The
Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The
Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, the 20th Editor, The Christian Recorder
1. TCR EDITORIAL – A LETTER
TO LOCAL CHURCH OFFICERS, PARISHIONERS AND THE MINISTERIAL STAFF:
Dr. Calvin H.
Sydnor III
The 20th
Editor of The Christian Recorder
This editorial will
be a little different and I hope you will be patient with me. I have drafted this editorial as a letter
from a preacher to his or her church members.
First, let me say
that as a pastor, an Army chaplain and now as the editor of The Christian Recorder, I have
experienced, in one way or another, all of the things I write about.
I preached my trial
sermon on December 31, 1959 and I have been in church all my life. I didn’t
have a “lightning bolt” religious conversion or call to the ministry and I
don’t have any of those wild, “When I was ‘in the world’ stories.” I have been
in church all my life. As a teenager, I
played for Baptists and Pentecostal churches; so I also saw church from those
perspectives.
So, I am confident
that I have the experience to draft this letter.
I am also certain
that some pastors would love to “let it all hang out” and share their true
feelings and frustrations with church members.
The contents of
this letter are a conglomeration of church experiences and do not represent any
one church.
To my
parishioners, stewards and trustees, heads of organizations, music staff and
ministerial staff:
I hope this letter
finds you well. I am going to dispense of the religious babble, because you
should already know that all honor is given to God, etc., etc.
I am writing to you
because I want to share some of my concerns with you and I hope you will take
this in the spirit with which I am sharing this with you.
I love my calling
to the ministry. I know that God has called me to ministry and since my call I
have never wanted to do anything else. Everybody told me that ministry would be
hard and I believed them and I agree ministry is hard. I am giving my best
efforts and trying to remain positive. I
am trying to encourage myself to remain faithful to my calling. Sometimes I
wonder if I need to be in another profession.
Should life be this
complicated? Do we always have to be in a crisis? I must confess that ministry
has been harder than I imagined and I feel like things are harder than they
need to be and harder than they ought to be.
I had a lot of
enthusiasm when I started this journey in ministry, but some of the challenges,
especially some of the unnecessary challenges have slowed me down. I need help
and this letter is a call for help. My spouse and my children are getting
discouraged, but they keep smiles on their faces, but I know inwardly, they are
struggling. I am struggling too.
Let
me lay it out to you from the heart
I wish
parishioners, members, disciples or whatever folks in the pew are called would
be more faithful to their commitment to the church and would understand that
worship is about our relationship with God and living lives that are pleasing
to God, about personal relationships and loving and caring for people and
living in harmony with others. Worship is the priority we place on who God is
in our lives and where God is on our list of priorities and our willingness to
befriend the less fortunate. Worship is not about whether you like or dislike
me or if you liked the previous pastor better. Worship is not about whether you
like the choir or agree or disagree with someone in the congregation.
Sometimes I hear
comments and opinions about whether worship should be high energy or
reflective. Laity and clergy have different opinions on the presence of the
Holy Spirit. I wish all of us would understand that worship is personal and
corporate. In other words, as I read recently, “Worship is a corporate event,
but simultaneously a private one and we must allow for multiple approaches to
worship even within specific worship styles…,” and leading worship that is
respectful across the board can be challenging.
People express themselves differently in worship and I would hope that
we would be respectful of each other.
Worship is not a
personality-focused activity. I wish
more of you would be more faithful in your attendance and stewardship.
I have often
thought, “If I could get all of the parishioners to regularly attend worship
and be faithful in their stewardship (giving and participation) we wouldn’t be
mired in the financial crises we always seem to have. It seems that someone is
always upset about something someone said or didn’t say; or something I did or
failed to do.
I love to preach,
but it’s so discouraging to preach to empty pews; one crowd one Sunday, another
crowd the next Sunday. We can’t get people to participate on a regular basis.
Sometimes I am
distracted with the thought, “I guess no one is coming this Sunday” or “We
might not make budget.” I know I should not worry, but I do. A pastor has so
many concerns. For instance on youth Sundays, some parents just drop off their
children and won’t even attend when they know their children or grandchildren
are participating. I am concerned because of the number of people who are
lethargic about their attendance. I would love to have more faithful and
consistent attendance. Somewhere in my mind, I believe that would eliminate
some of our financial problems and increase our spiritual lives.
I can provide
ministry of the Word, but the congregation’s part, which is extremely
important, is to provide a ministry of presence.
I wish we had
functioning local church officers who would take their responsibilities
seriously. We have too few members who are energetically involved in the
church’s ministry. The truth is; we have
too few church officers who are energetically involved in the church’s ministry;
the operative word, being “energetically.”
I don’t nominate
stewards and elect trustees just to fill positions, but I want them to do the
work required for the local church ministry.
Just because I select a person to be a steward doesn’t mean that I
expect stewards to “rubber-stamp” everything I say or do. I need your input and
your ideas. I need you to be concerned about the spiritual demeanor of the
congregation. I need you to attend meetings and to be faithful in your worship
attendance. I would like for you to attend Bible study and prayer meetings, but
if you can’t, I would like for you, to at least, look in on Bible study; just
stop by to see how we are doing; ministry of presence.
And, trustees, I
need you to be more diligent about your responsibilities. You need to be in the
building more than just on Sunday mornings.
You manage the
temporal concerns, the real estate, the buildings and grounds of the church,
the little things as well as the large things. Stop by the church during the week
and do a walk-through; a ministry of presence.
It’s discouraging
to see light bulbs burned out and various parts of the building in disrepair
and the trustees unconcerned. I shouldn’t have to bring everything to your
attention.
I wish the stewards
and trustees would take responsibility for their tasks. I wish they would take
more initiative and pride in their positions.
I wish we had
presidents of organizations who serve because they want the responsibility and
want to serve God and God’s church; not because there was no one else willing
to serve.
When we have to beg
people to serve, it’s an indication of lethargy and lack of commitment. I would
love to have organizational heads who are excited, creative and energetic about
their responsibilities.
I wish choir
directors and choir members would understand the spiritual responsibilities to
which they have been entrusted. I am concerned when choirs fail to
rehearse. I am concerned when songs are
selected without regard to their theological and biblical focus. I am concerned
when choirs, musicians and choir directors are satisfied singing the same songs
over and over again.
Excellent choirs
rehearse. Excellent choir directors have a vast repertoire of music and
understand the importance of coordinating with the pastor. Serving as a choir
member, musician or choir director is not a job, it’s a ministry.
Musicians, it’s not
your job to try to control the tempo of the worship. The music can enhance or decrease the
spiritual tenor of worship and I want musicians to be enablers and enhance
worship, not be a hindrance to spiritual worship.
I am concerned when
musicians arrive at the last minute or late because it takes energy away from
my focus upon worship and the sermon. Instead of focusing on worship and the
sermon, I am distracted about the music, which, under normal circumstances,
shouldn’t be my concern.
I am concerned when
the music and worship are done in such a manner that parishioners don’t feel
the need to arrive at the beginning or worship and feel comfortable arriving
late.
It’s a distraction
to me when choir members are mumbling in the choir loft or when they are making
signals to friends in the congregation. I wish all of the people in the music
ministry would be diligent in their responsibilities to the ministry of the
church.
I am also concerned
because of lack of adult participation in working with our youth. We just seem
to be content to let the youth program limp along. If we don’t train our youth, somewhere “down
the road,” we won’t have committed adults because they would not have been
trained as youths.
If children are not
trained, we can forget Proverbs 22:6 because they will stray away from and
depart from what they should have learned.
Our children are
our present and our future. I am discouraged because I see so many of our youth
going off to college and in the military and embracing other religious
traditions. We are not training or inculcating them in the faith or in African
Methodism.
I am appreciative
of the people who serve on the ministerial staff, but I am somewhat disturbed
that they are content to sit in the pulpit and content to do nothing else. I
want to share responsibilities with them, but I am also aware that they have
other responsibilities and we do not have the financial resources to compensate
them.
And while I am on
the subject of financial compensation, let me say that I started out in
ministry with the goal of being a fulltime pastor, but from my first pastoral
appointment, I heard, “We cannot afford to pay a full salary…” or “Many of the
big givers have died out,” “We have lost a lot of members…” and other excuses,
but no one stepped up to the plate to say, “Let’s see how we can increase the
stewardship and pay our pastor a livable salary…” Not once was there an investigation or
strategy on how the church could increase its giving, so I had to get a job and
the local church leadership got comfortable paying a salary that couldn’t
support a pastor and eventually when I purchased a home, the housing allowance
dipped to nothing and became a “part of the package.” And, in reality the housing allowance
disappeared and everyone became comfortable; and sadly I became comfortable.
But that is not the
only thing; some church officers even questioned their ability and willingness
to pay my annuity.
So, now, I am
struggling with how can we turn this situation around and reinvigorate the
ministry and I hope that you might be willing to struggle too.
Lovingly,
Your pastor
2. READER RESPONSE TO EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES:
-- To
the Editor:
RE: TCR Editorial –
The Most Helpful Tool for Ministry is Often Ignored:
I could not help
but notice the juxtaposition between your excellent editorial on
"Feedback" and Ms. Jackie DuPont Walker's piece on Maya Angelou,
particularly here pointing out Ms. Angelou's ability to remember names because
she listen when she first heard them.
May I suggest that
for Feedback to be effective, the one(s) to whom it is addressed must be truly
listening, not going through a "prescribed exercise." All too often it may be the latter. Hopefully
not in our Zion.
Ted Newman
Senior Judge
DC Court of Appeals
Metropolitan AME
Church
To me, worship is a
corporate event, but simultaneously a private one. If we profess to believe in
The Trinity, we must allow for multiple approaches to worship even within
specific worship styles, even if it is non-activity.
-- To
the Editor
RE: The passing of
Sister Eileen Warner
The African
Methodist Episcopal Church in La Barbacoa ELOHIM, LaTerrenas, Samana Dominican
Republic shares the grief that pervades this family and the sister church in
which He gathered Mrs. Eileen S. actively Warner. oramos for the Almighty God
console their relatives and friends.
The Rev. Alberto
Taveras
The Dominican
Republic
3.
ATTENDING THE DR. MAYA ANGELOU MEMORIAL SERVICE WAS COMPLETELY SURREAL:
*Nyki H. Caldwell
Attending today's
service was a completely surreal experience that affected me way more than I
expected it would. The pounding of my heart, the blood racing through my veins
and nerves shivering down my spine reminded me that I am alive. Alive enough
not just to breathe, but alive enough to feel, to touch, to love, to inspire.
The words of Dr.
Angelou's poetry, the reflections of her beloved, the testimonies of people
that represent the very essence of who I aspire to be had me shaking on the
inside, so much that it took nearly all my energy to constrain my emotions, to
be still and calm.
The life that Dr.
Angelou lived has taught me an abundance of lessons. Because she lived her life
the way she did, she has given me the confidence, the empowerment to share my
light as well. It's a daunting thing to do, sharing your light, pursuing your
purpose, your dreams. To do so requires every ounce of your energy. It leaves
you vulnerable to the criticisms of others, susceptible to the heartache of
failure and shortcomings. Because of Dr. Angelou and those like her, I am not
afraid. Because of what she has taught me, what she has lived for, I will not
be ashamed or apologetic of my voice, or intimidated by my own potential for
greatness. Our purpose in this life is preordained, instilled within us by the
One Above before conception. It is my belief that the point of this life is to
fulfill that purpose, not only so that we can live, but so that those around us
can live as well.
Today, I was in the
presence of greatness. Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton, Cecily Tyson, Michelle
Obama. And while I was completely awe struck, I was also enlightened. I was
enlightened by the realization that the very greatness that I see in these
people, I now see in me and those around me. WE ARE the future Michelle
Obama's. WE ARE the future Bill Clinton's. WE ARE the future Oprah Winfrey's
and Cecily Tyson's and Robyn Roberts' and Susan Taylor's. WE ARE the future
mothers and fathers and professors and doctors and Olympians and engineers and
governors and voters. WE ARE the future Maya Angelou's. This greatness use to
be something way off in the distant future. Now, it's near, if it hasn't
already arrived.
Life has so much to
offer. One thing that Dr. Angelou proved is that you can do it all. For me,
today's experience was life changing. It gave me the very insight and direction
that I needed to take the next steps. Dr. Angelou represents so many things.
She is the cliché but true epitome of a phenomenal woman and her legacy will
continue to rise. Rest in Peace, and from the depths of my heart, thank you.
Click
here to view the Dr. Maya Angelou Memorial Program:
*Nyki H. Caldwell
is a rising senior at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
and a member of Brown Chapel AME Church in Ypsilanti, Michigan. A Health and
Exercise Sciences major with a Human Psychology minor, the full awardee NCAA
Division I scholar-athlete competes in the Atlantic Coast conference (ACC) in
women's high jump. She won a silver medal in high jump for the 2012-13 ACC
indoor season. She is one of twin daughters of Dr. Jerry Caldwell and Dr. Oveta
Fuller Caldwell who reside in the Fourth Episcopal District.
4. A
SALUTE TO OUR CHAPLAINS:
*Bishop Reginald Jackson
When we speak or
hear of ministry, not only in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, but in
the church generally, we think of the pastoral ministry or serving on the
ministerial staff of a particular church, or when someone says they have been called
to ministry, many of us have a narrow view of what “called to ministry”
entails. One of the little known, and less appreciated ministries of the church
is the chaplaincy. One of the most important and needed ministries is the
chaplaincy.
Even before being
assigned as the Endorsing Agent for the AME Church, I was concerned that many,
if not most in our Zion, are not aware of the role and ministry which our
chaplains provide. This is due to several reasons. First, chaplains do not
minister or interact with most of us, unless we are a part of the armed forces,
or visited by a chaplain in the hospital. Second, the role and responsibilities
of chaplains is not lifted up in our local churches, presiding elder districts
or annual conferences, and third, we do not associate chaplains with preaching
as we do other ministers. With other ministers we automatically assume if
someone is a minister, he/she must be a preacher. Minister and preaching go
together. But because we do not see chaplains as preachers, many of our
chaplains are less appreciated, and their status is viewed as unimportant.
However, the fact
is that most of our chaplains give their best to God, country and African
Methodism. They often serve in dangerous places and touch the lives of many
people. I have asked Dr. Sydnor, the Editor of The Christian Recorder and a retired Army Chaplain and he has
agreed to print a monthly column entitled, “The Chaplains Corner,” in which one
of our chaplains will write to introduce him or herself and report on the
ministry he or she is providing.
I have asked to
have this monthly column included because it will provide the chaplains with
the opportunity to not only introduce themselves, but to also tell their
stories. To give the constituency of the African Methodist Episcopal Church an
idea of the ministry they provide, their travels and their experiences.
Our chaplains serve
in every branch of the Armed Forces, Veterans and other hospitals and other
institutions. They also serve outside the continental United States, including
Afghanistan and other areas where our forces are engaged in dangerous missions.
Often they provide ministry in ways and places where they like other military
personnel, put their lives on the line. Our chaplains are involved in a number of
ministries, and our denomination would be blessed to know all that they are
engaged in.
Often, when we
think of chaplains, many don’t view their ministry as being as important as
that of a pastor of a local church. With the pastor of a local church we think
of preaching every Sunday, having to deal with stewards and trustees, raising a
budget and paying Connectional, Episcopal, Conference and Presiding Elder
Assessments. But, we don’t know what to think when it comes to our chaplains.
The monthly column allows them to tell their own stories and describe their
ministries, which will be an eye-opener to many.
The chaplaincy is a
lot more than you can imagine.
I ask and trust
that you will read the “Chaplain’s Corner” and get a better understanding of what
our chaplain’s do.
The Chaplaincy
reminds us that there is more to ministry than the pastoral ministry.
Like pastors,
chaplains are itinerant and serve where they are assigned.
Many of them
minister to our troops at home and abroad. Some are separated from their
families, for long periods of time. They serve at hospitals and prisons, and
other institutions. Many of our chaplains fill in the gap, and become someone’s
pastor, when their pastor isn’t around or they don’t have one. Interestingly
enough, statistics show that almost 60% of veterans and 80% of inmates don’t
get a visit from a pastor while in the hospital or prison.
Thank God for
chaplains who show up and minister to them. And think of the thousands of
soldiers assigned around the world, away from home and family and church, but
who are ministered to by a chaplain. Our chaplains contribute to our nation and
denomination.
To be a chaplain,
you have to be endorsed by the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Each chaplain
must also be a member and accountable to an Annual Conference. As such, every
chaplain, like every pastor should also be called upon to submit and/or give a
report to their Annual Conference.
As you read the
“Chaplain’s Corner” it is my prayer and hope that you, like me, will gain a
better and deeper appreciation and understanding of the ministry provided by
our chaplains and the contribution they make to our country and the African
Methodist Episcopal Church.
*Bishop Reginald T.
Jackson is the AMEC Endorsing Agent
5.
RESTORATION OF TWO HISTORIC BOOKS:
By Frederick
Hilborn Talbot, S.T.M., D.Min. 90th Bishop (Retired)
While I was in the
process of “de-boxing” after our relocation to St. Croix, I found two historic
books among others. Thanks to the AMEC Sunday
School Union for having them restored with leather covers.
The
Book of Discipline 1916. This book belonged to Bryant Adkins and his
name can be seen in red ink on the leaves of the closed book. Pages one and two of the Preface are missing
and pages 177 and 178 are torn and missing.
The book is now 98 years old. Of special interest to me as an avid
liturgist is chapter six, Public Worship No. 2, page 58: “Our hymnal shall be
used in all our congregations. Each
member shall have a copy, but where this is lacking, the minister shall read
the hymn aloud, verse by verse; neither improvised hymns nor tunes shall be
allowed.”
The Hymn and Tune
Book. The General Conference of 1868
appointed the Reverend H.M. Turner, then 34 years old, “to revise our old hymn
book which was equivalent to authorizing him to compile a new one.” It took him and his committee eight years to
complete and the new Hymn and Tune Book was presented to the General Conference
in 1876. A copy of this priceless liturgical gem was given to me in 2000 by a
member of the Thirteenth District.
This Hymn and Tune
Book is 138-years old and an excellent source for research.
It contains eight
pages in fine print on “Methodist Hymnody.”
In many instances,
hymn texts are printed with tunes and alternate texts are printed along side
the original text. I have also found texts written by Bishops Benjamin Tanner
and D.A. Payne and General Officers Charles Spencer Smith and Levi J. Coppin,
both later elected to the Episcopacy.
These will be included when my book, Sacred
Poems and Tunes by Bishops in the A.M.E. Church, published in 2012, is
revised. A complementary copy was included in the kit for each delegate to the
49th Session of the General Conference.
Turner was elected in 1880, becoming the first Southerner elected to the
Episcopacy. He was a strong advocate of
the singing of Wesleyan hymns and The Hymn and Tune Book attests to this fact.
According to Dr.
Dennis C. Dickerson, our immediate past Historiographer, Turner considered
himself a “Wesleyan hymnologist.”
6.
THE REVEREND DR. GOODWIN DOUGLAS RETIRES AFTER 55 YEARS OF MINISTRY IN THE
A.M.E. CHURCH:
*The Reverend Anna
E. Mosby
The Reverend Dr.
Goodwin Douglas formally retired, after 55 years in ministry, during the 64th
Session of the Washington Annual Conference in April 2014. For the past 20
years he served as the Presiding Elder of the Capitol District in the 2nd
Episcopal District. As Presiding Elder he led over 40 congregations and more
than 40,000 members of the A.M.E. Church throughout Washington, DC, Maryland
and Virginia. Under his leadership, the
Capitol District grew spiritually, financially, and numerically, increasing
from 25 to 40 churches. His stated vision was to develop healthy and growing
churches. His leadership also extended across the 2nd Episcopal District, where
he served as Vice Chair of the Presiding Elders’ Council, and the Connection,
where he served on the Episcopal Committee and as Chair at the 2000 General
Conference.
Presiding Elder
Douglas has been a remarkable community activist, civil rights leader,
educator, preacher, family man, and incredible humanitarian. The son of the
late Elder Charles and Sister Rosa Lee Douglas, Reverend Dr. Douglas was born
and raised in Somerset, Bermuda, where he received his early childhood
education. In 1960, Reverend Douglas left Bermuda and came to the United States
to attend Kittrell High School in Kittrell North Carolina. He went on to attend
and graduate from Kittrell College, where he also received his call to ordained
ministry. Dr. Douglas also studied at Virginia Union University and the
University of West Virginia where he earned a certificate in Labor Relations.
He has received several honorary degrees, including the Doctor of Divinity from
B.F. Lee Seminary in Jacksonville, Florida; the Doctor of Divinity from Jackson
Theological Seminary in Little Rock, Arkansas; and the Doctor of Humane Letters
from the University of Monrovia in Monrovia, Liberia.
Dr. Douglas was the
Pastor of Kittrell Chapel A.M.E. Church (North Carolina Conference), South
Boston A.M.E. Church and Beulah A.M.E. Church (Virginia Conference). In 1965,
Reverend Douglas was transferred to the Washington Conference where he served
as Pastor of the Metropolitan A.M.E. Circuit which included Metropolitan
(Cumberland, Maryland) and Dickerson (Frostburg, Maryland); St. Paul A.M.E.
Church (Washington, D.C.); and Turner Memorial A.M.E. Church (Washington, D.C.
– now located in Hyattsville, Maryland). He was appointed Presiding Elder in
1994.
Reverend Dr.
Douglas became actively involved in the civil rights movement in 1960. While in
North Carolina he, along with the students of Kittrell College, worked with the
textile workers who were on strike and pressing for greater involvement of
African American employees in the company. It was here that he first challenged
the actions of the Ku Klux Klan. As a student at Virginia Union University, he
led many protests in a city rife with racism. African Americans were not
allowed to eat at lunch counters or to use department store dressing rooms.
Reverend Dr. Douglas formed the first College Human Relations Commission which
consisted of students from several Virginia colleges. While Pastor of Beulah
A.M.E. Church, he led a protest to re-open the public schools of Prince Edward
County. The schools closed in 1959 to avoid court-ordered desegregation
resulting from the 1954 United States Supreme Court ruling of Brown v. Board of
Education, which stated “separate educational facilities are inherently
unequal.” It was at Beulah that Dr. Douglas realized that “since the church is
the major cookie cutter in society, it should make a difference in any given
community.” The Prince Edward County community continues to recognize Dr.
Douglas as a Civil Rights Movement icon.
He and his lovely
wife, Mrs. Cynthia Douglas, have been married for 46 years and together they
have made a major impact on the lives of many. They are the proud parents of
three adult children, Beth, Douglas, and Matthew (Washington Conference Lay
Organization President), and one precious grand-daughter, Summer.
A grand Retirement
Celebration to honor the Reverend Dr. Goodwin Douglas will be held on Saturday,
June 14, 2014, at 12:00 Noon, at Martins Crosswinds, in Greenbelt,
Maryland.
*The Reverend Anna
E. Mosby is the Public Relations Chair for the Presiding Elder Goodwin Douglas
Retirement Planning Committee
7.
WILBERFORCE & PAYNE HOST GRADUATION IN THE 3RD EPISCOPAL
DISTRICT:
The National Center
for Education Services recently reported that Wilberforce University is number
one among HBCU’s with a graduate completion rate of 83%. The four-year fully
accredited liberal arts institution continued it longs tradition of success
with the 2014 Commencement Convocation held on May 3 in Wilberforce, Ohio.
The Rev. Jesse
Jackson, civil rights leader, founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and
Democratic presidential candidate in 1984 and 1988 delivered a
thought-provoking commencement address for the 2014 graduating class of
Wilberforce University.
“Wilberforce is the
‘mother ship’ of historically black universities,” the Rev. Jackson told a
crowd of more than 2,000 people, including about 117 graduating students at the
university’s commencement. He reminded the audience that the 1856 birth of
Wilberforce University was before the Civil War and at a time when it was
illegal for many blacks to read and write. He acknowledged that the AME Church
and Wilberforce University helped to pave the way for many African American
leaders, civil rights organizations and historical black colleges and
universities. During several points in the commencement address, Jackson had
the graduates to repeat the phrase “strong minds bring strong changes.”
Graduating senior
Janel Thomas of Cleveland and a member of Lee Memorial AME Church called
Jackson’s commencement address, with its focus on the school’s long and rich
history, “very inspirational.”
Also present to
help celebrate the long history of Wilberforce University were 11 members of
the class of 1964 who returned to the campus for their 50th reunion.
Bishop McKinley
Young and Dr. Wilma Mishoe, acting President conferred honorary doctorates upon
the Rev. Jesse Jackson, noted civil rights leader; Mr. Nathaniel R. Goldston
III, chairman & CEO of Gourmet Services; and Bishop Reginald Jackson,
presiding prelate of the 20th Episcopal District.
During a luncheon
hosted by acting President Wilma Mishoe and the Rev. Jackson acknowledged the
rich history of the AME Church and the leadership of Bishop McKinley Young and
Bishop Reginald Jackson.
The Rev. Jackson
reminded participates that the university is named for a British abolitionist,
William Wilberforce who championed the abolishment of slavery in the British
Empire and understood the value of education. Like its namesake, Wilberforce
University continues a rich tradition of preparing leaders who will champion
human right issues and equality for all.
Payne Theological
Seminary under the leadership of Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram, Chairman, Bishop
McKinley Young, Vice Chairman, Dr. Leah Gaskin Fitchue, President and the Board
of Trustees held its commencement ceremony on May 23.
Thirty-seven men
and women who accepted the mission and calling of Jesus Christ to be His
ambassadors received their degree from the oldest African American seminary.
Bishop Reginald
Jackson, Presiding Prelate of the 20th Episcopal District and Chairmen of the
Social Action Commission of the AME Church was the commencement speaker. Bishop
Jackson challenged the graduates, “prepare to be your best.” He stated that
Payne had prepared their minds for ministry, but they must have a “heart” to
serve God’s people.
Bishop Jackson
stated ministry is not about them but it is about being one of God’s servants.
He closed by challenging the 2014 graduates to maintain a relationship with
God. “You can’t talk for God without talking to God. Go out in His name,” said
Bishop Jackson.
Graduating student,
the Rev. Mishca Smith offered the senior response and pledged to allow God to
direct their paths and remember the challenges that were given to the
graduates.
Dr. Fitchue
congratulated the class and highlighted that this was largest class to complete
Payne. She also expressed her gratitude for being allowed to step out on faith
by implementing an online program. The online program has been instrumental in
helping to increase enrollment and prepare women and men to be spiritual
innovative leaders in a 21st century world. Ninety-six percent of
Payne graduates secure employment as pastor, associate pastors and chaplains.
The Rev. Buena
Dudley, 2014 Graduate
Submitted by Ametta
Lorene Reaves, District Lay President
8.
SUPERSTAR JOHN LEGEND AUTOGRAPHS HIS PIANO TO HELP BETHEL AME CHURCH IN
SCRANTON, PA. AS PART OF MORTGAGE BURNING INITIATIVE:
John Legend served
as music director at Bethel AME Church in Scranton, Pennsylvania for eight
years.
I met with John at
a concert venue in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania.
The R&B/Soul
superstar agreed to autograph the piano that he played during the years he
served as music director.
I reached out to
him in hopes of gaining his support for a mortgage-burning initiative where the
plan is to place the piano on auction as a collectible item to be sold to the
highest bidder.
The funds from the
auction would help to liquidate the mortgage.
I saw a mortgage as
a hindrance and the piano in the sanctuary that belonged to a super star as a
way to “attack” the mortgage.
While it made
perfect sense to me to reach out to John Legend in regard to this initiative, I
never thought the initial plan would materialize until I received the call from
him.
John Legend is a
class act and I am grateful that he’s had such an influence on the intricate
fabric and history of Bethel AME Church.
Although a
superstar, his act of kindness to kick-start the Bethel AME Church initiative
was selfless and humble.
He autographed the
piano and Bethel begins the task of finding the right collector.
Pastor Tawan E.
Bailey
9.
SON OF THE AME CHURCH ACHIEVES WORLD CLASS DISTINCTION:
*The Rev. Kenneth
Christmon
Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Damarcus Beasley is a native for Fort Wayne, Indiana. He and his family are
members of Turner Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
This weekend,
Damarcus, one of the world’s greatest soccer players, will do what no American
has ever done! He will play in his fourth World Cup Soccer Championship, which
will be held in Brazil.
Milestones are
nothing new to Beasley. Last summer during a friendly in Cleveland Beasley
became the 13th player in U.S. soccer history to earn his 100th cap.
A defender, Beasley
recently made news when he announced he might be interested in playing in the
MLS once again – he previously played for the Chicago Fire. He currently plays
for Puebla in the Mexican League, where he’s played since 2011.
His parents, Henry
and Joetta Beasley, are both officers at Turner Chapel. While recently
announcing their trip to Brazil to watch their son play Henry shared “it is an
honor to represent our nation to the world through the gift of athletics and
soccer!’” He went on to say that “faith in Christ and disciplined parenting has
presented this opportunity – we are humbled by this distinct opportunity”.
Beasley and the
U.S. open World Cup play June 16 in Brazil against Ghana.
Additional
Information:
Five facts about
Marcus Beasley:
*The Rev. Kenneth
Christmon is the senior pastor of Turner Chapel African Methodist Episcopal
Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana
10. THE AME SURVEY OF D.MIN AND S.T.D. HOLDERS
By Frederick Hilborn Talbot, S.T.M., D.Min. (90th Bishop, Retired)
Innovator/Coordinator of Survey
After several persisting years, the voluntary above-mentioned survey
was completed and presented in 2012 during the 49th Session of the General
Conference. The vision is to update it
and present it during the 50th Session in 2016.
The hope is that this exercise will be significant enough to be
continued in the future.
The first printed survey was dedicated to those pioneers in the study
for the D.Min and S.T.D. degrees. They
are: Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, D.Min- 1971; Bishop Phillip Robert Cousin, Sr.,
D.Min - 1975; Bishop John Richard Bryant, D.Min- 1975; and Bishop Adam
Jefferson Richardson, Jr., S.T.D. - 1975.
The Survey presented 163 holders from 44 accredited seminaries.
The vision is to update this report with responses from those who
earned the degree after the first printing of this survey, as well as those who
were not able to provide this information to meet the deadline of the first
printing. Of course, it is hoped that those who have earned the degree but did
not choose to participate in the first printing will now participate.
If you wish to contact me directly, my email address is fhtalbotn@aol.com and my telephone is 615-429-0081.
The goal is to record 200 degree holders or more by 2016.
We thank those Bishops who shared in the funding of the first survey,
as well as those degree holders who made a contribution. We also thank the
District Coordinators for their enthusiasm and encouragement. Later in the year, a reminder will be
printed in The Christian Recorder with the format and other pertinent
information.
Shalom! May blessings abound!
11.
2014 CME GENERAL CONFERENCE HOTEL REGISTRATION DEADLINE:
The Thirty-Seventh Quadrennial Session and
Thirty-Eighth General Conference of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
will be held June 28 through July 4, 2014 at the Baltimore Convention Center
located at 1 W Pratt St in Baltimore, MD.
This is an important message concerning hotel rooms.
Non-Delegates and Non-Alternates:
The final date to reserve hotel rooms is
Thursday, June 12, 2014. You may
reserve your hotel accommodation online by utilizing this link: https://resweb.passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode=welcome_ei_new&eventID=10783637.
You may also contact the official housing
department at 800-282-6632 and request the Christian Methodist Episcopal
General Conference rate.
If you are interested in reserving rooms at
the Marriott Inner Harbor, Hyatt Regency or the Sheraton Inner Harbor, please
e-mail Dr. Jeanette L. Bouknight at cmeexecutivesecretary3@yahoo.com. These
hotels are close to the Convention Center.
Additional information about the 2014
General Conference including the arrival date for delegates and alternates,
general registration and hotel lodging, the Program and Schedule, the
Commemorative Souvenir Journal, discounted travel rates on Delta Airlines,
airport transportation and the rental of electric mobility scooters is
available here. www.thecmechurch.org/GeneralConference2014/ >
Bishop Marshall Gilmore
Presiding Prelate of the Seventh Episcopal
District
Dr. Jeanette L. Bouknight
Executive Secretary
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
"An Essential Church: Poised for 21st
Century Ministry"
12. CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT FOR KIDS IN AMERICA:
We live in the only country in the world
where a child can be sentenced to be in prison until they die. What's worse is
that it's not even rare — more than 2,500 people who were sentenced as kids
will spend the rest of their lives in prison.
Juwan is one of them. He was a skinny
16-year-old kid when he was arrested after he saw a companion kill a pizza
deliveryman. The shooter was never convicted, but because Juwan was present and
had a gun, he was sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Without the possibility of parole, Juwan
will never have a second chance for rehabilitation.
Just one year before Juwan was sentenced;
the Supreme Court decided that mandatory juvenile life without parole was
unconstitutional cruel and unusual punishment.
The problem is — the decision left gaping
loopholes and didn't ban the sentence outright, meaning that Juwan and other
children became victims of poor timing and inadequate policy implementation.
While six states have moved to ban the practice, this barbaric punishment is
still perfectly legal in 44 states.
But the Department of Justice has the power
to close some of these loopholes and set the standard on the federal level. By
providing policy guidelines for U.S. attorneys, the DOJ can ensure that judges
are empowered to use discretion and give appropriate sentences based on unique
circumstances.
Attorney General Eric Holder has already
endorsed proposals that limit life without parole sentences for non-violent
drug offenders. If he hears from thousands of us who support criminal justice
reform, he can provide the tools needed to limit juvenile life without parole
sentences.
It's time that we give kids like Juwan a
second chance at life.
13.
NAACP TO HOST 105TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CONVENTION IN LAS VEGAS JULY 19TH
- 23RD:
Convention to
Reflect on 50 Years of Civil Rights History and Highlight the Current Fight for
Voting Rights, Criminal Justice Reform, Economic Opportunity, Education
Equality & More
(LAS VEGAS) –The NAACP announced it will host
its 105th Annual Convention in Las Vegas, NV from July 19th – 23rd. This year’s convention theme is “All In for
Justice & Equality” and will focus on securing black turnout for the 2014
mid term election, pushing back on voter suppression efforts and the ongoing
struggles for criminal justice reform, voting rights, economic opportunity and
education equality, and much more. Click
here to see the schedule of events; click here to register for press
credentials.
"We are
excited to hold this year's convention in Las Vegas," said NAACP Chairman
Roslyn M. Brock. "In this pivotal election year, it is especially important
for us to address voter suppression and the challenges facing communities of
color and the nation as a whole. As we tackle important issues like health
care, economic opportunity, education and civic engagement, we know that we
cannot fully recover as a nation unless we are courageous, stand in solidarity
and get out the vote. The NAACP will continue to educate, mobilize and agitate
to create an informed and engaged populace and continue the work in ensuring
every American has unfettered access to the ballot box."
This convention
occurs in a year of important civil rights anniversaries and milestones,
including the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, 60th Anniversary of
Brown v. Board of Education, and the 50th Anniversary of Freedom Summer. It also occurs on the heels of the Supreme
Court decision on affirmative action in the Schutte Case, as well as the
devastating decision in Shelby v. Holder, which invalidated Section IV of the
Voting Rights Act.
"The civil
rights anniversaries this past year reminds us how far we have come, and how
far we still have to go,” said NAACP Interim President & CEO, Lorraine C.
Miller. “As we honor the contributions
of heroes like Thurgood Marshall, Dorothy Height and Maya Angelou, we also
continue to address the new Jim Crow of mass incarceration and the old Jim Crow
of voter suppression. NAACP members and partners have never been content to
simply memorialize historic icons; in fact, we are inspired and energized by their
example for the work that lies ahead.”
Citing increased
voter diversity, the NAACP also battled new attacks on equal access to
education, health care and economic opportunity that affect the lives of
African Americans.
This year’s
convention speakers include well-known as well as the next generation of civil
rights leaders, elected officials, faith leaders, actors and community
activists.
“The NAACP is still
the most influential and relevant voice in the fight for social justice,”
stated NAACP Vice Chairman Leon Russell.
“We still face several challenges and we must continue to set the tone
for those who believe that the struggle for a greater nation must continue. Our
Convention must also re-emphasize the importance of civic engagement as we move
into off year elections. The ability to cast an unfettered ballot that is
actually counted is perhaps our greatest challenge. We thank the Tri
State/State Area Conference President Jeanetta Williams for marshaling the
support of all of our units in Idaho, Nevada and Utah to insure the success of
this convention. We are particularly grateful to the Las Vegas Branch of the
NAACP for working with us to host this 105th Annual Convention. Our mission is
to define the civil rights agenda for this century, just as we have done since
our founding.”
“The future of
voting rights and equal access to education is being threatened; but our
national and state conferences must hold strong,” said NAACP Tri State
Conference President of Idaho, Nevada and Utah, Jeanetta Williams. “This year’s
convention is essential as we map out strategies to continue to fight attacks
on our civil rights. We will join with others across the country to protect
rights most sacred in our democracy. As one nation, we must be all in for
justice and equality.”
“We in the Las
Vegas Branch of the NAACP are pleased to welcome and privileged to host the
2014 NAACP National Convention,” said Frank Hawkins, NAACP Las Vegas Branch
President. “As we continue the fight for equality and social justice for all Americans,
our Branch and the Las Vegas community extend every hospitality and want to
ensure a positive and meaningful experience for all members and participants.”
In addition to the
primary convention schedule, the NAACP’s Youth & College Division will host
workshops, luncheons and forums throughout the week. Emerging youth from across
the nation will be featured in the annual Academic, Cultural, Technological and
Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) competition beginning July 17. Students will
compete in 26 categories including sciences, humanities, performing arts,
visual arts, and business over the course of the event. Famous ACT-SO alumni
include musician Kanye West, actress Jada Pinkett-Smith, filmmaker John
Singleton and comedian Anthony Anderson.
###
Founded in 1909,
the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights
organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the
premier advocates for civil rights in their communities.
14. JET MAGAZINE RELEASES ITS FINAL PRINT
ISSUE AND THE JET APP WILL LAUNCH
JUNE 30, 2014:
JET magazine will
release its final print issue, hitting newsstands nationwide on Monday, June 9.
The cover of the
last issue salutes JET magazine's iconic history with images of previous covers
throughout the past 63 years. Inside, readers will find a retrospective of the
news covered in the magazine dating from 1951 to the present.
JET is launching a
new weekly digital magazine app later this month. The new app, scheduled to
launch June 30, will be available on all tablet devices and mobile platforms.
It will feature weekly updates on entertainment, sports and news of importance
to our readership, as well as enhanced functionality for the Beauty of the
Week. June 30 is JET App Day.
About
JET
JET magazine,
initially billed as "The Weekly Negro News Magazine," is noted for
its role in chronicling the early days of the Civil Rights movement. The
publication is now transitioning into an all-digital format. The new weekly
digital magazine app will leverage a variety of storytelling tactics, including
video interviews, enhanced digital maps, 3D charts and photography from the JPC
archives. The magazine has been a trusted news source to Black Americans since
1951, bringing life to its popular catchphrase: "If it isn't in JET, it
didn't happen."
15.
2014 NATIONAL MEN’S HEALTH WEEK AND FATHER’S DAY:
--A statement by
Deputy Secretary Bill Corr
National Men’s
Health Week, June 9-15, which concludes with Father’s Day, is a good time to
focus on how men can take control of their health. That includes eating right,
being active, and taking advantage of certain preventive services, such as
screenings for cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes.
Thanks to the
Affordable Care Act, insurers must cover recommended preventive services at no
out-of-pocket charge. The affordable health coverage that more than 8 million
Americans signed up for through the Health Insurance Marketplace is a crucial
step that they have taken to invest in their health, as well as their families’
security and peace of mind.
The next open
enrollment period starts in November, but you may be able to sign up for
coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace before then under special
circumstances, such as getting married, having a child, or losing job-based
coverage.
We encourage all
men to schedule a check-up with their health care provider and get the care
they need to get and stay healthy. And to the wonderful men in our lives: Happy
Father’s Day!
16.
PRESIDENT OBAMA IS WORKING TO ELIMINATE THE BURDEN OF CRUSHING STUDENT LOAN
DEBT:
President Obama
declared 2014 a year of action – vowing to use the power of his pen and phone
to help ensure that hardworking Americans have the opportunity to succeed. And
this week will be no different. With a focus on supporting hardworking
Americans and upholding our country’s commitment to provide a quality education
for all of our students, the President is again taking action. Today, he will deliver
remarks at the White House, announcing new executive actions to further lift
the burden of crushing student loan debt, including a Presidential Memorandum
that will allow an additional 5 million borrowers with federal student loans to
cap their monthly payments at just 10 percent of their income. A fact sheet
detailing these new steps is below.
The President will
use every opportunity to urge Congress to do its part by passing Senate
Democrats’ bill to help more young people save money by refinancing their
federal student loans.
From reforming the
student loan system and increasing Pell Grants to offering millions of students
the opportunity to cap their monthly student loan payments at 10 percent of
their income, making a degree more affordable and accessible has been a
longtime priority for the President. But he knows there is much more work to do
and that’s what this week is all about.
Factsheet: Making
Student Loans More Affordable
A postsecondary
education is the single most important investment that Americans can make in
their futures. Higher education results in higher earnings and a lower risk of
unemployment, but for too many low- and middle-income families this essential
rung on the ladder to opportunity and advancement is slipping out of
reach. Over the past three decades, the
average tuition at a public four-year college has more than tripled, while a
typical family's income has barely budged.
More students than ever are relying on loans to pay for college. Today, 71 percent of those earning a
bachelor’s degree graduate with debt, which averages $29,400. While most students are able to repay their
loans, many feel burdened by debt, especially as they seek to start a family,
buy a home, launch a business, or save for retirement.
The President and
his Administration have a long track record of taking steps to make college
more affordable and accessible for families. And as part of his year of action
to expand opportunity for all Americans, the President is committed to building
on these efforts by using his pen and his phone to make student debt more
affordable and more manageable to repay.
Today the President
will use the power of his pen to help millions of borrowers afford their
student loan payments. He will sign a new Presidential Memorandum directing the
Secretary of Education to propose regulations that would allow nearly 5 million
additional federal direct student loan borrowers the opportunity to cap their
student loan payments at 10 percent of their income. The Presidential Memorandum also outlines a
series of new executive actions aimed to support federal student loan
borrowers, especially for vulnerable borrowers who may be at greater risk of
defaulting on their loans.
Today the President
will also reiterate his call for the Senate to pass legislation that could help
an estimated 25 million Americans refinance outstanding student loans at lower
interest rates, the same as those available to federal student loan borrowers
taking out loans this year. This move
could save a typical student $2,000 over the life of his or her loans.
The Challenge of
Student Debt: The challenges of managing
student loan debt can lead some borrowers to fall behind on their loan payments
and in some cases even default on their debt obligation, with such consequences
as a damaged credit rating, losing their tax refund, or garnished wages.
Because credit ratings are increasingly scrutinized in making employment
offers, financing a home, or even opening a bank account, a damaged credit
rating can further reduce borrowers’ ability to repay their loans. Today’s actions build on the
Administration’s significant progress in creating flexible repayment options
for borrowers and raising awareness about the steps borrowers can take to
responsibly manage their debt.
Capping Student
Loan Payments at 10 Percent of Income: Today, the President will direct the
Secretary of Education to ensure that student loans remain affordable for all
who borrowed federal direct loans as students by allowing them cap their
payments at 10 percent of their monthly incomes. The Department will begin the process to
amend its regulations this fall with a goal of making the new plan available to
borrowers by December 2015.
With legislation
passed by Congress and signed by the President in 2010 and regulations adopted
by the Administration in 2012, most students taking out loans today can already
cap their loan payments at 10 percent of their incomes. Monthly payments will be set on a sliding
scale based upon income. Any remaining
balance is forgiven after 20 years of payments, or 10 years for those in public
service jobs. However, this Pay As You Earn (PAYE) option is not available to
students with older loans (those who borrowed before October 2007 or who have
not borrowed since October 2011), although they can access similar, less
generous options. No existing repayment
options will be affected, and the new repayment proposal will also aim to include
new features to target the plan to struggling borrowers.
This executive
action is expected to help up to 5 million borrowers who may be struggling with
student loans today. For students that
need to borrow to finance college, PAYE provides an important assurance that
student loan debt will remain manageable.
Because the PAYE plan is based in part on a borrower’s income after
leaving school, it shares with students the risk of taking on debt to invest in
higher education.
Many student loan
borrowers are working and trying to responsibly make their monthly payments,
but are nonetheless struggling with burdensome debt. For example, a 2009 graduate earning about
$39,000 a year as a fourth year teacher, with student loan debt of $26,500,
would have his or her initial monthly payments reduced by $126 under the
President’s Pay As You Earn plan compared with monthly payments under the
standard repayment plan and would see a reduction in annual loan payments of
over $1,500.
Doing All We Can to
Help Students Repay their Loans: The President today will also direct the
Secretaries of Education and the Treasury to work together to do all they can
to help borrowers manage their student loan debts. Specifically, the
Departments will:
1) Strengthen
Incentives for Loan Contractors to Serve Students Well: The Department of
Education administers the federal student loan program through
performance-based contracts with private companies awarded through a
competitive process. Rather than
specifying every step of the servicing process, as was done in the guaranteed
loan program that ended in 2010, these contracts provide companies with
incentives to find new and innovative ways to best serve students and taxpayers
and to ensure that borrowers are repaying their loans. Today, the Department announced that it will
renegotiate its contracts with federal loan servicers to strengthen financial
incentives to help borrowers repay their loans on time, lower payments for
servicers when loans enter delinquency or default, and increase the value of
borrowers’ customer satisfaction when allocating new loan volume. These changes will improve the way that
servicers are compensated to better ensure high-quality servicing for student
loan borrowers.
2) Ensure
Active-Duty Military Get the Relief They Are Entitled to: The Servicemember
Civil Relief Act requires all lenders to cap interest rates on student loans –
including federal student loans -- at 6 percent for eligible
servicemembers. The Department of
Education already directs its loan servicers to match their student borrower
portfolios against the Department of Defense’s database to identify eligible
active-duty servicemembers. Now, the
Department of Education will reduce those interest rates automatically for
those eligible without the need for additional paperwork. It will also provide
additional guidance to Federal Family Education Loan program servicers to
provide for a similar streamlined process.
3) Work with the
Private Sector to Promote Awareness of Repayment Options: The Secretary of the
Treasury and the Secretary of Education will work with Intuit, Inc. and H&R
Block, two of the U.S.’s largest tax preparation firms, to communicate
information about federal student loan repayment options with millions of
borrowers during the tax filing process — a time when people are thinking about
their finances. The Administration is continuing its partnership with Intuit
through its TurboTax product, which serves around 28 million tax filers. The Administration will also form a new
partnership with H&R Block, serving approximately 15 million tax filers
through its 11,000 retail locations, and an additional 7 million tax filers
through its digital tax products. Partnerships like these will give us the
opportunity to provide information about federal student loan repayment,
building upon our work during the most recent tax season by exploring different
messages and the timing of information to best help borrowers in evaluating
their federal loan repayment options.
In addition, the
Administration will work with Intuit to explore ways to communicate with
federal student loan borrowers through Intuit’s free personal financial
management product, Mint.com. Mint is used by 15 million people for financial
management and advice, and partnering with Mint provides the opportunity to
communicate with their 15 million users about income-driven repayment options.
Mint includes the capability to provide personalized information about federal
loan repayment options, based upon the information that a user has already
provided to Mint.
4) Use Innovative
Communication Strategies to Help Vulnerable Borrowers: Too many borrowers are
still unaware of the flexible repayment options currently available to them,
especially when they run into difficulties in managing their payments. The Department of Education is redoubling its
efforts to identify borrowers who may be struggling to repay and provide them
with timely information about their options supporting them through the
repayment process and helping them avoid or get out of default. Last year, the Department’s efforts led to
more than 124,000 borrowers enrolling in an income-driven repayment plan like
Income-Based Repayment or the Pay As You Earn plan Moving forward, the
Department of Education will test new ways to reach 2.5 million borrowers with
the greatest risk of encountering payment difficulty, such as borrowers who
have left college without completing their education, missed their first loan
payment, and those who have defaulted on low balances loans to get them back on
track with their loan payments. The
Department will also evaluate these strategies to identify which can be used on
a larger scale and which are the most effective.
5) Promote Stronger
Collaborations to Improve Information for Students and Families: All student
borrowers are required to receive loan counseling when they first borrow
federal student loans and when they leave school, but little is known about the
effectiveness of these programs. Working
with student debt researchers and student advocates, the Department of
Education and the Department of Treasury will also develop and launch a pilot
project to test the effectiveness of loan counseling resources, including the
Department of Education’s Financial Awareness Counseling Tool. The lessons learned will be considered for
future actions by the Department and shared with outside partners like the
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators to improve loan
counseling activities at colleges and universities throughout the country. Another way to reach student borrowers is by
working with professional associations to provide customized information about
repayment options. Today, the
Administration is announcing its commitment to work with the American Federation
of Teachers, National Education Association, American Association of Colleges
of Nursing, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, American Nurses
Association, American Association of Physician Assistants, Business Forward,
City Year, National Association of Social Workers, Physician Assistants
Education Association, SEIU and the YMCA of the USA to provide comprehensive
information about repayment options and federal student aid resources that are
available to them. Moving forward, the Administration will continue to engage
organizations, institutions of higher education, and others to ensure that all
borrowers have access to the resources and information they need to responsibly
manage the repayment of their student loans.
Additional Actions
to Reduce Indebtedness and Promote College Affordability: Helping Students and
Families Access Education Tax Benefits. In addition to helping borrowers manage
their student loan debt, the Department of Education and the Department of
Treasury will also work together to educate students, families, financial aid
administrators, and tax preparers to ensure that all students and families
understand what education tax benefits they are eligible for and receive the
benefits for which they qualify. In
2009, the President created the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), which
provides up to $2,500 to help pay for each year of college. But the process of
claiming education tax credits like the AOTC can be complex for many students,
including for the 9 million students who receive Pell Grants, and hundreds of
millions of dollars of education credits go unclaimed each year. To help address this complexity, the
Department of Treasury will release a fact sheet clarifying how Pell Grant
recipients may claim the AOTC.
17.
THE TRUTH IS THE LIGHT:
*The Reverend Dr.
Charles R. Watkins, Jr.
Based on Biblical
Text: 1 Chronicles 12:32: And of the children of Issachar, which were men that
had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of
them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment
The duty of
prophetic discernment is a critical one particularly in light of the ever
changing fabric of our society. It is imperative that someone have an
understanding of the times in order to provide appropriate suggestions for what
we should do in each situation we encounter. In our text we find a group of men
assigned to that very important task. These men were assembled as part of the
gathering to designate David king of Israel.
To these men was assigned the important task of observation. They were
to listen with their spiritual ears discerning the will of God for His people
at any given period of time. These men, the Bible tells us, were descendants of
Issachar, the son of Jacob and Leah and were bold, uncompromising and
unwavering men.
As I grew into
manhood I was taught to look to spiritually discerning older men. I was
encouraged to rely on the spiritual direction of godly men. These carefully
chosen men, who understood the times, would become the role-models and father
figures who counseled me in the direction I should take, and the things I
should do in my life. They became essentially the “Issachar men” in my life.
When I heeded their counsel, I was able to avoid many of the pitfalls and
dangers that life would present. I was able to side-step many of the expensive
life lessons that exact such a heavy price in the lives of our young men today.
It is very
unfortunate that so many young men today seem to have broken all contact with
God and no longer look to spiritually discerning older men as role models.
Lamentably, there is a new generation of young men who have elected to be
molded instead by the ungodly sports and entertainment influence. This unsavory
influence has led the spirits of our young men, particularly during their most
formative years, to flounder mired in profanity, adultery, and other debasing
sins that so easily beset them.
Our grandfathers
and our fathers generations of men looked up to the positive influences
provided by the doctors, lawyers, federal and state leaders that spoke of the
advancement of our people and the strengthening of our family structure. It
seems today that our young men are more intent to follow the destructive lead
of the doctors, slicksters and “dogs of rap” and the unrestrained money driven
exploits of first time millionaire athletes.
The results of the
insalubrious life modeling can be found in the drastic change in what we
consider entertaining. The movies we flock to see promote vile profanity. Our
basement house parties once included the Twist, hand dancing and dancing “cheek
to cheek.” Unfortunately no longer does it appear safe to host a basement house
party. However before the drama sets off the dance moves are much more
provocative.
God would have us
to know that all is not lost. There are still some good men around! Spiritual
men are still available in our communities to offer a new direction and a new
purpose for our susceptible young people. There are some of God’s “Issachar
Men” around who will step up to the plate and serve as positive interpreters of
life. God still looks to these spiritually sound men to help young men to
understand and interpret our changing times.
God is calling for
Christian men to be spiritual fathers. God challenges spiritually discerning
men to give right counsel to those who seek it.
God is seeking the “Issachar men” of His church, calling for them to
stand up and be counted. The church needs men who will direct God’s people as
leaders of His Kingdom. The church and
community desperately needs men who will minister to the impressionable with
the intensity of God’s spirit. There is a critical need for men who will stand
up and powerfully address the concerns we face with an enthusiasm that is
generated by the excellence of their own spiritual training. We are blessed to
be a blessing.
The Bible is rife
with men who have served in this army for the Lord. However, because the price
a man must pay to walk in these ranks is considerable, traditionally God has
drafted men for this duty. Scripture confirms that men God called upon have not
only talked the talk, but walked the walk. The men who God has enlisted for
this service have proven to be veterans of spiritual warfare who bear the marks
on their souls.
God enlists men who
have been inspired and are ready to inspire others. God’s army includes the men
that have fought the good fight, who have finished the course and kept the
faith. These are the men God can trust to offer good counsel, moral integrity,
and spiritual fortitude to the mighty young men of God today. God enlists men
who will use what they have been taught in the temple to teach others. God
intends that these spiritually mature men who have been blessed with the gift
to discern the times will rise to help others.
There is much work
to be done and there is absolutely no time to waste. Our young men are in
desperate need of spiritual mentoring and counseling. They are in grave need of
intervention and for God’s men to steer them in the right direction. Jesus
said, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and
there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” We
see the signs daily warning us that a generation of our young men may have
already been lost to Satan and his tactics. We can not ignore the cries for
help from the next generation!
God is calling for
“Issachar Men.” God is calling us to battle! God is seeking reliable, valiant,
brave and bold men. We are challenged to
rise up in these sensitive times to embrace our youth and strengthen them with
the Word of God. God is calling for us to offer healing to the hurting and
direction to the misguided. We must boldly stand against the gates of hell with
force and commitment. We must be steadfast, refusing to succumb to Satan’s
tyranny and remain devoted to the guiding principles of God.
Men of God we are
being called to battle. We are God’s trumpets for this new millennium. But the
Bible warns us, “For if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who shall prepare
himself to the battle?”(1 Corinthians 14:8)
Although the Apostle Paul is referring to the ineffectiveness of
speaking in strange tongues to the unsaved, this is a warning for the “called
of God” to make certain that our “trumpets” sound a message that is clearly
understood. Men we are warned that God has sounded the call to arms. He has
issued a challenge to us to carry the right message to our youth. We are to
carry a message of repentance, salvation, sanctification and of spiritual
survival. We are men of God, “Issachar men” and the Bible declares that “the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling
down of strong holds.” (2 Cor. 10:4) God wants us to understand that it is time
for “Issachar men” to proclaim what the saints of God “ought to do.” What we
“ought to do” is stand up for God and against those who mock the miracles of
God and disclaim the goodness of God. We
must use the weapons at our disposal to teach our youth that those who trust in
God must stand against the enemy.
When we rise as
“Issachar Men” our young people will see that no adversity will cause us to
panic and no disappointments will incite us to worry. The passion and
enthusiasm of our service will be driven by our love for Jesus and the promise
of His coming again.
This Father’s Day
is an opportune time for us to ask ourselves, “Are we Issachar men?” Will we
stand on God’s Word trusting that it is indeed the only truth worth defending
today? Will we boldly teach our young men that Jesus is answer to their
questions and the solution for their problems? Will we confidently affirm by
our talk and our walk that Jesus will satisfy all that man hungers for? Will we
stand as positive examples, godly in our character, faithful in our commitment
and pure in our motives modeling for this present age the visible evidence of
the invisible work of God’s grace?
*The Reverend Dr.
Charles R. Watkins, Jr., is the pastor of Morris Brown AME Church in
Charleston, South Carolina
18. GETTING TO ZERO: PROGRESS AGAINST LEGAL DISCRIMINATION:
*Dr. Oveta Fuller
During the week of May 30,
2014, the legislature in Iowa and the Iowa governor removed a state law that
was initiated in 1998. The law allowed imprisonment for up to 25 years if a
known HIV positive person transferred HIV in body fluids to an uninfected
person, or even provided an opportunity for exposure to HIV.
This law was the legal
position in the state of Iowa for 15 years, whether enforced or not. It is an
example of the sentiment behind the third goal of the UNAIDS "Getting to
Zero" 2015 vision and mission statement. Its goal is, "To eliminate
HIV discrimination by reducing by one half the countries or states with
punitive laws about HIV transmission."
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that of the 1,100,000 persons living with
HIV in the US and 15.8% are unaware that HIV has entered their bodies and
therefore, they do not access medical care and do not access the life-extending
drugs that are most effective when engaged from the earliest time of infection.
Further, the transmission
rate for those who are unaware that they are HIV positive is 4-times higher
than transmission from people who know their positive status.
Prior to the recent
legislative change, in Iowa transfer of virus from a known HIV seropositive
person could lead to a felony conviction and a long prison sentence.
Is transfer of HIV more
damaging than transfer of other sexually transmitted diseases such as
gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, herpes simplex or human papilloma virus? Is
transfer of HIV more damaging than exposing developing babies in utero to a
mother's intake of alcohol, marijuana or illegal drugs? Is transfer of HIV more
damaging than breathing in second-hand smoke, or damaging lung tissue by
working in spaces such as coal mines, some industrial plants or small factories
that provide constant exposure to high particulate levels in the air?
In many countries around
the world, as previously in the state of Iowa, the legal system penalizes and
stigmatizes people who live with HIV.
As an example, consider
USA immigration laws. Only in January 2010 was a seropositive HIV status
officially removed as a communicable disease that was automatic grounds for
"denying eligibility" to immigrate into this country. After January
2010, in immigration applications disclosure of HIV status is not required, nor
is an HIV test a mandatory part of the health exam.
These changes were brought
about as part of the National HIV Strategic Plan designed and instituted by the
Obama administration in a comprehensive platform to address HIV/AIDS in the
United States of America.
There are still laws in
some states or countries and some community customs that remain barriers to
removing stigma and persecution. For example, in some countries, many in the
continent of Africa, a known same-gender loving person legally can be stoned to
death or can be arrested, tried and imprisoned. Fear of such persecution
reduces willingness to discuss important issues, reduces effective education
about sexuality and sexually transmitted diseases, lowers HIV testing numbers
and thus helps to propel the spread of HIV/AIDS.
These laws and customs are
changing. Progress is occurring, slowly.
Individuals, communities
and networks that include state and national legal bodies are slowly making
progress in eliminating discriminatory laws. The National HIV Strategic Plan
encourages states to review and revise their HIV-specific laws. The Iowa legislative
and executive branches have done this. They changed the punitive law passed in
1998.
Updating past legislature
is an important step in eliminating HIV/AIDS. Such updates along with outcomes
from current biomedical understanding of HIV transmission and access to medical
or behavioral interventions that prevent or manage AIDS can go far to eliminate
impact of stigma and stereotypes as barriers to HIV testing and disease
control.
The Iowa legislature
contains individuals who, for the well-being of their constituents, led their
colleagues into a new era of enlightenment. These individuals understand HIV as
another infectious disease rather than HIV as a means of criminal assault.
If politicians in Iowa can
exhibit such leadership, perhaps the Christian church, regardless of
denomination, will equip and position enlightened committed leaders who will
address and change misconceptions, misinformation and stigmatizing practices.
*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, JUNE 15, 2014 - LIVE PURE
LIVES - HAGGAI 2: 10-19:
*Bill Dickens, Allen AME
Church, Tacoma, Washington
Purity can be defined as
the condition or quality of being pure; freedom from anything that debases
contaminates, pollutes, etc.: the purity of drinking water. Purity is a desirable quality. Once attained, we are no longer in a
condition characterized by ethical, physical or moral contamination. Unlike contamination, which limits our
potential, purity elevates our sense of purpose and mission.
The Adult AME Church
School Lesson for June 15, 2014 looks at the role of purity and our commitment
to dutifully fulfill God’s plan in our lives.
The lesson will also provide a critical link to the importance of
Father’s Day celebration. How so? Glad you asked. Let’s start the journey.
Over the last three
Church School lessons we have examined how the prophet Haggai has used an
arsenal of methods to get the people to continue the important task of
rebuilding God’s Temple.
In today’s lesson,
Haggai draws on ceremonial cleansing laws to enable his kinsmen to finish the
task. Haggai poses several questions about ceremonial cleansing to his
audience. The priests and religious
leaders answer correctly - (Vss. 11- 13).
In a stroke of literary and theological brilliance, Haggai shows how the
leaders' correct knowledge of ceremonial cleansing was a metaphor about the
“unclean” condition the people had grown accustomed to in their daily living -
(v 14). Yahweh decides it is time to
refresh the people’s memory about their prior condition - (v 16). God provided a
decline in agricultural productivity yet the people did not come back to Him
for economic security. God’s mercy and
care resonates in v. 19 where he declares that despite the near famish
condition of the land and the impure condition of the people; God will still
bless!
June 15, 2014 is the day
set aside for Father’s Day in the USA.
Father’s Day is a day set aside to show honor, respect and love to the
many fathers in our communities. A
father is special because he is a provider, protector and always remains
hopeful that his children will reach their creative, moral and spiritual
potential.
In Chapter 2 of Haggai
we see an important characteristic of our Heavenly Father. Haggai’s contemporaries were lazy,
unproductive and impure. Most fathers
would simply throw in the towel and remove their attention and affection from
such wayward children. The God of Haggai
however refuses to “give up.” He will
bless and restore his children even when the evidence suggests they are
undeserving. We can be thankful that we
serve a God who doesn’t give up.
Likewise, on Father’s Day we celebrate those Dads who also haven’t
“given up.” As the late Prince of Gospel
Music, the Rev. James Cleveland sang, "Please be patient with me, God is
not through with me yet!"
*Brother Bill
Dickens is currently the Church School Teacher at Allen AME Church in Tacoma,
Washington. He is currently a member of
the Fellowship of Church Educators for the AME Church.
20. MEDITATION ~BASED ON MATTHEW 6:5, 6:
*The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby
I was considering what
to do for this week's Meditation when I found inspiration right in front of me
- my office TV. The first television of
my childhood was a heavy floor model that you had to pull a knob on the console
to turn on, and then had to wait a minute or so for it to "warm up"
before black and white images became visible.
If you wanted to change between the three available stations, you had to
get up and walk back to the TV to do so and, of course, to turn it off.
Today's TV's are lightweight,
high-definition color models that come with remote controls, so that you can
sit comfortably, turn them on, flip through dozens of available cable channels,
stream video, watch DVD's and even play video games before clicking a button on
the remote to turn them off.
TV remote controls are a
routine modern convenience. Even those
of us who don't know how the technology works expect that when we press buttons
on the remote, the TV will work - just as we expect the lights in our homes to
come on when we flip a switch. We don't
see the transmission waves or the electricity flowing through our homes, we
simply know that they're there by the results that we get.
Remember that
technological expectation in this world, where many people try to walk life's
journey on their own, doubt the existence of God and make the argument that
they can't see God and could only believe if they had proof. While the essence of Christian faith simply
believes that the God we can't see is always there to bless and guide us, those
who doubt that there is a God need only to look at the results of God’s
activity in their lives.
When we consider life's
simple blessings, like waking up each day, being safe in a dangerous world,
surviving life's close calls and being able to overcome our own mistakes and
still press on, we see the results of God's grace and mercy in our lives. When we consider life's extraordinary
blessings, like healing in spite of bleak medical prognoses and the ability to
recover from grief and ruin that should derail our hopes, dreams and
well-being, we see evidence of God's power in our lives.
We may not be able to
look into God's face, but when we examine the abundant evidence of God's
blessings in our lives, we'll find affirmation of the existence of the God who
protects us, provides for us, sustains us and energizes us. Take the time each day to contemplate and
consider the evidence of God's grace, mercy and power in your life. When you do, you can go beyond doubt and fear
and say with those who couldn't see beyond slavery's shackles, "Up above
my head, I see glory in the air, there must be a God somewhere."
On Facebook at:
Get Ready for Sunday,
and have a great day in your house of worship!
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. GENERAL OFFICER FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to inform you
of the passing of Peggy Lee Askins, the sister of Mrs. Delorse Lewis and
sister-in-law of Dr. Richard Allen Lewis, Treasurer /Chief Information Officer
of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Arrangements for Peggy
Lee Askins:
June 9, 2014 - 3 - 6
p.m.
Public viewing with the
family
Lewis & Wright
Funeral Directors
2500 Clarksville Hwy.
Nashville, TN 37208-1060
Telephone: 615.255.2371
Fax: 615.255.4926
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Public viewing: 10-11 a.m.
Family visitation: 11
a.m. - 12:00 Noon
Funeral: 12:00 Noon
St. Paul AME Church
512 College St.
Fayetteville, TN
The Rev. Ernest Latham,
Officiating
Interment Brown's Temple
Cemetery
Expressions of sympathy
may be sent:
Dr. and Mrs. Richard A.
Lewis
AME Finance Office
512 8th Ave
South
Nashville, TN 37203
Telephone: (615)
259-3771
Fax: (615) 259-3776
Lewis & Wright
Funeral Directors
2500 Clarksville Hwy.
Nashville, TN 37208-1060
22. CONNECTIONAL LAY ORGANIZATION BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to inform you
of the untimely passing of Mrs. Eileen S. Warner, 3rd Vice President of the
Connectional Lay Organization, and a member of the Bethel AME Church, Tallahassee,
Florida. Prior to her election as 3rd Vice President, Mrs. Warner had served
the Lay Organization at every level to include the local lay, the Tallahassee
District, the Florida Conference, the Eleventh Episcopal District and at the
Connectional Level.
Mrs. Warner leaves to
mourn her passing, her husband Mr. Michael Warner and their daughter, Miss
Melanie Warner, also members of the Bethel AME Church, and other family members
and friends.
Cards and expressions of
sympathy may be sent to:
Mr. Michael Warner
2604 Pottsdamer Street
Tallahassee, FL 32310
The funeral will be
Saturday, June 14, 2014 at 11:00 a.m.
The service will be held
at Bethel AME Church
501 West Orange Avenue
Tallahassee, Florida
Telephone: 850.
576-7501;
Fax: 850. 576-8223;
Friday, June 13, 2014
5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Viewing, Family Greeting, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Ivy Beyond the
Wall.
The Reverend Dr. Julius
H. McAllister, Jr., Senior Minister
The interment will be
held:
Saint Hebron AME Church
1730 Saint Hebron Road
Quincy, Florida
Services entrusted to:
Tillman Funeral Home
4006 Crawfordville Road
Tallahassee, Florida
32305
(850) 942-1950
In order to assist persons
traveling to Tallahassee, Florida for the Service of Celebration for Mrs.
Eileen S. Warner, Friday, June 13th thru Saturday June 14th, 2014, the
following information on hotel accommodations is being provided:
Hotel Duval
415 Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida
32301
Telephone: (850)
224-6000
Special Rate Code:
Bethel AME Church
Room rate is for
$109.00. Rate available from Friday
through Sunday. Cut-off day for a hotel reservation is this Friday, June 13th
by 12 Noon.
23. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICES:
The Tenth Episcopal
District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is saddened to share the
following bereavements occurring within our Clergy Families and the WMS
Leadership.
Necrology, February 2013 to June 2014
Sister Myra L. Matlock, Sister of the Rev. Dr. Sherryl
Matlock, February -2013
Aaron Berry, Brother of
the Rev. Ruth Phillips, March -2013
Mr. Sidney Thompson,
Brother of the Rev. Mae Smith, March -2013
Sister Ethel Battle
Megginson, Mother of Dr. Ethel Bayley-Scruggs, March -2013
The Rev. William Thomas
Vaughn, former pastor in the North Texas Conference, March -2013
Sister Ella Elois
Dewberry, Former NE Texas WMS President- Grant Chapel AMEC-Palestine, July
-2013
Mr. Keith Bailey, Brother
of the Rev. Myriah Bailey Whitcomb, September -2013
Sister Naomi Conner,
Oldest member and Texan at Roberson Chapel AME Church - McGregor, October- 2013
Sister Dorothy Grays,
St. Paul AME Church Life Member in the Women's Missionary Society, November -
2013
Sister Camilla Ward,
Life Member, Women's Missionary Society, November 2013
The Rev. Michael
Robinson, Former pastor in the Southwest Texas Conference, February -2014
The Rev. Billy Clifton
Freeman, Sr., Retired Associate Minister at Greater St. James Temple - Dallas,
March -2014
Mr. Wilbert Fletcher,
Father of the Rev. Tonya Fletcher Jackson, April -2014
Mr. O.D. Forte', Father
of the Rev. Greg Forte', April -2014
Brother Percy Reed,
Brother of the Rev. Willie Mae Reed-Ford, June -2014
24. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
The Third Episcopal
District offers our deepest sympathy in the passing Maxine McLemore, the wife
of Curtis McLemore, the sister-in-law of the Rev. Dr. James H. McLemore,
Presiding Elder, Pittsburgh District, Pittsburgh Annual Conference and Mrs.
Donna G. McLemore, President of M-SWAWO+PK's.
She is also the daughter-in-law of Mrs. Daisy McLemore, President of the
Lena E. Smith Missionary Society at Community AME Church in Cleveland, Ohio.
Funeral Services will be
held at Antioch Baptist Church 8869 Cedar Avenue, Cleveland Ohio on Friday,
June 13, 2014. Wake at 11:00 am followed
by the Home-going Service at 11:30 am.
Presiding Elder McLemore will be the eulogist and the Reverend Arnett
Thornton, pastor of Community AMEC will officiate.
Flowers, cards and
condolences may be sent to
The family of Maxine
McLemore
Roger's Funeral Services
C/o Cumming & Davis
Funeral Home
13201 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44112
Telephone: 216-541-4242
Fax: 216-541-1908
25. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
The Reverend James
(Jimmie) McDonald, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, a member of the 8th
Episcopal District, retiring in good and regular standing, and currently a
resident of Grapevine, Texas, went home to be with the Lord Wednesday, June 4,
in his home. He had pastored in the
African Methodist Episcopal Church denomination for 46 years.
The Reverend Jimmie
McDonald became a Christian at the age of 16 and eventually was awarded a
Doctor of Divinity degree. He studied
opera at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore.
The Rev. McDonald was
recognized as a gifted international vocalist.
He had been a soloist and choral director for such ministries as Billy
Graham and Rex Humbard; in addition to his 15-year association with Katherine
Kuhlman and 15 years with Benny Hinn. He
had traveled the world spreading the good word about God.
He leaves behind his
wife, Marlene McDonald, his daughter, Carol King, and grandchildren Candyse
King and Joseph Blout II and many beloved friends. He was preceded to heaven by his daughter,
Judith Blout.
Service Arrangements for
the Reverend James (Jimmie) McDonald:
Friday, June 13, 2014, 6
to 8:00 PM, Visitation for the public
Lucas Funeral Home
700 West Wall Street
Grapevine, Texas 76051
(817) 488-7566
(817) 442-0410 FAX
Funeral Service:
Saturday, June 14, 11:30 a.m.
Oasis Community Worship
Center
209 Harwood Rd
Bedford, TX 76021
Telephone: (817)
656-3900
Expressions of sympathy
may be sent to the family of the Reverend James (Jimmie) McDonald to:
Lucas Funeral Home
700 West Wall Street
Grapevine, Texas 76051
Or contact Michael
Smith, the step-son of the Rev. James McDonald:
Telephone: 503-809-1602
26. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to inform you of
the passing of Mrs. Juanita Tucker Faggans, the sister of the Reverend Dr.
Donald L. Tucker, retired pastor from the First Episcopal District and also a
Board Member of Payne Theological Seminary.
The following
information has been provided regarding funeral arrangements.
Funeral Services were
held June 10, 2014 at 11:00 a.m.
St. Stephens AME Church
6000 Stanford Street
Detroit, MI 48210
The Rev. Michael Cousin,
Pastor
Funeral arrangements
entrusted to the care of
Swanson Funeral Home NW
14751 W. McNichols
Detroit, MI 48235
Phone: 313. 272-9000
Fax: 313. 272-4494
Expressions of Sympathy
may be sent to
The Rev. Donald L.
Tucker and Family
C/o Janet Tucker Wright
8900 Hartwell Street
Detroit, MI 48228
27. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
The Second Episcopal
District is saddened to share news of the passing of Mrs. Annie Carroll Ray,
the mother of Mr. Chester Ray and the mother-in-law of Rev. Dr. Lois Poag-Ray,
pastor of Wayman Good Hope A.M.E. Church, Severna Park, MD.
The arrangements for
Mrs. Annie Carroll Ray were:
Homegoing Service -
Sunday, June 8, 2014, 2:00 p.m.
Mt. Sinai Missionary
Baptist Church
5222 Mt. Sinai Church
Road
Durham, NC 27705
Services were handled
by:
Chavis Parker Funeral
Homs
405 NC Highway 57
Hillsborough, NC 27278
Expressions of sympathy
may be sent to:
The Rev. Dr. Lois A.
Poag-Ray and Mr. Chester Ray
Wayman Good Hope A.M.E.
Church
Severna Park, MD 21146
28. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICES AND CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS
PROVIDED BY:
Ora L. Easley,
Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family
Information Center
Telephone: (615)
837-9736 (H)
Telephone: (615)
833-6936 (O)
Cell: (615) 403-7751
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-AME-Church-Clergy-Family-Information-Center/167202414220
29. CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED
FROM THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER:
The Chair of the
Commission on Publications, the Right Reverend T. Larry Kirkland; the
Publisher, the Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour and the Editor of The Christian
Recorder, the Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III offer our condolences and
prayers to those who have lost loved ones. We pray that the peace of Christ
will be with you during this time of your bereavement.
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