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
– THIS WEEK – A SNIPPET OF CONVO XVII AND TWO RE-POSTED TCR
EDITORIALS:
Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III
The 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder
I am attending CONVO XVII in Atlanta,
Georgia and what a dynamic meeting!
Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Presiding Prelate of the 11th
Episcopal District gave the Keynote Address/ Lecture/ Instruction/ Sermon – And
whatever one wanted to call the delivery: it was dynamic, challenging,
motivating and captivating! Bishop James L. Davis, Presiding Prelate of the 9th
Episcopal District set the tone of the delivery with his creative introduction
of Bishop Richardson.
All of the active and most of the retired
bishops are in attendance as are most of the general and connectional
officers. The breakout groups are
dynamic.
And that’s all I am going to say about
CONVO XVII, except to say that this is probably the best attended CONVO ever.
You will have to wait…
Next week’s issue of TCR Online
will address CONVO XVII and you will be able to read Bishop Adam J.
Richardson’s Keynote Address/ Lecture/ Instruction/ Sermon – And you will be
able to determine what you want to call it and some of the other presenters’
presentations.
Senior Bishop John R. Bryant, Presiding
Prelate of the 4th Episcopal District made many insightful comments,
but one that stands out to me – “Too many preachers preach
for the ‘Amen.’”
Okay, the full deal in the next issue –
take my word, CONVO XVII is dynamic and all of the presentations to this point
make me a proud AME and I know the remaining presentations are “off the chart”
too!!
I sat in on Dr. Dennis Dickerson’s
presentation… and overheard the presentation in the next room… and what
presentations! Much more next week!
Back to this week’s issue of TCR Online
This week’s issue of TCR Online features a
rerun of the TCR Editorial “Liturgical Colors and their meanings,” which has been
requested by a number of persons in the last few weeks.
The second editorial, “The Watch Meeting Night Services in Black America” is one I
chose to re-post in hopes that all of us will understand the genesis of the
Watch Meeting Night Service.
-- LITURGICAL
COLORS AND THEIR MEANINGS
The Rev. Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III
It is by a law in some denominations and I
suspect it is by tradition, or the by the decision of assigned pastors in the
African Methodist Episcopal Church, that the ministerial vestments and the
drapery used in the decoration of the altar should correspond in color that is
appropriate for the liturgical season.
The colors, if used appropriate to the liturgical cycle, are called the
liturgical colors.
White
- This is the color of perfection, glory, holiness, and joy. In the African
Methodist Episcopal Church and some other denominations, white is used on
Communion Sundays. White is also used on
the joyous and great festival days of the Godhead such as Christmas Day and
during the Easter season (the Sundays after Easter). Many of our churches use
white for weddings.
Red
- This
is the color of blood. It reminds us of the blood of Christ which was shed for
the forgiveness of the sins of all of humankind. Red is used during Holy Week
from Palm Sunday through Maundy Thursday. Red is
also the color of fire and represents fervor, zeal, victory and triumph. Red is
used during the Pentecost season to mark the birth of Christ's church on earth.
Some churches use red throughout the Pentecost season, which starts fifty days
after Easter and goes to beginning of Advent (Four Sundays before
Christmas). Some pastors use red for
Pentecost Sunday only and not during the entire Pentecost season.
Green
- This is the color of life and signifies growth. Green may be used for the
Sundays after the Pentecost (sometimes called the Trinity season).
Purple
- This is the color of preparation and of penitence. Purple is used during the
seasons of Advent and Lent.
Black - This is the color of deep sorrow and darkness. Black also
reminds us of death or the end of life. Black is used only on Good Friday to
remind us of Jesus' death and humiliation on the cross.
Blue - This is simply the color of hope. The hope of the coming
and long awaited Messiah. Blue is now being used, in some churches, as the
color for the Advent season.
The Liturgical
Year
1) Advent.
The four Sundays before Christmas Day.
Color: Purple (or Blue).
2) The Christmas Season Begins on Christmas Day. There are twelve days of the Christmas
Season, which begins on Christmas Eve and goes to Epiphany (January 6). Color:
White
3) Epiphany
Begins on January 6
The Epiphany of Our Lord (January 6). Color: White.
The second through the eighth Sundays after the Epiphany (Sundays
always referred to as the Sundays AFTER the Epiphany - Color: Green. The last
Sunday of the Epiphany (The Transfiguration of Our Lord) Color: White
4) The Lenten Season Begins on Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday and the 5 Sundays OF Lent
(Referred to as the Sundays OF Lent) - Color: Purple;
Palm Sunday (Sunday of the Passion) and all of Holy
Week (Monday - Maundy Thursday) - Red.
Good Friday - Black (or wear no stole or coverings in the chancel area)
5) The Easter Season Begins on Easter Sunday
Beginning with Easter Eve and all of
the Sundays of Easter - White (Gold may be used on Easter Day and Easter
evening
6) Pentecost Season Begins Fifty Days after
Easter Day
The Day of Pentecost - Color: Red; The
Sundays after the Pentecost (excluding the first Sunday AFTER the
Pentecost - see # 7 below) Color: Red (or Green). Note: Methodist Churches historically have
used red throughout the Pentecost season.
Some are now using green throughout the Pentecost Season, which we used
to refer to as Whitsuntide.
7) Holy Trinity Sunday is
celebrated on the First Sunday After the Pentecost - White.
--THE WATCH MEETING NIGHT
SERVICES IN BLACK AMERICA:
Dr.
Calvin H. Sydnor III
The 20th
Editor of The Christian Recorder
We are approaching the New Year and pastors
and local church leaders have or are, hopefully planning for Watch Meeting
Night Services.
The Watch Night worship service has been a
strong African Methodist tradition from the very beginnings of the AME Church.
I mention that because there has been a revisionist account that originally
stated that the genesis of Watch Night Services in black communities are traced
back to gatherings on December 31, 1862, also known as "Freedom's
Eve" when blacks came together in churches and private homes to await the
news that the Emancipation Proclamation was going to become law.
The revisionist account of the Watch Night
Service says, “Black folks have gathered in churches annually on New Year's Eve
ever since, praising God for bringing us safely through another year.” The
story is heartwarming, but there is more to the story.
Today, the Watch Night Service is held in a
lot of black and white Churches; and the Emancipation Proclamation story has
relevance and I am certain that the night of December 31, 1862 had a special
meaning for the slaves. However, President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation
did not free all of the slaves, only the slaves in the slave-holding states,
but I am also certain, for those who took advantage of the emancipation order,
December 31st remained a significant day in their lives as long as
they lived.
But, the Watch Night service didn't begin
in 1862; it began many years prior to that date.
The Watch Night Service reportedly began
with the Moravians in Germany and was picked up by John Wesley who incorporated
the service in Methodism. In England, Europe, and in America, the early
Methodists and other religious groups also observed Watch Night services; the
Moravians certainly did. The noted homiletician, Charles H. Spurgeon, a
Baptist preacher, preached a Watch Night Sermon on December 31, 1855 and took
his text from Lamentations 2:19.
In America, among the earliest Watch Night
services was probably held at St. George Church in Philadelphia where Richard
Allen and other blacks were members.
To say that the Watch Meeting services
began in the mid-1800 is a myth. It is certain that Richard Allen celebrated
Watch Meeting Night services at St. George Church and it would follow that
Watch Meeting Night services were held at Mother Bethel African Methodist
Episcopal Church in Philadelphia.
Originally, Watch Night services were held
to deepen the spiritual life of the Methodists and Wesley, himself explained in
his Journal that watch Night services in England were generally held between
8:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. on the Friday nearest the full moon "so that
participants walked safely home through moonlit streets."
In 19th Century Philadelphia,
the Methodists continued the practice of watch-night services on New Year's
Eve. The newly-formed AME Church members, wherever AME Churches were
located, celebrated Watch Meeting Night services.
Watch Meeting Night Service is a tradition
that I hope will continue because we have a lot for which to be thankful.
All of us have a testimony to give, a song to sing and a prayer to be
prayed.
In the black community, the Watch Meeting
Night began with us, the African Methodist Episcopal Church and with the Right
Reverend Richard Allen, the first consecrated and elected bishop.
Though other denominations have Watch Night
services, Watch Meeting Night worship is a Methodist tradition and we should
never, ever, forget it.
2.
ADVENT LITANIES 2015
*The Rev. Dr. Anne Henning
Byfield is the Presiding Elder of the North District of the Indiana Conference
FIRST WEEK
Liturgist: Dear Lord, we
seek your presence in our lives so that the essence of Advent may be realized.
Congregants: Come, Lord Jesus,
come.
Liturgist: Every 24 hours,
an elderly person wakes up alone. Everyday a person dies without family or
friends.
Congregants: Come, Lord Jesus,
come help us find the meaning and purpose of true Christian witness.
Liturgist: Every 20 hours,
a person under the age of 30 dies from complications related HIV/AIDS.
Congregants: Come, Lord Jesus,
come, on this World AIDS Day, and help us to witness as the Spirit of God leads
us to destroy this deadly impact on our lives.
Liturgist: Everyday
multiple numbers of Black persons die from a murder, which begins a lifetime of
grieving for, parents, family and friends.
Congregants: Come, Lord Jesus,
come. Use us to stop this madness of
violent destruction, and show the way of love, justice and reconciliation.
Liturgist: Everyday, we
face global and local terrorism.
Congregants: Come Lord Jesus come
as we declare Black Lives Matter here and abroad.
All: As we wait for
Christ to be revealed to us again, we will not wait to act. We light this candle proclaiming, come Lord,
come.
SECOND WEEK
Liturgist: Living between
calm and chaos, we hear certain sounds of war and violence as we search for a
way out.
Congregants: Come, Lord Jesus,
come; show us the light of your salvation.
Liturgist: Living between
calm and chaos, we have troubled dreams, painful realities and unbalanced
busy-ness.
Congregants: Come Lord Jesus, to
assure us that there is balance in crisis and living to quiet the inappropriate
noise.
Liturgist: Living between
chaos and calm, we seek for a tomorrow to help us live in to-day.
Congregants: Come, Jesus come, be
the light out of darkness so that we can make our strong Zion stronger.
Liturgist: With uncertain
sounds, troubled dreams, painful realities, death of our young, and working to
make out strong Zion stronger, we declare
Congregants: Come, Lord Jesus,
Come, to bring calm to agitation, peace to violence, response to inactivity,
and empowerment so that the power of a strong loving resistance is stronger in
every situation. We light these candles.
THIRD WEEK
Liturgist: The people cried
out for a prophet who would confront us about our stagnation and lack of action
outside the church walls.
Congregants: We too cry for a
prophet who dares to be heard, speaks truth to power, bows not to false power
while proclaiming, come Jesus, come.
Liturgist:
As we prepare for the
waiting of Christ, we open our eyes to those young and old who also see new visions and act on
them in the midst of racism, sexism and all other injustices.
Congregants: We give thanks for the emergence of these
new liberators in and out of our Zion; with them, we proclaim as well, come
Jesus, come.
Liturgist: The
prophets of old declare that God’s reigndom is at hand and we must be the
witnesses of God’s power, justice, hope, love, light, and peace. In this season of waiting for the re-revealed
Christ, we all must become God’s prophets.
Congregants: Stir
within us the will, the power, the work, and the resolve to be a light to a
dying world; we light these candles in that anticipation, wonder, and burden.
FOURTH WEEK
Liturgist: We are a few
days away from our celebration of the birth of Christ, what do you want for
Christmas?
Congregants: We want some “fear nots” so that our anxiety over
global and local war is stilled so we affirm that we are well abled to confront
the present darkness over our lives, families and communities.
Liturgist: In a few days,
when we sing the special carols, someone will be crying over the loss of a
loved one, others will weep at the loss of income. While others the impact of
being Black, what sayest you to them?
Congregants: We pray
that they have the good news of Jesus, life is restored, and faith renewed and
we can sing there is healing after the death of a child, hope after the double
assault by urban violence or police action shootings and the systems which
justify the assaults; and the CHURCH will respond with more than prayer vigils.
Liturgist: Very soon many families will
open gifts, share the love and laughter of relationship, what do you want for
Christmas.
Congregants: We want some “great joy” for all. We hope that in the midst of
all of life’s challenges, the joy of Jesus will be our strength and laughter
will return.
Liturgist: What shall we do today in
preparation for Christmas Day?
Congregants: We
light these candles that the world will have some fear nots, good news and
great joy in our Savior the Messiah, Jesus the Christ.
*The Rev. Dr. Anne Henning
Byfield is the Presiding Elder of the North District of the Indiana Conference
3.
WALKING BY FAITH HAS LIMITS:
Dr. Wayman B. Shiver, Jr.
Preachers encourage church
members to walk by faith. Parishioners
try to comply with the request until the unsanctioned community groups make a
request to use the facility to further their agendas. Members have little faith that non church
groups have respectable goals. Not only
are they suspicious about the groups’ public mission, they just do not want
other people destroying the building and costing members’ unnecessary money to
repair the damage. Therefore, to
discourage outside groups from making requests, congregations appoint building
oversight committees and devise stringent guidelines governing the use of the
facility. In many cases, the guidelines
are justified because of the tendency for outsiders to be unreliable and have
insufficient funds.
Long time members of churches who can recall the hardships and the
trails they had to endure for many years have a vested interest in preserving
their cherish place of worship. They
often do indeed understand that the church belongs to God; however, they also
remember how their facility was acquired and paid for. Often members endured personal hardships.
Some of them sold fish and chicken sandwiches to support rallies for the building
fund. In such instances, they refuse to
allow their facility to be destroyed by questionable individuals and groups who
have limited fiscal resources and often problematic visions for the improvement
of the human condition. Older church
leaders ask “Why are we responsible for groups with no tangible resources,
including human resources?” They also
emphasize the fact that many multimillion dollar church facilities built 20
years ago were not consciously designed to accommodate community based activities. Not only that, a high percentage of church
congregations never had in mind opening their doors to people outside of their
social circles.
The church building often
represents the core of religion rather than God. As such, it is a symbol of the exclusive
society that frowns on diversity in terms of social and economic status. Members choose to maintain their identity
even if they discourage those seeking to become saved. Apparently, members keep forgetting that the
church is more than the beautiful facility.
God’s Church is an accepting spirit that embraces all segments of the
community regardless of social, economic and educational levels. Potential members may not look and act like
us.
Lately, the church hierarchy
has been extremely vocal about the lack of growth in membership. However,
congregations continue to be resistant to the notion of opening their doors to
the vast number of uncharted people who might consider joining their churches
if they were enticed by more welcoming attitudes. Snooty attitudes deter growth in membership.
Thus, the decision to allow
outside groups to conduct activities in church facilities must be based on
building supervision, liability insurance coverage and available staff to
oversee usage, not faith.
4.
CONNECTIONAL LAY ORGANIZATION PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:
To: The Bishops of the Church, Bishop William
Phillips DeVeaux, Sr., Lay Commissioner, General Officers, Connectional
Officers, Executive Board, Clergy and fellow Laypersons:
Greetings in the precious
and outstanding name above all others, Jesus the Christ!
Momentum is building as eyes
and thoughts began to focus on Philadelphia and the Bicentennial of our
denomination, the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
It speaks of our sacred
history and heritage and how Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, and others walked
out of St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church into an unchartered future. They walked by faith and not by sight into a
day filled with promises and opportunities.
Two hundred years later we
look back and according to that gospel song, “My soul looks back and wonder how
I got over”. No one but Jesus could have
delivered those freed slaves to be precursors to one of the greatest movements
in the history of African Americans in forging this great nation, a movement,
which has spread to five continents and several islands of the world.
Two hundred years of
contributing to progress in education, medicine, sports and space exploration
are among our many contributions. We
produced the first African American newspaper and a system of governance in the
Black Church which is often imitated by others.
We have and are making a significant impact on the entertainment field
with talent such as Leontine Price, Halle Berry, Byron Cage and the list goes
on.
Why reflect on the past 200
years? It tells of a journey of a people
who have withstood the challenges and atrocities of overcoming and bringing us
to this day. At the turn of the century
the number of AMEs were over twenty five percent of the population of African
Americans. Today, we face perhaps, one
of the greatest challenges, the eroding of our excellence in membership,
governance, making judicious decisions and the “am I my brothers and sisters
keepers. This is being demonstrated in
our insensitivity to the cries of our brothers and sisters at the grass root
(Local Churches) hurting and struggling to be heard as they fight to survive.
For many years we have
implicitly stated that in order to endure for the next 200 years more changes
will be needed to insure this survival.
Like Job who became caught up in his own righteousness and began to see
himself equal to God. God reminded Job;
I made you and all that is. I love you
but I am your creator. Job had to repent
and saw who he was. He sought forgiveness
and God forgave and restored to him even more than what he had lost.
We must see ourselves as Job
did and seek God’s forgiveness. He wants
our latter days to be better than our beginnings.
This address was written
because I love our Church, heritage, history and governance. Here are some recommendations I would suggest
in looking at ourselves to return to the excellence we proudly have
demonstrated in our past.
·
A call for a Connectional Church wide revival to
increase dependence on God.
·
A heuristic evaluation of our structure and
governance making both more relevant for current times.
·
Connectional, Episcopal and Presiding Elder
District budgets being more accurate and transparent in reflecting real
membership of the Church.
·
Equalize Episcopal Districts. This may mean as many Episcopal Districts
have consolidated Conferences (downsized), that Bishops of smaller Districts
preside over two Episcopal Districts.
This would reduce the need to elect so many Bishops.
·
Is it time to consolidate General Church
Officers?
·
A code of Ethics (Conduct) for all clergy with
consequences be included in The Book of Doctrine and Discipline AMEC.
·
A Chief Executive Officer (CEO) be elected to
oversee the administration of the Church with all the rights associated with a
CEO including empowerment to enforce the Code of Ethics (Conduct).
·
Fostering globalization in the Connectional
Church. To accomplish this thrust a set
aside program be established so that 14 – 20 Episcopal Districts can be better represented on the bench of
Bishops.
My hope is that when we
leave Philadelphia we will have set a strong viable assured foundation for the
next 200 years in fulfilling the Great Commission. My prayer continues to be that God continue
to bless the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Connectional Lay
Organization.
Servant Leader,
Willie C. Glover, Ph. D.,
Global President, the Connectional Lay Organization
5.
NINETY-SIX YEAR OLD LIFE-LONG AME AND TRAINER OF THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN SHARES HIS
WORST TIME AS A PILOT:
Mr. Roscoe Draper is a
life-long AME who belongs to Bethel AME Church in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He was educated and learned to fly at Hampton
Institute, now Hampton University. He was hired and trained the Tuskegee
Airmen. Mr. Roscoe Draper is a legend.
Here is his story.
Thanks, Dave. I think the worst time I ever had in an
airplane was blessed with Divine Providence!
I had five other people with me in a Cherokee Six, N 1283Z. I was a part-owner of the airplane, but I
have since sold my share of it, but I really love it, even yet! I will tell you of an event that makes me
feel this way.
I can't recall the date, but
it was many years ago. I was flying with
one of my partners, and we flew them to an event in Florida. On the return trip, I considered the
possibility of saving time by skipping a refueling stop.
I calculated the fuel
consumption, the distance, the groundspeed, and the weather. Everything confirmed the wisdom of saving approximately
an hour by passing up the refueling stop.
With Northeast Philadelphia Airport, PNE, our final destination, and a
recheck of distance and groundspeed, I rechecked everything as we passed
Wilmington, Delaware. Voila, everything
said "go for it!"
When we got to PNE there was
weather that required an instrument approach, and when I got down to minimums,
I declared a missed approach and "poured on the coal"! Just then I saw the runway number, but my
discipline would not permit me to change my mind. I went over to Trenton, and found it below
minimums also.
Approach Control told me
that PHL was clear and I elected to land there, fuel permitting! That was the most terrifying flight of my
whole flying career! I thought of the
irony of a crash caused by the stupidity of a seasoned pilot who ran out of
fuel! I advised Approach of my fuel
concerns, and they cleared me to land on runway 17.
I landed and taxied in and
parked the airplane. The next morning I
went back to refuel the airplane, and the 94 gallon tanks took 97 gallons of
fuel! I will always love the airplane
because it took me to parking without dying for lack of fuel!
In my old age I have come to
admit that I have been lucky, not to have exceeded the limitations of equipment
or person! Also, when I was assigned to
the Philly FSDO, I was given the package someone had turned down, having
changed his mind as regarded his option.
That package included multi-engine refresher flying, instrument flying
refresher, and a helicopter instructor rating, when I was 60 years old! Some say there is no luck in Aviation, but I
beg to differ!
I haven't flown an airplane,
or driven an automobile in a few years, but I think I could get by in both
areas if I had an opportunity to do so.
I have no need to, so I am happy to allow the younger pilots to handle
that responsibility for safety.
6.
CHURCH ISSUES MUSINGS FROM A PASTOR, PART ONE:
*The Reverend Darryl R. Williams
Young
Adults
To ignore the differences in
how various age groups approach their faith experience has been a critical
error of organized religion. For example, both baby boomers and busters tend to
emphasize a more personal faith, while millennials are more concerned with how
to express one’s faith. Their faith is more relational.
Doing ministry in the 21st
Century is going to require us to take advantage of all the valuable research
done by social scientists so that we are ministering armed with information
that can help us as we attempt to reach various age groups. “The one size fits
all” approach is not helpful.
In one study, 7 in 10
protestant young adults who were active in church in high school said they quit
attending church by the age twenty three. 34% had not returned by age 30. In
light of this research we can no longer simply say “as soon as they find
themselves they will return to church.” The less religious and the more
pluralistic society becomes, the less likely this is to be true.
I grapple with this issue (I
don’t write this article as one who has mastered this issue, but one who
grapples with it and will continue to do so), and in my grappling I have
discovered several things:
Young Adults, like most of
us, don’t choose a denomination; they choose a community. To the degree that we
can emphasize community in our churches and provide community building
opportunities such as small groups, especially with their own peers, that will
correlate with our success in ministering to young adults.
Faith Formation: Robert
Wuthnow, in his book “Ministering to Young Adults” says that Millennials are
‘tinkerers’ when it comes to faith. In other words, they take a ‘little here’
and ‘little there’ to form their faith. Therefore having opportunities for them
to “tinker”, to form their faith through book clubs, small groups, etc. is
critically important. To think that giving them worship that is long on style
or very short on substance is to minimize their commitment to spiritual
formation and the spiritual and intellectual depth and curiosity they have.
In 2008, I’ve saw a huge
amount of Young Adult participation in Barack Obama’s Presidential Campaign. It
continued in 2012, and it has spilled over into the “Black Lives Matter” movement.
Millennials want opportunities to make a difference. Faith must be translated
into action, if not, what’s the point? The cry that we hear constantly from
others whenever truth to power must be spoken or some cause must be fought for
is, “Where’s the church?” The church’s commitment to social justice will not
only make it relevant in the 21st Century, but also to a place where
millennials will see as integral in finding meaning for their lives and living
out their faith.
The
Globalization of the Church
Jesus says in Matthew 28:19,
“Go ye therefore into all the world, and teach all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” Jesus had the
globalization of the church in mind when he uttered this statement. The Acts of
the Apostles is how the Apostles went about this task, taking the Gospel from
Jerusalem, to Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.
The African Methodist
Episcopal Church is now on 5 continents. Some of the places where we have gone
are now growing faster, than we are in America. We have such a powerful message
of liberation and empowerment. I am zealous about advocating that it continues
to reach places where people are oppressed and other nations where our message
and presence is needed.
The
Kingdom of God
“Thy kingdom come, thy will
be done.” (St. Matthew 6:10) “Seek ye first kingdom of God.” (St. Matthew 6:33)
To Jesus, the kingdom and its implementation seem to be the primary thing. God
has gifted the church with individuals and groups whose purpose is to be
participants in bringing the kingdom to the oppressed, the poor, the captive
and the spiritually blind (Luke 4:18-19). It is easy to allow what we do to be
reduced to no more than “tinkering with the machinery.” The church is missional
in nature. What makes us true to our nature is the degree to which we and all
our component groups are engaged in being used by God’s Holy Spirit to usher in
the Kingdom.
*The Reverend Darryl R.
Williams is the pastor St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
7.
AME CHURCH CONNECTIONAL LAY ORGANIZATION TO HOST BENEFIT BREAKFAST:
The Connectional Lay
Organization, (CLO) under the leadership of Dr. Willie C. Glover, President,
will host a benefit breakfast at the site of the 50th Quadrennial Session of
the AME Church General Conference Sunday, July 10, 2016 at 7:00 a.m. The event will take place at the Philadelphia
Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Breakfast is a fundraiser
for the Connectional Lay Organization’s Scholarship and Disaster Relief
Funds.
During the 2012 General
Conference, the CLO reached its goal of raising $50,000 and was able to award
three $5,000 scholarships in lieu of the $1,000 previously awarded to
individual scholarship recipients. The
Connectional Lay Organization also was able to give substantial contributions
for disaster relief in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and to several African
countries thanks to a successful fundraiser and the guests who attended.
This major CLO event is
co-chaired by William “Bill” Ayers and Cheryl Hammond Hopewell. A primary goal is to raise $60,000 at this
breakfast fundraiser to continue the Organization’s support of our scholarship
and disaster relief funds. Another goal
is to have 100 youth/young adults in attendance to share in this major
occasion. A dynamic program has been
planned with outstanding talent from the Host (1st) District and Connectional
participation during the breakfast.
Tickets are available
now. Your $85 donation will help us
realize our financial goal. Please
contact your Episcopal District Lay Organization President or his/her designee
for tickets to support this worthy cause.
*Submitted by Brother
William Ayers Jr.
8.
AME PRESIDING ELDER SWORN AS NEWEST MEMBER OF CHICAGO PUBLIC BUILDING
COMMISSION BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS:
The Rev. Albert D. Tyson
III, the Chicago pastor, who is the Presiding Elder, North District, Chicago
Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, brings years of
experience and involvement with civic and community-based organizations that
have played a significant role in shaping issues of importance in Chicago's
neighborhoods.
Appointed by Mayor Rahm
Emanuel in September and approved by the Chicago City Council on October 28,
the Rev. Tyson served as a former member of the Board of Trustees of City
Colleges of Chicago from 2000-2011 and remains active with a number of community
and faith-based organizations and boards.
"I am honored to have
the opportunity to serve the City of Chicago in this capacity. I am grateful to
Mayor Emanuel and the City Council for the confidence they have in me,"
the Rev. Tyson said. "I will do my best to represent the highest standards
of civic service."
In welcoming the Rev. Tyson,
Felicia S. Davis, Executive Director of the Public Building Commission said,
"I am grateful that Rev. Tyson has agreed to serve on the PBC's board of
commissioners and share his considerable experience and knowledge with us. His
commitment to community will help us as we continue to build and strengthen
relationships with our clients and the communities we serve," Davis said.
The Rev. Tyson's term will
run through September, 2019. Also today, Commissioner Martin Cabrera, Jr. was
sworn in for another term that runs through September 2020.
Also today, Commissioner
Jose Maldonado, Jr. was appointed as Chairman of the Board's Administrative
Operations Committee, and Commissioner Tyson was appointed to serve as a member
of the Committee as well. Additionally, Commissioner Mariyana T. Spyropoulos
was appointed as Treasurer of the Board of Commissioners.
About the PBC: The Public
Building Commission of Chicago manages construction and renovation projects for
the City of Chicago and its sister agencies. Mayor Rahm Emanuel serves as the
PBC's chairman. Felicia S. Davis serves as the Executive Director of the PBC.
Additional information about the PBC and its projects can be found at www.pbcchicago.com. You can also follow
the Public Building Commission of Chicago on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr,
Pinterest and LinkedIn.
9.
HISTORY MADE IN FAYETTEVILLE - FIRST BLACK MAYOR IN CITY SOLICITED GOP VOTES,
IS SEEN AS "BRIDGE-BUILDER":
By Tammy Joyner
Fayetteville’s Ed Johnson
was elected as the city’s first black councilman in 2011 and last week was
elected as the city’s first African-American mayor.
Newly elected Fayetteville
Mayor Ed Johnson waits in the Fayetteville City Hall before the City Council
meeting Thursday.
Steve Schaefer / Contributed
The Edward James Johnson
File
Age: 60 Native of: New
Orleans Residence: Fayetteville Political history: Elected to Fayetteville City
Council, 2011. Currently, Fayetteville mayor-elect.
Work history: Retired in
2000 as a naval commander after 22 years in the Navy. Currently, pastor of Flat
Rock AME Church in Fayette County, the oldest African-American church in the
county.
Community activities: Has
served three times as president of the Fayette County branch of the NAACP since
its founding in 1997.
Family: Married to retired
naval officer Vanessa Johnson for 36 years. The couple has two sons, Edwin and
Devan, both graduates of Fayette County High School. Edwin is a graduate of
Georgia Tech and Devan is a graduate of Georgia State University.
Hobbies: Fishing and golf.
As Fayette County continues
to spar over the question of preserving at-large voting or embracing district
voting, voters in the county seat of this Republican stronghold elected a
consensus-building Democrat last week as the county’s first black mayor.
Ed Johnson, a retired naval
commander and pastor of Fayette’s oldest black church, unseated incumbent mayor
Greg Clifton on Tuesday night in an at-large, nonpartisan race that drew only
11 percent of Fayetteville’s 12,000 registered voters. Johnson got 673, or 54
percent, of the votes. Clifton drew 582, or 42 percent, of the votes. About a
third of Fayetteville’s 16,000 residents are African-American.
It is the second time the
60-year-old Johnson has made history in a part of the county where streets are
named after Confederate generals. In 2011, the three-term president of the
local NAACP was elected Fayetteville’s first black City Council member with the
help of a coalition of political groups that included the local tea party.
“He’s a person who can
attract support from those who historically differ from African-American
views,” said Fayette NAACP President John E. Jones. “He’s a bridge-builder.”
During his run for mayor,
Johnson attended the Fayette County Republican monthly breakfast and solicited
votes for his candidacy.
“I cannot ever recall that
happening before in my two decades of residing in Fayette County,” County
Commissioner Steve Brown said.
At that time of his election
to the City Council, Johnson was only the second black candidate to win any
kind of political office in Fayette. (Chief Magistrate Judge Charles “Chuck”
Floyd holds the distinction of being the first. Floyd was first appointed to
the job in 2002 and later elected to the post in 2004 and again in 2008. He
died in 2010.)
In the bigger political
picture, Johnson’s win could “bolster the argument that African-Americans can
get elected in the county under an at-large system,” said Charles Bullock,
Richard Russell professor of political science at the University of
Georgia. “For the defense it’s something
they could point to,” added Bullock, author of the 2009 book “The Triumph of
Voting Rights in the South.” At the same
time, Bullock said “the other side would come back and say ‘So this
African-American wins in Fayetteville but that’s not the entire county.’ So
it’s not as strong an argument for the defense because it’s not a probate judge
or some officer who’s running countywide.”
Either way, advocates and opponents of at-large voting hailed Johnson’s
win.
“He’s won twice now in a
small Southern town with a white majority population,” said Bob Ross,
co-founder of the Fayette County Issues Tea Party and an advocate of at-large
voting. “They looked first at the person
to see what kind of person he is. He certainly gets a check in the box for
being a good citizen. He’s community-minded and selfless with his service. He’s
got the ability to listen to different sides of an issue and he tries to build
consensus,” Ross said. “People
appreciate that and they say ‘That’s the kind of person I’d like to be running
my city.’ Clearly, the majority of voters were voting for the right person.
They’ve seen how he performed as a City Council member for four years and they
elevated him to mayor,” Ross added.
The NAACP’s Jones called
Johnson’s win “a testament to the work the NAACP is doing to make our community
more inclusive and diverse as far as the people who govern. We look forward to
great things from Rev. Johnson. I know he has some great ideas he wants to
implement. We’re all concerned about the high rate of vacant commercial
properties in Fayetteville. I’m sure he plans to address this.” “With the
changing demographics in Fayette, it’s a successful accomplishment,” Jones
said.
In an interview with The
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Johnson talked about his win and his goals for
Fayetteville. He wants to get more citizens involved in the city’s
decision-making process and continue to bring in more businesses. While Johnson said at-large, nonpartisan
races in Fayetteville “can produce fair and equitable elections,” he stopped
short of saying whether it was the best method for selecting county-level
candidates. “I don’t know that. I think
people vote their conscience. In a small-city election, they look at the
quality of the candidate,” he said.
Fayetteville is currently in
District 5, a mostly black district created in 2013 when U.S. District Judge
Timothy C. Batten’s ordered the county to establish single-member district
voting.
The county appealed and an
appeals panel sent the case back to Batten for trial, which last week was
postponed from its scheduled Nov. 16 start date.
As for which voting system
would work best for Fayette County? “I prefer not to answer that,” Johnson
said. “It’s still in litigation.”
*Used with permission of The
Atlanta Journal Constitution
10. THE TRUTH IS THE LIGHT:
*The Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr.
Based on Biblical Text: 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 KJV: Wherefore also we pray
always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and
fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with
power; that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye
in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We learn the truth of the gospel message is that all of
life is a prelude to that day of the Lord, when He shall come riding on the
clouds to claim His own. We understand that this place is not our home and that
we are pilgrims passing through, and we shall not rest until we rest in Him.
In our text we find the Apostle Paul praying as the
church at Thessalonica is overwhelmed with an intense, although unwholesome
expectancy of the approach of God’s judgment day. Paul writes the letter to
dampen their premature excitement and calm their anticipation. Paul new then
and warns us now that nothing has the potential to hinder the spread of the
gospel more than the premature expectation of Christ’s return. Paul had to
remind them and reminds us that, “we know not the day or the hour when He shall
appear”.
As he pens this epistle we see that there are several
times when he actually turns away from his main thoughts and utters a prayer.
We can conclude that when the need for prayer presses upon us, we should stop
everything and pray!
Paul’s prayers are the embodiment of tenderness and the
love of a true Christian teacher who seeks to minister to God’s people. He
reminds us that it is a weak love that cannot express itself in prayer. Paul
says, “We pray for you, that God would count you worthy of your calling”
obviously focusing on the future coming of Jesus Christ, and the Judgment and
bringing us face to face with God’s future judgment of all people.
A popular theme among Christians highlights the truth
that “he who trusts in Jesus Christ will not come into condemnation, but has
passed from death into life”. Paul
challenges us to understand that it is equally true that “judgment will begin
at the house of God” and “The Lord will judge His people.” In other words, we
who by virtue of our professed Christianity, are nearest to God, can be sure
that we will be examined thoroughly by Him, as we stand in the revealing light
of His holy presence. We can expect that every flaw, corrupt speck and sin,
will be exposed. None of us who are partakers of the covenant promise will
escape the righteous judgment of God. We must understand that the doctrine of
forgiveness does not mean that He will allow our sin to remain on us, un-judged
or un-avenged. God will judge us.
God will judge our calling! Not our vocational duty to
the community, our church attendance record or our diligence to serve in one
auxiliary or another. God will judge the reality of our being summoned by Him
to be His!
It is God Himself who calls us. He calls us by the
Gospel. It is that great voice of Jesus extending the invitation of love that
summons us. He summons us to holiness. Paul says Jesus summons us, “unto
salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth.”
We are summoned by the Gospel that reminds us of the
sacrifice and life of Jesus Christ. We are called to a life of
self-crucifixion. We are challenged to bring our flesh into subjection to the
Will of God and to aspire after God. We are summoned to live a holy life
according to Jesus’ example.
Therefore, considering who it is that summons us, by what
He summons, and to what He calls us, we are compelled to yield to the most
sincere motives, the highest standards, and the most stringent obligations of
life. It is safe to conclude that this mission merits our best response.
God calls us to “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye
are called!” The question clearly becomes, what sort of life will be counted
worthy? We must examine ourselves to
ascertain, whether or not our life corresponds to His Divine purpose in calling
us to Him. We must ask ourselves can I say, “Lord, Thou art mine, and I am
thine and my life is a living witness of our marriage”. Can we say, “Lord, I have banished self; I am
full of God, and the life which I live in the flesh I live not to myself, but
to Him that died for me”?
Jesus’ reputation is in our hands. People will judge Him
by us. If we are worthy of our calling, people will be drawn to Jesus by the
faithfulness of our discipleship. We are the best evidence of the power of the
Gospel. If it can change you and me, it can change anyone.
*The Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., is the pastor
of Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina
11. iCHURCH SCHOOL LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY,
DECEMBER 6, 2015 - THE SABBATH
DAY - EXODUS 20:8-11 & 31: 12-16:
*Brother
Bill Dickens
Key Verse: Remember the Sabbath Day by
keeping it holy. Exodus 20:8
Introduction
December 6, 2015 is
the Second Sunday of Advent. The
2015-2016 Winter Quarter will focus on the role of tradition within individual
and corporate worship experiences.
We will explore the
role of tradition(s) in offerings, weddings, funerals and Special Days. For many, the term tradition carries a
burdensome connotation. Tradition is thought to be a barrier to change
because change tends to make tradition subservient to an alternative way of
doing something. An individual who is viewed as an iconoclast is believed
to be a critic of established traditions and beliefs. All traditions are
not “socially bad.”
Traditions can have
positive effects on our lifestyle. The tradition of rising from our sleep
early in the day improves our productivity. The tradition of turning off
the TV when we study improves our probability of getting an “A” on our world history
exam.
Fundamentally,
traditions are a reflection of how we live and what we do.
We subconsciously
adopt traditions in order to maintain some sense of order, structure and
balance in our society.
The December 6, 2015
AME Adult Church School Lesson looks at the tradition of working. Work
rule traditions have been defined by companies, Federal/state governing boards
and trade unions.
The Book of Exodus
addresses the tradition of working through introduction of the key term -
Sabbath. Let’s put on our thinking caps and “work” our way thru today’s
printed text.
Bible
Lesson
The fourth
commandment of the Decalogue is unique. The first three commandments
define a vertical relationship between humanity and Yahweh. The final six commandments define a
horizontal relationship regarding how we interact with each other.
The fourth
commandment sets up the first “regulatory rule.” This rule is honoring
the Sabbath Day. Sabbath means to cease doing something. For the
writer of Exodus, Sabbath is an official cease and desist order from
working. There is no negotiation about this workplace regulation. The
rule (tradition) can be understood in three interrelated ways described below.
Purpose of the Sabbath
The regulation about
work (Sabbath) is important from both a theological and existential
perspective. From a theological perspective the Sabbath Day is sacred
because it reflects the order of divine creation occurring in “six days” and
our omniscient Creator “resting” on the seventh day. The Sabbath
therefore is hallowed or holy because our omniscient Creator rested. If
the Creator rested, creation should also “rest.” This is our existential
response. We are all required to work, however, we need to do all of our
work in six days and leave the seventh day for work cessation because the
Sabbath is sacred.
Equality of the Sabbath
Exodus 20: 9-11
makes it clear that observance of the Sabbath is not limited to recently
liberated Jews from Egypt. These passages stress that the observance holds
for men, women, strangers and even animals! There is recognition of
equality. The equality recognition makes perfect sense. Since we
are all beneficiaries of God’s creation we should also be held responsible and
liable for the workforce tradition of the Sabbath. There are no little
“I” and big “U” in the sight of God.
Respect of the Sabbath
Exodus 31: 12-16
explains why we should respect the Sabbath. If a tradition or rule is
broken or violated the implied social order may be at risk. In order to
avoid the possibility of having greater risk the author of Exodus outlines
consequences for Sabbath-breakers. A Sabbath-breach is a serious
offense. The guilty person will face capital punishment. Killing
someone who is a Sabbath-breaker seems like punishment exceeds the crime. Such a conclusion however is grounded in our
Western form of 21st century jurisprudence. Capital punishment was a part of early Hebrew
society. The tradition was honored in
order to maintain “law and order”. The fact that the Old Testament only
records one instance where a Sabbath
breaker was executed signals that the expected punishment was used as an
effective deterrence (Numbers 15:32-36).
Bible
Application
In higher education,
the quest for a tenured professorship will be a function of impeccable
credentials, teaching prowess and research productivity. The concept of a
“Sabbatical” is granted in the seventh year of a normal contract to allow the
professor time off to focus on research productivity. Completion of the Sabbatical
will allow the applicant time to complete his/her tenure portfolio prior to
examination by the tenure review committee.
The tenure process
would be incomplete without allowing applicants “time off” or a Sabbatical to
complete their research priorities. If the Sabbatical can be an important
tool to help a promising scholar achieve tenure, how much more can we benefit
today by honoring the Sabbath?
When we know the
purpose of the Sabbath, it is easy to respect the Sabbath. Respecting the
Sabbath suggests we reverence the Sabbath by not engaging in work activities
that take us further from knowledge of Yahweh.
Our ancestors
understood this extremely well. Recall how it was rare in African
American communities for people to cook on Sunday, wash clothes on Sunday or
vacuum their homes on Sunday. Sunday (Lord’s Day Christian Sabbath) is
sacrosanct so all work should be completed Monday thru Saturday. As Jesus
noted, “Sabbath is made for man not man for the Sabbath.” QED
Homework
Assignment
Where is “Sabbath
School” mentioned in the AME 2012 Book of Doctrine and Discipline?
*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 African Methodist Episcopal Church
12.
MEDITATION BASED ON JAMES 1:19-27:
*The
Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby
I’m
writing this meditation as the 2016 Presidential electoral season becomes an
increasingly interesting spectacle. Some
candidates pursuing the “evangelical Christian” vote are proclaiming their love
for the Lord, to the delight of potential voters who also say that they love
the Lord.
What’s
interesting, however, is how many of them apply their professed faith. They ridicule the President of the United
States, question his faith and oppose his every move. They speak against allowing refugees fleeing
terrorism into the United States - although Jesus and His earthly parents were
once refugees who fled to Egypt to avoid genocidal terrorism in Israel.
They
label those seeking to immigrate to America from some countries as rapists and
criminals, perpetuate divisive racial stereotypes, speak against aiding those
in need and engage in angry rhetoric that is rude, crude, insulting,
inflammatory and often blatantly untrue.
Those
candidates and their “evangelical Christian” supporters remind me of what Jesus
said about differentiating between those with authentic faith and those with
bogus, self-serving faith - that, like some trees, we’ll be known by the fruit
that we bear.
Remember
that not only in this political season, but also as you travel life’s
roads. Authentic faith is something
that’s not only proclaimed in worship or at other convenient or advantageous
times, but that’s lived out in the spirit of the “golden rule” articulated in
different ways by most world religions.
Authentic
faith means reaching out to and making the needy whole. Authentic faith means defending those Jesus
called “the least of these” and seeing that their well-being isn’t trampled
under the feet of the powerful.
Authentic faith means respecting all of those who cross you path, even
those with whom you disagree. Authentic
faith means lifting others up instead of putting them down and not quietly
accommodating to evil.
Do
better than some of our Presidential candidates. Don’t just talk about your faith - live your
faith. You’ll find new joy in life, new
peace of mind, new direction and new appreciation for the song of my ancestors
in the faith: “I’m gonna live so God can use me, anywhere, Lord; any time.”
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
13. CLERGY
FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We
regret to inform you of the passing of Mrs. Cora Gleese. Mrs. Gleese was a former president of the
Thirteenth Episcopal District Women’s Missionary Society. She served the church
and traveled the church widely for more than 50 years, thirty plus years as a
First Lady; former wife of the Reverend James Gleese III. She was the mother of three daughters and one
son (deceased), the grandmother of ten, the great grandmother of twenty-three
and the great-great grandmother of one.
Mrs.
Gleese was a member of Mt. Zion AME Church, Memphis, Tennessee where the Rev.
Stanley Richardson serves as pastor.
Service
Information for Mrs. Cora Gleese:
Family
Visitation:
Friday,
December 4, 2015, 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 P.M.
Mt.
Zion AME Church
42
South Parkway West
Memphis,
Tennessee 38103
Telephone:
(901) 849-9176
The
Rev. Stanley Richardson, Pastor
Saturday,
December 5, 2015
Viewing:
10:00 A.M.
Viewing
with family present: 12:15 p.m.
Funeral
Service: 12:30 p.m.
St.
Andrew AME Church
867
South Parkway East
Memphis,
TN 38106
Telephone:
(901) 948-3441
Fax:
(901) 322-7994
The
Rev. Kenneth Robinson, M.D., Pastor
Professional
Services are entrusted to:
N.J.
Ford and Sons Funeral Home, Inc.
12
South Parkway West
Memphis,
TN 38109
Telephone:
(901) 948-7755
Fax:
(901) 948-7103
Online
Guestbook:
Expressions
of sympathy may be sent to:
Mrs.
Debra Barnes (daughter) and Family
1899
Janis Drive
Memphis,
TN 38116
Phone:
901-503-2337
Email
condolences: DeborahGBarnes@yahoo.com
Facebook
condolences: https://www.facebook.com/deborah.gleesebarnes
In
lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the family; checks should be made
payable and mailed to:
Mrs.
Debra Barnes
1899
Janis Drive
Memphis,
TN 38116
**The
family of Mrs. Cora Gleese
14. CLERGY
FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
Brother
Melvin Clipper Driver, II, the husband of Sister Shirley Lee Driver, the sister
of Presiding Elder Hartford Lee of the Daytona Beach District-11th
Episcopal District, passed away on Sunday, November 29, 2015 in Titusville,
Florida.
Arrangements
for Mr. Melvin Clipper Driver
Wake
and Viewing
Friday,
December 4, 2015
5
p.m. – 7 p.m.
Lewis-Ray
Mortuary Inc.
1595
S Hopkins Avenue
Titusville,
FL 32780
Telephone:
(321) 269-5811
Funeral
Services:
Saturday,
December 5, 2015
3:30
p.m.
St
James AME Church
625
Dummitt Avenue
Titusville,
FL 32796
(321)
269-3645
Services
are entrusted to:
Lewis-Ray
Mortuary Inc.
1595
S Hopkins Avenue
Titusville,
FL 32780
(321)
269-5811
Contact
Information for cards etc.:
Mrs.
Shirley Lee Driver
1955
Tropic Street
Titusville,
FL 32796
The
Reverend Hartford Lee
Email:
Lhartford43@att.net
15. CLERGY
FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
Our
sympathies go out to the family of Sister Doris Green. Mrs. Green was the mother of the Rev.
Benjamin Hollins, pastor of Price Chapel AME Church in Los Angeles; the Rev.
Michael Green, Associate Minister at Price Chapel AME Church; and the
mother-in-law of Mrs. Cathy Green, Financial Secretary of the Southern
California Conference Lay Organization.
Visitation:
Friday, November 6, 2015, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
House
of Winston Funeral Services
9501
South Vermont Avenue
Los
Angeles, CA 90044
Telephone:
(323) 757-2271
Fax:
(323) 757-1421
Email:
info@houseofwinston-la.com
Service
of Celebration of Life: Saturday, November 7, 2015, 11:00 a.m.
Price
Chapel AME Church
4000
W. Slauson Avenue
Los
Angeles, CA 90043
Telephone:
(323) 296-2406
Arrangements
have been entrusted to:
House
of Winston Funeral Services
9501
South Vermont Avenue
Los
Angeles, CA 90044
Telephone:
(323) 757-2271
Fax:
(323) 757-1421
Email:
info@houseofwinston-la.com
Condolences
may be shared as follows:
The
Rev. Benjamin Hollins & Family
29538
Southwood Lane
Highland,
CA 92346
16. FORMER
CONNECTIONAL OFFICER FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
Mrs.
Fannie Ruth Anderson, the sister and only remaining sibling of Jerry W. W.
Turner, Sr. and the aunt of jerry Turner, Jr., Former Connectional President of
the YPD and RAYAC and currently Director of Lay Activities for the 4th
Episcopal District, passed away on early Monday Morning, November 30, 2015 in
Abbeville, SC
Arrangements
for Mrs. Fannie R. Turner Anderson:
Sunday,
December 6, 2016
1:00
p.m. Visitation
2:00
p.m. Celebration Service
Cypress
Chapel AME Church
140
Cypress Church Road
Abbeville,
SC 29620
Services
are entrusted to:
Brown
and Walker Funeral Home
108
Henry McNeil Turner Street
Abbeville,
SC 29620
Contact
Information for cards etc.:
The
Turner Family
9526
West Circle Court
Milwaukee,
WI 53224
Telephone:
(414) 350-2024
Fax:
(414) 358-3022
Email:
jrturnerjerry@hotmail.com
17. BEREAVEMENT NOTICES AND CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS
PROVIDED BY:
Ora L. Easley, Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family Information Center
Email: Amespouses1@bellsouth.net
Web page: http://www.amecfic.org/
Telephone: (615) 837-9736 (H)
Telephone: (615) 833-6936 (O)
Cell: (615) 403-7751
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMEC_CFIC
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-AME-Church-Clergy-Family-Information-Center/167202414220
18. 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 this copy of The Christian Recorder to you? Get
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