and sits on the Board
of Bishops of the United Church of Jesus Christ, Baltimore, Md.
17. TIME EXPIRING TO CLAIM $760
MILLION IN REFUNDS FOR 2010 TAX RETURNS:
If you did not file a tax return for
2010, you may be one of over 900,000 taxpayers who may be due a refund from
that year. If you are, you must claim your share of almost $760 million by the
April 15 tax deadline. To claim your refund, you must file a 2010 federal
income tax return. Here are the facts you need to know about unclaimed refunds:
- The unclaimed refunds apply to people who did not file a
federal income tax return for 2010. The IRS estimates that half the potential
refunds are more than $571.
- Some people, such as students and part-time workers, may
not have filed because they had too little income to require filing a tax
return. They may have a refund waiting if they had taxes withheld from their
wages or made quarterly estimated payments. A refund could also apply if they
qualify for certain tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit.
- If you didn’t file a 2010 return, the law generally
provides a three-year window to claim a refund from that year. For 2010
returns, the window closes on April 15, 2014.
- The law requires that you properly address, mail and
postmark your tax return by that date to claim your refund.
- If you don’t file a claim for a refund within three years,
the money becomes property of the U.S. Treasury. There is no penalty for filing
a late return if you are due a refund.
- The IRS may hold your 2010 refund if you have not filed
tax returns for 2011 and 2012. The U.S. Treasury will apply the refund to any
federal or state tax you owe. It also may use your refund to offset unpaid
child support or past due federal debts such as student loans.
- If you’re missing Forms W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 for prior
years, you should ask for copies from your employer, bank or other payer. If
you can’t get copies, get a free
transcript showing that
information by going to IRS.gov. You can also file Form 4506-T to get a transcript.
- The three-year window also usually applies to a refund
from an amended return. In general, you must file Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, within three
years from the date you filed your original tax return. You can also file it
within two years from the date you paid the tax, if that date is later than the
three-year rule. That means the deadline for most people to amend their 2010
tax return and claim a refund will expire on April 15, 2014.
- Current and prior year tax
forms and instructions
are available on IRS.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).
Additional IRS Resources:
IRS YouTube Videos:
18. GETTING TO
ZERO: SIMPLE MATTERS OF NUTRITION:
*Dr. Oveta Fuller
March as National Nutrition Month reminds us why nutrition matters.
Simple changes impact health.
What we consume in food provides building materials for body structure
and maintenance and the energy for movement and critical organ functions.
Thankfully, what we eat also provides satisfaction as a major part of
socializing. Someone has said that the beloved A.M.E. can also mean “Always
Meeting and Eating”. Think about how often food intake is associated with
church or worship events. Often it’s called “fellowship”. Such brings many
blessings.
The theme of National Nutrition Month in 2014, “Enjoy the Taste of Eating
Right” www.eatright.org/NNM/, invites a paradigm shift in thinking about how to
balance nutrition needs and pleasure from food intake. Eating right not only
can bring better health and less body weight to carry around, it can be most
enjoyable!
The goal in eating to live is to burn up most of the calories in food for
building or maintaining tissues or as fuel for energy in moving. Since most
people are more sedentary in required daily activities than our ancestors, food
intake can be lower in energy supplying foods (carbohydrates and fats) and
higher in maintenance and building foods (protein, vitamins and minerals). Such
logic applies for the guideline that a food plate should be covered with at
least half vegetables or fruit, rather than mostly foods that are starches or
meats.
A look at some favorites
Favorite foods in many African American households include the familiar
macaroni and cheese, candied yams, rolls with butter, mashed potatoes or rice
with gravy, smothered or fried chicken or pork chop, potato salad, spaghetti or
pasta and sauce. Uhmmm… But all are starches or meats. One of these should be
consumed perhaps as the starch in a meal. However, regularly consuming several
of these favorites in a meal is not eating to live. Including several hefty
helpings of green or colored vegetables will balance a meal that contains one
of these delicious traditional family favorites.
A useful tool in a good nutrition toolkit is to cultivate the
eating-right habit to be aware not only of the type of foods consumed, but
importantly also of portion size. I will share one strategy for watching
portion size that is profoundly effective.
A helpful strategy
that really works
Serve the food onto individual dishes from the food containers that are
kept on the stove or counter rather than placed family style at the table. And,
make those individual serving sizes reasonable. The effort of getting up to
refill the plate with a second or third serving will reduce the amounts
consumed by most people. It allows eating more so with nutrition in mind rather
than for more pleasure because it is there right in front of our eyes and
hands, and it tastes so good.
Let’s look at an example. I have wonderful early life memories from daily
meals in my grandmother’s home. We lived there for the first several years of
my life. After we moved to our own home nearby, she was my “childcare provider”
until I started school in first grade. This was home for her four other sons,
my Dad and Mom, my older brother and Grandma and me. We had meals there
together most days. The delicious dishes (my grand mom was the best ever chef)
were served by putting the bowls or platters on the table within reach. With
six males at the table, some as teens or young adults, there were not many
second and third helpings by the time everyone served their plate. Yet somehow,
there was always enough to welcome a neighbor or guest stopping in.
Thus a meal served family style brings for me wonderful thoughts of
comfort, safety, family and great tasting foods. Portion size control worked
when there were so many around the table. Multiple additional helpings were the
rarity for the lucky or observant one who could first get to the remaining
remnants of a dish.
Fast forward to today’s typical meal time of just my spouse and me. I am
learning to prepare meals for two now that our children are legally grown-up
adults. Often there are portions left for lunch on the next day or for use as
part of another meal. Although serving meals family style (putting the food
containers on the table) still brings wonderful comforting pleasant thoughts,
it is not practical or wise for just the two of us. Clearly, we consume less if
we have to get up from the table and go to the stove or counter to get that
additional serving. If it is accessible right in front of us, we eat more
because it is there and usually tastes and looks good.
While in Zambia, I noticed that a few families serve family style meals.
Most serve the individual plate or bowl from food source containers left in
another location. In Zambia, until the last decade or so, health risks from
being overweight were not major issues. Walking as part of daily life to get
from place to place also contributes to a balance of energy needs and food
consumption. In many areas of Zambia, as frequently in places around the
developing world, preventing hunger is more of an issue than is concern for
becoming overweight.
Simple guidelines
that matter
There are good habits to form for simple controls of the amounts of food
consumed, along with other helpful tips below**. Try forming the habit of
preparing your plate or the plates of your loved ones, with the food sources
remaining on the stove or counter; out of sight is more so out of mind, plus,
those extra steps required to get the added helping also count as increased
movement for energy consumption.
These are win-win
simple steps to better nutrition and enjoying taste while eating to live
- Enjoy your food, but eat less.
- Stop eating before you “feel full”.
- Avoid oversized portions or extra helpings.
- Do not snack or eat in front of the television or while working.
- Make meals a special event alone or with others.
- Take the time to notice the colors and smells and to enjoy each taste.
- Season food if needed with herbs or spices and use no or less salt.
- Taste first before adding any additional salt or sugar to items.
- Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
- If an option, choose one starch or meat rather than several of these at
a meal.
- Always eat something for breakfast to jump start your metabolism.
- Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk.
- Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen foods- choose the
foods with lower numbers.
- Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
- Drink lots of water to flush out waste and hydrate your body tissues.
*The Rev. Dr. A.
Oveta Fuller is a tenured professor in Microbiology and Immunology and faculty
in the African Studies Center at the University of Michigan. An Itinerant Elder
in the 4th Episcopal District, she served as pastor of Bethel AME
Church in Adrian, Michigan for seven years before focusing fully on global
health research in Zambia and the USA for HIV/AIDS elimination. At Payne
Theological Seminary she teaches a required course, “What Effective Clergy Should Know about HIV/AIDS.”
19.
iCHURCH SCHOOL LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 - WORTHY IS THE LAMB -
REVELATION 5:6-13:
Bill Dickens, Allen
AME Church, Tacoma, Washington
The 16th
President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln once stated, “Don't worry when
you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.”
Are you worthy of
recognition for the myriad of activities that define your life? Being found worthy of recognition suggests we
have a particular skill set or special talent that separates us from the
“pack.”
The Adult AME
Church School Lesson for March 23, 2014 looks at the topic of worthiness
through the apocalyptic lenses of John the Revelator. In Chapter 5 of our lesson we find John
conveying to his readers an inspiring and informative message, while still
exiled on the island called Patmos.
John’s vision in
Chapter 5:1-5 begins with a spiritual dilemma.
No one seemingly was found fit or worthy to open the scroll held by God,
which contained the mysteries and answers of humanity’s future. John felt saddened that no one stepped forth
and began to weep. However, God always
provides an answer to our problems. The
dual manifestation of Jesus as the Lion of Judah and the Lamb was the
answer! While the Lamb would not have
been the human choice to open the scroll (due to the Lamb’s disfigured
appearance) we must recall that our thoughts are not God’s thoughts and His
ways are not our ways. The Lamb, symbolized
as the sacrificial offering for humanity’s redemption, is the answer to the
problem about opening the scroll (6-8). The 24 elders erupt in a new song (to
commemorate the opening of the scroll (9-11).
Our Methodist
tradition has emphasized the importance of spiritual singing. We sing a lot of songs but how many “new”
songs do we sing? The new song
culminates in uplifted praise (verses 12-13)).
Chapter 5 of Revelation offers the perfect template to fulfill President
Lincoln’s observation about worthiness.
We should first
look to God in finding a solution or answer to our problems. Next, we should sing a new song when the
problem has been resolved. Finally, we
should offer praise without ceasing.
Problem-solving, Purposeful Singing and Powerful Praise are the key
ingredients to being worthy in God’s sight.
Let’s strive to be
worthy and avoid being worthless in our Christian ministry.
Dr. Dickens is
currently the Church School Teacher at Allen AME Church in Tacoma, Washington
and is a member of the Fellowship of Church Educators for the African Methodist
Episcopal Church.
20.
MEDITATION BASED ON PSALM 139:1-14:
I’m writing this meditation on the week after
the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Internet. That anniversary led me to recall my first
exposure to “computer technology.” My
first exposure to the internet was a summer course before my senior year in
high school on how to make “punch cards” to program computers, most of which
were huge machines in 1969.
There was no such
thing as a home computer in those days, but most of us now have desktop or
laptop computers, tablets or smartphones that can do things never imagined four
decades ago - my smartphone has more memory and processing power than the
computers in the Apollo capsules that carried people into space and to the
moon.
Today’s computers
can do amazing things - from handling family finances to creating artwork to
controlling airplanes in flight to performing surgery. They’re all, however, products of human ingenuity
and are nothing more than complicated machines unless those who know how to get
the best out of them are in control.
We have something
in common with today’s technological wonders.
All of us are - as Psalm 139:14 says, “Wonderfully made.” We all have special gifts, talents and
abilities and the capacity to do great and amazing things, but we can only do
our best, be our best and achieve our potential when we allow the God who
created us to control our lives.
Without God’s
guidance, we sometimes use our gifts, talents and abilities as we see fit,
sometimes go astray and end up feeling lost, incomplete and disconsolate. When we have the faith to let God who created
us, control our lives, God will guide us in the right direction, energize us
for what lays ahead and inspire us to do more than we could ever do on our own.
Take the time each
day to look to the Lord and to find the real meaning in a passage of the Lord’s
Prayer - “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be
done.”
You can find new
meaning in life, do great things and understand why those who wore the
restrictive chains of American slavery could still achieve, trusting in the
Lord to direct their lives and saying, “He’s
got the whole wide world in His hands.”
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
21. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT
NOTICES AND CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:
Ora L. Easley,
Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family
Information Center
Phone: (615) 837-9736
(H)
Phone: (615) 833-6936
(O)
Cell: (615) 403-7751
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-AME-Church-Clergy-Family-Information-Center/167202414220
22. 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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