THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE ENGLISH EDITION (2/6/10)

Bishop Richard Franklin Norris - 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. EDITORIAL – LET US REKINDLE THE ITINERANCY IN THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, PART II:

Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III,
The 20th Editor, The Christian Recorder

The editorial last week, “Let Us Rekindle the Itinerancy in the African Methodist Episcopal Church” precipitated some lively and lengthy discussion. I have some more thoughts on the issue of the itinerancy that relates to the ordination process.

The church Conference, the quarterly conference, the annual conference and the presiding bishop need to ask the hard questions of applicants for ministry. Applicants for ministry need to be asked more than about their call to ministry or their call to preach. They should be asked about their academic plan for meeting the educational requirements; asked to explain their theological perspectives and questions about current events and how current events impact the religious landscape; and they should be asked about how they plan to fulfill their commitment to ministry. It should be fully explained to them about the itinerant and local tracks for ministry and the commitment and personal sacrifices needed if they choose the itinerant track.

The African Methodist Episcopal Church needs to affirm and reaffirm local ministry and those who serve in the local ministry should not be treated like second-class citizens. Those who serve as local deacons and local elders are as important to the ministry of the AME Church as those who serve in the itinerancy. And sometimes their institutional knowledge of the local church and knowledge of the local community makes them invaluable.

Another issue addressed was that of bi-vocational ministry. I know that we have a large number of smaller churches that cannot support fulltime ministry and I know that clergy, who pastor churches that cannot support fulltime ministry, need to be employed in order to provide for their families. And oftentimes their ministry is a blessing for the local church because it eases the financial burden of the local church. Some pastors are fine with that arrangement and some churches are okay with the arrangement of bi-vocational ministry and when it works, we should all celebrate bi-vocational ministry. What we don’t want to see are pastors who work secular jobs, neglect the ministry and growth of the local church to which they are assigned. In other words, the bi-vocational pastor has to have an abundance of energy that he or she can expend in the pastorate and in his or her secular employment; one cannot be at the detriment of the other.

The ordination process must be reexamined if the itinerancy is to be rekindled. For instance, I am not certain if the rule requiring graduation from an accredited seminary always works in the best interest of our Zion.

In past years, Boards of Examiners certified candidates for ministry. I can remember when, if a person was in seminary, they were excused from meeting with the Board of Examiners. When the annual conference roll was called, the pastor of the applicant for ministry responded, “Bishop, Brother So and So is in Seminary” and Brother So and So was excused from being examined by the Board of Examiners and was advanced to the next class.

The responsibility of the Boards of Examiners was to certify those persons for ministry who were unable or unwilling to attend college or seminary. The applicants went through a grueling process each year at the annual conference and if they passed the examination, they were advance to the next class and ordained in the local or itinerant track as deacons, and then as elders. And some of those who were ordained under that system have been among some of our most stellar clergy. The system worked because it reinforced the itinerancy and affirmed the work of the Boards of Examiners.

The Missionary rule, which, apparently is no longer in The Discipline, allowed a person to advance more quickly through the ordination process if there was an identified pastoral appointment for that person to be assigned. The Missionary Rule system worked because it, too, reinforced the itinerancy and affirmed the work of the Boards of Examiners.

The problem with the requirement that candidates for ordination as itinerant elders be graduates of accredited theological seminaries does not insure the academic, theological, and denominational requirements and quality for ministry in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Additionally, the requirement for graduation from an accredited seminary diminishes and weakens the work of the Boards of Examiners.

The AME requirement for applicants of ministry to be graduates of accredited theological seminaries currently allows them to choose any accredited seminary, regardless of the seminary’s denominational affiliation. They can attend a Baptist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, nondenominational, Jewish, or even a Muslim seminary, if there is one that’s accredited.

Let me say this to make a point, if any student sits under my teaching for three years, he or she will be a Methodist and specifically an African Methodist when he or she completes my course of study. Seminaries are in the primary business to train clergy for their denominations and at the same time make money; they are not in the primary business to train ministers for other denominations. And sometimes, when our candidates for ministry approach graduation, those seminaries “steal” our brightest and best applicants for ministry. The United Methodist Church addressed the issue of which seminaries were best for their applicants of ministry some years ago and forcefully redefined the rules about which seminaries their applicants for ministry could attend. They have also reinforced their counterpart of our Board of Examiners.

I believe the work and function of Boards of Examiners should be reexamined and re-empowered to be the gatekeepers of the itinerant and local ministry of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The first order business would be to insure that the Boards of Examiners are composed of the brightest and most academically qualified clergy. No “good old boy” or good old gal” political appointments to the Boards of Examiners. The AME Church should relook the Conference Course of Study.

I would trust a well-qualified Board of Examiners’ recommendations for ministry in the African Methodist Episcopal Church over the graduation requirement recommendation of some of the accredited seminaries that some of our applicants for ministry attend. I don’t want to name seminaries, but will if I have to. For instance, there are accredited theologically conservative seminaries that in no way represent the theological, denominational, historical, human rights’ perspective, gender equality or any semblance of Methodism, and certainly not African Methodism. Ordaining persons who graduate from those seminaries is often counterproductive.

If we are going to rekindle the itinerancy, we need to relook the ordination system and ask the tough question; what is best for our Zion. I support the requirement for accredited theological education, but I also have faith in a well-structured, well-qualified and re-empowered Board of Examiners to certify persons for ministry in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

My mother and grandmother used to tell me, “You need to go to college and get your education, but please don’t abandon common sense.”

Sometimes I think that in requiring everybody who seeks ordination in the itinerancy to be graduates of accredited seminaries; we have in some ways, abandoned common sense.

2. READER RESPONSE TO EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES:

- To the Editor:

RE: Let Us Rekindle the Itinerancy in the African Methodist Episcopal Church

Another reason why we have so many Itinerant ministers without churches is, and you won't believe this, is their spouses. Some years ago I head the Bishop offer a minister a church and he said to the bishop, let me go ask my wife. I thought this to rather odd. In this instance, God called preacher, not his wife. But many of our ministers are sub-pastors because their spouses pull the strings.

Anonymous

- To the Editor:

RE: Let Us Rekindle the Itinerancy in the African Methodist Episcopal Church

Bishop Cummings was acknowledging the fact that there were more potential pastors than churches available. He said, if a person wanted to go out and start his or her own church, he would ordain him or her, and give him or her an assignment to that church. We had a number of church plants and it’s my understanding that few of them flourished.

Anonymous

- To the Editor:

RE: Question about origin and whether Men can serve as stewardesses

The Rev. Erika Crawford shares that in a conversation with a fellow pastor, the subject of the Stewardess Board came up and Rev. Crawford said that she was told some time ago that the Stewardess Board was created for the women of the Church because there was a period of time when they were not allowed to serve on the Steward Board and that the Stewardess Board was for women. The Book of Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church 2008 refers to Stewardesses as, persons (Page 69, Discipline 2008), not women.

Rev. Crawford’s Questions:

(1) Was the Stewardess Board created for the women of the AME Church because there was a period of time when they were not allowed to serve on the Steward Board?

(2) Is it acceptable and/or appropriate for men to serve as Stewardesses?

Editor’s Note: I have never seen a male Stewardess, but it appears to me, from the reading of The Discipline that there is nothing in The Discipline that prohibits men from being Stewardesses. “Stewardess” is feminine case and “steward” is masculine case. We have women stewards and if we follow that logic, we could have men stewardesses.


3. ASK THE LAWYER / PASTOR:

The Rev. Cornelius Scott, Esq.

Question:

I have a question that you may be able to help me with or at least point me in the right direction. Can the pastor and finance committee of a local Church control the funds of the Lay Organization and the WMS? When I say control I mean; (1) can they limit the amount of funds these organizations have in their treasury? And, (2) Can they demand these funds to be turned over to the central fund of the local church at the end of the conference year? If these organizations are subject to the by-laws of their respective organization, and have obligations to the conference and district, can this be done? This seems unlawful and unfair. If this were the Women's Progressive Club or the Male Usher Board I would not have a problem but this is clearly a show of force from the pastor and the Finance Committee. I would your input on this matter. Respectfully Submitted,

Answer:

The short answer is, “Yes, the pastor and finance committee of the local church as control organizational funds. Here is the reason why.

It is a prevailing tradition and/or law in the A.M.E. Church that no local auxiliary or organization can declare its independence from the pastor and the governing body of the local church. There should never be an attitude among local organizations that they own money to do with as they please and not be accountable to the local pastor. Local pastors have a great responsibility and accountability regarding all funds raised by the local church.

Although, it may seem unfair to you, The Book of Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2008 (hereinafter referred to as “The Discipline”) calls for the pastor to meet with the societies and other organizations of the charge as often as possible and overlooks their accounts from time to time. Nonetheless, no money should be disbursed without the knowledge and consent of the pastor. (The Discipline, pp. 113-114)

The Official Board is typically the governing body of the local church. Consequently, the pastor as a member and chairperson ex-officio of the Official Board is authorized to oversee, direct and manage the funds of the local church in conjunction with the Official Board. (p. 75) if a pastor were to attempt to control the funds of the Women’s Missionary Society or the Lay Organization, even the Official Board could not overrule the pastor or reverse his or her decision or modify or change the pastor’s plans for the government of the local church, except by a two-thirds vote of its members. (p. 76)

Furthermore, if a local church utilizes “commissions” as an optional church organization, all monies raised by organizations of or for the church must be immediately reported to the Central Budget Fund and disbursed as the Official Board directs, subject to the approval of the pastor. Although the WMS and Lay Organization (with their by-laws) are church-wide organizations, the responsibilities of these organizations to their Connectional counterparts are the responsibility of the local congregation and its pastor. It is not tied to an organization’s isolating funds.

In conclusion, it is the pastor’s responsibility to support and enforce all the rules of the societies and every part of The Discipline and work cooperatively with all of the departments of the local church. (p. 114) it is incumbent upon each pastor to help all of the organizations to understand their roles and responsibilities within the context of the local church and their connection to other Connectional counterparts.

Email Ask the Lawyer / Pastor questions to: cornelius@ssscott.com

4. ANOTHER VIEW – “LET’S REKINDLE THE ITINERANCY IN THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH”:

*The Rev Sekoboto Joseph Tau

Thank you for the editorial comment on “Let us Rekindle the Itinerancy in the African Methodist Episcopal Church” and for sharing your views and the invitation for others to share their views. I would like to share my views on the issue of the itinerancy in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Just to make sure that I am not faceless, I am very “proud to be an African Methodist Episcopal Church Itinerant Deacon in the AME Church in South Africa, specifically in the 15th Episcopal District and a “supply pastor” to a charge in Cape Town. You will note the phrase “supply pastor” to a charge simply because the appointment was given from the hand of the Bishop to the Presiding Elder. So literally, I am assisting the Presiding Elder to pastor a charge. I am in possession of a certificate of appointment – written “TBS” (To Be Supplied); no presiding elder’s name and no one’s name, only the name of the church where I am a “supply pastor.” So, you can see that we, here on the continent of Africa relate to some of the issues you raise. In some instances we do have more itinerant elders than churches, in other areas there are serious shortages; and it just got worse because no itinerant deacon gets a pastoral appointment; only itinerant elders receive pastoral appointments, but there are some itinerant elders who do not have pastoral appointments. So, you are raising a very hot issue, among all clergy I must thank you for that and hope other people will share their views also.

Whether my views are correct or incorrect, received or not received, disturbing or not – All I need people to know is that I am extremely happy serving God where I have been sent. I am extremely excited and thankful to God with the manner in which my Presiding Elder recommended me to the Bishop and the Bishop used his “Godly judgment” to insure that I had the opportunity to serve as a “supply pastor.”

As I get ready to give some comments on the article, I am further raising a new trend that I am seeing in the Church, probably from our “Primus Inter Pares” – Chief among the Elders (Bishops of the Church) in trying to address the some of the matters you raised and I am sure those issues are being discussed and are viewed as sensitive by some clergypersons, especially the notion of, “supply pastor.”

I have read The Discipline left, right and centre and will continue to do so. I have especially researched the issue of the itinerancy.

Let me summarize my views:

You are eminently correct, in some instances; statistics show we have more itinerant elders / deacons than we have churches. You will also find the converse being true, more churches than there are itinerant elders / deacons. What I mean in a genuine shortage, not of itinerant elders and deacons available, but those unwilling to “participate” in itinerancy. I prefer the converse set up, because it puts the AME Church right in the centre of the Gospel according to Matthew 9:35-38 (allow me not to restate the passage, readers can look it up if they are not familiar it) because it raises Jesus’ concern.

You see, we tolerate the practice of too many itinerant elders / deacons / locals, simply because the AME Church may be is growing too slowly. There are many reasons, call them excuses if you like, but look at The Book of Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church 2008, Page 125, Supervisory and Advisory Functions of the Presiding Elder, item 2. b. that encourages that a new church / congregation be established within the quadrennium and new places be sought out where new ministries can be established. This obviously lies squarely in the hands and responsibility of the presiding elder and obviously the assigned person / pastors must make sure that possible ministry sites are identified. You are correct; we should not be surprised with the higher numbers of “labourers”/”workers.” On the other side, our evangelism campaigns even from pastors in charges, has not been extremely effective – Why, some pastor settle in and see ministry as maintaining the status quo, but that’s another debate for another day!

On a point of aspiration of status

Yes, there could be some clergy who may have mistakenly looked at it from that perspective and approached their ministry that way, but, I believe that the majority of us believe are genuinely called and we know there is a “cost in this discipleship.” I think the problem may be a systemic one. We have traditionally over-emphasize the prestige / position and power of being a “reverend.” so much, to the extent, that we have down-played other ministries that our church has huge opportunities to invest in and where we could share our gifts and graces. Hence, to be a preacher and be in the pulpit is “the” thing to get and to be in other people’s eyes, otherwise, “you are nothing in the AME church if you are not a pastor.” That is a perception that many of the laity have about us and the Church. Could this be one of the causes of a “drum-major instinct” and some small disagreements and conflicts we see in Church between clergy and laity? The point is – if we open up for ordinary people to practice their gifts and talents to the Glory of God and publicize these opportunities to serve God differently from just preaching, showing off other critically important ministries we have – we (AMEC, the Board of Examiners, Bishops and others) would not be flooded with so many persons seeking admission to ministerial orders and ending up ordained, then land in a place where there is “no harvest,” but just plenty of “labourers.”

Another view – some pastors may have “joined” up as careerist; “joined” up with our ministry simply because they failed other college or university entrance requirements so – it was easy to get into AME ministry! I am really hoping this is not the case but my gut tells me that my assumptions are correct. Does this explain why we have clergy with serious behavioral and misconduct issues? Could some of these issues be some of the reasons why we have some of the ministerial efficiency matters / maladministration in churches? Could this be the reason why some itinerant elders, deacons want to choose, nominate, suggest or candidate for where they want to be appointed? There are so many scenarios for why some of the problems with pastoral appointments and people serving without pastoral appointments. Some of the issues you raised might contribute to the impediment of our Church’s growth.

Yes, I agree, the itinerancy is not easy and most often obedience to the itinerancy is a challenge, and when rejected, it destroys the very best God wants out of those God called. I believe each person who accepts the challenge and the ordination of ministry need to think about their calling, apply their minds, understand it implications of their call. Those who are called, truly called, know that there is really no good justification, merits, reasoning and rationale that one can, in good faith, refuse the call! I believe strongly that God needs “delivery agents” for the work of saving souls. Read page 102 - 103 of The Book of Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church 2008, especially the section that deals with Hindrances and Causes for Spiritual Poverty. If God has truly called you, itinerancy properly applied, can never be problematic to God’s chosen “delivery agent,” for a time, a place and the people to whom you are sent to.

The challenge of the itinerancy is that some fear the burdens the will have to carry when they accept difficult and challenging pastoral appointments. Where does this put the itinerancy? Sometimes pastors are put in difficult situations, having to serve “flock of sheep surrounded by wolves, that won’t go away.” I empathize with bishops and presiding elders who are faced with the challenging task of appointing and matching pastors to pastoral appointments.

The matter of bi-vocational ministry also presents challenges and commitment from pastors. The Discipline 2008 on Page 113 Section VI, B. 1 is clear and pointedly says, “An itinerant pastor must be diligent; never unemployed, never thrifingly employed” and “…should be a tither as a good example to the laity.” I have been sent to a church in the real rural outskirts of Karoo in the deep Cape or Eastern Cape in Tsolo, where there is still a congregation to be established and served, which does not have the means to take care of itself, let alone look after a truly inspired and willing itinerant elder or deacon. The ministry is rewarding, but difficult. The service and hard work of a pastor is recognized with some gifts of few eggs and pieces of chicken. I am sure that we have pastors across the connection; overseas and in the United States who have similar experiences in ministry. The clergy is already making a sacrifice to serve. Now we seem to have a problem with pastors who are employed, giving their tithe, supporting the church and its ministry – are we now saying it is not good enough? Many bi-vocational ministers have pastoral appointments and serve the church with diligence, commitment, and sacrifice and serve with competency, efficiency, good behaviors; any without misconduct. Bi-vocational ministry should be celebrated.

I trust that your comments about vocational ministry were not disparaging, because bi-vocational ministry is not the only reason why some elements of the itinerancy needs rekindling. How do we enforce the itinerancy with so many pastors who have to work secular jobs; it’s a reality and a necessity. Many bi-vocational ministers serve with distinction, there is no problems with many of them; they do their work and their ministry. Yes, we must re-kindle the itinerancy, yes it must be enforced – but bishops and presiding elders must do it the right thing as it relates to enforcing the itinerancy with bi-vocational ministry.

I am only 9 years into the ministry, too young, too little experienced, and some of us have never had a problem with itinerancy and the “Godly judgment” of bishops. I suggest we do not issue an aspirin when there is no headache, let’s do a proper analysis as to why or why not some pastors need to be transferred. I have, and I am sure others have, heard of complaints of the itinerancy being enforced because of vindictiveness! Some pastors say that they have never gotten “a heart to heart” explanation why they were transferred to another church and sometimes there is the appearance that other pastors seem to get the “carrot” appointments. I do not believe that we should put an end to bi-vocational” ministry, especially where the bi-vocational clergyperson uses the blessings and resources from the secular job, to advance the ministry in the local church.

I totally disagree with your view that the corporate, business, military transfers employees and if they do not accept the transfer they can be terminated. I just think that the Church should not function with enforced transfers against a person’s will, so please do not try t parallel or transfer the secular world practice to our “ever so complicated” Church. Yes, you are absolutely correct to say it is the prerogative of the Church to transfer a pastor, you are also right that we must to “ask” for transfers – no problem; however, there are other dynamics if this person has a family, has children to attend school etc. If we were celibate, like traditional Roman Catholics, maybe your argument would hold!

Finally in answering your final question

Should itinerant credentials be changed to local orders if a person does not acquire or function as an itinerant? For me the answer is clear.

I came to the Church and asked for the opportunity to serve in the itinerant ministry. The church was the “giver of such an opportunity.” Surely, if the Church now feels I am not fulfilling the conditions upon which the Church gave me an opportunity to fulfill my calling, it is the Church that must withdraw / change my credentials; there is merit in doing so if the facts were considered and dictated that decision. There are many itinerant deacons and elders who came through hard labour and work; may not have had the opportunity to complete all of the formal educational requirements, but they went through the AME Church system, but, according to the Church, ”they are unqualified.”

Is the church now going to de-recognize their qualifications, even though they were ordained as itinerant elders or deacons?

The argument might sound irrelevant, but it is similar in where I am trying to answer your question. The fact that some clergy are unable to acquire full itinerancy as an elder or a deacon because they lack the formal academic degrees does not make them inefficient and ineffective in ministry, My question, why would the Church change someone’s credentials from itinerant to local when they functioning as effectives ministers?

All I am saying –I hope we weigh all of the consequences before the Church chooses to “take away the opportunity” for itinerants to serve in the itinerant ministry.

*The Rev Sekoboto Joseph Tau is the Supply Pastor of Living Waters AMEC, Strand Cape Town, Republic of South Africa


5. TO THOSE WHO WILL LISTEN, BE A PASTOR IS A CITY WITHOUT JOBS:

The Rev. Raymond Corbin is the pastor of St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, 213 College Street in South Fulton, Tennessee. Fulton, Tennessee is a city where people are diving day to day because there are no jobs in the community. There just are no jobs in this community and many of the people can hardly pay their monthly bills because their unemployment benefits have run out.

St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church has fifteen members, many of whom are elderly and on Social Security they are faithful in attendance and are faithful in providing financial support to the church. Every month after paying the bills of the church, there is not enough money left to pay the pastor’s salary. South Fulton is a small town, without public transportation and many of the people are unemployed. Rev. Corbin has taken people to the surrounding counties to look for work. Rev. Corbin says, “Without public transportation and if a person doesn’t have a car, he or she can’t go very far looking for a job and a person cannot afford to take a job too far from where he or she lives.

Rev. Corbin said, “St. Paul AME Church in South Fulton has been fortunate to have had, down through the years, dedicated working members that have had an uncanny talent to build, raise money, are great contributors, and have been proud of their heritage.” Rev. Corbin went to share that besides being talented, there used to be a good job market, people had decent incomes to provide for their families and were willing and able to financially support their church.

The main source of income for many years was the jobs at the Illinois Central Railroad. There were section laborer jobs, cooking positions on the dining car porter positions, and the women sold food to the people on the trains when it stopped in the twin cities of South Fulton, Tennessee and Fulton, Kentucky. The twin cities were known as the Banana Capital of the world because more bananas came through here than any other place in the world.

Rev. Corbin explains that there has been a significant change in the economic environment in South Fulton and the change has impacted, not only the city and its citizens, but it has also negatively impacted St. Paul AME Church. The train industry in no longer in the area and have relocated. The Goodyear plant is still in the neighboring town of Union City, Tennessee, but has downsized and many people have lost their jobs. The major venues for employment are Walmart and fast food facilities.

South Fulton has a number of retirees and the young people, who graduate from high school, go to college, others to technical schools or to the military and never return. St. Paul has one member who graduated from Wilberforce University. Rev. Corbin says the job market is tight and many of the people who live in South Fulton commute to jobs in neighboring towns.

Rev. Corbin says that unemployment has brought significant changes to the community that negatively impacts St. Paul, but he is encouraged because as a community of faith, St. Paul has not lost its focus to won souls for Christ; the church recently took in five new members.

The Rev. Raymond Corbin

6. AME TENNESSEE ANNUAL CONFERENCE YPDER, CHRIS MAYES OFFERED AND ACCEPTS SCHOLARSHIP TO THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY:

Chris Mayes, the son of the Rev. Keith Mayes and Mrs. Gilda Mayes, pastor and First lady of Allen Chapel AME Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee was offered and accepted a scholarship to attend the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Yesterday was the national signing day for the top high school athlete-scholars to sign contracts accepting scholarships to matriculate and play for the colleges of their choice. Chris accepted the scholarship offer from the U.S. Naval Academy and committed and signed to play for Navy.

Chris, a senior, is an honor student at Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro and an active YPDer in his local church and in the Tennessee Annual Conference. He is an All-State football selectee and one of the top football players in the state of Tennessee and in the United States.

Congratulations to Chris and his parents.


7. AME, PERCY HARVIN NFC ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:

The Rev. Norman Vick

Percy Harvin offensive rookie of the year in the NFC is the nephew of the Reverend Charles Harvin pastor of Macedonia AMEC in Suffolk, Virginia. I think AMES around the world should know this. Percy hails from a dedicated AME family and friends in the Virginia Conference and we all salute him.


8. WHO IS THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE?:

*The Rev. N.T. Pitts

Let me hasten to say that the question that I am now proposing has nothing at all to do with Washington politics, but it has everything to do with your house. Just who is the Speaker of your house? We do realize that there could only be one “speaker” to a house. The lack of identifying who the Speaker of the house is has wrought havoc to many families.

Who speaks for your house? I am sure that you have often heard the expressions: “I don’t care what your mama said do, what I told you. I don’t care what your daddy said do what I told you to do.”

Whenever you heard or hear these statements, you can rest assured that the “speaker of the house” has not been clearly established. Mamma said I could but daddy said no. Children know how to use this indecisive designated “speaker to their advantage. They play both sides.

The trouble today is there are too many “speakers” in a house, the father, the mother, and the child.

It would be great if every “speaker” in every house would take a stand and speak as Joshua spoke, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua, no doubt, was the “speaker” of his house. Joshua 24:15

People make all kinds of excuses and give all kinds of frivolous reasons why their families are dysfunctional, but it all comes down to who is the “speaker of the house.”

Some blame the system, some blame the changing times, some blame the neighbors and their kids, some even blame the media, but when it all boils down the blame must rest on the shoulders of the “speaker of the house.”

There are too many married couples living single.

When people come from different backgrounds with different set of values and get married there is going to be some conflicts; but in spite any conflicts that might be present, a “speaker of the house” must be clearly be established. Somebody must be the designated “speaker in the house.”

In our home, as I was growing up, we knew who the “speaker of the house” was; and there was no doubt as to who was the “speaker.”
Today however there seems to be competitive atmosphere in some homes; parents trying to “out-love” one another as they relate with their children; one conservative and the other liberal, and that kind of child-rearing creates serious problems.

We spend valuable time blaming the system. The “breakdown” is in our homes.

Where there is no “speaker,” there is chaos. And if “a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:25). There should be no division in the house. There should be an established set of rules / guidelines in every house and the “speaker” should insure that the rules are followed.

It is a terrible thing for the “speaker of the house” to say, “Don’t do what I do, do what I say do.” The “speaker of the house” is supposed to reflect and inspire the wholesome image of the home. Keep in mind that we are not talking about being a dictator or a warden; we are talking about clarified leadership.

The “speaker” speaks, but the “speaker” also listens. The Speaker consents and also considers. When there are people in a house, each having his / her own set rules with no established “speaker,” the result is chaos. Husbands are killing wives, wives hiring “hit men” to get rid of their husbands and even children killing their parents sends a grim signal that we have a very serious family problem. I believe that it is all because there is an absence of a “speaker of the house.”

Just who is the “Speaker in your house?” Who is the “speaker” in your home?

*The Rev. N.T. Pitts (Ptaegar@AOL.Com), author, teacher, counselor, and humorist is a retired AME pastor living in Eatonville, Florida

9. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

The Eighth Episcopal District announces with regret, the passing of Mr. Harold Green, Monday, February 1, 2010. Mr. Harold Green is the brother of the Reverend Lionel Green, Pastor of St. Samaritan A.M.E. Church in the Clarksdale, Mississippi.

The following information has been provided regarding funeral arrangements.

Funeral Service:
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
2:00 P.M.
St. Paul A.M.E. Church
1104 Jackson Street
Lake Charles, Louisiana 70601
The Reverend James Keller, Pastor

Services Entrusted to:

Fondel's Memorial Chapel
832 North Lyons Street
Lake Charles, Louisiana 70601
Phone: 337-433-1707
FAX: 337-439-8429

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to:

The Reverend Lionel Green
C/o St. Paul A.M.E. Church
1104 Jackson Street
Lake Charles, Louisiana 70601
Phone: 337-433-2415

10. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to announce the passing of Mr. Calvin Nelson, Sr., the father of the Reverend Gregory P. Nelson, pastor at Bethel AMEC in Milford, Delaware.

The following information has been provided regarding funeral arrangements.

Viewing and Funeral on Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Viewing: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Funeral: 11:00 a.m.

Shiloh Baptist Church
640 Philadelphia Avenue
Egg Harbor City, New Jersey 08215
Phone: 609-965-2698
Fax: 609-965-9854

The Rev. Eugene Bryant, Sr., pastor

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to:

The Reverend Gregory P. Nelson and family
707 S. Philadelphia Avenue
Egg Harbor City, New Jersey 08215

Phone: 609-965-6916
Fax: 609-653-7068

11. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to inform you of the passing of Mr. Earl C. Rickman, Jr., the brother of Sister Michelle Robinson, and brother-in-law of the Rev. Jon Robinson, Youth Pastor of First AME Church, Manassas, Virginia.

Service arrangements for Mr. Earl C. Rickman, Jr:

Wake: Sunday, January 31, 2010
4:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Jones Memorial AME Zion Church
258 Ealy Street
New Albany, Indiana 47150

Phone: (812) 944-0816

Funeral: Monday, February 1, 2010 at 11:00 a.m.
Jones Memorial AME Zion Church
258 Ealy Street
New Albany, Indiana 47150
Phone: (812) 944-0816

Professional services entrusted to:

W. T. Shumake & Daughters Funeral Home
3815 Newburg Road
Louisville, Kentucky 40218
Phone: (502) 458-6214
Fax: (502) 458-9851

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the Rev. and Mrs. Jon Robinson c/o the church or funeral home, or emailed to gayle@shumakeanddaughters.com

12. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to inform you of the passing of Sister Barbara Standifer, the widow of the late Presiding Elder Charles Standifer, and a member of Mt. Zion AME Church, Vero Beach, Florida. Sister Standifer was a former Conference President of the South Conference M-SWAWO plus PK's.

Service arrangements for Sister Barbara Standifer:

Visitations: Friday, January 29, 2010
5-8 P.M.

Mt. Zion AME Church
4221 28th Avenue
Gifford, (Vero Beach) Florida 32967

Tel. (772) 563-9272

The Rev. Millard Campbell, Pastor

Funeral: Saturday, January 30, 2010
11:00 a.m.
First Church of God
1105 58th Avenue
Vero Beach, Florida
(772) 562-2256
(772) 563-9714 - FAX

Professional services entrusted to:

Hortense-Mills Inc. Funeral Home
4301 U S Highway 1
Vero Beach, Florida 32967
(772) 569-4626
(772) 567-7139 - FAX

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to:

Lavertis Hayes (Daughter)
Antionette Poitier (Daughter)
Christine Morgan (Mother)
4526 43rd Ct.
Vero Beach, Florida 32967


13. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to announce the passing of Brother Barry Hogan, the son of the Rev. Willie Mae Hogan, pastor of Mt. Sinai AME Church, Medulla, Florida.

Service Arrangements for Brother Barry Hogan:

Wake: Monday, February 8, 2010
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
New Bethel A.M.E. Church
2122 Martin Luther King Avenue
Lakeland, Florida 33805
Phone: (863) 687-1994

Funeral: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 1:00 p.m.
New Bethel A.M.E. Church
2122 Martin Luther King Avenue
Lakeland, Florida 33805

Phone: (863) 687-1994

Professional Service entrusted to:

Oldham Funeral Home
1537 N. Kettles Avenue
Lakeland, Florida 33805-3633

Phone: (863) 683-2419
Fax: (863) 688-0200


Expressions of sympathy may be sent to:
The Rev. Willie Mae Hogan
920 W. 13th Street
Lakeland, Florida 33805

Phone: (863) 686-7097


14. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to inform you of the passing of Sister Lois Jean Liggin, Wednesday morning, February 3, 2009. Sister Liggin is the wife of the Reverend Carl Liggin, retired itinerant elder.

The Celebration of Life service will be held at St. Paul AME Church on Saturday, February 13, 2010 at 10:00 a.m.

Expressions can be sent to Rev. Liggin and the family at:

St. Paul AME Church
1518 South 28th Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40211

The Rev. Carl Liggin
3514 West Market Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40212

15. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to inform you of the passing of Ms. Johnnie Mae Heard, the sister of Mrs. Sarah Twiggs, 1st Vice President of the 13th Episcopal District WMS and the sister-in-law of the Rev. Lawrence O. Twiggs, retired pastor and former Presiding Elder of the East Tennessee Conference.

Ms. Johnnie Mae Heard passed on Friday, February 5, 2010, 1 a.m.

Service:

Tuesday, February 9, 2010
11 a.m. Wake; 12 Noon Funeral
Tabernacle Baptist Church
2188 Woodward Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43219
The Rev. Odell Waller, pastor
614-253-6707

Professional services entrusted to:

Diehl-Whittaker Funeral & Cremation Services
720 East Long Street
Columbus, Ohio 43203

Tel: 614-258-9549

And

We regret to inform you of the passing of Mr. Hayward Fears, cousin of Mrs. Sarah Twiggs.

Mr. Hayward Fears passed away Tuesday, February 2, 2010, 10 p.m.

Service:

Monday, February 8, 2010
11 a.m. Wake; 12 Noon Funeral
Tabernacle Baptist Church
2188 Woodward Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43219

The Rev. Odell Waller, pastor
614-253-6707

Professional services provided by:

Smith Mortuary
1173 East Hudson Street
Columbus, Ohio 43211
614-447-9383

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to:

The Rev. Lawrence O. and Sarah H. Twiggs
6420 Ridge Lake Road
Hixson, TN 37343

423-842-6346 Home
423-903-5849 Cell
Email: stwiggs@gntc.ed or Verreegood@comcast.net

16. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICES AND CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:

The Clergy Family Information Center
Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry, Chair
Commission on Social Action

Mrs. Ora L. Easley, Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family Information Center
Email: Amespouses1@bellsouth.net
Phone: (615) 837-9736
Voice Mail: (615) 833-6936
Fax: (615) 833-3781
Cell: (615) 403-7751

17. CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FROM THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER:

The Chair of the Commission on Publications, the Right Reverend Richard Franklin Norris; the Publisher, the Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour and the Editor of The Christian Recorder, the Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III offer our condolences and prayers to those who have lost loved ones. We pray that the peace of Christ will be with you during this time of your bereavement.

















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THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE ENGLISH EDITION (01/28/10)

Bishop Richard Franklin Norris - 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. EDITORIAL – LET’S REKINDLE THE ITINERANCY IN THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH:

Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III,
The 20th Editor, The Christian Recorder

When I heard the statistic that we have we have more itinerant elders than we have AME Churches, I should not have been surprised. Of course we do! We have hundreds, and perhaps thousands of itinerant-credentialed preachers assisting in local churches, in other words, serving in local relationships all over the United States.

I suspect the African Methodist Episcopal Church, among the black Methodists, has the most highly trained and highest number of itinerant-credentialed preachers serving in local ministry and not serving in the itinerant ministry.

The question is; why do we ordain so many itinerant deacons and itinerant elders who will only serve in local ministry?

If we have more itinerant elders than we have churches, why do we have churches being served by local deacons, local elders, and itinerant deacons?

How did we get to the point of so many itinerant elders who are not willing to serve in itinerant ministry? And why to Boards of Examiners continue to recommend ordination and why do bishops continue to ordain those persons recommended for itinerant ministry.

Some episcopal districts do not have churches to which persons can be assigned, but the question, if that’s the case, why ordain a person for whom the bishop has no assignment? Even in Baptist and Pentecostal churches, the general rule is that a person is ordained for specific ministry that requires ordination.

Some episcopal districts have churches, but not enough persons in itinerant relationships to full those churches, so appointments to those charges are given to local deacons, local elders, and sometimes to itinerant deacons.

In an itinerant system, as the African Methodist Episcopal Church is; if episcopal districts have too many itinerant elders; and other episcopal districts have too few itinerant elders, the itinerant system would dictate that itinerant elders in episcopal districts with a surplus of itinerant elders should be transferred or “travel” to episcopal districts that have churches that need persons who are itinerant elders.

The Book of Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church 2008 defines “Itinerant” as “A traveling deacon or elder,” and defines “Itinerancy” as, “The traveling ministry. The system followed by the AME Church by which itinerant ministers are appointed to their charges by the bishop.”

In the itinerancy, pastors are assigned to churches; pastors do not candidate for churches, and pastors do not pick and choose their pastoral appointments. In the AME Church, bishops make pastoral appointments. In connectional organizations, secular or religious, the individual is subordinate to the organization; persons can be reassigned and transferred according to the needs of the organization.

In corporate America or in any global corporation, if a person does not want to accept the transfer, that person can choose instead to terminate his or her employment. The needs of the organization take precedence over the needs of the individual.

Too often, in the African Methodist Episcopal Church we forget that, “The traveling ministry is the system by which itinerant ministers are appointed to their charges by the bishop.” That is a tough reality; the thought that a bishop can transfer a preacher to meet the needs of the connectional Church.

Nowhere in The Discipline does it say that a person has to request a transfer to be transferred. By definition of the itinerancy, a person can be transferred by the bishop.

The question is why do persons seek the itinerancy when don’t plan to function as itinerant clergy. Do some persons seek itinerant credentials so that they can be called, “reverend?” That can’t be the reason, because local deacons, local elders and itinerant deacons are referred to as, “reverend.”

Is it status? Status certainly could be the reason, because, historically, the itinerancy is the highest order of ministry and the only track to the episcopacy; so status might be a reason that some people seek the itinerancy.

Itinerant ministers, whether they hold an appointment or not, can function as “free spirits.” They can preach whenever and wherever they wish, without asking permission and they can perform all of the priestly functions of ministry without any of the pastoral responsibilities. As a matter of fact, those who hold itinerant credentials, without a pastoral appointment have the best of all worlds. They have freedom to do what they want in ministry, no pastoral responsibilities, no answering to presiding elders or bishops, no raising funds, don’t have to quarrel with disgruntled or disaffected church members, come and go as they please, and attend whatever they want to attend. They have only one requirement; that they answer the roll call at the annual conference; and, they don’t have to answer the roll every year, every other year works as long as they don’t miss two consecutive annual conferences. I have just described ministry at its best; itinerant credentials, respect, and no hassles!

This editorial could end here, but there might be one more reason that some itinerant-credentialed persons remain in local relationships.

Some persons, who were excited about their call to ministry, didn’t take time to consider the responsibilities and the sacrifice of ministry and when the excitement wore off; fearfulness and excuses prevailed. Excuses like, “I can’t afford to quit my job. I have a good job. The church doesn’t have medical benefits. I have a family to take care of. The church doesn’t pay enough. I can’t afford to move to another state. The church can’t take care of my needs. I have bills to pay.” And, the list could go on and on. And, all of those things need to considered and one would need to determine if those things could be worked out.

The ministry is not a high paying profession and in many ways the ministry is a risk, but the real question is trust, trust in God to take care of our needs. Another real question is the issue of a person’s trust of his or her competency in ministry. The real issue is leadership and energy to do the work of ministry. The real issue is the willingness to compromise; make adjustments for ministry; and make sacrifices for ministry.

In the case of small, low-paying pastoral appointments, bi-vocational ministry is reality and may be a necessity. Most persons called to ministry probably had dreams of a large, fulltime pastoral appointment, but sometimes dreams are deferred and a person has to adjust to his or her reality. Ministry is not easy, in fact ministry is hard and hard decisions come with ministry.

The final question; if after a certain period of time, persons with itinerant credentials continue to serve as local clergy, should the itinerant credentials of those persons be amended to local credentials?

If the itinerancy, which is as old as Methodism, is going to function properly; the itinerancy must be strictly enforced and those ordained as itinerants must go where they are sent. That is itinerant ministry.

The annual Conference opening hymn, “And Are We Yet Alive,” becomes a reality when the second stanza is sung, “What troubles have we seen, What conflicts have we passed, Fightings without, and fears within, Since we assembled last.”

And, if we are obedient to our calling to ministry, we can proclaim as the last stanza, “Let us take up the cross Till we the crown obtain; And gladly reckon all things loss, So we may Jesus gain.”

And if we are faithful to ministry our AME Churches will see an increase.

Editor’s Note: In the past when I have addressed the itinerancy or other sensitive issues, clergy have approached me and shared some of their opposing points of view. I encourage those who have another side of the story to the itinerancy to please draft an article that can be published in The Christian Recorder.


2. READER RESPONSE TO EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES:

- To the Editor:

RE: A Kairos moment in Black Methodism; AMEZ Church gives to AME Church Disaster Relief Fund

This is absolutely unprecedented. Praise the Lord. Bishop Walker, the Senior Bishop in the AME Zion Church is brother to the late Reverend R. Leon Walker, a leading AME pastor in the 12th Episcopal District. AME Zion Bishop Roy Holmes is a best friend to Dr. Barbour. Sincerely,

Dr. Dennis Dickerson

- To the Editor:

I personally wish to commend the Bishops of the Church and the Social Action Commission on their immediate response to the crises in Malawi and Haiti and their sharing information on the January 23 Conference Call. We thank the participants on the call: Bishop Carolyn Guidry, moderator, Bishops Julius McAllister and Sarah Davis; Dr. George Flowers; and Dr. Miriam Burnett. Thanks also should be extended to Jackie Dupont-Walker for her consistent effort in sharing information. Finally, I'm glad AME's know how to connect all the dots.

In gratitude,

Dr. . Jamye Coleman Williams


3. A CREATIVE INTRODUCTION AND A SUPERB SPEECH:

The first of the two articles is the creative introduction of Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams by Dr. Clement W. Fugh, General Secretary /Chief Information Officer of the AME Church. The second article is the superb speech about the relevance of HBCUs delivered at the Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship’s 23rd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Banquet that was held in Nashville, Tennessee on January 15, 2010. The Reverend Edward L. Thompson, pastor of Lee Chapel AME Church, Nashville, Tennessee is the President of the Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship, which is the interdenominational ministers fellowship in Nashville.

4. A KAIROS MOMENT IN BLACK METHODISM; AMEZ CHURCH GIVES TO AME CHURCH DISASTER RELIEF FUND:

A Kairos moment in Black Methodism – AMEZ Church to give 75% of their giving raised for Haiti Earthquake Relief to the African Methodist Episcopal Church and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.

Bishop George W. Walker, the Senior Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church announced today that the Board of Bishops agreed will give 75% of their giving raised for Haiti Earthquake Relief to the African Methodist Episcopal Church and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. The other 25% will be given to Church World Service.

Bishop Walker, stated that the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church does not have any churches in Haiti and the AME Zion’s would like to support the work of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church that have churches, schools and clinics in Haiti.

One of the Senior Statesmen said, “This is unheard of in his lifetime as a Methodist, and the landscape for Black Methodism is changing”; God is doing a new thing in Black Methodism, “For it does not yet appear what we shall be.”

The following Bishops were present to his hear this announcement.

Senior Bishop George W. Walker
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

Bishop Louis Hunter, Sr.
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

Bishop Kenneth Monroe
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

Bishop Darryl B. Starnes, Sr.
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

Bishop Cecil Bishop, Retired
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

Bishop Joseph Johnson
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

Senior Bishop John R. Bryant
African Methodist Episcopal Church

Bishop James L. Davis
African Methodist Episcopal Church

Bishop John F. White
African Methodist Episcopal Church

Senior Bishop William H. Grave
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr.
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

5. DR. JAMYE COLEMAN WILLIAMS -THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY:

Dr. Clement W. Fugh

Some sayings receive their notoriety, not from the first person who uttered the words, but from personalities who spoke them at critical moments, at the most appropriate times, and whose lives give them authenticity and credibility.

I don’t know who said it first. I heard President William ‘Bill’ Clinton say it. I heard Senator Harry Reid use its opposite. But no one captured my attention any more through its usage than Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams, who on the inside cover of a devotional book, challenged me to, “Strive to live on the right side of history.” Although I received the admonition personally, I later learned that her charge had not been given to me alone.

Those of us who are fortunate enough to be among “(The) Friends Across the Miles” of Jamye and McDonald Williams received the 46th Edition of their “Christmas Journal” that chronicles their activities throughout the year. It recalls places to which they traveled, and names of persons whom they encountered or entertained. It reads like a “Who’s Who.” Also listed in a manner that does not suggest “an inflated sense of self-worth,” but “humility” is the litany of accolades bestowed upon them. After 91 years and 92 years, respectively, Jamye and Mac, in the hearts of so many, remain on “the right side of history.”

Jamye, how do you do it?

How does one earn a place on “the right side of history?”

Jamye, from observing you, I have come up with three qualities. (I am a preacher so you know there had to be “three!”)

First, find, discover, search out, uncover the value, the worth in every individual with whom you come in contact, and celebrate with them your findings. To paraphrase a line from her favorite poem by Joseph Rudyard Kipling, “Learn to walk with kings and not lose the common touch.”

Secondly, give yourself wholly, completely to a cause that has eternity in it, and the cause will lift you.” The cause may be an institution, such as Jamye’s beloved alma mater, Wilberforce University for which see “begs” without apology; it may be helping a capable and promising individual, such as Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, realize her dream of shattering the ecclesiastical glass ceiling of female clergy in African Methodism to become the denomination’s first female Bishop; or, using Jamye’s own words, “Since everyone knows that educators don’t make that much money,” by giving to an organization such as the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee that brings good people and good causes together, thereby “connecting generosity with need.”

“Give yourself wholly, completely to a cause that has eternity in it, and the cause will lift you.”

Finally, if one’s ultimate goal is to end up on the right side of history – since we now know that history has a right side and a wrong side – learn a few “f” words, and express them with heartfelt passion!

Faith in God! Love of Family! And the value of true Friendship!

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams!


6. AGAINST THE ODDS:

Jamye Coleman Williams

I do indeed feel highly honored to be invited to this 28th Anniversary banquet celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I have to confess that I was most surprised last January, 2009 to receive a letter inviting me to speak on this occasion. When I talked to my friend Rev. Kellar, I said: “Marcel, you have to be an optimist to invite a person in her ninth decade to do anything in another year.” I am glad, however, that his optimism was not misplaced. But God is good, and I feel blessed to be here.

Four hundred years before the birth of Christ, Aristotle laid down a dictum for speakers, suggesting that a speaker ought to always have rapport with his or her audience. I can think of no audience with whom I have greater rapport and so many shared memories of the 43 years our family lived and worked among you. I feel blessed when I remember the many meaningful experiences we shared—marching during the 60’s; working in DCIPC and TVC, the latter on which I served as Secretary for 19 years under the Chairmanship of the late Senator Avon Williams; 40 years on the Executive Committee of the NAACP and many as Chair of the Life Membership Committee; plus all of my AME connections, especially my home church St. John, which my father pastored for 11 years. Where I was married. Where our daughter was baptized. I am also grateful to my General Officer Colleagues who came out to support me: Dr. Clement Fugh, who so graciously introduced me, Dr. Richard Lewis, Dr. Calvin Sydnor and their spouses and Dr. Dennis Dickerson. So it is good to be here and to be accompanied by my husband Mac, to whom I have been married 66 years and 18 days, and our daughter, Donna, the joy of our life and the “boss.”

Let me at the outset pause to acknowledge the importance and contribution of the sponsoring organization for this event. It was in the year of 1983 that five visionary men during the tenure of the Rev. Marcel Kellar as President of the Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship that he presented a proposal to establish the College Trust Fund as an endowed fund to benefit students of the local HBCU’s—ABC, Fisk, Meharry, and TSU. Those men, in addition to the Rev Kellar, were the late Dr. Kelly Miller Smith, the late Dr. Andrew White, and Dr. John G. Corry, and Dr. Norman Reed. 1983—it was also the year that President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a federal holiday on the 3rd Monday of every January to honor American Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. It was the year that the Rev. Jesse Jackson announced his candidacy for the 1984 Presidential Nomination of the Democratic Party. And for the younger people 1983 was the year Michael Jackson’s world famous music video “Thriller” was broadcast for the first time. A momentous year—1983!

And tonight 27 years later we come to honor the memory of MLK, Jr., the martyred leader. The theme chosen for this occasion “Education Determines Our Dreams and Destiny” is a relevant one for such a time as this. It is a time when the economic downturn has had a severe impact on higher education nationwide. It is a time when the African American male continues to lag behind the African American female in being awarded collegiate degrees. A time when our boys and girls continue to score lowest on the Act and SAT behind white, Asian American, American Indian, Puerto Rican, Hispanic young people. A time when more of our young men are in prison than in college. A sad time.

Certainly the College Trust Fund is right on target when it continues to support our local institutions. I am proud to be a member of its Board chiefly because I have some connection with these local colleges. My late father, Rev. F. Douglass Coleman, Sr., took classes at AB Seminary in its early years, and in a recent year I chaired the inaugural of Dr. Forest Harris as President. My late brother, Dr. Frederick D. Coleman, Jr., was a graduate of Meharry Medical College and my life was saved four times by Meharry doctors. I am a Golden Daughter of Fisk, and I spent 29 years on the faculty of TSU. If indeed our youth can realize their dream and fulfill their destiny, our HBCU’s will be one avenue for them. I have, therefore, chosen to speak to you on the impact and survival of the black college on our society, using the subject “Against the Odds.”

With conditions as they are today—recession, unemployment, government deficits, rising costs in college tuition and fees, there are many who say that the odds are against us and the private black college is expendable. With the desegregation of public higher education, there are many who say that the private black college—and even the historically black public institutions—have outlived their usefulness. There are many who say that with soaring budgets and diminishing resources the odds are against saving many of these colleges. They are saying that the intensive recruitment of our most promising African American students by the recognized state universities such as Ohio State, Michigan, Indiana, and the Ivy League institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, plus the Christian colleges and the Community Colleges has resulted in a brain drain. They, therefore, say that the odds are against us—that our efforts may be a futile dream—that our mission is impossible.

On the contrary—yes, on the contrary, there are many—like those of us gathered here tonight—who are convinced that the black college is indeed worth preserving. In order to determine its impact and survival, I submit that we must consider two questions:

1. What are the contributions of the black college?
2. What are the projections for the future?

Let us look briefly at the first question: What have been the contributions of these colleges? Founded by churches the early black college was the response to a statement made immediately after the Civil War by General O.O. Howard, the head of Freedmen’s Bureau. He declared, “Education underlies every hope of success for freed men.” Education then would be the key to unlock the door of opportunity. But prior to the end of slavery education for the black man was not generally considered. Although John B. Russworm succeeded in being the first person of color during this period to be graduated from a college (Bowdoin, 1828) it was difficult. Thus having little expectation of being admitted to white institutions, free blacks and abolitionists concluded that separate colleges for Negroes, as we were called then, were necessary.

We, therefore, had the birth of the private black college: Lincoln University for men under Presbyterian auspices was founded in 1854. Wilberforce University was established by the Methodist Episcopal church in 1856 for the children of slave masters and free blacks but closed in 1862 because of the Civil War and subsequently purchased for $10,000 by Bishop Daniel Alexander Payne for the AME Church in 1863, becoming the first black, private coeducational institution to be owned and controlled by African Americans and the first to have a black college president--Daniel Alexander Payne. In rapid succession other institutions were founded: Atlanta U in 1865; Fisk, 1866; Howard, Morehouse and Talladega, 1867; Hampton, 1868; Clark and Dillard, 1869; Allen, 1870; Paul Quinn, 1872; Meharry Medical College 1876; Morris Brown, Spelman, and Tuskegee, 1881; Edward Waters, 1886.

The story of these fledgling colleges is a chronicle of hope and faith, of dedication and commitment, of sacrifice and suffering. It is a chronicle of struggle and survival. But through it all they served well those who passed through their portals. They gave their students, hungry for knowledge, the rudiments to enable them to grow and develop.

We today are indebted to all of these institutions which in the early years held aloft the torch of learning to light the way for a people who had been denied educational opportunities. These colleges provided an education at a time and to a constituency which would otherwise never have had a chance to realize their dreams or fulfill their destinies. These colleges trained the illiterate, inspired the unlettered, motivated the disadvantaged, and produced a group of men and women to provide leadership for their own people and contribute to society as a whole. To name a few post emancipation examples Hiram K, Revels, Wilberforce graduate, U.S. senator, and first president of Alcorn College; W.E.B. DuBois, Fisk, noted scholar; Booker T. Washington, Hampton, educator; Reverdy Cassius Ransom, Wilberforce, AME bishop and noted orator.

A survey of the graduates of HBCU’s would reveal that thousands of alumni have made names for themselves in education, business, government, law, politics, medicine, science, and the ministry. Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the 19th century British writer, in giving some criteria for evaluating literature, suggested three questions: What has the author tried to do? Has he done it? Was it worth doing? We might well substitute the words ‘black colleges” in these pertinent questions. What have black colleges tried to do? Have they done it? Was it worth doing?

I hold that the black college with limited resources has not only trained these students academically but also developed them psychologically giving them a sense of worth that the larger society often denies them. Robert Maynard once wrote in an issue of Black Enterprise that next to the black church, no institution has had a more profound effect on the aspirations of the black community than the black college. Generations of leaders were trained there, the black college also having been the breeding ground for numerous movements for change in our society.

Time will not permit me to call the roll of those men and women who have distinguished themselves in many aspects of American life—men and women who have been products of black colleges. Look back, for example, at the decade of the 60’s and the civil rights movement. Many of the leaders came from the black college—Martin Luther King, Jr., Morehouse; Whitney Young, Kentucky State; Thurgood Marshall, Lincoln and Howard; Jesse Jackson, North Carolina A&T.; John Lewis, ABC. These colleges also produced individuals in many other areas. When I hear a recording on PBS of the operatic diva Leontynè Price, I recall her as a freshman student reading a paper in my English class at Wilberforce on the subject “On Being Broke.” When I see a rerun of Wilma Rudolph winning three gold medals in the Rome Olympics I remember her as a student in my Public Speaking class at TSU. And when I watch Oprah on any given day I can hear her in my class at TSU move her classmates in Oral Interpretation with her rendition of an excerpt from Margaret Walker’s Jubilee. And when I read about some of my other students—Dr. Julius Wilson, a WU graduate, a distinguished professor at Harvard; Dr. Allen Counter, a TSU graduate, President of the Harvard Foundation; Dr. Karen Brown Dunlap, another TSU graduate, first black and first female President of the prestigious Poynter Institute; and Dr. Greg Carr, TSU, Head of the Department of African American Studies at Howard, I say “Thank God for the black college.” Those of us who have been privileged to teach in HBCU’s can identify many gifted, talented young people who have accomplished so much, enhancing the image of the black college and contributing so much to our society. I submit then that the black college has a goal of producing graduates able to contribute to the resolutions of the problems that plague our world. I submit that indeed “it has done it.” And I hold that it was worth doing.

Finally, what do we project for the future? Our future mission may well seem an impossible one at times, but I firmly believe that the preservation of the private black college must be kept high on our agenda. I am not opposed to African American students matriculating in white colleges and universities. The fact of the matter is that attendance at HBCU’s is waning because of greater efforts of white institutions in attracting and retaining black students. In 2005 community colleges enrolled 42% of all blacks in higher education, and in 2007 flagship State universities graduated ¾ of all African American college students. Only Fisk, Spelman, Morehouse, and Hampton ranked high in this respect.

If we ask the question, what would Martin say about this trend? I suspect he would applaud this progress, but--- But he would also inquire about the African American students who are denied access to many of these institutions because they score poorly on SAT and ACT—not because they do not have the ability but because they are unprepared. They are unprepared in many instances because of the inequities encountered in secondary schools. A recent report by The Civil Rights Project at UCLA which monitors the nation’s progress toward reaching the goal of the Brown decision concluded that the “nation continues to move backward toward increasing minority segregation in highly unequal schools.” There are still gaps in early childhood development and disparate educational opportunities. According to Beverly P. Cole, former NAACP Education Director, “In the name of standards, merit, excellence, competence, quality, and accountability; blacks are being tested out of the education and employment scene. Our new access problems are not the signs over the doors, but the various modes of measurement used to deny opportunity and legitimize the efforts to maintain the status quo.”

With white institutions raising their standards for matriculation and State Boards of Regents following suit at some of the historically black state colleges and universities, it is clear that the only access for some of our sons and daughters may be through the private black colleges. It will continue to attract students with innate ability but in need of remediation for their deficiencies; black colleges concerned for their problems; black consciousness for their identity crises; motivation for their personal development; relief for their conflicts and alienation.

When we look at life in the United States, despite our jubilation and pride over the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the USA, we realize that much has not changed. When we look at life in the US 55 years after Brown vs. Board of Education and 49 years after the beginning of the modern civil rights revolution we realize we still have a long way to go. In my opinion, the current unrest in our country is not only because of the economic downturn but also because the Party of No, the harbingers of hate on radio talk shows, the Tea Party movement. These are but manifestations of subtle but latent racism, much of it motivated by the fact that the leader of the free world is an African American.

What then do we project for the future? I repeat: Our future mission may well seem an impossible one; it may well seem that the odds are against us, but it is imperative that we work together—that we use our talent, time, and treasure—to ensure the survival of the black college.

Because the tentacles of racism still permeate every facet of our society, we need the black college.

Because there are still obstacles to parity in education for African Americans, we need the black college.

Because our sons and daughters still encounter benign neglect and insensitivity in many predominately white institutions, we need the black college.

Against the odds we must commit ourselves to ensure that all of our sons and daughters will be able to realize their dreams and fulfill their destinies through education. We cannot be complacent about how far some of us have come when many of us still have far to go. To paraphrase my favorite poem by Robert Frost:

Our world has problems,
Broad and deep
And we have promises to keep
And work to do before we sleep
And work to do before we sleep

Against the odds!


7. THE HOMEGOING OF THE REV. DR. SHERMAN L. GREENE, JR.:

The Rev. Dr. Sherman L. Greene's funeral was held at Bethel AME Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Tuesday, January 19, 2010. The Rev. Dr. Joseph N. Cousin serves as the pastor of Bethel AME Church.

Bethel Ann Arbor is a beautiful sanctuary and a large number of people from Ann Arbor, the 4th Episcopal District, and from across the connection have gathered to say farewell to a "Soldier of God."

Dr. Greene lived to be 103 years old and the love of those who attended the homegoing celebration and sent acknowledgments was evident by their spoken and written comments.

Bishop John Bryant, the eulogist, Bishop C. Garnett Henning, Dr. Richard Lewis, Dr. Clement Fugh, Dr. Daryl Ingram, Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, presiding elders, pastors and clergy, laity; young and old, and visitors spoke volumes for the life and influence of Dr. Greene.

The choir sang to the glory of God.

Bishop John Bryant is preaching a dynamic sermon about the "Gift of life." He asked the question of each parishioner, "What are you doing with your gift?" Bishop Bryant extolled the life of Dr. Greene who gave Bishop Bryant, while he was in his twenties, his first opportunity to preach at a connectional meeting. Bishop Bryant encouraged every person to use the "gift" that God has given them. He went on to say, "Every day is a gift and we should share our gifts with the children.

In closing, Bishop John asked everyone to take a deep breath and said, "A church full of miracles!"

Editor’s Note: A more detailed article about the homegoing of the Rev. Dr. Sherman Greene, Jr. is forthcoming.

8. DEPARTMENT OF GLOBAL WITNESS AND MINISTRY / CHURCH WORLD SERVICE CHRISTIAN DOCTORS’ FELLOWSHIP HAITI EARTHQUAKE EMERGENCY RESPONSE UPDATE:

January 26, 2010

Recovery efforts by Church World Service our partner on the grounds and its partners continue in the wake of the January 12 quake that is believed to have killed some 200,000 people. Fears about outbreaks of infectious diseases have not yet materialized, Reuters AlertNet reports, but illness and infections remain a threat to survivors, according to health officials responding to the disaster.

Meanwhile, world leaders, including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner met yesterday in Montreal at a donors' conference on post-relief efforts in Haiti, including the need for a major rebuilding effort and for forgiveness of Haiti’s international debt, AlertNet reported.

CWS is working in Haiti through a multi-tier response that includes assistance to long-time partners in Haiti and the neighboring Dominican Republic; material aid shipments; and plans for long-term recovery work. This situation report link provides a summary of all CWS activity to date.

Today, CWS expands its appeal and further details its work in responding to the quake. 36 Member-Communions are urged to continue to support Church World Service through the Haiti Relief Fund through their denomination or directly to Church World Service. Since this will be a long-term effort CWS and other Mission Organizations are beginning preparation for Dry Food Goods into the country to help feed the Haitian people in Port-au-Prince and the other areas.

Christian Doctors’ Fellowship is also a partner of GWM and has been in Haiti performing healthcare related duties. This organization is consisted of American Doctors in various fields of medicines (active and retired) giving their time and service to the Glory of God. These teams of doctors are treating Haitian survivors with disabilities, mothers with babies or small children and the elderly on the streets of Port-au-Prince or clinics that are still standing.

Many persons wanting to volunteer their time and expertise by going to Haiti, “but the time isn’t right” according to the United States Department of State. There is a travel alert and no commercial flights are permitted. Further, hotel accommodations are just about non-existence. So please call Department of State first before booking your flight reservation.

As soon as it is expedient and safe to travel this executive director along with the following bishops: James Davis, William DeVeaux, Preston Williams, Sarah Davis, Z.L. Grady, and Robert Webster will be traveling to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Dr. George F. Flowers
Executive Director
Global Witness and Ministry
African Methodist Episcopal Church
Email: gwmame@bellsouth.net

9. DR. DENNIS DICKERSON "TURNING POINTS IN THE 20TH CENTURY AFRICAN AMERICAN RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE: REFLECTIONS ON CONTENT AND CULTURE":

Dr. Dennis Dickerson, James M. Lawson, Jr. Professor of History will be sharing a lecture entitled "Turning Points in the 20th Century African American Religious Experience: Reflections on Content and Culture".
Please come and share with us as we begin the month of February, and reflect and celebrate the history of the African Diaspora with one of our own faculty members.

The series entitled, A Conversation with Black History: Topics within the Black Church will be held at the Vanderbilt University Divinity School Reading Room on Monday, February 1, 2010 from 3:30 p.m. -4:30 p.m.

10. THE PRISON FELLOWSHIP MINISTRY:

The Prison Fellowship Ministry is putting together a conference in Nashville, Tennessee in March to help ex-prisoners in need of services in the Tennessee area.

The Tennessee Out4Life conference will take place March 1-3, 2010, in Nashville (Place to be determined).

The purpose of this summit is to bring key stakeholders to the table to address practical barriers, identify opportunities, cultivate working relationships, and develop appropriate strategies and solutions for successful reentry and reducing recidivism. There is more information on the Prison Fellowship Ministry’s website.

Sue Thompson-Popper
Prison Fellowship volunteer

11. OBSCURED IN A BOWL OF GUMBO:

*The Rev. N.T. Pitts

When I was growing up, there was no one that could make a better Gumbo than my mother. I am sure that most of us are familiar with that southern Louisiana dish, gumbo.

I was born and grew up in Louisiana. I loved gumbo. In a bowl of gumbo I could expect to find a variety of vegetables and sea foods. My brother and I used to see if we could identify all of the “stuff” we found in our gumbo. I never liked celery, and I used to take time and use my spoon to scoop the celery out so that I could enjoy my gumbo. Some of the ingredients in gumbo are hardly recognizable therefore they are obscured. I used to tease my mother by asking, did you leave something out.

With gumbo in mind, it is reasonable for me to say that we are living in a “gumbo” society.

In our society there are various kinds of characters, personalities and talents. Some are not recognizable because they are somewhat obscured in the midst of so many people. Some struggle to be recognized and others want to remain obscured. Some will do anything and everything to anybody anytime and anywhere just to get the recognition they thirst for. They feel lost in the “Gumbo.” Some find “gumbo” to be convenient place to hide and so they engage in their rascality without being recognized and identified.

Every now and then, like the celery in my gumbo, one of those obscured unsavory characters surfaces and “all heck breaks lose”; they finally get the recognition they sought.

To me, my gumbo seemed more enjoyable after I had taken the celery out. I also became aware that in the process of dipping the celery out, another ingredient just happened to get caught in the spoon and out it went.

In this “gumbo” society, every now and then, one of those unsavory characters surfaces and through our court system and they are taken out so that we may enjoy the pleasure of a decent life. But on the other hand, as in my gumbo, some innocent victims get caught in the process paying a price that they did not owe. You would be amazed at the number of people who have been tried convicted and executed for crimes they did not commit, how unfortunate. Every now and then some special characters emerge out of this “gumbo” and claim their rightful place to fame, and bring some goodness that they may enrich our lives.

We do not know everything that is in this “gumbo,” but we do know that out of this “gumbo” come thieves, murderers, swindlers, con men and women, traitors and other savory characters.

But thank God, out of this bowl of “gumbo” come some doctors, teachers, preachers, inventors, scientist, musicians and great singing voices. You may be obscured for a season but sooner or later you will emerge and I pray that when you do, it will not be by way of the spoon that discards.

It is a good thing that God hides our future to spare our nerves.

Well, I better close here because I have a bowl of gumbo on the stove and there is no celery in it only because my mother didn’t make it; long live her memory.

*The Rev. N.T. Pitts, author, teacher, counselor, humorist, is a retried AME pastor who lives in Eatonville, Florida

12. CLERGY FAMILY CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENT:

- Congratulations to the Rev. Dr. Emilygail A. Dill who graduated from the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio on Friday, December 18, 2009 with a Doctor of Ministry degree. Doctor Dill's area of concentration was Leadership and Organization Dynamics and her dissertation was entitled: "Mobilization for Social Impact through Renewal, Creative Outreach and Collaborative Partnerships."

The Rev. Dr. Dill is a native of Bermuda. Dr. Dill was also acknowledged last year as the Inaugural recipient of the Athena International Leadership Award for her home country. The Athena Award is presented annually to an individual who is honored for professional excellence, community service and for actively assisting others in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills.

The Rev. Dr. Dill is an Itinerant Elder who currently serves in the 1st Episcopal District as an Associate Minister at St. Mark AME Church in Jackson Heights, New York where her husband, the Rev. Howard H. L. Dill is Senior Pastor. She is also the mother of the Rev. Jahkimmo F. Smith, pastor of Mount Zion AME Church in Southampton, Bermuda.

Congratulatory responses may be emailed to: emilygail_dill@yahoo.com

Or

The Rev. Dr. Emilygail A. Dill
106-11 31st Ave
East Elmhurst, New York 11369

13. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to announce the passing of Mrs. Dora E. Nelson, mother of the Reverend Trina Jones Brown, pastor of Riverview A.M.E. Church, North Little Rock, Arkansas. Mrs. Dora E. Nelson passed away Wednesday, January 20, 2010 in California. She was 82 years old and was the widow of the late Reverend Milton D. Nelson (UMC, North Arkansas Conference).

Service arrangements for Mrs. Dora E. Nelson:

Saturday, January 30, 2010
Family Visitation: 10:00 AM
Funeral: 11:00 AM
Emmanuel Baptist Church
3323 West 12th Street
Little Rock, Arkansas 72207
Phone: (501) 666-6252

Professional services provided by:
Ruffin & Jarrett Funeral Home
1200 S. Chester Street
Little Rock, Arkansas 72202
Phone: (501) 372-1305

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to:

The Reverend Trina Jones Brown
806 North I Street
N. Little Rock, Arkansas 72114
Phone: (501) 838-2992

Or condolences may be emailed to: RUAWitness@yahoo.com

14. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to announce the passing of Sister Virginia Freeman, long time member of Trinity African Methodist Episcopal Church in the Midwest Annual Conference. Sister Freeman was the mother of the Reverend Warren Freeman, Pastor of Bethel AME Church, Leavenworth, Kansas, and also the mother of Angeline Payne, member of Trinity AME Church. The following information has been provided regarding funeral arrangements.

Viewing: Friday, January 29, 2010
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Thatcher's Mortuary
1520 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101

Phone: (913) 321-1211
Fax: (913) 321-1267

Saturday, January 30, 2010
Viewing - 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Funeral - 11:00 a.m.

Trinity A.M.E. Church
2201 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101
Phone: (913) 621-2306
Fax: (913) 621-2307

The Rev. Fran T. Cary, pastor

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to:

- Trinity AME Church
2201 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101

- The Rev. Warren Freeman, Pastor
Bethel AME Church
411 Kiowa
Leavenworth, Kansas 66048

- Angeline Payne
5000 Glenwood #4
Mission, Kansas 66202
Phone: (913) 671-1808

15. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to share news of the passing of Mr. Freddie Wheeler Posey, on Thursday, January 21, 2010. He is the brother of Rev. Jerome E. Posey, Sr., pastor of Zion Chapel Circuit in Wesson, Mississippi (Mercy Seat AME Church and Galilee AME Church); Mississippi Conference, Natchez-Port Gipson District, presiding elder, Rev George W. Tyler. The Rev. Jerome Posey is also a member of Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry's staff, and condolences may be sent to the Eighth Episcopal District Office.

Office Address:
5450 Executive Place
Jackson, Mississippi 39206

601-366-8240 - Office
601-366-8175 - FAX
eighthdistamec08@aol.com

Services for Mr. Freddie Wheeler Posey:

Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Viewing: 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M.
Travis Funeral Home
14338 S Indiana Avenue
Riverdale, Illinois 60827
Phone: (708) 849-2900
Fax: (708) 849-2920

Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Family Visitation: 11:00 A.M.
Funeral: 12:00 Noon
Hillcrest Baptist Church

17300 Pulaski Road
Country Club Hills, Illinois 60478
Phone: (708) 799-8300

16. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to announce the passing of Mr. Harvey Stone, Jr., of Jackson, Michigan, the brother of Mrs. Virginia (Genia) Brown and the brother-in-law of the Rev. Randy Brown, pastor of St. Luke AME Church, Nashville, Tennessee.

Service arrangements for Mr. Harvey Stone Jr.:

Viewing: Monday, January 25, 2010
2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Visitation: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Funeral 11:00 a.m.

The House of Johnson Funeral Home
235 W. Prospect
Jackson, Michigan 49203
(517) 783-0100 phone
(517) 796-9123 fax
thofjfh@att.net

The Rev. Randy Brown, Eulogist

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to:

Mrs. Virgenia (Genia) Brown
1816 Hailey Ave
Nashville, TN 37218
Phone: (615) 403-1255

Condolences may be emailed to: vbrown@tnstate.edu

17. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to announce the passing of Mrs. Lon Dorothy Bell, the sister of the Rev. C. E. Jenkins (presiding elder retired) 11th Episcopal District. Mrs. Bell passed on Tuesday, January 19, 2010.

Service Arrangements for Mrs. Lon Dorothy Bell:

Funeral: Saturday, January 30, 2010
12:00 Noon
Metropolitan Baptist Church
2283 North Fair Oaks
Altadena, California 91003

Professional services entrusted to:
Mountain View Mortuary
2400 North Fair Oaks Avenue
Altadena, California 91003

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to:

Mrs. Rosetta Henderson (daughter)
1000 Cedar Street
Inglewood, California 90301
Phone: (310) 259-3449

Expressions of sympathy may be emailed to the Rev. C.E. Jenkins @ neal2339@aol.com

18. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

We regret to announce the passing of Mr. Jessie F. Robbins. Mr. Robbins was the brother of the Rev. Joe Robbins, pastor of St. Paul AME Church-Rockwall, Texas.

The following information has been shared pertaining to Funeral Services for Mr. Jessie F. Robbins:

Mr. Robbins will be funeralized at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, January 23, 2010 from the Chapel of Wynn Funeral Home in Galveston, Texas.

Family Visitation: 9:00 A.M. - 11:00 A.M.

Wynn Funeral Home
602 32nd Street
Galveston, Texas 77550
Phone: (409) 621-1677
Fax: (409) 933-4301

Condolences May Be Sent To:

The Rev. Joe Robbins
3609 Royal Lane
Dallas, Texas 75229
Phone: (214) 358-0822

19. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICES AND CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:

The Clergy Family Information Center
Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry, Chair
Commission on Social Action

Mrs. Ora L. Easley, Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family Information Center
Email: Amespouses1@bellsouth.net
Phone: (615) 837-9736
Voice Mail: (615) 833-6936
Fax: (615) 833-3781
Cell: (615) 403-7751


20. CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FROM THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER:

The Chair of the Commission on Publications, the Right Reverend Richard Franklin Norris; 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.