The Right Reverend T. Larry Kirkland - Chair, Commission on
Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, the 20th Editor, The Christian Recorder
1. TCR
EDITORIAL – SOME REMINDERS – YET AGAIN:
Dr. Calvin H.
Sydnor III
The 20th
Editor of The Christian Recorder
This editorial is
precipitated by an Article in the Thursday, October 2, 2014 issue of The New York Times entitled, “Mobile Malware: Small Numbers, but Growing.” The bottomline point of the article:
Smartphone are susceptible to malware, which refers to software programs
designed to damage or do other unwanted actions on your computer system.
There are
unscrupulous individuals “out there” somewhere who take delight in dishonest
and fraudulent behavior.
We thought our
smartphones were safe, but apparently not. The article in
The New York Times advises people to be as vigilant
about opening emails and downloading apps on their smartphones as they would on
their computers.
So, this message is
to warn TCR subscribers and readers
to take care when downloading apps.
There are some nice apps “out there” and some of the game apps are fun
to play and are addictive, which sometimes encourages us to download even more
game apps.
The New York Times article cautions readers to be
careful downloading apps because smartphones can get infected when someone
downloads a malicious app and the article goes on to say that clicking on some
ads can also precipitate downloads of malware.
You must keep your computer “clean”
Here is a bit of
good advice from personal experience. I
have noticed that when I open certain websites, a flashing warning will appear
on my screen telling me that my system is slow and that my computer is infected
with malware.
When messages like
that appear on your computer, do not click on the dialogue box in hopes of
eliminating some issue that your computer supposedly has.
I did it once and
vowed never to do it again. When I followed the prompts, it didn’t take me long
to realize my mistake in clicking on a site that was going to “clean up my
computer.”
It took a long time
to rid myself of the problems created by clicking on the flashing dialogue
box. When I went into the Control Panel to delete the various
programs that the malicious site had downloaded to my computer, I had a
difficult time removing them from my computer.
Do not click on any
pop-ups that tell you that your computer is at risk. If you think your computer
is as risk check with legitimate antivirus websites like Kaspersky, Norton
Antivirus or McAfee.
If you have not
done so, you should install anti-virus and anti-spyware utilities like
Kaspersky, Norton Antivirus or McAfee on your computer. Those and other
legitimate antivirus programs are able to destroy any malicious programs that
might be on your computer.
Be careful when
companies that you didn’t initiate the contact, want to take control of your
computer to “clean up your computer.”
You must be vigilant
in taking care of your computer and your smartphone.
Technology is great
when it’s working properly, but can be frustrating when it is not working.
I have said it
again and again, put all multiple addressees in "Bcc" format and
delete all previous email addresses.
The reason you
should do so is to prevent "spamming," which is the use of electronic
messaging systems to send unsolicited messages, advertising, and even
pornographic messages.
Have you ever
received messages from people and businesses that you don't associate
with? I have received pornographic
messages and I have never attempted to solicit or purchase anything that could
be associated with porn.
How did they get my
email address? How did they get my name? They got it through spamming, by
"mining" my email address from forwarded multi-addressed email
messages.
I remind people
again and again to send multi-addressed email message via "Bcc,"
blind copy so that email messages cannot be accessed to send unsolicited
messages.
I am sure most
people don’t want their email addresses sent all over the world and that's the
reason people should use "Bcc.”
I receive unwanted
messages from China, Korea, Japan and I don't speak or read any of those
languages. How did they get my name and email address? They got it from
somebody's multi-addressed email message with all of the email addresses listed
where anyone can see it.
I absolutely hate
junk mail and junk mail is the result of people who send multi-addressed email
not using "Bcc."
The bottom-line:
When you forward email messages, delete the forwarding history, which includes
everyone’s email addresses because erasing the email addresses prevents
spammers from “mining” email addresses and prevents the spreading computer
viruses.
The reality is
there are people "out there" who love to spread viruses and do other
bad things.
I hope with my
repetition, I have made the point.
Let me say this
again
When
you forward messages, remove all email addresses before you forward them. Use the
“Bcc” field when sending
multiple-addressed email messages; and use the “Bcc” field when forwarding email messages to several people.
Don’t know how to
do set up Bcc?
Any
pre-teen or young person can show you how to do set up “Bcc.”
I will say this again
Use
a little common sense with your computer, and now that we have been warned;
with our smartphones too. My grandmother
used to say, “Common sense and being nice will get you to most of the places
you need to get to.”
Don’t put yourself
at risk
The
adage goes, “Curiosity killed the cat” and that’s a great message to remember
as you utilize the internet and exchange emails on your computer and your
smartphone.
If
you don’t recognize an email address, don’t open it. Do not reply to
unsolicited email offers. Don’t let curiosity “kill” or “harm” your computer;
and don’t put others at risk.
Let me say this
again
Never
sign into any unsolicited message that asks you to sign in with your email
address. And never, ever provide your
password to anyone; and never in response to any unsolicited email messages.
There is no money “out there” for you to claim. People are not giving money
away!
When
you receive messages from your internet provider, be suspicious, because they
already have your personal information, they would not need to ask you for it
again. Your bank has your personal information and they wouldn’t ask you to
provide it via email; they already have your information.
One more thing
If
the browser doesn’t have “HTTPS,”
never provide any personal information, even if you initiated the action! HTTP without the “S” is not secure.
Just one more thing
If
a message looks suspicious, don’t open it!
2. I ASK:
*Bishop
Carolyn Tyler Guidry
-- I Ask
Many Annual Conferences last for up to three or so months. Many Pastors are not given assignments until
planning meeting. Why do some Bishops
make Pastoral Assignments at Planning Meeting?
How did this decision come about?
Is this the new normal? When does
the Annual Year start for the church if some Pastors are moved three months
after their Annual Conference? Doesn't
this decision upset the organizational balance within the local church, causing
some to be behind in paying their Connectional and other conference
assessments/sustentation? With regards
to Presiding Elders, if a Presiding Elder is reassigned during the planning
meeting, and has already collected the first quarter assessments from their
assigned churches in their District, can the incoming Presiding Elder require
the churches to pay the first quarter assessment again?
Bishop
Guidry’s Response to the Question:
I am sure you mean, "Annual
Conference Series last up to three or so months."
If a pastor is going to be
reassigned in a conference other than the current one, the assignment cannot be
made until the new pulpit is vacant. In most instances that only occurs at the
upcoming Annual Conference. (Page 119, Paragraph 14).
In years past when the bishop
intended to move a pastor, he (she) would be required to "walk" with
the bishop from one conference to the next until assigned. Because of the
inconvenience and financial burden of this arrangement, most bishops now advise
the pastor of the intent to move them and give "temporary"
assignments to the current charge until the Planning Meeting.
The “annual year” officially
starts after the bishop's/presiding elder's planning meetings, which is the
official end of the conference series. The Local church cannot set a
calendar or finalize a budget until information for the upcoming year is
received. The pastor, even if "temporary," with the officers
should set up the mechanism for planning the next year's organization, calendar
and budget, including any assessments coming due. (The new pastor may make some
adjustments, but a plan should be in place).
If the presiding elder holds the
first Quarter at a local church, and a new presiding elder is
assigned after the planning meeting, the new presiding elder is paid
beginning with the second quarter assessment (the amount and number are set by
the Annual Conference and cannot be changed in the interim). See page 108,
Section X, The Doctrine and Discipline of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church- 2012.
*Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry,
Retired
3. THE COLLEGE CORNER
- TELLING THE
PAYNE STORY - 2014-2015:
Lucinda Burgess
When I transitioned from Bermuda to Wilberforce Ohio, I did so
with the mindset that I would go and sit by the "Payne well" to see
what God has in store for me. You see, I
had a conversation with God that online education was not for me. In October 2011, I began Payne as an online
student taking 1 or 2 classes online per semester. But, I quickly discovered online education
was not for me.
It is said that you should be careful what you pray for, because
God may just take you up on it, and the way in which God will give it to you
may challenge you on many levels. That is exactly what happened. God answered my prayer and in March 2012 at the
Bermuda Annual Conference, God gave me the directive to give up all that I had
and go to Payne as a residential student.
I got what I asked for and immediately I was challenged, for such a
decision would require much of me. Over
the next 15 months, I put my affairs in order, gave up everything, and on July
10, 2013, I arrived in Wilberforce, Ohio to begin the season in my life known
as my “Payne Experience.”
Arriving at Payne, I was genuinely welcomed by Diana, in the
Business Department, who showed me my accommodations – Gomez #7. Diana could have stopped there but she
didn’t. After showing me around campus
she introduced me to other persons in the business building--Dr. Augman, Dr.
Holley, Ms. Copely and Ms. Smoot--who warmly welcomed me. I was beginning to put names to faces. These
were persons who I had talked to on the phone or taken a class with, and from
their greetings, you could see that they had taken the time to know about a
person who came so far to be a part of the Payne community. I began to feel at
ease and over the next few weeks, and I was able to meet other faculty and
staff members. I knew that I had made
the right decision.
I had also been accepted at ITC in Atlanta Georgia, but it was
something about how the Payne faculty and staff went the extra mile to get me
enrolled. And when I got here, I quickly
discovered that Payne is more than just another seminary. To me, Payne is an experience. A historic campus that may be small in size,
but it is mighty in its history. When you
walk its halls you think about the great Bishops like Vinton Anderson or John
Bright; or, pastors such as my pastor, the Rev. Dr. Earl Harris or the Rev.
Alphonse Allen. And great theologians
such as the Rev. Dr. Mark Tyler who have all walked the hallowed halls of and
received their education from Payne Theological Seminary.
And, as you begin to experience it for yourself and drink from the
wealth of knowledge of great theologians such as Dr. Solomon Avotri, Dr.
Charles Brown, Dr. Roger Evans, Dr. John Piippo and Dr. JoAnne Terrell, who are
so inspiring that sometimes you are in such awe with what they are saying, that
you forget to write notes. Although I
may only be a junior, I know that one day I will also graduate from this sacred
place.
It is also what happens outside of the classroom that makes the
Payne experience so unique.
Where else can you attend a seminary where the President walks the
halls, greets you by name, and gives you a hug?
And don’t let her see you at a 3rd District event; she will
make sure that those around her know that you are a Payne student.
Where else can you go, where the past interim Dean, Dr. Augman,
will take the time out of his busy schedule to show you around the Wilberforce
area, and point out places of interest that will make your stay at Payne a
little easier? Such as the post office
on Brushrow Rd, the second Indian Mound Park on 42 towards Cedarville, with its
beautiful waterfall and a great place to go and talk to God. And, after the tour take you to lunch at
Clifton Mill, where you had a pancake the size of your dinner plate – needless
to say, I couldn’t eat it all.
Where else will you find staff members like Ms. Copely and Ms.
Smoot who go beyond the call of duty to make sure you have what you need? And, if you invite them to an event that you
are involved in, they will show up!
Where else will you walk into the President’s office and have
persons like Marilyn and Maryjo stop what they are doing to ask you about your
basic well-being? Or call you up and
say, “Lucinda, I have a ticket to an event in the community, would you like to
go?”
Where else would you go and an adjunct professor would ask for you
by name, especially because you did not register for her intensive? And, when her car broke down, you didn't
hesitate to go pick her up from her hotel at 7 a.m.?
Where else would you be able to go to a library, like the Reverdy
Ransom Library that has the friendliest librarian, Ms. Lynn Ayers, who greets
you with a smile and is always there to help? When researching a topic she is always willing
to help, and not say, “Go to the computer and put it in the search
engine.” Instead, she will go to the
stacks and find the appropriate books, rarely looking through finding
aids. And, if she can’t find it in the
stacks, she will help you find the information online.
Where else would you be given, not just any library job, but
working in the archives, which by the way is a goldmine for a historian and get
excited over uncovering hidden treasures such as “A Pure Account of Christian
Perfection” written by John Wesley, 1787?
I really do not think there is any other place that you can go and
have such intimate experiences because in many other learning institutions you
are merely a number or a name on a page. And, a new kid on the block would not be given
such a library position.
I have also discovered that as a residential student, you get to
experience a part of Payne that others only hear about. You see; online students only get to see
Payne during the required intensives.
But, when you get a chance to talk to them about your experiences as a
residential student, they are amazed at your stories. There was one graduating online senior who
said to me, “The one thing I will never get to experience is drinking from the
knowledge of the professors in a classroom setting that you have
described.” This was after I talked
about Old Testament with Dr. Avotri.
There is one more thing that makes Payne stand out for me –
intensive weeks. My first intensive was
Spiritual Formation. Through this class, I was introduced to the Greater Allen
community quickly, joined the church, and transferred my membership from the
1st Episcopal District to the 3rd Episcopal District.
I also discovered that intensives are more than just a group of
seminarians who come together to fulfill a course requirement, it is a time
when the campus comes alive.
Intensive week is a time when residential and online students,
staff, and faculty come together and get to know each other outside of a
computer. During this time you will find
residential students and staff members doing their best to assist those persons
involved in the intensives, from picking them up at the airport to taking them
shopping at Walmart to get their necessities for the week. Yes, the students assist each other in
fulfilling the class requirements, and you can see many a student burning the
midnight night oil in the computer lab.
However, it is outside of the class that you can find the students
mingling, and building lifelong relationships and connections. Students go into Xenia in groups to eat, and
those who do not remain on campus and cook for each other. Some even venture further and go shopping at
the malls.
I could go on and on about the many experiences I have had at
Payne, but time does not permit.
Therefore, to sum it all up, my Payne experience is a combination of the
intimacy of a small campus and the friendliest of the faculty and staff members
who have welcomed this stranger from a strange land and made her feel at
home. It is this combination that makes
me rate my Payne experience as an awesome, spirit-filled, knowledge-acquired,
lifelong-friendships-and-contacts-made experience. And to think, I have only been here for 8
months! I eagerly look forward to the next few years.
4. WILBERFORCE
ANNOUNCES THAT DR. ALGEANIA WARREN FREEMAN IS THE UNIVERSITY’S NEW PRESIDENT:
WILBERFORCE
UNIVERSITY ushers in new leadership for a new era
Long-Standing
HBCU Administrator and Educator, Dr. Algeania Warren Freeman becomes the
University’s 20th President
WILBERFORCE,
OH – September 29, 2014 —Wilberforce University, the country’s oldest private
historically black college and university,
today revealed its selection of a new president, Dr. Algeania Warren Freeman. The extensive search and evaluation process
was a collaborative effort by an executive search committee from the Board of
Trustees, faculty, student body and alumni.
Aiding in the search was global executive search firm DHR International,
a leading, privately held provider of executive search solutions. This
introduction of the new president shepherds in a prosperous and distinguished
era for Wilberforce.
“Dr.
Freeman’s experience in institutional advancement and operations, as well as
her success in academics and student support, made her the perfect candidate
for President of our renowned University,” says Mark Wilson, chairman of the
Wilberforce Board of Trustees. “She has proven leadership experience in an HBCU
environment, and is a veteran educator that we know will continue our
university’s history of academic excellence.
Her dedication to the HBCU community is unwavering, and we believe she
will be the force for change our institution needs as we advance into a new
day.”
A
career administrator and educator with 40 years of relevant experience, Dr.
Freeman served as President of Martin University, as well as Livingstone
College, where she was honored with the prestigious Harlem Renaissance Award
for Outstanding HBCU President.
Frequently honored for her contributions to the betterment of colleges
and universities, Dr. Freeman won Teacher of the Year for her work in the
School of Health Related Professions and Natural Sciences at Norfolk State
University, received an Outstanding Graduate Award Citation from the National
Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, and was a national
finalist for the White House Fellows program. She has raised more than $40
million in grants and external funding, published in numerous scholarly
journals, presented research and delivered lectures at all manner of
professional conferences and held fellowships with the U.S. Pentagon and the
American Society of Allied Health. She
received her Doctor of Philosophy Degree from the Ohio State University, Master
of Science Degree from Southern Illinois University and her Bachelor of Science
from Fayetteville State University.
“I’m
very excited to join the Wilberforce community, and continue this University’s
history of academic excellence,” states Dr. Freeman president of Wilberforce
University. “An exciting future awaits
Wilberforce. Through this experience I
have seen the dedication of all those involved in this process, and the passion
that each and every person has for the university. Together, through our devotion, we will
support this great university’s mission while upholding its legacy.”
“The
University has been fortunate to have the exceptional leadership of Dr. Wilma
Mishoe, in her role as acting President over the past few months,” continues
Wilson. “We truly appreciate her
contributions to the mission of Wilberforce.”
About Wilberforce
University
Wilberforce
University was founded in 1856 on a radical principle for mid-19th Century
America: to provide African-Americans, many who were fleeing slavery, with a
quality, advanced education. It was a progressive concept that has evolved to
inspire its current students to become innovators and entrepreneurs. Known
today as the oldest predominantly African-American private university in the
nation, it welcomes students of all faiths, races, colors, and national and
ethnic origins. The school is regionally accredited by the North Central
Association of Colleges and Schools and is affiliated with the African
Methodist Episcopal Church as well as many collegiate organizations and
associations, including the United Negro College Fund. For more information,
visit www.wilberforce.edu.
5. VIEW SUPERB
INTERVIEW WITH PAUL QUINN COLLEGE PRESIDENT:
Read More: http://chronicle.com/section/Home/5
6. WE NEVER SAW
ANYTHING LIKE THIS:
The
Reverend Dr. Rufus L. Mosley, Jr.
On
Saturday, September 20, 2014, the clarion call was made to the Virginia
Conference by our Bishop, the Right Reverend William Phillips DeVeaux and
Supervisor, Dr. Pam DeVeaux along with Presiding Elder Quentin J. White,
Presiding Elder Chester W. Morris, Presiding Elder Emeritus Sidney W. Williams,
Jr., and Presiding Elder Emeritus Irvin W. Knight, Sr., and the combined districts
of the Portsmouth/Richmond/Roanoke and the Norfolk/Eastern Shore Districts came
together during a worship service under the banner of “A Call to Unity.”
Bishop
William P. DeVeaux along with the Trustees of the Virginia Conference summoned
all the churches in the district on July 19, 2014 to pray and pool their
resources to assist the members of St. James African Methodist Episcopal
Church, Norfolk, Virginia. The churches came from the mountains of Roanoke to
the majestic waters of the Eastern Shore rallied and unified their gifts and
voices to help in the liquidation of indebtedness.
Bishop
DeVeaux preached an anointed and powerful message entitled: “A Strategy for
Success." The focus-text for the
sermon was Deuteronomy 8:2.
Bishop
DeVeaux electrified those in attendance, informing the congregation that
Israel’s greatest blessing was its memory. For, when you love the Lord, you
always have a strategy.
After
the preaching and singing from the combined voices of the
Portsmouth/Richmond/Roanoke District; the members from both districts
(Norfolk/Eastern Shore and Portsmouth / Richmond / Roanoke District brought
their gifts in support of this historic landmark.
The
members of the Virginia Conference raised $41,043.88 in 60 days after receiving
the call. After receiving the financial gifts and hearing the amount raised,
the church went up in praise.
Some
were dancing, crying, shouting, thanking and giving God total praise for this
experience.
Our
Bishop expressed his appreciation, thanking the conference for responding in
such a positive and profound way. He concluded his remarks by making the
statement taken from Mark 2:12. He said in all the years he has served as a
Bishop, he has never seen anything like this!
7. HOSTING
PREPARATIONS FOR THE 18TH WMS QUADRENNIAL CONVENTION:
As
we prepare for the 18 TH WMS QUADRENNIAL CONVENTION of the AME CHURCH, the HOST
DISTRICT under Senior Supervisor, the Rev. Cecelia Williams Bryant has launched
an initiative to feature young Christian women under 40 years of age who are
living as world changers.
365
will be a publication to demonstrate that every day somewhere in the world a
Young Woman of faith is having an impact, whether local, regional, national or
global.
Financial
awards will be made to the local society/church whose submission is judged
extraordinary by a panel of ecumenical women in leadership.
Submissions
from Districts 14-20 may be made without a fee. This Encyclopedia of
Contemporary Missionaries will benefit not only emerging leaders in the AME
church; but those in the larger faith community and Society. Please share this promotional video created
by a wonderful Young member of AME Canada, Maria Consuegra.
And:
Encyclopedia
of Contemporary Missionaries: Website: http://www.contemporarymissionaries.com/
*The
Rev. Dr. Cecelia Williams-Bryant, Episcopal Supervisor, 4th
Episcopal District and Senior Episcopal Supervisor, African Methodist Episcopal
Church
**Received
from Mrs. Ora L. Easley, Administrator, CFIC
8. PROFILE: MELVIN
L. JENKINS, ESQ.:
*The
Rev. V. Gordon Glenn III
After
44 years as an active lay person in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and
a member of Ward Chapel AME Church in Kansas City, Missouri, twenty-five of
which he has been a member of the Organized Lay in his local church, Melvin L.
Jenkins, Esq., became the president of the Lay Organization of the Midwest
Conference of the Fifth Episcopal District in June of 2014.
Mr.
Jenkins ran on a platform of transparency in the operation of the Lay
Organization, stressing team work. Mr. Jenkins is often heard stating that
“we’re all a part of one team.” A part of the transparency, according to Mr.
Jenkins, is dealing with problems together, specifically, the church budget,
programs, and opening the discussion and solutions up to the average person as
opposed to it being closed for the average person.
Jenkins,
67, was born in Halifax, North Carolina in 1947. After attending public schools
there, he graduated from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State
University, an HBCU in Greensboro, in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science degree in
history and political science. Upon graduation, he received a Council on Legal
Education Opportunity fellowship and Benton fellowship from the University of
Kansas School of Law where he earned a doctor of jurisprudence degree in 1972.
Since
1970, Jenkins has been serving the Lord in various positions at his home
church. He has spent 35 years as a Trustee. He has served as an Adult Church
School teacher, the church Treasurer and continues to volunteer his time as a
chef and cook at the church’s soup kitchen where he cooks for 100 people one
day a week. He has been the local Lay President for the past three years.
Although
he describes himself as “just a plain old country lawyer,” his long history of
service tells another story. Jenkins formerly served as the Regional Director
of the Central Regional Office of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. In
September 1988 he was appointed by the Commissioners as the Acting Staff
Director for the Commission overseeing the agency's national and regional
operations.
In
April 1990, he headed the Commission's operations in Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa,
Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. He joined the
Commission in 1973 as regional attorney for the Kansas City office. At the same
time Jenkins served as a staff attorney with the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development in Kansas City.
Now
in private practice taking cases dealing with employment discrimination,
Jenkins shares his knowledge as an instructor at the National Fair Housing
Training Academy, a think tank for fair housing issues located in Washington,
D.C., teaching classes in fair housing litigation and conciliation. Mr. Jenkins
has also written a manual on conciliating fair housing compliance.
Mr.
Jenkins’ overall vision for the Lay Organization is to encourage all the
members of the local church to become members of the organized Lay.
When
asked how he could achieve this, he stated that his intention is to begin a
campaign of meeting in the various areas of the Midwest Conference (Northwest
Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska) and develop programs to bring people together
for training.
Jenkins
is troubled that members of The A.M.E. Church don’t understand our roots and
beliefs. His goal is to begin to educate the laity in general and the organized
lay specifically.
When
asked why laity should join the organized lay, Mr. Jenkins’s reply was thus:
“to learn about The A.M.E. Church and why Richard Allen organized the church,”
“to learn our history,” and “to learn how The AME Church took a pivotal role in
the Civil Rights Movement.”
Jenkins
continued, “Once we understand our history, we should never be ashamed of it
and begin to teach more because we have a rich history.”
Jenkins’
vision for clergy-lay relations is varied but is centered on working together.
Jenkins says, “We have to begin to work together because the same pains the
clergy go through, the lay go through as well.”
Jenkins
reiterates, “We are all in this together and we must come together, plan, work,
and grow together seeking the best ways we can recover... together.”
At
the helm of The Midwest Conference Lay Organization is a lay president who has
a heart for the well-being of the A.M.E. Church, a long track record of
integrity and hard work, and is ready, willing and able to lead in doing the
work.
Mr.
Jenkins has been married to Wanda J. Holly Jenkins, daughter of former
Presiding Elder S.J. Holly, for 42 years. They are the parents of four adult
children, six grandchildren, and one great grandchild.
*The
Rev. V. Gordon Glenn III is the Public Relations Director for the Midwest
Annual Conference of the Fifth Episcopal District
9. PRESIDING ELDER
MOORE A MAN OF MANY TALENTS:
Retired
Elder David L. Moore of Irvington, Georgia, "went to be with the
Lord," on Saturday, September 27, 2014, at home surrounded by his loving
family.
Elder
Moore was the eldest son of the late Rev. Joe David Moore and Mary Smith Moore
of Franklin, Tennessee.
He
was married to Mrs. Jacqueline Jones of Birmingham, Alabama and they have three
children: Lolita Moore of Houston, Texas; Elizabeth (Steven) Williams Warner,
Robins, Georgia; and Davida (William) Jackson of Irwinton, Georgia. He has five
grandchildren: Alvinishia Washington, L'vita Washington, Jakeisia Travis,
Dai'Lewis Washington and David Paul Jackson.
He
was the oldest brother to James Willie (Ethel) Moore of Franklin, Tennessee,
Robert Lee (Barbara) Moore of Nashville, Tennessee, Emma Jean Moore, Ida Mae
Moore, of Franklin, Tennessee, Dora Ann (Robert) of Franklin, Tennessee, Harold
Moore who preceded him in death, Edith Moore, Evelyn Moore, and Charlene Moore
of Franklin, Tennessee and Joe Frank (Debra) Moore of Soperton, GA. He is also survived by one sister-in-law and
a host of uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.
He
was a member of St Phillip AME Church in Toomsboro, Georgia, where he has
served as Church School Superintendent, member of the Trustee Board, member of
the choir, and other Lay Ministries where he was needed until he accepted his
call into the preaching ministry.
He
was educated in the elementary and high school in Franklin, Tennessee and
continued his education at Daniel Payne College in Birmingham, Alabama earning
an AA Degree in Religious Education and Theology. He received a BS Degree in
Physical Education at Paul Quinn in Waco, Texas and a Master's Degree in
Administration and supervision from Georgia College, Milledgeville, GA. He has
done further study at North Texas State College, Denton, Texas and Turner
Theological Seminary Satellite in Macon, Georgia.
He
was called into the ministry while still serving as an educator and coach in
the public schools. His assignments included the Thomas Grove Circuit which
included Thomas Grove AME Church in Claxton, Georgia and St. John AME Church in
Pembroke, Georgia. He also served as pastor of St Paul AME Church in
Sandersville, Georgia and Bethel AME Church in Quitman, Georgia. He served as a
pastor until he was appointed a Presiding Elder of the Thomasville /Bainbridge
District, South Conference and retired as Presiding Elder of the Greater
Griffin District, Macon Conference.
The
Rev. Moore's employment history spans more than a quarter of a century of
teaching and coaching-Daniel Payne College, Birmingham, Alabama and Wilkinson
County High School, Irwinton, Georgia as Teacher, Assistant Principal, Athletic
Director, and Head Coach for Boys Basketball. His team won three State
Championships and was State Runner-up eleven times.
The
Rev. Moore was one the winningest coaches in Georgia. He was honored in
Atlanta, Georgia by the Basketball Tip-Off Club for reaching the milestone
winning 500 games. He was elected Georgia Coach of the Year for 18 years out of
32 years of his coaching. When he
passed, he was a member of Georgia Coaches Sports Hall of Fame, a life member
of NEA and held membership in many other organizations, including a member of
the Wilkinson County Board of Education.
10. MIDWEST
CONFERENCE LAY COME TOGETHER WITH CLERGY FOR UNITY SERVICE:
*The
Rev. V. Gordon Glenn III
September
28, 2014, Kansas City, Kansas – The Midwest Conference Lay Organization of the
Fifth Episcopal District, under the capable leadership of recently elected
president Melvin L. Jenkins, Esq., came together with the clergy of the Midwest
Annual Conference for a Lay and Clergy Unity Worship Service on Sunday
afternoon, September 28, 2014 at Trinity AME Church in Kansas City, Kansas.
The
house was packed and all the ministry components were present to participate as
worship liturgists: local and conference lay officers, clergy representatives,
Presiding Elders, YPD leadership in the personage of Midwest Conference YPD
President William Cordier, and Fifth District Lay Parliamentarian Foster
Chisholm.
The
Unity Worship Service, under the theme of “Fulfilling the Great Commission,”
was the brainchild of President Jenkins and Midwest South District Presiding
Elder Steven A. Cousin following the close of the Seventh Midwest Annual
Conference, September 7-14.
Attendees
were taken to high-heights in worship through song by Trinity’s Men of Praise
Choir who rendered three selections: “Excellent,” “All Night” and “How Great is
Our God.”
The
theme of unity continued through the worship experience; from the opening Hymn
of Praise, “Come We That Love the Lord,” lined by the Rev. Warren Freeman, to
the soul stirring invocation prayer offered by the Rev. Roger Jackson, to the
thanksgiving litany lead by host Lay President Ronald Scroggins, and the
occasion brought to us by Foster Chisholm. Attendees were reminded of the unity
that binds lay and clergy together.
The
Rev. Donna F. Roberson, Presiding Elder of the Midwest North District presented
the preacher of the hour, Presiding Elder Cousin, who preached from the
subject, “When the Church Comes Together,” using as his text, the Pentecost
account in Acts 2:1-4.
Elder
Cousin reminded those in attendance that the disciples were together on one
accord, in one place, waiting as commanded, engaging in worship and working,
doing “the work of the church,” not merely “church work.” Elder Cousin
concluded that “We must come together!”
Following
the invitation, remarks and the announcements, the attendees were dismissed
with the words of the Lay Benediction: “May God bless us with a true spirit of
Christianity that we may live together, not as man over man, but as laypersons
working with God. Amen.”
*The
Rev. V. Gordon Glenn III is the Public Relations Director for the Midwest
Annual Conference of the Fifth Episcopal District
11. HAMPTON
UNIVERSITY’S PRESIDENT BLASTS FEDS FOR FINANCIALLY GUTTING HBCUS:
September
23, 2014 Black News
William
Harvey, the president of Hampton University was happy to be a part of the
annual White House Initiative on HBCUs Conference, but he didn’t hold his
tongue during the event. Dr. Harvey, who is also Chairman of the White House
Advisory Board on Historically Black Colleges, called out the Feds for
drastically reducing financial support for HBCUs during the event.
HBCU
Digest reports that Harvey blasted the Feds when he opened the annual
conference. Here is an excerpt from his speech:
Despite
this assertion, these are difficult times for our institutions, our students
and their families. Federal support for HBCUs is showing an alarming downward
trend and our friends in Washington need to know that we are watching and
counting. For examples, over the last several years, all of the major Title IV
programs had modifications and adjustments which make it much harder for HBCUs
to get funding. We all know of the Parent PLUS debacle as these loans to our
students are down. Pell grants to Black students are down. Direct loans to our
students are down. Graduate subsidies were eliminated. In addition to student
support, overall support to Black colleges is down. All of these changes had a
significant impact in terms of availability of funding for students. Now more
than ever, we need to support our own institutions and let our voices be heard.
And
it didn’t end there, since Harvey methodically outlined just how the Feds are
gutting HBCUs on every level:
Additionally,
information compiled by the White House Initiative on HBCUs for FY 2011 showed
that out of the total contracts and grants awarded to all institutions of
higher education, those to HBCUs from 16 federal agencies totaled less than 5%
and 12 agencies totaled less than 3%. When one looks at the awards by
categories such as scholarships; tuition assistance; research and development;
administrative infrastructure; and training, 8 out of 12 categories were funded
at less than 3%.
Part
of the problem, says Harvey, is that “too many people who are not affiliated
with nor have ever attended or worked at an HBCU are trying to tell our
stories.” He noted that other majority institutions were being funded to
develop best practices for HBCUs:
Millions
of dollars are being designated to majority institutions and other organizations
to tell the HBCU stories. Can you imagine that? Other millions are being
designated to develop best practices to serve the students who have
traditionally been served by HBCUs. For an example, just last week it was
announced that eleven public universities including Arizona State University,
Georgia State University, Iowa State University, Michigan State University,
Oregon State University, Purdue University, The Ohio State University,
University of California Riverside, University of Central Florida, University
of Kansas, and the University of Texas at Austin, and six national foundations
including the Ford Foundation; The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Lumina
Foundation; Kresge Foundation; USA Funds; and Markle Foundation have formed an
alliance to identify and share best-practices in degree attainment programs for
low-income, minority and first generation students. Grant funding totaling $5.7
million has been designated for the program.
12. BREAD FOR THE
WORLD HIGHLIGHTS THE 10 HUNGRIEST AND POOREST STATES:
Washington,
D.C., September 30, 2014–The states with the highest proportion of hungry and
poor people are in the South, according to a Bread for the World analysis of
the latest U.S. Census data. Several states in the region account for large
portions of the more than 49 million Americans who were at risk of hunger and
45 million Americans who lived in poverty last year.
The
states with the highest percentage of food insecurity, or hunger, are Arkansas
(21.2 percent); Mississippi (21.1 percent); Texas (18.0 percent); Tennessee
(17.4 percent); North Carolina (17.3 percent); Missouri (16.9 percent); Alabama
(16.7 percent); Georgia (16.6 percent); Louisiana (16.5 percent); and Kentucky
(16.4 percent).
“With
families on average still earning $4,500 less than before the recession, the
road to recovery and freedom from food insecurity will continue to be an
arduous one,” said Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World.
The
states with the highest percentage of poverty are Mississippi (24.0 percent); New
Mexico (21.9 percent); Louisiana (19.8 percent); Arkansas (19.7 percent);
Georgia (19.0 percent); Washington, D.C. (18.9 percent); Kentucky (18.8
percent); Alabama (18.7 percent); Arizona (18.6 percent); and South Carolina
(18.6 percent).
According
to Bread’s analysis, these Southern states also had one of the highest
participation rates in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP, formerly food stamps). Congress proposed cutting funding for SNAP 13
times last year despite the program helping move 3.7 million Americans out of
poverty.
Children
continued to be a segment of the population that was most vulnerable to hunger
and poverty. Last year, 1 in 5 American children were living in poverty, which
included 5.2 million children under the age of 6.
“Federal
safety-net programs prevent children from going to bed hungry and allow their
parents continue to look for work. We need to vote for leaders who are
committed to ending hunger and poverty and hold them accountable once in office,”
concluded Beckmann.
Bread
for the World (www.bread.org) is a collective Christian voice urging our
nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad.
13. NAACP STATEMENT
ON SEPTEMBER UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS:
Low Labor Force,
High Poverty, and High Inequality
October
3, 2014
(Washington,
DC) – The NAACP has released the following statement in response to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics (BLS) September employment report which indicates that for
the month of September the national unemployment rate was 5.9. The unemployment
rate for Asians was 4.3 percent, for whites 5.1 percent, Latinos 6.9 percent
and African Americans 11 percent. The report does not include data for Native
Americans.
Wages
continue to stagnate according to this jobs report as well, with average hourly
earnings at $24.53, a penny less than last month. With minimal improvement in employment
levels, American families are counting on wages and hiring to increase at the
middle and lower ends of the job market, where African American workers are
concentrated. This report includes a 288,000 increase in the number of African
Americans employed compared with last month.
Last
month, the Census Bureau also released its yearly report on income and poverty.
Child poverty rates decreased for the first time since 2000, falling slightly
from 21.8% to 19.9%. However, poverty rates for Latino and African American
children were significantly higher at 30.4% and 38.3% respectively.
From
Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, Sr. Director of NAACP Economic Department:
“The
unemployment figure of 5.9 percent does not reflect the realities of many
African Americans as African American workers continue to be unemployed at over
twice the rate of whites. And if we count the workers who are marginally
attached to the job market or working part-time for economic reasons, as many
as 25% of all African Americans are under-employed. What’s worse: wages in the job sectors where
African American workers are concentrated remain far below what anyone would
consider a “living wage.” As the NAACP
embarks on our Justice Tour over the next month across the country and hears
the economic challenges facing our communities, one demand we must rally for
are programs that put all Americans back to work, and instituting a wage that
lets them live above the poverty line.”
About the NAACP
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. COMMUNION: THE
MEAL THAT MAKES US ONE:
MaryJane Pierce-Norton, UMC General Board
of Discipleship
As
one of two sacraments of The United Methodist Church (and the African Methodist
Episcopal Church), Holy Communion has become a practice repeated time and time
again to receive nourishment for the journey of being a Christian.
Holy
Communion is our Show and Tell time from God, where God took very ordinary
elements—the bread, the juice, the water—and took those and imbued them with
deep, deep meaning.
And
it is very much a communal act. We receive strength from each other; we gather
together, we’re joined together. It’s the Lord’s Table and all are welcome
here. So that’s a core concept for us as United Methodists.
We
believe that all are welcome no matter their age, no matter their intellectual
abilities, no matter their physical abilities; we are all welcome at the table.
It
actually comes from a Latin term that talked about a vow that is taken, a
promise; and so in communion, we make a promise of being united to God, united
to one another, for the bringing of God’s Kingdom into the world.
In
the United Methodist Church, the statement that most explains communion for us
is called this Holy Mystery because…it takes us out of those things we may be
able to explain into the mystery of God in a way that we may never be able to
explain…but we can claim.
There
is no rule that says you can take it too frequently. In fact, John Wesley, in
the formative years of Methodism, took it as many as four or five times a week
and he said to the people called Methodists at that time, take communion as
often as you can. It is food for the journey.
I
really like the reason we started World Communion Sunday. I don’t know that
many people are aware but, it started in 1933 by a Presbyterian church. It was
a time where people felt without hope, they felt divided. And the idea sprang
out of this church was, we need a Sunday were all who are Christians gather at
a table and remember we are one.
I
think about that a lot and how it came out of a time of hopelessness and fear,
and I wonder if it’s that different from what we may feel today as we listen to
what’s going around the world and strength that comes of knowing we are united.
*Used
with permission of the United Methodist News Service.
15. SEVEN TIPS FOR
STUDYING THE BIBLE:
Richard
Harris
I
was recently asked to give suggestions for studying Scripture. That's easy.
Following such suggestions, however, is more of a challenge. See how many of
these tips are part of your daily routine. Remember that no one gets it right
all of the time!
1)
Pray as you read. We are told that the Holy Spirit enlightens our reading of
God's Word and brings it home to our hearts and lives (John 16:13). If you want
supernatural understanding of the Bible, pray before, during, and after you
read it. Ask God to speak to you as you read Scripture, and He will!
2)
Read a little every day. Once, when I was on a mission trip in Columbia, South
America, I offered a half-starved person a sandwich. He was desperately in need
of nutrition. He ate half of the sandwich and had to stop. "My stomach
isn't stretched," he said. "That's all I can handle." If you've
not been in the habit of reading Scripture, take in only as much as your hunger
dictates. As your spiritual stomach stretches, you'll develop a greater
appetite.
3)
Meditate. One of the primary Hebrew words for meditate can also be translated
ruminate. Cows, sheep, goats, and other ruminants chew their food, swallow it,
and bring it up to chew it again. Taking several hours to digest their food,
they can draw nutrition from grasses not fit for human consumption. That's how
meditation works. Find a favorite verse, whether a promise, command, or
teaching, and write it out. Put it in your pocket and pull it out through the
day, reflecting on it. You will soon be nourished and strengthened by it.
4)
Apply. As you meditate on Scripture, pray for God to show you specific application.
It's one thing to become exuberant about John 3:16, and the fact that God sent
his son to give us salvation. It's another thing to be moved by this verse to
write a note to your Aunt Mary to tell her you are praying for her as she faces
terminal illness and to gently tell her about Jesus. We must apply the Word
(James 1:23).
5)
Read the entire Bible. Surveys suggest that only 10% of Christians have read
the entire Bible, cover to cover. I have most enjoyed such a read through the
Bible in 90 Days program. It's incredible. I highly recommend it. When you read
it all in just three months, you get a sense of its flow and content, and how
it all fits together. (See ScriptureAwakening.com for details.)
6)
Use tools for your dig. Archaeologists have taken aerial shots of Middle
Eastern deserts to find mounds in the sand covering ancient Tels, or city
ruins. They then select a specific area and dig. And that is what we need to do
with Scripture. Once you get through your read of the whole Bible, dig in.
Tools for your dig include commentaries, concordances, Bible dictionaries,
Bible atlases, and so forth. Purchase and use a study Bible, which is like a
self-contained toolbox. Free internet toolboxes are also available, such as
Biblehub.com.
7)
Develop a pattern of Bible study. In my college years, I developed a pattern
for studying God's Word that changed my life. You can do the same. The
inductive method of Bible study has been a foundation piece to effective Bible
study through the ages. The idea is that we begin with the details and induce
the larger picture. We should ask questions to help us observe, interpret, and
apply the text. The BNEXT study guides at www.ScriptureAwakening.com are
designed to be helpful to you in this effort.
Just
as there are four points on a compass and four seasons to a complete year, it
took four accounts to give us a complete picture of the life of Christ. Matthew
portrays Jesus as King, Mark reveals Jesus as a Servant, Luke upholds Jesus as
the Son of Man, and John demonstrates Christ to be the Son of God.
The
story of Jesus is so important that only one account of His life would not seem
to be enough.
Richard
Harris - Board Member
Prior
to retirement, Richard Harris served in many executive positions in diverse
industries including insurance, agriculture and foods. A former Captain with
the United States Army, Dick has a BA from Dartmouth and an MBA from
Northwestern University. He and his wife, Carol, have been married since 1977
and have five grown children and nine grandchildren. They live in Houston,
Texas and Charlotte, NC.
**Taken
from "Awakening the World to the Power of God's Word - September
2014":
16. THE TRUTH IS
THE LIGHT:
*The
Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr.
Based
on Biblical Text: Psalm 119:98-100: "Thou through thy commandments hast
made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more
understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditations. I
understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts."
We
are currently in our Annual Conference series. It has been my pleasure to
carpool with two pastors with whom I have enjoyed riding and talking.
I
must admit however that there are no three people riding together anywhere with
a more flawed sense of direction. Yes we do employ a GPS that, when set to
where we are headed, gives us road by road directions to our destination.
The
problem for us is that in order to get the full benefit of the direction giving
system we would have to stop talking and listen to the instructions. I have
noticed that the system is great at giving instructions and will continue to do
so just as long as we attempt to obey them. Fortunately, when we find ourselves
engrossed in conversation to the point we miss our turn the system will inform
us that she (a woman’s voice) is “Recalculating!” We are then given new instructions to get us
back on the right course. When we remain quiet long enough to stay on course we
have no problem reaching our destination. However, as our conversations become
more and more animated and we continue to miss turns, seemingly refusing to
follow the instructions that the system is giving us, it automatically stops
speaking to us. My guess is that the GPS figures there is no reason for it to
keep giving us directions because obviously we must know where we are going.
Do
you think that the times when we have not heard from God in a while maybe He
thinks there is no reason for Him to keep giving us directions because
obviously we must know where we are going? Could it be that the way we act
might suggest to God that we don’t need His advice to reach our
destination? We don’t listen any more to
God’s navigational system because we think we know where we are going.
The
Word of God is a navigational system that is just as portable and even more
reliable and trustworthy than any we can purchase to drive by. Thankfully God’s
navigational system is set leading to one destination and that is heaven.
However, there are directions for every side trip we may find ourselves on
along the way as well.
Our
text reminds us that God divulges His directions to us in three distinctive
ways. The text refers to these methods as, Commandments, Testimonies and
Precepts.
The
Commandments, God’s list of moral imperatives, provide the foundation for
Christianity. It is in the Commandments
that God declares His commitment to us as He reminds us, “I am the Lord thy
God!” God demands our allegiance to Him admonishing us, “Thou shalt have no
other gods before me.” In the Commandments God lays out a basic moral lifestyle
encouraging us not to pay attention to anyone but Him, not to make anything
more important than Him and not to kill or steal promising that will keep us
connected to Him, as long as we follow His directions and obey His commands.
As
we live out the Commandments, we become a living example for others many times
even attracting the attention of the unsaved. Living out the Commandments helps
us as the text says, “Thy commandments have made me wiser than my enemies”. The
suggestion, of course, is that knowing God’s commandments will keep us one step
ahead of trouble.
We
each have a testimony of what God has done for us. God has a testimony as well.
God testifies of what He has already done for every generation before us. All
the past illustrations of how much God loves us and cares for us are
testimonies of His goodness, mercy and His grace. There are no testimonies more
convincing than God’s testimonies as they are His witness to a sinful world.
The text says that we should meditate on them, because testimonies breathe life
into our circumstances, pointing the way to wholeness and give us hope.
Finally,
God reveals His directions to us in Precepts. Precepts are principles, rules,
guidelines and instructions. The text admonishes us that precepts are meant to
be kept. In other words we cannot straddle the fence. It must be God’s way!
“Not my will but thine be done.” The
will of God will never be accomplished by those who are not totally obedient to
Him. We can not have one foot in and one foot out. Life is no game. God is in
charge. He makes the rules. If we live by them, we have eternal life. If we
don’t, we will be lost. Playing both sides against the middle leads to death!
We can not be saved on Sunday, and full of the devil the rest of the week. That
lifestyle ends in destruction.
In
those times when we wander off course; when we feel lost, and we can not sense
the presence of God, and we think that God is not able to see us remember that
God does sees us. Fortunately, when we find ourselves engrossed in life to the
point we miss our turn God’s navigational system will inform us that He is
“Recalculating!” He will give us new
instructions to get us back on the right course. When we remain obedient to His
commandments, testimonies and precepts long enough to stay on course we have no
problem reaching our destination. The invisible hand of God is always actively
reaching out to set us free and bring us home. Just take hold of Him, and
cooperate living by His set of laws.
*The
Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., is the pastor of Morris Brown A.M.E.
Church in Charleston, S.C.
17. EBOLA KILLING
MORE PEOPLE THAN THOSE WITH VIRUS:
*By
Kathy L. Gilbert
Oct.
2, 2014 | UMNS
On
the day Sento Conteh’s 14-year-old son died, so did eight other people, all
just outside the doors of Kenema Hospital.
None
of them had Ebola, but Ebola contributed to all their deaths because the
outbreak has caused a collapse in the health care system in Sierra Leone and
Liberia, said Winston Carroo. Carroo is a program consultant with Agricultural
Missions Inc., an ecumenical organization that addresses the root causes of
poverty in rural areas.
Sento
Conteh, a facilitator for the West Africa Initiative, lost her 14-year-old son
to appendicitis because she could not get medical care for him “On that day …
in that community … more people died (of other causes) than those who have
Ebola,” he said.
Conteh
is one of the facilitators for the West Africa Initiative – a rural development
program supported by several denominations in the United States, including the
United Methodist Committee on Relief. She works with 100 farming families in
the communities of Mugomeh, Kangama and Amuloma in the Kenema District.
She
emailed Carroo and said, “My son died tonight.”
He
probably died when his appendix ruptured, Carroo said. “She said her son woke
up with a terrible stomach ache. She waited with him (outside the hospital) all
day, he was crying in pain, and he died that evening.”
The
breakdown of health care systems parallels the breakdown of the economic
system, Carroo said. He referred to a recent Washington Post article that said
Liberia is “descending into economic hell.”
Farmers
planted in March, April and May before Ebola really hit the radar screen. Now
that it is harvest time they cannot get their goods to market because of quarantines,
soaring transportation costs and the closing of markets, he said.
“Their
purchasing power and income have really gone down. The cost of medicine, such
as aspirin, has doubled. Most micro-credit groups are women who have something
to do with trading and because the markets have closed, that has ground to a
halt,” he said.
When
you have no money, you can’t travel and you can’t buy the necessary supplies
that the government is requiring for each home and church.
“You
cannot go and tell people they must wash their hands in chlorine bleach when
they don’t have chlorine bleach,” Carroo said.
The
West Africa Initiative is starting a campaign to raise $46,000 to address three
priorities they have identified for farmers and their families served by their
organization in Sierra Leone and Liberia:
Basic
sanitation supplies recommended by the Ministries of Health for Ebola
prevention, including soap, chlorine bleach and buckets, disposable gloves, and
seeds for the dry-season farming, which begins in October.
School
supplies for children when school reopen—projected for January 2015.
At
the end of September, more than 6,500 cases of Ebola and more than 3,000 deaths
have been documented in the countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Liberia has the highest number of infections and deaths.
The
current outbreak is the largest ever recorded and it is the first time the
disease has been documented in West Africa.
The outbreak is now reaching densely populated urban areas where
containment is a huge challenge.
Helping
rural communities
For
the past six years, Agricultural Missions Inc. has been working with local
partners in Liberia and Sierra Leone to implement the West Africa Initiative.
There are currently 22 active groups in Sierra Leone and 10 in Liberia,
supporting more than 1,000 families.
Facilitators
for the West Africa Initiative have been working with local communities with
education about Ebola preventive measures. They have also been making food available
during this time of crisis.
“The
WAI program has the on-the-ground presence, credibility, and organizational
structure to reach rural communities with the message and material assistance,
but lacks the needed supplies and funds for transportation. While there are
travel restrictions in some areas, the WAI facilitators have been able to get
permission, where necessary, to travel the villages in which the groups are
located,” Carroo said.
How You Can Help
Contributions
may be made to AMI via PayPal at www.agriculturalmissions.org or by check made
payable to Agricultural Missions, Inc. 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 700; New
York, NY 10115.
Countries
in chaos
Ms.
Kathy L. Gilbert is a multimedia news reporter for United Methodist News
Service. Contact her at (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
**Used
with permission of the United Methodist News Service
18. JOIN THE LOTT
CAREY ON THE EBOLA VIRUS OUTBREAK CONFERENCE CALL:
Join
Lott Carey on the Ebola Virus Outbreak Conference Call on Thursday, October 9,
2014 at 12 p.m. (Eastern Time) as we share urgent information concerning the
devastating crisis in West Africa.
Representatives
from the United Nations, Liberia, and other officials actively engaged in the
outbreak will provide critical information concerning this international
response effort. To participate in this meeting, click the link below to RSVP.
Please
be advised, this conference call will be recorded for those unable to join us
on Thursday. The link for the recording will be posted to our website after the
call at:
Financial
resources are urgently needed for those impacted by the Ebola Virus, to share a
gift of compassion, click the link below:
For
more information, please contact the Rev. Dawn Sanders, Director of Missional
Programs at 202-543-3200, ext. 13
Special Thank You!
Thanks
to the generosity of our supporters, Lott Carey has collected nearly 500 boxes
of medical supplies and non-perishable food items for individuals impacted by
the outbreak. Supplies will be shipped to Liberia this month to meet the urgent
needs of individuals and families affected by the Ebola Virus. Your generosity
has made the difference! Thank you for partnering with Lott Carey to reach the
world for Christ!
19. GETTING TO
ZERO- SPEAKING OF TECHNOLOGY, FAITH AND FEAR:
*Dr.
Oveta Fuller
This
edition of Getting to Zero is written completely on an iPad. It is one way to
take advantage of modern technology. One can simply speak the words instead of
typing them. With writing using this technology, many thoughts press forth
about reducing burden from infectious disease. Such is the goal of Getting to
Zero.
Life
is a continuum of learning if we choose and are open to receive the lessons. We
are never too old to learn something new.
A successful first
HIV/AIDS event
St.
James AME Church in upstate New York recently held its first HIV awareness
Sunday. Afterwards, I had the opportunity to talk with their pastor, the Rev.
Charles Rogers. He was part of the Payne Theological Seminary HIV/AIDS class in
summer 2014.
The
September Sunday event was a transforming moment in his first year as a pastor
and for the people of the Saint James congregation. Burdens were lifted by
talking openly about HIV/AIDS as a congregation. Burdens were lifted by the
content of the morning message. The church will grow in depth, commitment and
member numbers in part because of what happened at this worship time.
We
will share later more insights from the interview. A take home lesson at Saint
James is that "truth will make you free." Further, we are reminded
that we "can trust the process and be obedient to move to where God leads
us even when we do not understand or know what will happen."
Ebola virus
epidemic in West Africa
A
second pressing and continuing thought is of the multitudes of people who are in
West African countries in the midst of the 2014 Ebola virus epidemic. I
recently saw a video that included a young boy who has lost 11 members of his
family. Below is a link to the article and several insightful short videos.
The
numbers of known Ebola cases in West Africa have reached to over 6,600 Ebola
disease cases and over 3,200 deaths since the 2014 outbreak started. These are
the reported case numbers. Actual numbers are likely at least twice more. We
are in a global health and economic emergency. Such a time requires diligent
prayer and responsible immediate informed action.
Opportunities for
giving
For
those in or outside of the AME Church, giving of much needed support by
individuals or as collective groups can go to Doctors Without Borders (MSF). The group provides the major medical
teams that have engaged on the ground to supplement the fragile medical systems
of each affected country.
This
link provides connection to multiple recommended options of how and what to
contribute to the MSF efforts. Determine what is right for you. Then proceed to
do as you are led.
I
was told that there also is giving in Nashville, Tennessee that is established
through the office of the Presiding Prelate of the 14th Episcopal- Bishop
Clement Fugh. You decide what to do. Then do it.
As
requested by President Obama in an appeal to the United Nations, there are
people on the ground in communities of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone who
live (or cease to be alive) in an ongoing daily nightmare. Such a global crisis
requires our collective immediate sustained efforts.
Ebola virus disease
(EVD) in the USA
A
third pressing thought is the presence of the first confirmed case of Ebola
virus infection within the United States. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
announced this week of infection of a man who traveled from Liberia to Dallas,
Texas. He was later shown to be infected with Ebola virus and sick with Ebola
disease.
He
is now fighting for his life in a Dallas hospital. Family members and his known
contacts are being monitored for possible Ebola infection. The CDC protocols
for isolation, containment, tracking and monitoring of contacts are in place.
They MUST be adhered to so every possible virus infection is followed.
We
naturally ask how many people were exposed to virus before he was isolated.
Time will tell.
Ebola
virus has come more into focus for many now that it is moving to people on US
soil. This is a time for continued diligence. It requires seeking truth and
paying attention to strictly follow infection control guidelines.
The
standard approach to identify people infected, isolate, trace contacts and
quarantine those at risk to monitor development of symptoms should work
effectively in the USA with our extensive medical care and communication
infrastructure.
However,
it requires strictly following the 'isolate and contain' CDC guidelines for
hospital and medical personnel and for people in communities.
Learning
from Twitter chats on Ebola virus
I
had the opportunity this week to participate in a form of technology that is
relatively new to me. I participated in two planned Twitter chats about the
Ebola virus.
One
chat (a tweeted discussion) was organized by the Black Physicists or
#BlackandSTEM. The conversation content can be found at #NSTNSchat.
The two hour chat started at noon EDT on Thursday, October 2. The topic discussed in multiple tweets for the #NSTNSchat provided some background and the most relevant details of the science of Ebola virus.
A
second Twitter chat was organized by the CDC. It occurred on Thursday at 4:00
p.m. EDT. Content can be followed at #CDCchat. There are many directions in
this discussion from thousands of tweets. The director of the CDC, Dr. Thomas
Friedan, along with other CDC personnel engaged in conversation. People had
lots of questions and comments.
Dr.
Friedan stated in the CDC Twitter chat, as he had on Monday at the press
release about the case in Dallas, Texas, that "we will stop this in its
tracks."
What is required?
If
the actions that are known to work in containing potential lethal pathogens
like Ebola virus are performed diligently and correctly, Dr. Friedan's
statement will be true. It requires that procedures and protocol are followed
to the letter, every time, to protect those who may have contact with fluids
containing Ebola virus and those who are infected or who may be exposed.
For
the rest of us it requires being fully informed and alert. Ebola virus is
transmitted to another person from direct contact with even a small amount of
body fluids from an infected person who has active symptoms of virus infection.
The
symptoms usually start with one or combinations of early symptoms such as
fever, headache, fatigue or backache that will not go away. A list of symptoms
is found in previous TCR editions and in multiple places on the CDC, WHO or
local health department websites.
Here
in the USA, as in West Africa also, being alert to these symptoms is required.
Good hygiene, as needed with mindful diligence, especially in cold and
influenza season, should be known and practiced by each person, including
children. Cover all sneezes and coughs. Wash hands frequently. Clean to disinfect
commonly used surface areas.
Speaking
of fear and faith
Ebola
virus infection and disease are now in the US. Perhaps they also now are in
other places. We share in some small way the long time reality of people in
Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Senegal, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of
the Congo.
Fear
is a major factor in spread of any deadly epidemic. Fear now is a daily part of
life in West Africa where there is overburdened healthcare and communication
infrastructure. In the US with our extensive healthcare, communication and
response systems, there also is heightened concern- a type of fear. It is
profoundly true, and we can take some comfort perhaps from the statement that
"the only thing we have to fear; is fear itself.”
We
are reminded that at least for Christians, faith and fear cannot walk far
together.
As
Christians, we are reminded to pray without ceasing for divine guidance and
human obedience to do what is needed to eliminate Ebola virus transmission for
West Africa and in all other places. This week, we are reminded that we are
indeed a globally connected world.
*The
Rev. Dr. A. Oveta Fuller is an Associate Professor of Microbiology and
Immunology and Faculty of the African Studies Center at the University of
Michigan and Adjunct Faculty at Payne Theological Seminary. An Itinerant Elder
in the 4th Episcopal District, she conducts HIV/AIDS prevention
research in Zambia and the USA. She lived in Zambia for most of 2013 as a J.
William Fulbright Scholar.
20. iCHURCH SCHOOL
LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2014, THE REWARDS OF PATIENCE -
HABAKKUK 2:1–5; 3:17–19:
*Bill
Dickens
Have
you ever finished watching the evening news with all the violence and injustice
in the world and in frustration asked, "Why isn’t God doing
something?" Why do the wicked and the dishonest people prosper? Why do
they get elected to the White House?
Well,
that is not a new feeling. A prophet named Habakkuk felt that way around 620
B.C. and wrote a book about it.
Habakkuk’s
name means to “embrace” or “wrestle.” As is usually the case, his name has
something to do with the message of the book. I think it relates to the fact
that he was wrestling with a difficult issue. If God is good, then why is there
evil in the world? And if there has to be evil, then why do the evil prosper?
What is God doing in the world? They said God did not do good or evil. They
thought God was not involved and so continued in their sin. Habakkuk is one of
the good guys. He fears God and does what is right, but it is getting him
nowhere.
Warren
Wiersbe's book on Habakkuk is entitled, "From Worry to Worship." Dr.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones calls his book, “From Fear to Faith.”
While
Habakkuk begins by wondering or worrying about the world around him and God’s
seeming indifference, he ends by worshipping God. When he heard who was coming,
as recorded in Habakkuk 3:16 says, he trembled; but he certainly ends up
expressing faith by the end of the book. What they are trying to capture in the
titles of their books is the progression Habakkuk makes from questioning God to
trusting God.
So
let’s look at how he made that progression.
Habakkuk
poses some difficult questions to God. He was wondering why evil was
prevailing. God claimed that He would do amazing things that, “you would not
believe if you were told” (1:5). All of the surrounding neighbors who were
super-powers at that time would fall in ruin, as no one expected. Babylon was a
growing empire that would rule over everything, for a time.
In
chapter two, God answers Habakkuk’s question. He urges everyone to be patient
and ultimately trust in Him. ''Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not
right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith” (2:4).
*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
21. MEDITATION BASED ON LUKE 7:36-47:
*The
Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby
I’ve developed a habit in
my 38 years of clergy service of doing absolutely nothing that resembles work
when each Sunday’s worship and ministry responsibilities are done. Two of my favorite Sunday afternoon pursuits
are watching TV - especially during the NFL season - and playing computer
Solitaire. I’m proud to say that since I
purchased my most recent computer, I’ve won very single game of “Free Cell”
Solitaire that I’ve played by employing a simple, but foolproof strategy - I
cheat.
That particular game, you
see, has a button on the screen that allows the player to “undo” past moves, so
when I run into a dead end in a challenging game and have no available moves
left, I just keep clicking “undo” until I get to the beginning of the game,
start over, and repeat the process as many times as necessary until I win!
The “undo” button makes
it easy to consistently win that computer card game, but the game of life has
no “undo” button. All of us are frail
human beings with our own strengths and weaknesses, all of us make our share of
wrong moves, missteps and mistakes in life and all of us have probably wished
at times that we could simply “undo” those things and start over. It’s easy for the best of us to go through
life troubled by the mistakes we’ve made and thinking that we can’t succeed
because we can’t undo them.
That’s why it’s good to
know and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Those of us who do so have a Savior who came into this world to give His
life for the price of our sins, so that even though we can’t undo our past
mistakes, we can turn to a Divine Friend who loves us in spite of our faults,
forgives us in spite of our frailties and gives us new chances and new
blessings when we put our lives in His hands.
Put your life in Jesus’
hands and trust in Him to lead and guide you through each day of our life. You may not be able to “undo” your mistakes,
but you’ll see new pathways that lead to new victories and find comfort in the
words of the hymn that says, “Jesus knows all about our struggles, He will
guide us till the day is done. There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus. No,
not one; no, not one.”
This meditation is also
available as a Blog on the Beaufort District’s Website: www.beaufortdistrict.org
On Facebook at: www.facebook.com/BeaufortDistrictAMEC
Get Ready for Sunday, and
have a great day in your house of worship!
*The
Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby is the Presiding Elder of the Beaufort District of the
South Carolina Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church
22. EPISCOPAL AND
CLERGY FAMILY CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENT:
--
Former Episcopal Supervisor, the Rev. Rosalynn Kyle Brookins invited to
Leadership Reception Honoring Dr. Nkosazana Zuma the President of the African
Union Commission
The
widow of the late Bishop H. Hartford Brookins, Former Episcopal Supervisor, the
Reverend Rosalynn Kyle Brookins, Senior Pastor of Walker Temple African
Methodist Episcopal Church, Los Angeles, California was invited by Mr. Danny
Bakewell owner of the Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper (the largest black
newspaper in California) and other elected officials from around the city to attend
a private leadership reception on Tuesday, September 30th, at 5:00 p.m. The honoree was Dr. Nkosazana Zuma. He is the President of the African Union
Commission and reportedly the next President of South Africa. The legacy continues.
*The
Rev. Rosalynn K. Brookins, Former Episcopal Supervisor
--
The Reverend Jamal H. Bryant Hosts African American Lawyers for C.O.P.S.
Seminar to Offer Black Youths Tips On How to Deal With Police, BCNN1, Black
Christian News Network
The
Reverend Jamal Harrison Bryant, pastor of Empowerment Temple AME Church,
Baltimore, Maryland; son of Bishop John R. Bryant, Presiding Prelate, Fourth
Episcopal District; Senior Bishop of the AME Church and the Reverend Dr.
Cecelia Williams Bryant, Senior Episcopal Supervisor; hosts African American
Lawyers for C.O.P.S. Seminar to Offer Black Youths Tips On How to Deal With
Police, BCNN1 - Black Christian News Network
Reprinted with
permission -
Dealing
with police can involve a delicate balance between knowing your rights and
being respectful to officers.
Both
are crucial, seven lawyers told a church full of Baltimore's black youths and
their parents. But when in doubt, attorney Douglas B. Evans said, "You
have the right to shut up."
The
panel of black attorneys answered questions about police brutality and racial
profiling, amid other concerns during the seminar, Conscious Operations during
Police Stops, or "C.O.P.S.," at the Empowerment Temple Church on
Tuesday night.
The
seminar, hosted by the Rev. Jamal-Harrison Bryant, the church's pastor, was
designed to equip parents and young people with do's and don'ts for police
interactions. The discussion followed recent unrest in Ferguson, Mo., where
police killed 16-year-old Michael Brown, and in Baltimore, where an
investigation by The Sun found more than 100 people have won court settlements
stemming from allegations of police brutality and civil rights violations in
the past four years.
The
lawyers - Evans, Heather Pinkney, Jay Wyndell Gordon, Regina Scott, Ivan Bates,
Derrick Hamlin and Brian McDaniel - offered tips.
Some
were as common-sense as acting respectfully toward police. Others spoke to the
seriousness of the trust deficit that exists between some officers and
citizens.
See
the complete article; click the link below:
-- Tiffany Marie
Kelly, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Herman O. Kelly, Jr. selected as a member of President 64 of Nova Southeastern
University
Tiffany
Marie Kelly, daughter of Dr. Herman O. Kelly, Jr. Pastor and Linda M. Kelly,
First Lady of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge,
Louisiana was selected as a member of President 64 of Nova Southeastern
University in Davie, Florida.
President
64 is an elite group of students; undergraduate and graduate, that serves as
the Presidents representatives for the community and the University. It is an invitation only, handpicked group
and membership is limited to 64.
Representatives must maintain high academic records and be active in
campus organizations.
Tiffany
is a junior majoring in Sports Management and Computer Science. See Nova.edu.
President 64:
*
Dr. Herman O. Kelly, Jr.: Spidermh7@yahoo.com
23. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
regret to announce the passing of James N. Wayns. He was brother of the Rev.
Dr. Melvin D. Wayns, Jr., retired pastor of the Philadelphia Annual Conference,
A.M.E. Church.
The
following information has been provided regarding funeral arrangements.
Memorial
Service will be held Sunday, October 5, 2014 at 4:00 p.m.
Corinthian
Baptist Church of Germantown
6113
North 21st Street
Philadelphia,
PA 19138
Telephone:
215-842-0937
Fax:
215-438-8977
The
Rev. Dr. Ronald King Hill, Senior Pastor
Eulogist:
Rev. Dr. Melvin D. Wayns, Jr.
Professional
Care entrusted to:
John
E. Gibson Funeral Home
Ronald
H. Dinkins, Sr., Prop.
2342
Hamilton Avenue
Willow
Grove, PA 19090
Expressions
of Sympathy can be sent to:
The
Rev. Dr. M.D. Wayns, Jr.
7316
Keenan Street
LaMott,
PA 19027
24. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
Retired
Presiding Elder David L. Moore, formally of the Macon Conference, Griffin
District, passed from labor to reward on Sunday, September 28, 2014 after an
extended illness. The family of the late Rev. David L. Moore thanks each of you
for your continued prayers and words of encouragement during their loss.
Services
for Retired Presiding Elder David L. Moore are as follows:
Memorial
Service & Family Visitation:
Thursday,
October 2, 2014
6:30
pm - 8:30 p.m.
David
L. Moore Gymnasium
Calhoun
Campus
207
Main Street
Irwinton,
Georgia 31042
Celebration
of Life Services:
Saturday,
October 4, 2014; 12 noon
'The
Palace'
Wilkinson
County High School
11481
Hwy 57
Irwinton,
Georgia 31042
Final
Arrangements Entrusted to:
Wilkinson
County Memorial Chapel
142
Wriley Road
Irwinton,
Georgia 31042
(478)
946-2653
Email:
kkmac84@yahoo.com
Condolences
may be sent to:
Mrs.
Jacqueline Moore (wife)
P.O.
Box 113
Irwinton,
Georgia 31002
Telephone:
(478) 946-2725
25. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
regret to announce that Mrs. Linda Lenston, the stepmother of the Rev. Donzella
Lee, pastor of St. John AME Church in Monticello, Kentucky, transitioned from
this world on Monday, September, 29, 2014.
Private
interment for Mrs. Linda Lenston is scheduled for Friday, October 3, 2014.
There
will be no public visitation or service.
Condolences
may be expressed to the family via email, or telephone to:
The
Rev. Donzella Lee
Phone:
502-413-1835
Services
are entrusted to:
RG
May & Son Funeral Home
719
E Chestnut Street
Louisville,
Ky. 40202
26. CLERGY FAMILY
BEREAVEMENT NOTICES AND CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:
Ora L. Easley, Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family Information Center
Web page: http://www.amecfic.org/
Telephone: (615) 837-9736 (H)
Telephone: (615) 833-6936 (O)
Cell: (615) 403-7751
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-AME-Church-Clergy-Family-Information-Center/167202414220
27. 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.
Did someone you know pass
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