THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE (5/31/05)

Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram - Chair, Commission on Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor


1. AME LUNCHEON AT THE HAMPTON UNIVERSITY MINISTERS’ CONFERENCE:

The 2005 AME Luncheon at the Hampton University Ministers’ Conference will be held at the Radisson Hotel, 756 Settlers Landing Rd. • Hampton, VA, 23669, Telephone (757) 757-727-1271 on Thursday, June 9 at 1:30 p.m. The Radisson is adjacent to the Campus and as you leave the campus, proceed left on Settlers’ Landing and it is the tall building on the left after you cross the bridge. Let’s make the luncheon a memorable AME occasion as it has been in years past.

Editor’s note: I will be attending a funeral in Chicago and will be out of the office until Thursday.

2., DONATIONS FROM MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR ASSISTANCE FOR OVERSEAS DISTRICTS 14-20:

My family donations are arriving. We received from our son, Dr. Calvin Sydnor IV Kibwe, our daughter-in-law, Joanna Wells Kibwe, our God son, Dr. Ernest Mawusi. Two checks totaling $1000.00 received from their practices: Ambulatory Foot and Ankle Center, P.C. 1618 Hardy Cash Drive, Hampton, Virginia and Dominion DME, Inc. same address as Ambulatory Foot and Ankle Center. Total received so far Overseas Districts:

$260.00- Dr. Calvin and Reverend Charlotte Sydnor
$1248.00 -Sister Jeanette Johns and Friends in memory of the Reverend Clarence B Johns
$500.00 – Ambulatory Foot and Ankle Center, Hampton, Virginia
$500.00 – Dominion DME, Inc., Hampton, Virginia

Total Received to date: $2508.00

3. DOES ANYONE KNOW ABOUT THIS – THE FISH FRY AT OAK GROVE AME?

I just spoke to my daughter-in-law who lives in Oak Park, MI. She told me about an A.M.E. Church that has what is advertised as "The Biggest Fish Fry in Detroit". They bring in a refrigerated truck full of fish and have this Fish Fry for two days. She says it is absolutely the best fish! The rest of the menu is good, too, and the dessert is melt-in-your-mouth Pound Cake, made by a lady whose name no one will tell my daughter-in-law. Seems it's a big secret. I guess everyone would want her name and recipe. People come from downtown, uptown, everywhere. And it's the BEST fundraiser. They make $10-20,000 each year.

It's Oak Grove A.M.E. Church, located at Cherry Lawn and Pembrook. It's the church that Bishop Ingram pastored before his election.

3. MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR THE CONNECTIONAL HEALTH COMMISSION:

The Reverend Dr. Miriam Burnette is the medical director for the Connectional Health Commission.

4. EVALUATION USED AS A TOOL FOR CHURCH GROWTH:

Submitted By: Reverend Charles R. Watkins, Jr., B. S. M. Div.
Pastor, Friendship A.M.E. Church, Clinton, SC

Now that I have had more time to think about it, I am convinced that because the process by which evaluation is accomplished may be a bit difficult, many churches shy away from it. However, plans for the church and church growth are made and implemented as a result of evaluation. Clearly, it is effective evaluation that provides the barometer for what works and what doesn’t work. Evaluation when incorporated in a positive manner becomes integral to the overall planning process. Evaluation is such an important tool, that it is advantageous for the church to put a plan to work making it an obvious and intentional process.

Unfortunately, as soon as you mention the word survey people will be turned off. Many folk don’t participate in surveys anywhere. I don’t believe the average church member would consider evaluation to be a part of the church process. Never in a million years would you convince some of the church officers that evaluation is vital to the life of the church. Churches for the most part, as sad as it is to admit, have allowed themselves to become much more social than spiritual. It seems that there is a principal ingredient lacking, something that stunts the growth of a church. Evaluation would uncover the root of the problem.

I’m afraid that many folk don’t really understand, specifically in terms of Christianity, why they are what they are. Until I understood, a little more completely, my own spirituality I was a Methodist because my mother was Methodist. I am not so sure that many others aren’t Methodist or Baptist or even Christians at all for that matter, other than for the fact that their parents were. I am afraid that Christianity has merely become, in many instances, a perpetuation of ones family background or culture. As a result, many folk never reach a point of spiritual awareness beyond what Momma or Grandma believes. Thus, at least in my humble opinion, there is a great need for intense evaluation in the church prior to the planning of ministries in the church.

I must point out however, that to be effective, evaluation should be directed more towards growth than problem resolution or conflict management. In this approach one can clearly see that the underlying goal of evaluation will be centered on a method to improve rather than criteria to prove. In other words, there seems to be room for negativity when the evaluations of ministries in the church are directed in a manner solely to ascertain whether or not they are effective. It is never a good idea to engage in an evaluation process that involves accusation and finger pointing. This approach tends to uncover unexpected weaknesses in those who are pointing. This kind of evaluation results in "lines being drawn in the sand" and very little can be accomplished to enhance the overall ministry of the church. Work in the church should involve the entire membership, although admittedly, that situation seems to exist “in a land called 'Perfect'”. However, we must be careful to include the entire membership in the evaluation process. It seems that, unfortunately, most congregations left to their own devices, would select a few “prominent” church folk to spearhead the evaluation and never really dig deep enough to find out what the church, as a whole has to say. Try as we may to be inclusive, many of our church systems are flawed. There is a top down mentality that does more to stifle growth than anything else. As I learn more about the system I understand that the help needed must come from within the system. There are others, within the “body of faith”, that have the same feeling and I can see positive changes coming about everyday.

To be effective, evaluation is and must be an ongoing process. We are encouraged to continue to evaluate to ensure that we are equipped to provide the most effective ministry, reaching the lost and leading all of God’s children to Salvation.

I am thrilled to serve God in the 7th Episcopal District under the astute leadership of The Right Reverend Preston Warren Williams II. The blessing certainly continues as the Greenville District, of which I am a part, is superintended through godly direction provided by our Presiding Elder the Rev. Dr. Jonathan J. Baker.

Submitted by the Rev Charles R. Watkins, Jr.


5. EMPOWERMENT! CAN CHRISTIAN BANKING GROUP DRAW ECONOMIC REALITY FROM POLITICAL RHETORIC?

By Stephanie and Eric Stradford
FAS2 Coordinating Consultants

June 1, 2005, “Gorgeous Prince George’s,” MD -- “Empowerment” is by no means a new word. Contemporary use of it as a political buzzword dates back to the American civil rights movement, which sought empowerment for historically disadvantaged Americans.

This week (June 3-4), The Collective Banking Group, Inc. hosts its 10th Community Economic Empowerment Conference and perhaps a glimpse at reconciliation between faith-based empowerment and its impact on a post-war economy. The Collective Banking Group is uniquely empowered to leverage inherent values of a regionally replicable Christian model that connects people of means to people with needs.

At first glance, modern use of the word, “empowerment” appears to have evolved from a mid-17th century legalistic meaning, “to invest with authority,” or “authorize.” However, closer examination reveals the more infinitive and generally acceptable definition, “to enable or permit.” By either definition, the existence of “haves” and “have-nots” in “One Nation under God” suggests that some people believe they have empowerment while others are still waiting for it.

Poet James Weldon Johnson bridges the contemporary buzzword to a greater value. A passage from his poem, “The Creation” characterizes, in a nutshell, what many regard as empowerment through a faith-based initiative.

Up from the bed of the river
God scooped the clay;
And by the bank of the river
He kneeled Him down;

And there the great God Almighty
Who lit the sun and fixed it in the sky,
Who flung the stars to the most far corner of the night,
Who rounded the earth in the middle of His hand;

This Great God,
Like a mammy bending over her baby,
Kneeled down in the dust
Toiling over a lump of clay
Till He shaped it in His own image;

Then into it He blew the breath of life,
And man became a living soul.

Johnson’s poetic perspective is perhaps appreciated most by beneficiaries of faith-based empowerment. During his lifetime in The Temporal Economy of Free Africans (1871-1938), a legendary stolen people rose on a promise of freedom from slavery to a higher level of economic expectation. The American Civil Rights movement responded to acts of terror on Free Africans in North America. The overwhelming Christ-centered response molded diverse beliefs into the politically correct social consciousness that today stands between war and peace.

The “empowered” learned that politics and money commonly stem from trust. The Wall Street perspective that turns from “The PriZe” falls short on faith almost every time. “The financial infrastructure in the African American community is likened to an upside down water barrel,” said one investment banking professional. “An upside down water barrel will not hold drinking water because it is upside down,” he said. “African American community leaders tend to stir up emotion among community members, and the community members tend to complain about their lack of access to capital.”

Somehow the reality of God’s promised empowerment fails to pierce hardened barrels of disbelief. But faith-based foes and friends alike are seeking value in today’s politically correct buzzwords. ”Access to capital, global markets, and leveling the playing field,” call for affirmative action by people in need as well as those of means.

Earlier this month, United States Treasury Secretary John W. Snow announced that 41 organizations have been selected to receive $2 billion in tax credit allocations in the third round of the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program. Believe it or not, NMTC is chipping away at historic barrels of distrust and disbelief. The program attracts private-sector capital investment into the nation’s urban and rural low-income areas to help finance community development projects, stimulate economic growth and create jobs.

In Poet James Weldon Johnson’s temporal economy, such an allocation might have been perceived as reparation for the enslavement and genocide of Free Africans. In 2005, it is more likely to serve migrant needs in emerging rural census tracks that have yet to factor into the grand scheme. For people of faith, political perception more often than economic reality perpetuates the myth of a minority and majority. As the late Switzer scholar, Spencer Bartley often noted, “There has never been a shortage of resources…only resourcefulness!”
The NMTC program, established by Congress in December of 2000, permits individual and corporate taxpayers to receive a credit against federal income taxes for making qualified equity investments in investment vehicles known as Community Development Entities (CDEs). The credit provided to the investor totals 39 percent of the cost of the investment and is claimed over a seven-year period. Substantially all of the taxpayer’s investment must in turn be used by the CDE to make qualified investments in low-income communities. According to Snow, the 41 organizations were selected "through a competitive application and rigorous review process."

The NMTC program, administered by Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, “is doing what it is suppose to do – attracting sources of capital to our nation’s low income communities,” said CDFI Fund Director Art Garcia. “By partnering with the private sector and community organizations, previous recipients have already leveraged their credits into more than $2 billion in equity from investors.”

The CDFI Fund anticipates announcing the opening of the application period for the next round of the NMTC Program during the summer of 2005. A complete list of the 41 organizations selected and additional information on the NMTC Program can be found on the Internet.

6. THIRTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION YOUTH AND LEADERSHIP CONGRESS 2005 - “HOW TO REACH THE MASSES…”

GALT HOUSE
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY
JULY 19 – 22, 2005

SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS

- ORIENTATION FOR CHAPERONES AND YOUTH
Tuesday, July 19, 2005 5 – 6 PM

- OPENING WORSHIP AND COMMUNION SERVICE
Tuesday, July 19, 2005 at 7:30 PM
Bishop Sarah F. Davis, 18th Episcopal District, preaching

REVIVAL! WEDNESDAY – FRIDAY NIGHTS

Rev. Michael Bell, Bethel A.M.E. Church Dallas, Texas

NIGHTLY TEACHING
Dr. James Wade, General Officer: “How to Reach Un-churched Men”
And Thirteenth District preachers and presenters
- MORNING GLORY PRAYER MINISTRY

- LIVING WELL AND WALKING!

- WMS QUEEN’S CONTEST AND RECEPTION

- AFTERNOON AT THE APOLLO
- DMC PRAYER BREAKFAST AND GRADUATION
- HOLY GHOST HOLLA!
“It’s a Holy Ghost party and a Holy Ghost party don’t stop”!
WEDNESDAY – FRIDAY
BEGINNING FOR YOUTH AT 10 PM
Hip Hop Gospel Music – sing a new song!
Hip Hop Gospel Dance – demonstrate and learn!
Hip Hop Bible Rap – Get your rap on!
Fun and Fellowship
- WORKSHOPS FOR YOUTH, WMS AND MINISTERS
MINISTER’S TRACK

TWO COURSES PROVIDED BY PAYNE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

TUESDAY, JULY 19, 2005 UNTIL WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2005
4 – 6:45 p.m. and 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Homiletics
The Rev. Dr. Frederick Wright, Adjunct Professor of Homiletics and pastor of Quinn Chapel AME. Church in the Third Episcopal District.

Strategic evangelism
The Rev Mark Tyler (Ph. D. Candidate) and pastor of Macedonia A.M.E. Church, New Jersey

- Continuing Education Credits and certificate from Payne Theological Seminary will be given to those who complete the course. All pastors must earn continuing education credits annually.

All preachers including pastors, ministers, licentiates, local preachers and evangelists are asked to register as soon as possible.

Your registration for the congress also includes registration for the two classes.

- Continuing Education Credits and certificate from Payne Theological Seminary will be given to those who complete the course. All pastors must earn continuing education credits annually.

All preachers including pastors, ministers, licentiates, local preachers and evangelists are asked to register as soon as possible.

Registration for the congress also includes registration for the two classes.

MINISTER’S TRACK REGISTRATION FORM

NAME:
ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE NUMBER:
ANNUAL CONFERENCE:
CHURCH: PASTOR (If applicable):
COURSES: (CHECK CHOICES):

____ HOMILETICS
TUESDAY – WEDNESDAY July 19-20

_____ STRATEGIC EVANGELISM
WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY JULY 20 – 21

You must pay congress registration: $50 due July 1, 2005 and on-site registration fee $55.

Make own hotel registration by June 17, 2005

7. WOMAN’S GENERAL ASSEMBLY, FRIDAY, NOV. 18TH THRU SAT., NOVEMBER 19, 2005:

Special Delivery of Water Breaking Praise Shower!!! Powerful Pain Relieving Preaching!!! Life Changing Labor-Shops!!!

Breath Taking Topics include, “Push Until You Birth the Promise,” “Out of Your Belly & Into a Blessing,” “Happy Birth Day, Baby,” “After Birth, Then What” …and more

Opening Friday, Nov. 18th @ 7 p.m. -- Water Breaking PRAISE SHOWER *Daughters of Shabach Dance Ministry *New Covenant Praise Band

*The Voices of Africa Choral Ensemble *The Birth Day Choir

Closing Service--Saturday. Nov. 19th @4 p.m. -- “Happy Birth Day, Baby
(Registration is Friday, Nov. 18th at 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.)

THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE (5/26/05)

Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram - Chair, Commission on Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor


1. BREAKING NEWS – YPDERS EXPERIENCE “THE WRONG SIDE OF THE LAW”:

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – The Philadelphia Annual Conference

The Young Peoples Department (YPD) traveled from New York to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to attend the Philadelphia Annual Conference last Saturday, May 21st. The trip was supposed to be a spiritual outing for the young people of New York traveled to visit with and to be supportive the young people (YPDers) of the Philadelphia Annual Conference. Sister Daisy Fox was the leader who organized the event. The group traveled by Greyhound Bus.

The trip to Harrisburg may have been uneventful when they traveled to Harrisburg, but the turn of events radically reversed itself when Sister Fox and the YPDers prepared to return to New York. What started out as a dream trip for the young people turned into a nightmare.

As the YPDers were planning to return to New York and they were preparing to board the bus some type of misunderstanding, precipitated by the Greyhound bus driver ensued, and he called the police. The scene turned ugly. The police arrived and apparently approached the children and their adult leader in a heavy-handed manner. The police apparently, seeing a group of young black faces, approached the situation as if they were dealing with dangerous felons. Those YPDers and Sister Daisy Fox apparently looked like dangerous criminals. Presiding Elder Robert Bailey reported that Sister Fox was dragged off of the bus and handled like a common criminal. Presiding Elder Bailey said, “The police were irresponsible and ridiculous! “ He went on to say that he felt that racism was a factor in the behavior of the Harrisburg police in their heavy-handed approach and the way that they handled the situation. He added that racism was alive across the state of Pennsylvania and across the nation. Presiding Elder Bailey was livid.

The Philadelphia Annual Conference was being hosted by Bethel AME Church, Harrisburg in their new facility. The pastor, the Reverend Lawrence Henryhand and his wife were the ultimate hosts. The Conference had a “Sweet, Sweet Spirit” and the fellowship of ministerial, lay, and youth delegates and ministerial, lay, and youth visitors added significantly to the warm spirit and camaraderie of the Annual Conference.

The YPD celebration was over; the young people from New York were on their way back home and had arrived at the Harrisburg Greyhound Bus Station. The YPDers had stocked up on “goodies” for the long ride home. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Conference was completing a celebratory meal in honor of, and in recognition for the leadership of Bishop Richard and Mother Mary Norris. The warmth could be felt and there was a great expectation for the high time that would be shared at the evening service. Saturday had been a great day at the Conference. Bishop Norris and Bishop Richard Allen Chappelle, the presiding prelate for the 12th Episcopal District who was visiting the Philadelphia Annual Conference, were excitedly getting robed up for the evening service. The congregation was waiting in expectation.

But all of that came to a screeching halt. Someone went up and whispered something to Bishop Norris; he had a look of concern. Bishop Norris whispered something to Bishop Richard Allen Chappelle. Something had happened; something had gone wrong. Bishop announced that Bishop Chappelle would be in charge of the service. Bishop Norris, along with Presiding Elder Robert O. Bailey, Reverend Lawrence Henryhand hurriedly left the Annual Conference.

Presiding Elder Joseph Patterson would say later, “The folks in the First Episcopal District really love our bishop and he showed his love, concern and commitment when he left his annual conference to confront the police handling of our YPDers and Sister Daisy Fox. Bishop Norris didn’t have any fear; he took care of business.” Presiding Elder Bailey said that the pastors of the First Episcopal District support Bishop Norris 100% and appreciate the way he handled the situation with professionalism, firmness, and “no nonsense.” Bishop Norris went in behind closed doors and had a “heart to heart” talk with the leadership in the police station and “stayed on target” until Sister Daisy Fox was released and the YPDers were assured that “all was well.” Presiding Elder Bailey remarked, “The Bishop stopped what he was doing to take care of the flock. He modeled ministry for the pastors.”

On Sunday, the Honorable Edward G. Rendell, the Governor of Pennsylvania attended the Annual Conference and in his speech spoke about the incident that had happened the previous night with the YPDers and Sister Daisy Fox and said that the police actions were uncalled for and that he was going to look into the situation. He made an apology to Bishop Norris and the members and friends of the Philadelphia Annual Conference. He was saddened that something like that could happen in Harrisburg and in the State of Pennsylvania. Bishop Norris and the members of the Philadelphia Annual Conference were sorry that something like that happened.

(This story will be continued as The Christian Recorder receives additional information)

Editor’s note: To put this in perspective: I lived in the Harrisburg area; in Carlisle, Pennsylvania near Harrisburg, when I attended the U. S. Army War College in 1989-1990 and I saw more Confederate Flags flying in central Pennsylvania than I saw in Kentucky, Georgia, Virginia, Texas and Tennessee. I have lived in each of those states.

2. UPDATE OF MORRIS BROWN COLLEGE:

The Morris Brown College Board of Trustees has selected Mr. James E. Young, President and CEO of Citizens Trust Bank of Atlanta, Georgia, as its Board Chairman on September 13, 2004. The board is comprised of representatives from the corporate world, alumni of the college and concerned persons from the Atlanta community. At the time of the vote, there were no ordained African Methodist clergy serving as members other than Bishop DeVeaux.

Under the new model, Bishop William P. DeVeaux, the presiding bishop of the Sixth Episcopal District will serve as Board Vice Chairman. He has agreed to support all programs of the Board as it seeks to restore and revitalize the college. The trustees believe that this governance program will provide greater access of the corporate community, enhance the strategic planning process, and increase funding.

The Trustees will depend on the consistent and faithful support of the entire constituency of the African Methodism as its primary building block for insuring the future of Morris Brown College.

3. BISHOP KIRKLAND MARKS 120TH CHURCH ANNIVERSARY:

On Sunday, April 24th, a 10 a.m. combined worship service commemorated the 120th Church Anniversary of St. John AME, Huntsville, Alabama. The theme for the occasion was “www. Trust in the LORD always” and Bishop T. Larry Kirkland gave the sermon. Inspirational music was provided by the Male Chorus, directed by Mr. Rufus Gilmore III, organist and director of music. Mr. Kevin Long and Mr. Talbert Cox served as pianist and percussionist, respectively. The chairperson for the program was Dr. Jeannette Jones.

St. John members served as program participants in the regular Order of Worship with the modification of a contemporary version of the Decalogue, welcome and occasion, anniversary litany, and memorial tribute. The usual birthday prayer and renewal/recommitment of marital vows occurred in that it was the last Sunday of the month. The unusual aspect was that Bishop and Mrs. Kirkland were among those who chose to acknowledge their April anniversary and Bishop Kirkland’s April birthday.

Dr. Homer L. McCall, pastor, introduced Bishop Kirkland, the 114th elected and consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Bishop Kirkland preached on the topic, “The Tragedy of Forgetting God”, taking the text of the 17th chapter of Isaiah. He indicated that there are signs of mankind forgetting God reflected in homes, schools and the church. He noted that “bizarre behavior in the world” suggests that God has been forgotten by many (e.g., recent criminal activity and legal cases in the news).

Bishop Kirkland warned that becoming unfruitful or unproductive is the consequence of forgetting God, according to the text. Dr. Kirkland noted that the “AME Church ceased to grow”, with a decline in membership from “3.5 million to 825,000 since the turn of the century”. He went on to say that the Church lost its focus on spiritual power. He emphasized that God has been responsible for all the positive accomplishments of people, and Blacks in particular. Unfortunately, people have “gotten caught up and forgotten to thank God for the many blessings”. He highlighted the fact that “St. John was brought to this point by the Lord”.

The people of Israel “forgot that God brought them through the Red Sea” and ended up in the wilderness for forty years. Bishop Kirkland presented three reasons that Israel was so unproductive. The first was their love for idols. In modern times there are more subtle things that compete with God, which Dr. Kirkland summarized as “affluence”. He cautioned that God is not interested in clothes, but rather in souls. The answer is to stop pursuing success and turn over everything to God. He noted that “elitism” is the idol in the Black Community, and noted that the more appropriate goal is “egalitarianism”

The second problem listed was lapse in memory; that is, people have “forgotten the God of their salvation”. He posed the question to the congregation of whether they “remember how far God has brought you?” He gave a litany of African Americans who compared favorably or exceeded the accomplishments of individuals in the majority community in an effort to highlight the miracles that God has worked in the lives of a once enslaved people.

The other problem noted by Dr. Kirkland was a loss in concentration; that is, they focus on themselves rather than on the power of God. He noted, “There are things we can’t do for ourselves” and these should be turned over to God (“in the spirit”). However, he emphasized that “God won’t do what we can do for ourselves”. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare and search for a job (“in the flesh”). According to Dr. Kirkland it is important to “trust God to do things in the spirit...He will make a way for you”.

Bishop Kirkland began by singing “The Lord Will Make a Way Somehow” and ended by singing “I Won’t Complain”. His sermon was punctuated with humor and a down to earth tone that all could embrace. It was certainly fitting and a privilege to have the Bishop of the Ninth Episcopal District as the guest preacher for this special occasion. Pastor McCall presented Kevin Anderson with YPD trophies/awards and Bishop Kirkland participated in this honor for this young man.

The food committee, chaired by Mrs. Charlsie Brooks, coordinated and served a delicious dinner after the anniversary service.

Article by Dr. Bridget Floyd
Reverend Dr. Homer L. McCall, Pastor
Reverend Dwight E. Dillard, Presiding Elder
Bishop T. Larry Kirkland, Presiding Prelate

4. THE NIGHTMARE ON APRIL 15TH

Written by Cynthia Claire Johns Marve, Mother of Joseph William Marve II

Editor’s note: When I read the article below that was forwarded to me as a “family member,” I had a laugh and had a recollection of days past with my children. This is a story for all parents past and present. Enjoy.

September 2004

It all began in September 2004. My handsome son, Joe, was preparing for the prom in April. He just knew that he was going to go and he would not go without a date. So, he asked a girl in September. She said that she’d see. After all, it’s early; the prom is more than 6 months off.

November 2004

If you know Joseph, then you know that he can be very secretive. He wouldn’t tell us who he had asked, but that’s why God gave him a big sister. She somehow found out that he asked Lauren Alber. Lauren is a petite little girl that Joe had tortured in elementary school. But you know how that goes; something about protesting too much. Anyway, some time later, when we were talking about the prom to Aunt Pix, she advised that she might not be the best choice for a date, since there was this prior animosity. No problem, she hadn’t given an answer anyway.

February 2005

Time is growing closer and the Parent Meeting is taking place. I, as the dutiful mom, went to the meeting and got my earful. Anyhow, that’s not the story. The questions kept being raised; “How are you getting to the prom? Who’s in charge of the limo?” And the really big question…”Who are you taking to the PROM??????” Well, Fedder, a football buddy, was getting the limo and there was a plan for after the prom. “We’re all chipping in $85.00 and we’re going to rent a house out east in the Hamptons.” “No, you’re not,” was my answer. “Suppose someone starts doing drugs or there’s sex going on. What are YOU going to do? Take your (my) $85.00 and go to a comedy club in the city or something.” Anyway, he still doesn’t have a date.

March 2005

It’s time to make decisions. The prom is only a month away. Deadline to buy the tickets is coming and Joe has no date. We are making suggestions left and right. Joe, how about Ugo, or how about …whoever we can think of. “I’ve got a date.” “Who?” “Casey Clark.” “WHAT?????? Well, that’s nice. Does her mother know?” You have to understand. Casey, whom we all adore, lives in St. James. About an hour and a half away. The logistics of this, for me, were mind boggling. I couldn’t make this work, no matter what!! Maybe she’d have to spend the night here. Where? How does this work? Well, I didn’t even have to worry. Linda said that she couldn’t let her go to two proms. Apparently, she had a date for one closer to her location. Well, that solves my problem, but now Joe doesn’t have a date again and the deadline to purchase tickets is almost here. So, what are the possibilities? He can always take Jeannie. She has a dress and promises to be quiet and stay out of his way. “No Way”, says he. “I’ll find my own date.” Tickets had to be purchased by March 18th. Every day, I dreaded asking the question. “Are we buying tickets for this or not? Would you consider going alone?” “NO WAY!!!!!!!! I’m going to the prom WITH A DATE!!!” Finally, it’s March 17th and if he’s going to the prom, I’ve got to get some cash so Joe can purchase tickets. “So, I have to go to the Credit Union to get some money. Do I need to get enough for one ticket or two?” “Two”, says he. “How?” I ask. “I asked Lisa,” he said. “Lisa?” I ask myself. A name I have never heard before. “I’m taking her and Ashley,” he says. And now the questions begin. “You’re taking TWO girls to the prom? How does that work?” He explained just how it came to be.

Ashley is a junior, just as Joe is. Lisa, a sophomore, is Ashley’s friend. Ashley had asked Lisa to go with her. So, the two girls were going to the prom together, that is, until Joe came along and asked Lisa. So, Joe is now taking both girls to the prom. He couldn’t leave out Ashley since she asked Lisa first.

Now there are parents to call and arrangements to make. No sweat, not for an ol’ pro like me. Calls were made to see who could stay out until when, etc. Ashley’s mother didn’t want her to go off of Long Island. Lisa’s father didn’t want her to go anywhere after the prom, but home. In doing my research and phone calls, I discovered that there are very few things for teenagers to do on Long Island. So, I kept it simple. I arranged for them to go to the Nautilus, a local restaurant/diner in Massapequa. I arranged for a Lincoln Town Car for the three and we all talked to Joe about treating the girls just like princesses. They were to be treated like gold (or platinum was his suggestion). So, time went on and I kept in touch with the parents and the girls.

Meanwhile, there’s the tux. Joe being so busy with track and all, it’s not easy finding the time to go. Fortunately, we both had some time off at the end of March during Easter break. We went to the formalwear shop at the mall. I took Joe, Jeannie and Dave Murphy. Joe’s friend had come over and so he came, too. I let Joe pick out a nice outfit. When we had first discussed the prom tux, it was going to be all RED. I got him to tone it down just a spec by suggesting a pair of black slacks and a red jacket. That would work, except that the shop did not have anything like that, but if we did a white jacket and red vest and tie, then he would be smashing. Measurements were taken, a credit card was offered and we were on our way. Somehow, the message was not totally received by both parties, because I walked out without a receipt. We had forgotten to order the top hat and cane and white gloves, but we’d do that later. They had them on display, so it shouldn’t be a problem.

April 2005

I have checked out dress colors and made arrangements, and I feel pretty good about this event. But, now, as I talk to Natalie, Ashley’s mother, I find out that there is a 4th person riding along to the prom, Zack is going. You see, he is Lisa’s boyfriend. He is a freshman in another school. So, I speak to his father and make assurances to him that there will be no drinking in the limo or anywhere else. Fine, now we’re ready to arrange for a 6 passenger limo. After all, the girls need room especially for the pretty gowns.
On April 8th, one week before the prom, I went to the mall to order the top hat, etc. I spoke to Tonia, who, I didn’t know at the time, was the Assistant Manager. She made a phone call and told me that these items could be ordered on Monday, before the prom. She couldn’t find my order right then and she had what appeared to be a wedding party in the shop. Well, I am known for being patient, so, I’ll call on Monday.

On Monday before the prom and I call the parents. I didn’t speak to Lisa’s father. He was not home, but I spoke to her aunt, who says that Lisa’s not going. “Oh, but I’ve been in touch with Robert and he knows all about this.” Aren’t I the cocky one? I find out later that day that Lisa was suspended from school and Aunty was probably referring to the fact that she’s grounded for life. So, since she’s not going to the prom, then neither is Zack, who is her boyfriend. Now Ashley has to find another date and so does Joe, because I just can’t bear to call the limo company and tell them that I now need the Town Car. Ashley asked her boyfriend. I don’t want to know why she didn’t ask him in the first place, so……

I called Tonia on Tuesday about the top hat. It turns out that she was really busy on Monday and so was I, so Tuesday was going to be plenty of time. “Just add it to my charge,” I said. “That’s no problem,” she said. “Everything will be in on Thursday.”

Thursday, I had an appointment to get my hair done, so I did. Then, I went to the mall to pick up Joe’s tuxedo. I know he’s going to look great in it. We’ll try it on and make sure all is well. If the top hat doesn’t come in on time, that’s alright. We’ll make do. So, the young man that was there, asked for my name and he went to look for my tux and he came back with the hat and cane. “The other part’s coming,” I say to myself. Well, no, the other part is not coming. It seems that it was never ordered. The other young man that had taken care of Joe came out and tried to help. “Why, not?” I wanted to know. “Well, you see …” And he began to explain that I had not authorized them to use my credit card and on and on he went. Welllllll, if I gave him the credit card, did that not “authorize” him to “use” it??? These explanations were not helping me. I needed a tuxedo for TOMORROW NIGHT!!!!!! I drew my hand across my throat in a gesture as if to say “CUT!!” as any good director would do. I don’t need to know all of that, I had decided. “What are you going to do, now?” I wanted to know. By now, I was totally panicked. My son is going to the prom and his Sunday suit isn’t even in the cleaners. “We’ll order it tonight,” says the one that helped us three weeks ago as he is ringing up something at the register. I’m not so sure at this point that they’re really paying attention to me. But now I’m calmer. I’m going to get the tuxedo tomorrow. Someone takes my credit card, so that it’s now going to be swiped and I will have a receipt. It never occurs to them that something is so wrong with this picture. The hat and cane were charged properly, but not the tuxedo. Maybe it’s just me.

Now, we have to wait for Joe to come home from the track meet. I’m ordering Chinese, Jeannie is going to pick up Joe and all will be right with the world. Jewel, my friend Erika’s daughter, is coming over to braid Joe’s hair and that will be that. Jeannie can’t get in touch with Joe (typical situation) and the road to the rear of the High School, where the kids are usually picked up, is blocked. There’s a fire somewhere back there. Hope it’s not the school. So, an hour later, Joe shows up and Jeannie brings him home. We eat rather quickly; Joe takes a shower and Jeannie’s going to try and blow dry his hair, while I go to get Jewel.

And oh, yeah, is Justine going to the prom? Justine is someone that he spent time with a few years ago. Well, since we haven’t heard from her, let’s ask Ms. Davis (Erika, my teacher’s aide) if Joyelle can go. We had spoken earlier during the day about the possibility of her going to the prom if Joe didn’t get a date. I told her that I’d let her know when I came to get Jewel. When I mentioned this to Joyelle, it was the first time that she had heard of it. Apparently, she had not spoken to her mom, but she would be happy to go to the prom with Joe, whom she has only said “Hello” to one time. (The words “Blind Date” did not come from my mouth.)

It’s nearly 10:00 P.M. Jeannie calls me on my cell phone to say that the tuxedo was not ordered because they did not take the measurements. “WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!??????? What do they mean, there were no measurements taken?” “Call them right away”, she says. “They’re closing.” So, I did. Jewel is in the car listening to me go ballistic. I was a crazy woman. I am so terrified that Joe will not have anything to wear to the prom. I’ll have to put his suit in the cleaners in the morning and that’s it. “What are you talking about, no measurements? What do you plan to do? Joe has to go to school and I have to go to work. I can tell you over the phone whatever I know.” “Well, we can’t order without measurements. We can always give you a refund.” “You just charged my card, what do you mean refund? DON’T REFUND MY CREDIT CARD!!! I NEED A SUIT FOR TOMORROW!!!!!” “Well, uh what’s his collar size?” Now we’re working. I can give him everything but the jacket size, which we decided could be done over the phone tomorrow with the store manager. Her name is Tonia. Finally, a name I can trust. I am now calm… well sort of. My nightmare is almost over. Jewel braided Joe’s hair and I finally took her home around 11:00.

I spent a very restless night asking God if he would please allow me to wake up and it would be April 16th. God decided that I should experience April 15th in all of its glory. I went to school and tried to concentrate on teaching my classes. I called the tuxedo shop on my break about 6 times, but I got no answer. Finally, Erika said that she’d call and get me a free tuxedo for my aggravation. She’d be my good luck charm. “Go for it!” I told her. Before she had finished, the boys that had taken care of me on Thursday were totally at fault. Somehow, it was said that I was the one that had been rude to them. Erika made sure that Tonia knew that this was not my fault. It was agreed that I would get a free tuxedo if the measurements had been taken. Of course, the measurements had been taken, but the clerk had not written them down on the receipt. I will have to pay for the tuxedo because, after all, how could I prove they had been taken? My only proof was that Jeannie and Dave had seen them taken. Oh, well…The arrangement for the day was that my retired mother would pick up Joe after he was dismissed from school and take him straight to the mall. There Tonia would fit him for a tuxedo. Well, with God’s help and that of my mother, Joe came out with a smashing black and white tuxedo, just as we had originally ordered.

I had Jeannie take Joe to Ashley’s house, which was the pick up place for the limo. I had gone to get Joyelle. Joe and Jeannie got to Ashley’s about 5:45, which is when I suggested they all meet. It was soon discovered that Joe did not have the corsage that I had bought for Joyelle. Neither did he have the invitation that would get them into the prom. Jeannie had to go back home to retrieve the needed items, neither of which was where Joe thought they should be. That for her was traumatic, but she came through as big sisters always do.

The rest of the story is anti-climatic. Erika went through what mothers go through in order to get their daughters ready for the prom. I picked them all up and we arrived in Farmingdale about 6:15. The limo was waiting, as were all of the kids who were so well dressed and beautiful. Pictures, pictures, pictures. And off they went, riding off into the sunset; Ashley, Bill, Joseph and Joyelle.

The Lessons Learned

As with any good thing that God allows us to experience, there is a lesson to be learned.

1. When you are dealing with a boy, patience above all else. Just let it be. He’s going to tell you everything in time; his not yours. No matter what, kids work in their own time, no matter how much they plan ahead.

2. If a girl is going to the prom, take her to Estelle’s Dressy Dresses and buy her a dress. Preferably, send her with her mother. If a boy is going to the prom, send him with his father. They know how to buy tuxedos and they know the secret language of the male clerk.


5. HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR POSITION AVAILABLE AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS:

I want to share with you that effective June 6, I will be the acting director for human resources for the Library of Congress - a senior level position. They are searching for a director and while I was asked to apply for the position, I declined. However, it is indeed an honor to be asked to serve until someone is chosen.

In case there are folks out there that you know who are looking for a Human Resources Director position, they can go to our website - www.loc.gov and complete the on-line application. The close date is June 6, 2005

The director is responsible for leading the Workforce Management, Workforce Acquisitions, Strategic Planning and Automation and Worklife Services teams - a workforce of 60 permanent staff plus contractors. The person reports to the Deputy Librarian of Congress.

Call me, Bill Ayers on 202-707-0289 if you have questions.

Submitted by Bill Ayers, Jr.
Director, Workforce Acquisitions HRS
Library of Congress

6. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICES FROM THE 1ST, 10TH AND 13TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICTS:

- It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sis. Lesley Ellis, mother of Sister Jewel D. McAshan.

Arrangements are as follows:
Funeral Service: Thursday, May 26, 2005, at 11:00 a.m.
Unity Funeral Home
4114 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60653
(773) 624-2703 (Office)
(773) 624-6969 (Fax)

All other correspondence may be sent to:

Sis. Jewel D. McAshan
1 Arthur Street
Copaigue, NY 11726
(631) 841-0386
E-mail: jd2eemc4@aol.com

Please keep the McAshan family in your prayers.
Submitted bySister Fredia A. Hanley-JohnsonPresident,
1st District MSWAWO
Bishop Richard F. Norris,
Presiding Prelate, 1st Episcopal District
Mother Mary A. Norris, Episcopal Supervisor

- Regretfully we share news of the passing of the Reverend A. L. Dunn of the 10th Episcopal District. Reverend Dunn passed away on Sunday, May 22nd.

Arrangements:

Visitation: 9:00 AM until 11:00 a.m.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Funeral to follow at 11:00 a.m.
Metropolitan AME Church
1101 E. 10th Street
Austin, TX 78702
512-478-2857 (Phone)

Services entrusted to:
Emanuel Funeral Home
1721 W. Oak Street
Palestine, TX 75801

(888) 729-3188 Toll Free
(903) 727-0112 (Fax)

Condolences may be sent to his wife:

Mrs. Janice Dunn
9815 Cooper Creek Dr. #206
Austin, TX 78229
(512) 506-9444

Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram, Presiding Prelate, 10th Episcopal District
The Reverend Dr. Jessica K. Ingram, Episcopal Supervisor

- Regretfully we share news of the passing of Mrs. Ruth Bryant, the mother of Reverend Sidney Bryant, Pastor of Payne Chapel AME Church - Nashville, Tennessee.

Funeral Service:Thursday, May 26, 2005
12:00 Noon
St. John AME Church
1822 Formosa Street
Nashville, TN 37208

615-320-1026 (Phone)

Condolences may be sent to:

Rev. and Mrs. Sidney Bryant and Family
601 Sunnyslope Court
Goodlettsville, TN 37072 Or to:

Payne Chapel AME Church
212 Neil Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206

615-262-3675 (Phone)
615-228-2791 (Fax)
Email: info@paynechapelnashville.org

Bishop Vashti M. McKenzie,Presiding Prelate, 13th Episcopal District
Mr. Stan McKenzie, Episcopal Supervisor

7. ALL BEREAVEMENT NOTICES RECEIVED FROM SISTER ORA EASLEY:

Please remember these families in your prayers.

God Bless!Ora L. Easley
Email: Amespouses1@aol.com
(Nashville, TN Contact) Phone: (615) 837-9736
Voice Mail: (615) 833-6936Fax: (615) 833-3781
(Memphis, TN Contact) (901) 578-4554 (Phone & Fax)

THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE (5/24/05)

Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram - Chair, Commission on Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor

1. THE EDITOR’S CORNER

- Letters to the Editor

Dr. Sydnor

I always look forward to the Christian Recorder Online, but this issue was particularly overflowing with wonderful information. The review of the book, "I Told the Mountain to Move" by Patricia Raybon was excellent and has inspired me to purchase the book as a resource as I also work through personal, family and spiritual struggles. The road to maturity, while dealing with various life issues, can be quite challenging and perhaps Ms. Raybon's experiences can shed some light on how prayer helped her to deal with living from day to day. Prayer can move mountains, but sometime we need to hear (or read) a new testimony that will give us all a renewed faith to know that trouble don't last always and that weeping may endure for the night, but joy DOES come in the morning.

Also, I enjoyed reading the review by Rev. W. Antoni Sinkfield about the Pentecost Celebration in Tennessee in which my Pastor, Rev. Walter Winstead Reid Jr. of St. James AME, Memphis is a member of the Tennessee Pentecost Revival Committee. Excellent review!

Finally, I look forward to working with my Pastor Reid as we carry out the mission and focus of the 2005 AME Quadrennial Theme of “Living Well". I eagerly await the resource book that will show us all how to kick aside those stumbling blocks to living an abundant life. Bishop McKenzie is absolutely correct when she said AME members are seeking answers to many questions such as "How do I keep from losing my mind in a crazy world?" or "How do I address certain relationship issues?" And since I have teenage sons, the question about "where does the Hip-Hop generation fit in" is of particular interest.

I trust each AME will take on a personal mission to embrace these issues and work within the church to keep the AME Church strong and productive as each of us deal with the everyday lifestyle challenges of living well, serving well, managing well, and finishing well. For too long we have just been getting by; now it's time -- it's past time -- for each of us to have life and to have it more abundantly.

Sister Beverly T. Goines
St. James AME Church
Memphis, TN

- Graduation

Good Morning Doctor Sydnor,

Ms Lisa Wilkes, a member of Union Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Randalls Town, Maryland of The Washington Conference of the Second Episcopal District was one of the ladies featured in one of the Women’s Edition of The Christian Recorder in March 2005.

Lisa graduated Magna Cum Laude, with honors from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore. She was a member of the National Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society, Honors Program, and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English. To God be the Glory! She received other honorary awards at an Awards Program for the Honor students on Saturday night that are too numerous to mention. She has several things lined up, but stated, she'll see how that goes, but she's seriously considering the Masters Program in Journalism in the spring or fall.

Thank you again for words of congratulations, and all of your love and support. I'm a little overwhelmed today, my heart is very full of joy, unspeakable joy, and all I can say is, To God Be the Glory!!

God Bless,
The Wilkes Family

- Correction

President of the AME Chaplain Association should have been listed as a Connection Officer. The President of the AME Chaplain Association is the Reverend Leodis Strong, Veteran Affairs Chaplain.

2. SISTER JEANETTE JOHNS’ SHARES HER THOUGHTS ABOUT HER MOTIVATION AND COMMITMENT TO ASSIST THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER IN PROVIDING SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR THE 20TH EPISCOPAL AND OTHER OVERSEAS DISTRICTS AS A TRIBUTE TO HER LATE HUSBAND, THE REVEREND CLARENCE B. JOHNS, JR.:

Editor’s note: I am expecting to hear financially from some of my family members today. I was thinking about how all of this came to fruition and thought about how much I appreciate the dedication and commitment of Sister Jeanette Johns. She “jumped on this project” and left me at the “starting gate.” I am out of the gate now and my family has sent an offering for this project, which I have expanded to get the brick making machine. I will keep you informed. Our son, Dr. Calvin IV, his wife, Joanna, and his partner in practice, Dr. Ernest told me that the checks are in the mail. I also have other financial commitments from two other Episcopal districts.

How all of this got started

Bishop Wilfred Messiah wrote that none of the pastors in his district had formal theological training. Sister Johns responded, “That was, at first reading, surprising to hear when we have so many educational requirements for our pastors here in the USA. They are all A.M.E. pastors, yet look at the difference in their training.”

Sister Johns responded to the challenge, “Circumstances where Bishop Messiah presides probably make it impossible for these pastors to accomplish this necessary training, yet their Bishop realizes the necessity and importance of it. This simply points out to me once more that we take so much for granted here in America. We really do!”

She went on to share, “I was a scholarship student when I attended Hampton Institute/University, so I am well aware of what personal encouragement and monetary assistance can mean to one who needs it at any given time. Since then I have always tried to ‘give back’ or maybe the better term is to ‘pay it forward’ because of the kindness that has come my way over those years and the ensuing ones. I'm wondering now what $100 can do. Re-reading his message, I see that Bishop Messiah needs "hard copies of the Christian Recorder" and other A.M.E. publications. Scrolling back up to your # 1 article, I see how to subscribe to A.M.E. Church Periodicals. So, now I'm thinking that $100 could supply a few copies of the "Christian Recorder". That's a start. And if I can ask a couple of my friends (non-A.M.E.s) to join me in this project, maybe I could collect enough for another few subscriptions to A.M.E. publications. Hmmmmmm. I'm thinking ‘This could work quite well.’”

Immediately, sister Johns asked me, “Please let me know how to make out the check so that it will be tax deductible. I ask this because I know my friends will ask.”

She continued, “I'd probably never act upon this on my own, but to know that you and your wife, Charlotte will take this on personally through family and friends - well, that rang a really LOUD bell in my memory. When my husband, the Reverend Clarence B. Johns, Jr., was pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Rockville Centre, NY a complete new church was built with a small congregation of about 75 people on roll. Of those, maybe 30-40 appeared at church on a "good" Sunday. Of those, about 15 were really the ones who held steadfast to the project of building a new church. Their original church had been demolished during the Urban Renewal days and a lot of years had elapsed after that happened before the "right" pastor got there to see that the Building Program got proper attention.

The people were, understandably, very discouraged so there were only those few who still felt strong enough to put their confidence in this brand-new pastor, St. Paul being his first assigned church, and support his ideas and move onward and upward. It had been important to him to get the basic building up so that the congregation could move into it and hold services there instead of in the Community Center where they had been for years, paying rent all that time. That was accomplished in a relatively short time and in a few more short years, he left them with a beautiful edifice with stained glass windows replacing the original ones that had been plain; a complete A/C system, also added after completion of the basic building; a useful stage in the lovely Fellowship Hall, and a completely DEBT-FREE church. What I need you to understand about this is that in addition to those 15 or so members, CB and I called upon every relative and every friend we ever knew to help in this situation. We had our own "list" and labels were made and waiting to be applied to envelopes containing info about any fundraiser or any letter I decided to write (for the pastor) that I thought would bring in a few more dollars. And family and friends came forth, meeting our every request. For instance, there are names on those stained glass windows that only a few will recognize and when they do it will be said that they were relatives and friends of the Johns. The same is true about names that will be seen in Journals, etc.

So, I really am impressed with the fact that the Editor of The Christian Recorder will take on this project and include your wife, because I'll bet you didn't even have to ask her. (Editor’s note: I didn’t ask her). You just knew that she would support your efforts and I dare say she'll see this first in "CR Online," (Editor’s note: That’s when she saw it) just as I did. How close did I come to the truth on that one? Well, I'll support you, too. Please include me in!

I want so much to make a substantial contribution to this effort and I have conceived the idea of doing it as a memorial to my late husband, who believed strongly that whenever someone stands in the pulpit to bring the Word of God to the people, that person should be well prepared for this awesome task. That's why he spent so many years in formal study, plus his 5:00 a.m. studies and many hours during the day, as well as at night.

That's why he read the Bible in its ENTIRETY each year of his life from college days until his death at age 78. I think this would be a fitting tribute to him.

Regarding the results of her "grass roots" effort:

I am pleased to send you the results of my "project" regarding subscriptions for "The A.M.E. Christian Recorder" for the purpose of assisting the overseas Episcopal Districts. These subscriptions will fill the request of Bishop Messiah, with the overflow copies being distributed as you see fit.

The request I made to my relatives and friends was that they make their contributions as a tribute to my deceased husband, the Reverend Clarence B.
Johns, Jr., who believed strongly that one that stands behind the pulpit to deliver God's Word to God’s people should be as well prepared as possible. He made every effort to keep himself well prepared to preach the gospel.

My personal goal for this effort was 30 copies. Knowing that you and your wife had already contributed 10 subscriptions, I felt sure that I could get another 30 subscriptions paid for, which would give us a few extras to work with. I am SO happy to report that these supportive relatives and friends have donated a sum that will purchase a total of 48 subscriptions to "The Christian Recorder.” I know that they will be appreciated on many levels and I deem this a worthy tribute to my late husband.

Sincerely,
Jeanette T. Johns

3. THE “WE BELIEVE’ TOUR IN THE WEST KENTUCKY!

April 15-17, 2005 Presiding Elder Linda Faye Thomas-Martin and the Louisville-Paducah District hosted our Episcopates Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie and Supervisor Stan McKenzie. Our BELIEVE Tour of Churches ignited as far south as Greater Taylor Chapel AMEC, Franklin, KY (Reverend Donzella Lee, Pastor) and concluded at Embry Chapel, Elizabethtown, KY (Reverend Jeff Ellis, Pastor). We are so grateful to our visionary leadership team for their guidance and inspiration during our district visitation. Witnessing history in the making as the first female Presiding Elder of the 13th Episcopal District and the first female Bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church set the churches on fire. Every congregation was so excited and honored to have Bishop McKenzie and Supervisor Stan visit their churches. Members of St. Paul, Louisville, KY, (Reverend Gene Gallon, Pastor) and St. Paul, Woodburn, KY, (Sister Valeria Smith, Pastor) stated that this was the first time in their church history that a Bishop thought enough of their churches to come and visit them. Bishop McKenzie said to us that “The BELIEVE Tour of Churches goal is to visit every church to pray and fellowship so that we become familiar with where our members worship, work, and witness. “

As the McKenzie’s, arrived they greeted everyone with a holy kiss and hug as they always do. They reemphasized to each church that “If we BELIEVE, God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.” They encouraged everyone to attend the “Set the House on Fire” Revival that was held in the Lexington, Kentucky on May 13-14, 2005. The Reverend Dr. Walter Malone, Jr., Pastor of Canaan Christian Church, Louisville, KY, was the revivalist.

Addressing the Board of Examiners, Bishop McKenzie challenged the students to complete seminary, and prepare themselves with the knowledge and skills needed to have a successful ministry. She stated that, “A Doctor goes to medical school, a Lawyer must goes to law school, and the Board of Examiners are there to prepare us for what to come.” She shared her wisdom with the class, and how she had to prioritize in order to become an effective minister.

Bishop McKenzie and Supervisor Stan also recruited young adults to participate in the Gospel Hip-Hop Ministry led by Sister Vashti Jasmine McKenzie, and the Afternoon at the Apollo (Talent Search) at the Christian Education Congress, Galt House Hotel, Louisville, KY, July 19-22, 2005. Our erudite, Supervisor Stan McKenzie, presented each church with a historical book on the Women’s Missionary Society of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The members were so honored just to be in their presence.

WE BELIEVE that under the dynamic leadership of Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie and Supervisor Stan McKenzie the 13th Episcopal District will begin the process of rebuilding and restoring itself. All praises to God for shining upon our district and blessing us with Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie. While traveling the district she visited sixteen churches in one weekend, Quinn Chapel AMEC, Louisville, KY (the Reverend Dr. Pedro Basden, Pastor), Young’s Chapel AMEC, Louisville, KY (the Rev. Jermaine Wilson, Pastor), Asbury Chapel AMEC, Louisville, KY (the Reverend Kenneth Love, Pastor), Bethel AMEC, Shelbyville, KY (the Rev. Wallace Gunn, Pastor), Taylor Chapel AMEC, Bowling Green, KY (the Rev. A. J. Holman, Pastor), Ward’ s Chapel AMEC, Scottsville, KY (the Rev. Tobias Pace, Pastor), St. Paul, Owensboro, KY (the Rev. Etta Garth, Pastor), Trinity AMEC, Louisville, KY (the Rev. David Chavous, Pastor), Greater St.
James AMEC, Louisville, KY (the Rev. Jr. R. Williams, Pastor), New Covenant Community AMEC, Louisville, KY (the Rev. Alvin Herring, Pastor), and St. John AMEC, Louisville, KY (the Reverend Frank Price, Pastor). “What A Mighty God We Serve”! The district visitation left the people inspired and more motivated than ever before to rebuild the walls of the 13th Episcopal District.

Thanks be to God for the vision, vitality, and vigilance of our Episcopates Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie and Supervisor Stan McKenzie. “Eyes have not seen nor ears heard all that the Lord has in store for the 13th Episcopal District,” FOR, WE BELIEVE!

Submitted by Sister Lula Martin, Writer

4. BISHOP McCLOUD TO ADDRESS ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE:

Bishop E. Earl McCloud, Jr. will be the keynote speaker on Saturday, June 4, 2005 at 8:30 a.m. for The 10th Annual Economic Empowerment Conference of The Collective Banking Group, Inc.

The Right Reverend E. Earl McCloud, Jr. is the 127th Bishop of the worldwide African Methodist Episcopal Church, Inc., elected and consecrated during the 46th Quadrennial Convention. Bishop McCloud directs the Office of Ecumenical and Urban Affairs, overseeing the Economic Division, and is the Endorsing Agent of the A.M.E. Church. He represents our Zion on The World Council of Churches, National Council of Churches, and Pan-Methodist Coop and Union.

A record of honorable service in the United States Army from 1974 -1982 has earned Bishop McCloud the respect of AME Chaplains and the responsibility of command over the church’s ecumenical ministry. He brings to this position a philosophy of servant leadership, rooted in Christian faith.

In virtually every major economic indicator, African Americans seriously lag behind other ethnic groups. The Collective Banking Group, Inc. (CBG) forcefully advocates the black church as the most effective vehicle to bring about economic empowerment, wealth building, and a community of educated consumers.The CBG, a Christian ministry, draws together leaders from the faith, business, and public service sectors to develop and enhance economic empowerment strategies for our members and communities they serve. According to Reverend Jonathan L. Weaver, President, and Pastor of Greater Mt. Nebo African Methodist Episcopal Church in Bowie, MD noted, “We are very fortunate that our County Executive, The Honorable Jack Johnson, recognizes the historic importance of faith entities working collectively with business, government and community development corporations. As our Honorary Chair, Mr. Johnson lends his vision for regional empowerment.”

For many member churches and historically disadvantaged entrepreneurs, the conference provides empowered networking with area banks, economic advocates, venture capitalists, home buying experts, auto dealerships and government officials. Since its inception, The Collective Banking Group, Inc. has continuously grown to its present membership, representing more than 150 churches, more than 200,000 persons. As of 2004, CBG member churches have been approved for more than $100 million in loans and have on deposit in excess of $130 million with their banking partners.

“This Christian ministry draws together leaders from the faith, business, and public service sectors to develop and enhance economic empowerment strategies for our members and communities they serve,” said Reverend Dr. Diane H. Johnson, Conference Chair, and Pastor of Jerusalem African Methodist Episcopal Church, Clinton, MD.

The conference is schedule for June 3-4, 2005 in Prince George's County, MD. Other speakers include Elder Matthew L. Brown, Superintendent for the Church of God In Christ, Buffalo, New York; Reverend Jesse L. Jackson; Jim Clingman, author, Blackonomics; Dean Crawford Jones, Howard University School of Divinity (Ret.); Reverend Dr. Florida Morehead, Shalom Christian Ministries Center; and many others.

For conference information or to register, visit the CBG website: www.CollectiveBankingGroup.org.

Stephanie and Eric Stradford
Conference Consultants
FIBRE Internationale LLC.
www.TheEnterpriZe.com

5. PENTECOST REVIVAL AT QUINN CHAPEL, LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY “SET THE HOUSE ON FIRE!”

Can you imagine anyone suggesting to “Set the House on Fire” on Friday, May 13th? Well that is exactly what happened at the Greater Quinn Chapel AME Church located at 744 Charles Avenue in Lexington, Kentucky. It happened something like this: Friday, May 13th - 6:45 pm, the people of the Lexington District, Kentucky Conference began gathering in the sanctuary anticipating the arrival of Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, Episcopal Supervisor Stan McKenzie, Presiding Elder Ralph E. Johnson and First Lady Mrs. Patricia Johnson of Kentucky Conference.

The host Pastor- the Reverend Dr. E. Holmes Matthews, Jr. with a warm and friendly smile greeted each person as they arrived. First Lady Sister Loretta Matthews also stood vigil with a smile that lit up the sanctuary as she greeted and chatted with members of the Kentucky Conference.

The occasion was the Pentecost Revival with the guest preacher being the prominent leader and prolific visionary The Reverend Dr. Walter Malone, Jr., Pastor of Canaan Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky.

Excitement was in the air as the people ranging in age 90 years to 22 months whispered amongst themselves. Truly it was a sight to behold as the Pastors and their spouses arrived looking like Sunday Morning in the AME Church.

7:25 pm - the suspense was ended when the Bishop with the expected guest, the Reverend Dr. Walter Malone, Jr, arrived. Dr. Malone a native of Tennessee has an impressive background. He attended Fisk University and later Nashville’s American Baptist College. He received his Master of Divinity Degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and received his Doctorate of Ministry from the United Theological Seminary. During his studies, Dr. Malone also became a Samuel D. Proctor-Otis Moss, Jr. Fellow.

He is also the author of two books – An Operative Faith for an Oppressed People (a collection of sermons about how Christian faith is nurtured in the lives of people who are oppressed by sin) and From Holy Power to Holy Profits that deals with the responsibility of the church to engage in community development.

7:30 pm the Worship Leader for the Praise service was the Reverend William R. T. Hale, Pastor of Barnes Temple Church in Elsmere, Kentucky. He set the tempo for the Praise Service as he invoked the presence of the Holy Spirit to fall fresh on us. The Inspirational singing was provided by the West Kentucky Conference Choir under the direction of Brother Troy Bell.

8:00 pm the Pentecost Revival began with the Reverend Kenneth E. Paris, St. Paul, Lexington, as Worship Leader. Call to Worship was given by the host pastor, the Reverend Dr. E. Holmes Matthews, Jr. The Hymn was lined by the Reverend A. J. Holman, Taylor Chapel, Bowling Green. All present sang loudly and boldly “We Praise Thee O God…Revive Us Again.” Prayer offered by the Reverend Dr. Pedro Basden, Quinn Chapel, Louisville.

The West Kentucky Conference Choir selection was “Lord We Lift Your Name on High.” The Old Testament was read from Leviticus 6:8 -13 by The Reverend Dr. Robert A. Strode, St. John, Frankfort. The New Testament from I Thessalonians 5:12 -19 was read by the Reverend Geoffrey Ellis, Embry Chapel, Elizabethtown.

“Setting the House on Fire” was taken to a higher level as Bishop McKenzie led the congregants in cheering “Ain’t No Party like a Holy Ghost Party – Cause a Holy Ghost Party Don’t Stop.” It is true, really true. When the praises go up, the blessings come down. The congregation shouted, they cried, they sang, they moaned, they moved, they clapped, they danced – the drums, the guitars – the pianos – the organ - there “Ain’t no Party like a Holy Ghost Party.”

The history-making first female Presiding Elder of the 13th Episcopal District, the Reverend Linda Martin, of the West Kentucky Conference then presented the Rt. Reverend Vashti Murphy McKenzie with a most colorful introduction. She introduced Bishop McKenzie as “one of the best people that I know.” “In the words of Tina Turner Simply the Best – Better than all the rest – Better than anyone!”

Bishop McKenzie then in turn presented the Preacher of the hour, Dr. Malone. She praised God for those who came to participate in the “Flow of the Holy Spirit” using a Devotional Guide prepared by the School of Prophets to culminate the reading and studying of the devotional guide for the past 50 days. Bishop reminded us that we have the faith to believe that God can do beyond our imagination. She admonished us to “leave this place on fire.” Ignite wherever you go. She admonished the Pastors “when you get to church on Sunday NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL!”

The Sermonic Selection by the West Kentucky Conference Choir “We Need to Hear from You” followed by the “Covered by the Believers Prayer” Dr. Malone greeted the group with Jesus Joy. His subject was “It’s A Blessing in Disguise,” from Genesis 39:1-6. Key points in the message: “When the trials, troubles and tribulations come our way, that’s when our faith comes in. It becomes a matter of trust. Do you trust God only when things are clicking or when all hell breaks loose? Trials are only for a season. You have to go through it because if you don’t, you won’t know what you know. You have to make the best of a bad situation. The question is Can you shout while you are going through it? Anyone can shout when they come out of it. It is a blessing in disguise. It doesn’t matter what you are going through, if God is on your side, God can take what looks like a bad situation and turn it around. The fire you felt here – the fire you received – it started with us and we ought not to lose it.”

Following the very inspiring, motivating and soul searching sermon, the Invitation to Christian Discipleship was given; closing remarks by Bishop McKenzie and the benediction by Dr. Malone. The house was packed with pastors and members from the Kentucky and West Kentucky Conference in attendance.

Remember I began with a question, Can you imagine telling someone to “Set the House on Fire on Friday the 13th? Well, if you know anything about building a fire, you know that you have to lay the foundation; a little rolled paper, some kindling and a few pieces of coal until it catches and then you can add the more coal. After the fire is burning you have to stoke it, poke it, stir it up and keep it burning. You have to keep adding coals to the fire and then you have to watch it because it can “Set the House on Fire!”

Are we ready to build a fire? Can we “Set the House on Fire?” Do we have what it takes to build a Fire? Can we keep the fire burning? “The fire must be kept burning – it must not go out! DO NOT PUT OUT THE SPIRIT’S FIRE!

Submitted by Sister Doris J. Coffey – Reporter for the Kentucky Conference
The Reverend Ralph E. Johnson – Presiding Elder


6. THE PASTOR'S CORNER:

Going Forward With God Our Guide for the Journey

12I have much to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when He, the Spirit of truth, come, He will guide you into all truth…14He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and giving it to you. (John 16: 12-14)

So often we believe we have been left to navigate the course of life on our own. We feel sometimes that God has commanded us in "what" to live, but has left us to figure out for ourselves "how" to live. Jesus promised He would not leave us as orphans. God loves us and has not forsaken or left us on our own. God desires we walk with Him in an intimate, hand-in-hand relationship. He sent the Holy Spirit to be our guide through this journey called life. He's given us a "Guide for the Journey!"

Years ago, my wife, Corlis and I took a two-week vacation in Europe to visit my brother who was a "U.S. Army" officer stationed in Germany. We had an idea of the things we wanted to do and see while there but we had very little knowledge about how to accomplish our list. So it is in life. We frequently know the "what", but we lack the knowledge of "how!" My "Big Brother" arranged to have us travel always with a guide - one who leads or directs another in his way. So it is with "Big Brother" Jesus. He has sent to us the One who directs us in our conduct or course of life.

Our guide was extremely valuable as we traveled.

1. Our guide showed/led us to our destinations - Being able to follow the One who not only knows which destinations are proper for us, but also the way to arrive, removes so much of the pressure of our journey. Our Guide shares with us the understanding of the Father's hand in our circumstances in such a way that we experience the new life that is ours through Jesus Christ.

2. Our guide directed us in how to conduct ourselves - The Father intends for us to experience great joy in our journey. The "Comforter" (One who walks beside us) constantly gives us direction on the choices we face. With all of the alternatives available to choose from, He gives us the "mind of Christ" (I Corinthians 1: 16) to serve as our conscience as we choose.

3. Our guide protected us from potential dangers - We are in a constant battle against unseen spiritual forces that would destroy us on this journey called "life." The Holy Spirit interprets for us the road map (God's Word) to prevent us from becoming lost, isolated, and vulnerable to destructive forces, attitudes, and actions.
So, how do we contract with the "Guide" who is available to lead us in our journey? David demonstrated how to have God's guidance in his petition to God in Psalm 25: 4-5.

4a – Show me your ways
4b – Teach me your paths
5a – Guide and teach me in your truth
5b – Be my Savior this day.

To receive God's guidance, just ask! The God who created us and loves us so much He sent His Son to die to save us is waiting to be "Our Guide for the Journey!"

Pastor Jim Moody
Quinn Chapel, Chicago

7. ARTIST, SONGWRITER, AND AUTHOR LEAVES LEGACY, REV. J. MORRIS METZE:

Irmo, S.C. - The “Glory to God, Guarding our Legacy Celebration” was a triumphant success which occurred on May 14, 2005. Officiating at the historic event in African Methodism was the Rev. Dr. William Smith, Jr. Presiding Elder of the Columbia District. The service’s “call to worship” was an original piece written for the occasion called “Glory to God.” The invocation was another original piece called the “Prayer of Exultations” an interactive prayer which captured the moment and hearts of all present led by Rev. Rhudene Reeves-Toomer pastor of Elisha AME Church, Sliverstreet, SC. Both the call to worship and the prayer were written by Rev. J. Morris Metze.

The unveiling of the limited series print “Glory to God, Guarding our Legacy” was done by Mrs. Angela Harthone-Smith, First Lady of the Columbia District and Mrs. Sandra Anderson, First Lady of St. Paul AME Church. Mrs. Harthone-Smith pointed out the historic significance of the art work in the life of the church yesterday, today and for all the tomorrows to come calling for revival and revitalization of African Methodism movement. The art print depicts a cross and anvil, surrounded by African mosaics with children’s hands “reaching from the abyss.” The cross and anvil are traditionally used in the emblems of the AME domination.

The celebration continued as if it were stitches woven in the fibers of time with the pre-publication review of Letters to Saint Paul an unpublished book authored by Rev. Metze, given by his former English Professor Rev. John Preacher of Allen University. Who stated, “the book was magnificent and tells the story of life’s journey and a great achievement of truth, wisdom and courage.” The debut of sacred music “You Are Welcome, Want-a You Come” song by the Mass Choir of St. Paul under the direction of Mrs. Kathy Fuller received a standing ovation and many were touched by the song’s message, every head bobbed and every foot padded during its performance. The song was written by Rev. Metze and transcribed by Mrs. Relda Ogleton choral organist at Allen University.

The message for the service was entitled “Glory to God, Guarding our Legacy.” Rev. Metze used the Epistle to Galatians 4:7 as a text, and referred to the writings of Mary McCloud-Bethune, “My Last Will and Testament” highlighting and reading “I LEAVE YOU FINALLY A RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.” The message dealt with the legacy of McCloud-Bethune to humanity, the legacy of African Methodism to humanity, and the responsibility of each church member to leave a legacy of service for we are heirs of God through Christ. Rev. Metze thus spoke of his legacy, the art print, the book and the scared music to the church and to humanity saying, “A Charge to Keep I Have, A God to Glorify.” Indeed this was the zenith of the Celebration, all glory, praise and honor belongs to God.

Other program participants were Rev. Edward Hill, Sr. pastor of Piney Grove AME Church in Propensity, SC, Rev. Dr. Vincent Johnson pastor of Mount Pisgah AME Church in West Columbia, SC, Rev. Tobie Pollock pastor of Paradise AME Church in Union, SC and Rev. Phillip C. Anderson, Senior Pastor of St. Paul AME Church, Irmo, SC who introduced the speaker of the hour. Mrs. Beverly Reeves-Pollock cousin of the artist/author/songwriter, and minister gave the Celebration’s occasion.

Following the celebration was a repast in the Educational Building alone with a mini art exhibit of other art works by Rev. Metze and an artist signing.

The art print can be viewed and purchased at Cokesbury Book and Bible Supplies, 2730 Broad River Road, Columbia, South Carolina. The remittance for “Glory to God, Guarding our Legacy” the art print is $125. Please call the Cokesbury book store nearest you for more details a vendor’s number has been set up under the artist name J. Morris Metze.

Additionally, the location of the first ten prints:

1) St. Paul AME Church, Irmo, SC
2) Mother Bethel AME Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
3) Former President William Jefferson Clinton, New York, New York
4) The Honorable Governor Mark Stanford, Columbia, SC
5) Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce, Ohio
6) Allen University, Columbia, SC
7) Presiding Prelate of the 7th Episcopal District Warren Williams, II
8) Presiding Elder Rev. and Mrs. William Smith, Jr. (Columbia District)
9) Oprah Winfrey
10) Mr. Jonathan Kerr-Duffie Metze, the artist’s son

Below the print it says:

"Glory to God, Guarding our Legacy"

The cross symbol of Christianity, the anvil symbolizes the humble beginnings of the African Methodism Episcopal Church in a blacksmith shop. The different colors of African mosaics symbolize the toils of mankind: green for new life, red for the heat of the day, orange the light, yellow is serenity, and black the darkness of those things unknown. The different colors of the children’s' hands are the colors of mankind.

8. PRAYER REQUEST:

I am really enjoying the online Christian Recorder, I would like for you to ask for Prayer for the family of the Rev. Ronald A. Christopher, retired pastor in the Tampa, Florida Conference. His grandson was tragically killed on Monday May 16 in a head on collision in Bermuda. Funeral arrangements are not yet available; however I will send them ASAP. This is also my first cousin.

Thanks,
The Rev. W. O. E. Christopher, Sr.

Editor’s note: The funeral was yesterday, but we can still pray for the Christopher family.

THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE (5/23/05)

Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram - Chair, Commission on Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor


1. BREAKING NEWS:

Correction to earlier posting: The Strategic Planning Meeting will not meet this morning at the Marriott near the Nashville International Airport. Instead the Strategic Planning Meeting is scheduled, and will meet this morning at the Sheraton Music City Hotel near the Nashville International Airport. Restructuring is the agenda for the council. Want to see the thinking and recommendations on restructuring the boundaries of the Church – Come to Nashville or read The Christian Recorder Online.

2. THE COUNCIL OF BISHOPS ANNOUNCES QUADRENNIAL THEME:

The Council of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church announces the establishment of the Quadrennial Theme; an innovative approach to create a ministry resource to give focused spiritual direction to the connectional church. The theme will be inaugurated at the Bishop’s Council and General Board meeting in Dallas, Texas, June 27- 29, 2005, under the leadership of the Council of Bishops and Bishop Gregory Ingram, Host Bishop and incoming President, Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, President, Bishop Phillip R. Cousin, Senior Bishop and Bishop Richard Allen Chappelle, President of the General Board.

This historic program to resource the pulpit and the pew will unify the AME Church’s focus on issues that can be stumbling blocks to living the abundant life. It will provide both the church and the academy an opportunity to provide material for busy pastors and lay members who hunger and thirst to drink deeply the things of God.

The Quadrennial Committee has been working since February to develop the resource materials. The committee includes Bishops Vashti M. McKenzie, President and Chair; Phillip R. Cousin, Senior Bishop, Gregory Ingram, incoming President, McKinley Young, C. Garnet Henning, T. Larry Kirkland, William P. DeVeaux, John Hurst Adams, Vinton R. Anderson and Frederick H. Talbot.

This year’s focus is “Living Well”. The Biblical foundation is “I’ve come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.”(John 10:10) Topics covered through the 12 month period include:

- Relationship to God, Self and Others
- Health: Prevention, Fitness and Restoration
- Equipping, Enlightening and Engaging the Mind
- The Heart (Emotions), Family, Parenting and Community issues.

“Serving Well” is the focus for 2006-2007, concentrating on improving our Christian service. “Managing Well” is the focus for 2007 –2008 highlighting earning, spending and saving well and coming into the 48th Session of the General Conference is Finishing Well, for 2008 – 2009 where the focal point is planning ahead for retirement.

“The rich full, Christian life is one that exudes excellence and is not fractured into destructive divisiveness,” writes Senior Bishop Philip R. Cousin. “The Christian Living Well is one with a wholeness that undergirds excellence. Wholeness represents a unity of Spirit, mind and body which is necessary if life is to be lived to the fullest.”

“The Quadrennial Theme provides additional continuity to our worship, witness and work,” states Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie. “This is an opportunity to provide resources to our congregations that are relevant to lifestyle challenges.”

“Our members,” says Bishop McKenzie, “are seeking answers to questions such as: How do I live an abundant life in a hostile environment? How do I find the strength to raise my children alone? How do I keep from losing my mind in a crazy world? Where does the Hip-Hop generation fit in? What does the Bible say about developing good health habits? Are there other resources that will help me to live well everyday?”

The Council of Bishop is producing a resource book, “The Anvil.” It will contain Episcopal epistles, sermon resources, Bible Studies, liturgies, meditations and reflections upon the theme that may be used in local congregations written by the bishops and others.

Pastors are encouraged to have an annual Quadrennial Theme Sunday and incorporate the Sunday School curriculum, quarterly devotional and theme topics into the worship and study life of the local congregation. They may utilize the resource guide, poster and other materials to assist congregants and community members in seeking Biblical answers to everyday lifestyle challenges.

Dr. Johnny Barbour, Secretary-Treasurer of the Sunday School Union and Publisher for the AMEC encourages all AMEC publications to focus attention on Living Well.

The Christian Education Department, under the leadership of Secretary-Treasurer, Dr. Darryl Ingram and Commission Chair, Bishop Robert V. Webster, is fleshing out the Quadrennial Theme in Sunday School literature beginning in June 2005. The Vacation Bible School curriculum will reflect the theme beginning in June 2007.

The Christian Recorder, edited by Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor, III and Commission Chairman Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram will carry a monthly column written by a member of the Council of Bishops under the title “Living Well Everyday.”

Director Dr. James C. Wade and Commission Chairman Bishop Preston Warren Williams will publish reflections on the Quadrennial theme in the Church Growth and Development Department’s publication, The Secret Chamber, beginning in July 2005.

The A.M.E. Church Review under the editorship of Dr. Dennis C. Dickerson and Commission Chairman Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram will also feature articles reflecting the quadrennial emphasis.

The AME family is encouraged to subscribe to these excellent resources that provide information, insight and instruction for the 21st century sons and daughters of God, the legacy of Bishop Richard Allen. The Anvil and other resource materials will be available at the site of the Bishop’s Council and General Board.

3. TURNER CONVEYS 25 DEGREES:

During the Forty-sixth Commencement Convocation of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, Rev. Daniel W. Jacobs, Sr., D. D., President/Dean of Turner Theological Seminary hooded twenty-five men and women, who answered the call to “study to show thyself approved”. The Turner Class of 2005 is the epitome of the African Methodist Episcopal Church as its members are representative of the Connection, age spectrum, and ministerial calling. An Honorary Degree was conveyed upon the Right Reverend Phillip Robert Cousin, Presiding Prelate of the 4th Episcopal District during the celebration ceremony.

The Following persons fulfilled the requirements for the Master of Divinity with Episcopal District and concentration, awards and honors:

-David W. Arthur, 5th - Homiletics and Worship

-Theresa B. Bedford, 1st - Missiology, Evangelism and Ecumenism, with honor, The Samuel Hopkins Giles Award.

-Selena Clark, 1st Psychology of Religion and Pastoral Care

-Johnnie L. Cook. 6th - Psychology of Religion and Pastoral Care, with honor

-Anton G. Elwood, 11th - Psychology of Religion and Pastoral Care

-Douglas “Sinclair” Forbes. 11th - Theology

-Jacqueline L. Fullwood, 11th - New Testament, with honor, The Dean’s Award, The Brigg’s New Testament Award

-Lionel Jackson, 8th -Sociology of Religion, The Bishop John Hurst Adams Award

-Andrew K. King, 6th, The William A. Wilkes Memorial Award.

-Lisa P. Marshall, 2nd, Homiletics and Worship, The John A. Middleton Award

-Raymond E. Mays. 6th, The Bishop John Hurst Adams Award

-Donald L. Phillips, III, 4th, with honor, The James H. Clark Memorial Preaching Honor Award

-Linda A. Powell, 1st, Psychology of Religion and Pastoral Care, with honor, The

-Bishop William Alfred Fountain Sr. and William Alfred Fountain, Jr. for Academic Excellence Award

-S. Matthew Roberts, 6th, Psychology of Religion and Pastoral Care

-Estella E. Shabazz, 6th, Theology, The Josephus R. Coan Award

-Samuel D. Siebo, 14th - Homiletics and Worship

-Avis L. Snearl, 6th

-Jeffery C. Thomas, 6th Theology

-Lairalaine White, 6th -Church Administration and Leadership, The Bishop Frederick H. Talbot Award

- Jimmie L. Williams, 11th -Theology
- Angela D. Wright. -Missiology, Evangelism, and Ecumenism

Fulfilling the requirements for the Master of Arts in Christian Education:

- Ronald Butler-9th

Fulfilling the requirements for the dual degree Master of Divinity/Master of Christian Education:

-Amanda L. Furbert-Kelley- 1st – Psychology of Religion and Pastoral Care, with honor, The Bishop Frank C. and Martha C. Cummings Award.

-Margaret J. Outerbridge - 1st –Psychology of Religion and Pastoral Care, with honor, The Bishop Donald George Kenneth Ming Award

Fulfilling the Requirement for the Doctor of Ministry Degree

- Cassandra Mency Hill, 6th, with honor
Doctoral Project- “Spiritual Empowerment for Pragmatic Leadership in
In Pastoral Ministry: The Case for Equality of Clergywomen In the Atlanta/North Georgia Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church”

-Lena Flowerds, 6th, with honor
Doctoral Project- “Health Education In The Black Rural Church”

An Interdenominational Theological Center Certificate of Achievement was presented to Mrs. Gia Harrow, widow of Mandrall Harrow, a Turner student and native of the 6th Episcopal District who passed away earlier this semester. We salute these graduates and honorees that through their diligent study and sacrifice are now prepared to serve the needs of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and this ever-changing world. Keep your lamps trimmed and burning always mindful that it is not the degrees you hold, but the works that you do that will always speak for you. Kudos!

Rev. Kecia A. Lewis
President
Turner Student Fellowship

4. THE 139TH SESSION OF THE VIRGINIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE:

The Virginia Annual Conference celebrated its 139th session May 2-7, 2005 at the new Hampton Roads Convention Center located in Hampton, Virginia under the anointed leadership of the Right Reverend Adam J. Richardson. Mrs. Connie Speights Richardson presided over the Women’s Missionary Society.

For weeks now AMEs in Virginia wondered if the convention center was going to be ready for the Annual Conference. The members of the conference expressed joy and praises to God that the Virginia Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church was the first to hold a convention at this site. To God be the glory.

The conference activities began on Sunday night May 1, 2005 as the conference presented a reception for Bishop and Mrs. Richardson. The Rev. Franklin West, first lady Mrs. Marylene West and the fine members of Saint Paul AMEC of Newport News, Virginia and the Reverend André P. Jefferson and first lady Tracey Jefferson of Bethel AMEC Hampton, Virginia gave opening remarks and presented Bishop Richardson and Supervisor Richardson. The Episcopal team greeted us and we dined on scrumptious food and the soft music helped to provide the ingredients for a lovely reception.

On Monday May 2, 2005, the Conference Branch Women’s Missionary Society under the leadership of President Barbara Leseur opened its conference with its morning worship service. Rev. Dr. Monica Spencer preached a timely and “fiery” message and the Annual Night in White brought out Missionaries far and near, stepping and glowing in Jesus joy and the love of God and missions through Him.

The WMS election saw Mrs. Mary P. Vick elected as Conference Branch President. Sister Faye Wilson the Virginia Annual Conference YPD Director turned playwright demonstrated her skills through a skit filled with learning, humor and Christian principles. Supervisor Richardson gave closing remarks that were timely and inspirational.

The Women in Ministry annual meeting under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Monica Spencer convened Tuesday May 3, 2005 at Bethel AMEC, Hampton, Virginia. Their slate of events included spiritual renewal and workshops that included “how to minister to men” which, was informative and enlightening.

The official opening of the 139th Session of the Virginia Annual Conference convened at 7:00 pm at the Hampton Convention Center under the “God-fearing,” “people loving “ Bishop Adam J. Richardson and his queenly wife Connie Speights Richardson, supervisor of missions for the Second Episcopal district.

After songs of praises and greetings from state Senator Mamie Locke, Rev. Vernon Ricks preached the annual sermon, using as his text act. 27: ff, and his subject, “Take What You Got, And Come on In.”

Other sermons preached during the conference were the Rev. Dwight Riddick of Gethsemane Baptist Church of Newport News, Virginia, the ecumenical message, “Something Better,” text Acts 3:1-5; Presiding Elder emeritus Paul Adkins preached the Men’s Night Emmaus Walk sermon. His message, “Overcoming Obstacles,” text Luke 24:13; the Rev. James Beatty preached the noon day refresher sermon entitled, “A Permanent Solution to a Long Term Problem.” His text was taken from Mark 5:21-28. Rev Chester Morris’ Lay Night message was “Off the Chain” as he expounded on the topic, “A Knee Mail to God”, text Daniel 6:11-22. Retired Bishop Frederick Talbot preached the Service of Ordination. His subject was “Ministry The Jesus Way.” His text was taken from John 20:21, 22. The Commissioning Service message was delivered by our Bishop the Right Reverend Adam Jefferson Richardson. His message, “Why I Still Follow Jesus” text Luke 9:57-62. Bishop Richardson electrified the closing of this conference as he called the roll of our cloud of witnesses that have left us legacies and testimonies.

Indeed we were ready to “go preach the gospel”

New assignments were as follows:

Rev. Willie White---- St. Stephens, Cape Charles
Rev. Timothy Smith---- Greater St. Andrews, Virginia Beach.
Rev. Oretha Cross----Gaskins Chapel, Savageville, Va. (Eastern Shore)
Rev. Sherry Dobbins----Mt. Moriah, Surry
Rev. David Holiday---- Centerville Chapel, Chesapeake.
Rev. William Scott---Greater Bethel, Chesapeake
Rev. Gwendolyn Minor----Macedonia, Carrollton.
Rev. Monica Spencer-----Ebenezer, Richmond

This reporter can truly say, and I am sure others agree, “The best is yet to come.” We praise God for the AME Church and we look forward to another year of service to God. We will continue to support the church, our schools and of course, each other.

Submitted by Pastor Norman D. Vick

5. THE PENTECOST CELEBRATION IN TENNESSEE:

By Rev. W. Antoni Sinkfield

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come. . .”

The scene had been properly set.

The Spiritual Leader and Chief Pastor of the 13th Episcopal District, the Right Reverend Vashti Murphy McKenzie, had issued the call to the during the 13th District’s Founder’s Day celebration in February to prepare itself for a burning of heaven’s fire. And so, under her leadership and directive, the 13th District’s School for the Prophets produced and published the District’s first ever “Cross to Pentecost” devotional. This guide, full of insight and instruction, was developed within the district to prepare the people of the district for the burning that was coming from heaven!

Bishop Vashti McKenzie sanctioned and commissioned the Tennessee Pentecost Revival Committee of the Rev. W. Antoni Sinkfield (Pastor, St. John, Nashville); the Rev. Walter W. Reid, Jr. (Pastor, St. James, Memphis); the Rev. James Walker (Pastor, St. Paul, Columbia); and the Rev. Charlene Boone (Pastor, Warren Chapel, Chattanooga); and the Rev. Deborah Dennie to go ahead of the District and make the preparations for the appointed hour. The place selected for this great move of God was the newly established Kairos Community African Methodist Episcopal Church founded and pastored by the Rev. Roderick D. Belin under the District Leadership of Presiding Elder Troy Merritt, Jr.

The outpouring upon the 13th District had already begun in Lexington, KY at Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church pastored by the Rev. Dr. E. Holmes Matthews. And what a mighty outpouring it was! But the culmination of the 13th Episcopal District’s blessing would manifest itself on May 14, 2005 at 1:30 pm at the Kairos Community African Methodist Episcopal Church in Nashville, TN.

“. . .they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven. . .”

AME’s from all over the state of Tennessee came together in Kairos Community Church, in a spirit of great anticipation and expectation, to gather and place the wood and the fuel for the impending inferno of Pentecost.

The St. Andrews AME Church Praise Singers of Memphis, TN (pastored by the Rev. Dr. Kenneth S. Robinson) brought fuel for the fire by ushering the worshippers through praise into the presence of God. The worship leader, the Rev. James Walker (Pastor, St. Paul, Columbia) brought fuel for the fire by lifting the consciousness of every believer in the house to openly acknowledge the worthiness of our God. The Rev. David Strong (Pastor, St. Paul, Chattanooga) with the opening hymn, the Rev. Charlene Boone (Pastor, Warren Chapel, Chattanooga) through fervent prayer, and the Reverend Jimmie Plummer (Pastor, St. Luke, Gallatin) and the Rev. Lisa Hammond (Pastor, Hopewell, Columbia) through the Scripture brought fuel for the fire, reminding us that “in Him, we live, and move, and have our being.” The Tennessee Revival Choir comprised of members of the Tennessee, East Tennessee, and West Tennessee Conference Choirs and under the direction of Mr. Sam Robinson (Greater Bethel, Nashville), brought fuel for the fire by soaking the room with highly combustible songs of worship, praise, adoration, thanksgiving, and joy!

As the hour drew near, Presiding Elder Robert E. Keesee of the North Nashville District presented the Episcopal Leader, The Right Reverend Vashti Murphy McKenzie. Bishop McKenzie reminded us of our journey together from The Cross to Pentecost. She challenged us to prepare ourselves now for a spectacular move of God. Bishop McKenzie brought her own fuel for the fire by way of introducing the preacher for the hour, the Rev. Dr. Walter Malone, Jr.

Dr. Malone (the prolific, profound, and prophetic Pastor of the 4000+ member Canaan Christian Church of Louisville, KY and a product of St. John AME Church, Nashville, TN) brought fuel for the fire as he preached from Genesis 39 on the subject: “Favor Ain’t Fair.” He reminded Christians that, like Joseph and the Virgin Mary, we are blessed and highly favored. And many will try to throw our lives into disarray and darkness because of our God-granted favor. But the good news to us is that God (often) does His best work in our lives during our darkest hours. Favor Ain’t Fair!

More fuel was added for the fire during the invitation to Christian discipleship. Bishop McKenzie and Dr. Malone were moved of the Spirit to lay hands on and pray for every minister gathered in the house. And then. . .

“. . .there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

With all of the fuel and wood gathered in Kairos Community African Methodist Episcopal Church on that afternoon, the Holy Ghost came and set that house ablaze—AND GREAT WAS THE FIRE! The anointing of the Holy Ghost fell fresh into that house and completely engulfed every soul in the inferno of the Glory of the Living God!

Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie’s theme and mandate for this Pentecost Revival was “Set The House on Fire”—and indeed THE HOUSE DID BURN!

6. AME MEMBER AT SHORTER CHAPEL, DENVER HAD BOOK; I TOLD THE MOUNTAIN TO MOVE RELEASED MONTH:

I'm on the journalism faculty at the University of Colorado at Boulder. As an African American and a member of the African Methodist .Episcopal Church, I'm writing to let you know that my new book, I Told the Mountain to Move, was released this month from Tyndale House and SaltRiver Books to outstanding reviews.

Publishers Weekly: “glorious…a powerful and personal book about prayer.” CBA Marketplace: “vibrant, eloquent prose.” Philip Yancey: “raw…and comfortingly real.” FaithfulReader.com: “a real gem…fluid and substantial. Strips away our often-childish notions about what prayer is and makes it something vital and, while not easy, possible.”

Or as one reader told Donna Britt of The Washington Post: “It was like salve on an open wound.”

With its release to such strong reviews, I am writing to ask if you would consider reprinting the attached press release in The Christian Recorder. My prayer is to share this book and its message with as many as possible, especially in the A.M.E. connection.

At Shorter A.M.E. Church, my home church in Denver, church members are calling me, e-mailing me, stopping me after service, often tearfully, to say how this book is impacting their lives. Tavis Smiley's producer invited me on his show -- my interview with Tavis Smiley aired last night, Thursday, May 19 on PBS -- after reading the book. It was featured two weeks ago on the DayStar Broadcasting Network's home page. The Moody Radio Network scheduled me for an interview on its nationally syndicated program, "Midday Connection" in late May.

I know you have more important things to do than think about authors and books. But I hope you will consider sharing information that will get this book into more A.M.E. hands. Just a word from you would make a difference. Thank God, indeed, for moving our mountains! Thank you for your kind and prayerful consideration. If you need a jpeg of the book jacket or an author photo, I can provide that, as well.

With gratitude and love,
Patricia Raybon

Contact: Kelly Hughes, (312) 280-8126, kelly@dechanthughes.com

“Raybon offers readers hope and empathy…she understands more fully what God’s command to love one another really means. This is a powerful and personal book about prayer.” – Publishers Weekly

Journalist Learns Prayer Can Move Mountains

Patricia Raybon’s award-winning writing life didn’t follow her home. Instead, she faced a mountain of discord: a strained 25-year marriage, conflict with two grown daughters, an unsettling alienation from her aging mother and a troubling distance from a silent God. Beset by such family and spiritual struggles, the author and journalist decided to enroll in her own personal school of prayer. Her new book, I Told the Mountain to Move (SaltRiver, an imprint of Tyndale House, $19.99, April 2005) chronicles a life-changing education that takes her from the rote prayers of childhood to a mature understanding of her faith.

Her husband’s sudden illness was the catalyst for Raybon’s quest, but it was just one of several trials she faced. Others included her youngest daughter’s conversion to Islam and the burden of secrets from her own past. Somehow, she says, this “scratched-up, middle-of-the-road Christian dug up enough common sense to call on God,” and embarked on a course of radical transformation.

For that’s the essence of prayer: it’s about getting changed. Being a “good person” – sending thank-you notes, driving the speed limit, attending church – isn’t enough. “God, it turns out, wanted me to be transformed,” Raybon says. And while she longed for such change, she knew that renewal comes only through work and sacrifice: “This was hard gospel. The gospel of trials.”

Raybon, 55, the daughter of devout Christians who raised her in a vibrant African-American church, had been going through the motions for years. Her prayers met with silence: “God was my Deus Absconditus – the God who is hidden,” she writes, “cold and distance, and as soundless as the grave.”

So Raybon vowed to learn to pray. But “what did I know of the secrets of prayer?” she says. A former reporter, she was now a journalism professor at a state university, “where the idea of praying to an unseen God could get me laughed off campus, if not out of a job.”

But a journalist’s instinct is to find answers. So Raybon started studying. She sought out teachers among classic and contemporary Christian thinkers, including Quaker theologian Richard Foster, evangelist R. A. Torrey and South African “prayer warrior” Andrew Murray. While their wisdom guided her, it was the experience of prayer, and the relationship it builds with God, that changed her.

Spiritual renewal is most evident in those moments when one might respond with anger, judgment or impatience – and instead responds with love. So while Raybon was confounded when her daughter left the family’s Christian faith for Islam, Raybon’s prayers led her to offer love-talk rather than arguments. “I couldn’t win Alana back by arguing,” she writes. “But I could live like a Christian. So I loved my daughter, hijab and all.”

In I Told the Mountain to Move, Raybon offers 24 prayer lessons, such as “Tell the Hard Truth” and “Serve With Love,” that trace her journey and her transformation. “I started out frightened and resentful, unloving and unsure,” Raybon writes. “I wanted God to change these hard things for me. But God was changing me.”

I Told the Mountain to Move
By Patricia Raybon
SaltRiver, an imprint of Tyndale House Publishers
$19.99 hardcover
ISBN: 0-8423-8797-8
PUB DATE: MARCH 2005

Patricia Raybon is the author of the critically acclaimed My First White Friend, which won a Christopher Award for “artistic excellence affirming the highest values of the human spirit.”
An associate professor of journalism at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Raybon began her career as a city desk reporter at The Denver Post and won national awards for feature writing as a feature reporter at the Rocky Mountain News in Denver. She has been published in USA Today, Chicago Tribune, The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek and several other newspapers and magazines. Patricia's essays have aired on National Public Radio's Weekend Edition and she has been a guest on national and local television and shows including NBC's “Today.”

Patricia and her husband, J. Daniel, have two grown daughters, one son-in-law and two grandchildren. They live in Colorado.

- Patricia Raybon on Attending “God’s School of Prayer”
Adapted from I Told the Mountain to Move
(SaltRiver, an imprint of Tyndale House, $19.99, April 2005)

Afraid of Hanging Around God
I was afraid of what hanging around God could do to a person. I was afraid I might grow up to become of the stewardesses at Cleaves Memorial Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Denver. The worst part was the hollering and running up and down the front of the church: “Jesus! Jesus! Oh Thank You Jesus!” They were like women possessed. The last thing I wanted to do was to grow up and be possessed by God. If possession is nine-tenths of the law – or whatever the legal fraction is supposed to be – I knew I’d never surrender myself to a God who would steal my self-control.

A Novice at Prayer
I was a beginning at knowing God – and at praying. Even after fifty years of going Sunday after Sunday to church. Even after all of that – after singing in the choir and hearing the gospel music and basking in the good, preached word of God.

Talking to God
God was talking. God’s Spirit was talking to my spirit and I recognized the voice. Not an out loud voice, of course. But I could the words in my head – or in my heart? As if they were spoken aloud. That is, my spirit could hear the words: “Stop crying. Start praying.”

Forgiveness
My parents never once said, “We told you so” (when Patricia returned home after an early disastrous marriage). They just put up a crib in my old bedroom, bought baby food and diapers and toys. Then my daddy spoke the words that would forever change my life. “You need to open your Bible.” The words of my recovery had been underlined by my father – years and years before – with his black ink pen. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”

Prayer Circle Miracles
The prayer circle began to report back: “I’ve been so blessed by praying for Dan, I can’t explain it.” It seemed miraculous; then it seemed crazy. How could I, a rundown Christian – with just a few weeks given to the study of prayer and a lifetime record of unanswered prayer, inspire this?

When a Black Woman Listens to Vikki Carr
In the car, I traded my beloved NPR for an easy-listening station in Denver called KEZW. Holy Ghost music? Had to be. When a black woman listens to Vikki Carr and Englebert Humperdinck the only way to explain it is the Holy Ghost. So I was either crazy or sanctified, but mostly I had joy, and it didn't make any sense. And for the record, Vikki rocks.

I was a Lousy Christian Mother
Not all the time, of course. But on a certain level, yes, it was true. I was casual with the faith. I acted holy in church and hellish at home, bullying my girls, ignoring my husband, and dismissing his concerns, holding back love, condemning, belittling, impatient.

Wounded Black Woman
Scars linger in wounded people. So I doubted myself as an African American woman: I wasn’t truly lovable, was I? Do black women anywhere have a clear answer to this question? Are women – of any color – ever convinced that they are lovable? I still wanted to ask my husband, Dan, can even a black man love a black woman? I couldn’t ask it that way, of course. So I sat in my husband’s hospital room and said, “You’re squeezing me out.”

Two American Families
Protestant and Catholic, black and white and Latino, and their two Muslim offspring – found a way to have Thanksgiving dinner and nobody choked. In fact, we rose above ourselves. That’s how you do it.

Superstition or Good Medicine?
For people who don’t pray – who think the spiritual life is so much superstitious mumbling; who think God-fearing people are intellectual weaklings whose trust in the unseen is silly – a fervent prayer must look naïve and hopeless. But to a nurse – who knows when doctors have done all they know, and who has seen what God does when people pray – the spiritual life is fresh hope, and more than that, good medicine.

Learning to Love God First
But God understood what I didn’t: that God was my first love. Not Dan. What a crazy thing. Without loving God most, without giving myself first to God, I couldn’t love well or forgive right. Not my good but distant parents. Not my husband’s miscues. Not even myself. My prayer life depended on it.

Holy Ghost Sight
Without this supernatural vision – Holy Ghost sight – we can’t pray right. We can’t love right. Or discern right or serve right or preach right of teach right. We can’t live right. Absolutely, we can’t live with each other right. Moreover, we miss our calling in life without the Holy Spirit’s revealing and leading. The Holy Spirit is the key.

Early Praise For I Told The Mountain To Move”

"Other books on prayer give "how-to" advice. Patricia Raybon takes a different, and much more daring, approach. She embeds prayer in real life: surgery, family conflict, anger, prodigal children, race, memory. The result is raw—and for that reason, comfortingly real."
—Philip Yancey

“A real gem...both fluid and substantial. Strips away our often-childish notions about what prayer is and makes it something vital and, while not easy, possible.”
— FaithfulReader.Com

“Patricia Raybon’s memoir of learning to pray is wonderfully written...On her journey, Patricia discovers how her love for Jesus does not separate her from people of other faiths, but deepens her respect for them. Her story integrates prayer into every aspect of living. In fact, Patricia Raybon’s school of prayer is life itself.”
—Reverend Jane E. Vennard, Adjunct faculty, Iliff School of Theology; spiritual director; retreat leader

“Glorious…Raybon can tell a story to be sure…This is a powerful and personal book about prayer.” — Publishers Weekly

“Patricia's powerful, personal story becomes our own as we recognize similarities in our families, marriage, and life. Just as powerfully, her lessons about prayer become our own as we follow her journey closer to Jesus.” —Carol Kuykendall
Director of Leadership Development, MOPS International Author of three books and co-author of five books on family, mothering, marriage, and life transitions.

“Patricia Raybon has written a beautiful book with a beautiful message. She tells her story honestly, bravely, and with a good dose of humor. A very satisfying and illuminating book!” —Carleen Brice, Editor, Age Ain't Nothing but a Number: Black Women Explore Midlife

“With clarity of purpose, Pat, exposes her inner self and the challenges of her life. She brings the reader in child-like faith to trust more, love more, and wondrously develop the delightful experience of being able to listen and talk to God.” —The Reverend Lonzie Symonette Hospice Chaplain, Board Certified Chaplain, Association of Professional Chaplains, Adjunct Professor Fuller Colorado Theological Seminary Assistant Minister, Payne Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church

“Patricia Raybon has written a power-filled yet gentle book about her journey to spiritual maturity. She allows the reader to overhear, envision, and identify with her deeply personal experiences and faith development. Her mantra of “God is bigger” permeates the prayer lessons she examines in the sweeping pages of this text. The creative vulnerability of her writing establishes her as one of the cutting edge voices in of spirituality.” —Teresa L. Fry Brown, Associate Professor of Homiletics, Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. Author of “Weary Throats and New Songs: Black Women Preaching God's Words” and “God Don't Like Ugly: African American Women Handing on God's Word”

“I Told the Mountain to Move has the unique quality of exposing the author’s journey toward understanding the heights and passion of communicating with God. Readers who are deliberately seeking the same will be drawn by Raybon’s words, wishing they could read them all at one sitting, but being wise to savor them.”
— Christian Retailing Magazine

Editors Note: Looks like a great book! There were many issues addressed that even I, as a man, could identify with.

THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE (5/18/05)

Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram - Chair, Commission on Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor


1. THE EDITOR’S CORNER:

- Some Of You Are Still Getting Gibberish In The Christian Recorder Online. Here Is The Process For Getting Correcting That Problem. It Is Simple So Don’t Read Difficulty In The Directions Provided Below By the Reverend Al Paris:

“In order to display Apostrophes and Quotation Marks properly the Text Unicode Encoding must be set to UTF-8. (Western European may work also, but try UTF-8 first.
In Outlook Express, click on View -> Encoding and select Unicode (UTF-8),
If Unicode (UTF-8) is not visible, Click on View - > Encoding - More. . and you will have more options, including Unicode (UTF-9).”

- I shared with our readers that I was, and am, asking my family and friends to assist me with raising money to help with subscriptions for AME periodicals and books for overseas Districts 14 – 20. My wife, the Reverend Charlotte A. Sydnor and I donated $260.00 for 10 subscriptions for District 20.

Before I could get my letters out to our family and friends, I received the letter posted below from Mrs. Jeanette T. Johns, the author of "The Upward Journey…" the book about the late Bishop D. Ward Nichols that she sent to her family and friends.

“…I want so much to make a substantial contribution to this effort and I have conceived the idea of doing it as a memorial to ‘CB’ (Sister Johns’ late husband, the Reverend Clarence B. Johns, Jr), who believed strongly that whenever someone stands in the pulpit to bring the Word of God to the people, that person should be well prepared for this awesome task. That's why he spent so many years in formal study, plus his 5:00 a.m. studies and many hours during the day, as well as at night. That's why he read the Bible in its entirety each year of his life from college days on. So, I think this would be a fitting tribute to him.

I'm working on a basis of supplying subscriptions to the A.M.E. Christian Recorder at $26 per subscription. I choose this one because it gives important information about the A.M.E. church, in general, as well as information from individual churches all over the world. I believe it would be an important source to provide inspiration and motivation to these pastors in Africa who have so little information at their disposal.

I still have a few copies of my book, "The Upward Journey; personal stories of Bishop Decatur Ward Nichols, Revered Clergyman of the African Methodist Episcopal Church". Bishop Nichols gave nearly all of his 104 years to the A.M.E. Church, so that would be 100 years of history right there that these pastors could sink their teeth into. I plan to donate a few copies for that purpose.

Please, if you can share my excitement even a little bit, make a check to cover the cost of as many subscriptions as you possibly can. I’m hoping for the amount of $104 to cover the cost of 4 subscriptions, but you know that I'll smile and be extremely happy for whatever you can send in CB's memory.

Make your check payable to "The Christian Recorder” and mail it to me by May 10th. Dr. Sydnor has assured me that he will send each donor a letter acknowledging the donation for tax purposes. TAX DEDUCTIBLE, Folks!!!

This sure does bring back to me the "St. Paul Days" when you were all so strongly supportive! You KNOW that I'll never forget that.

Much love to each of you,
Jeanette”

Editor’s note: On last Saturday I received a letter from Mrs. Jeanette Johns with checks totaling $1248.00 to be used for subscriptions for periodicals for overseas Districts 14 – 20; I am still waiting for my family and friends. I know that they will respond and I will post a full accounting of this “grass-roots effort.” I want to thank the following family and friends of Sister Jeanette Johns for their generous gifts.

Mr. William E. Goldsborough - $104
Westbury, NY 11590

Mrs. Oneida S. Lee- $104
Amityville, NY 11701

Mrs. Charlye M. King - $104
Massapequa, NY 11758

Mrs. Sioux Nichols Taylor - $104
Mt. Vernon, NY 10552

Mr. Clarence B. Johns III - $104
Oak Park, Ml 48237

Mrs. Trulove M. Gilchrist - $104
Charlotte, NC 28277

Mrs. Fabienne J. Williams - $26
Columbus, OH 43224

Miss Janice D. Mason - $104
Baltimore, MD 21207

Mrs. Bessie J. Russell - $26
Chase, MD 21027

Mrs. Cynthia J. Marve - $52
Farmingdale, NY 11735

Mrs. Ruby T. Hale - $52
Hampton, VA 23664

Grace Community Church - $104
Rev. Robert L. Burgess, Pastor
Amityville, NY 11701

Mrs. Jeanette T. Johns - $260
Farmingdale, NY 11735

Editor’s Comment - Not only are we trying to get subscriptions, we are trying to raise funds from family and friends for a brick making machine. I am hoping to raise money from my family and friends, and anyone else who would like to contribute.


- Letter to the Editor

The department and I helped purchase a brick making machine for the 19th Episcopal during the tenure of Bishop Richardson for the purpose of building Bishops Chapel on the campus of R. R. Wright Seminary. The machine that produces bricks cost approximately R75, 000. The brick making machine will be an enormous help for the economy and will save dollars for the 20th district, because the people will not have to purchase bricks through a brick factory.

Please share with me the total amount you have to give toward this project after you will have collected from families and friends.

Let's keep in touch.

Dr. George Flowers


2. ANOTHER GENTLE REMINDER: THE GENERAL BOARD & BISHOPS COUNCIL WILL BE HELD JUNE 26 – 29 IN DALLAS TEXAS:

This link: http://www.ame-church.com/newsevents.html# will give you additional information and the option to make hotel reservations online.

Bishops’ Council / General Board Hotel will meet at:

Wyndham Anatole Hotel2201 Stemmons FreewayDallas, Texas 75207Phone: 214-748-1200Room Rates:

$ 119.95 Single/Double$ 139.95 Triple/Quad

Make your reservations NOW!

3. TURNER STUDENTS JOIN THE STRUGGLE:

As the academic year draws to a close, the Turner Student Fellowship of Turner Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia would like to take this opportunity to salute a few of our courageous students who have joined the movement for social justice. Reverends Tynisha Drennon (1st Episcopal District, Zion AMEC, Philadelphia, PA), Kecia Lewis (8th Episcopal District, Nelson Chapel AMEC, Napoleonville, LA) and Cory Watts (8th Episcopal District, St. Paul AMEC Gulfport, MS), worked actively as interns in the Region V Office of the NAACP, in Atlanta, Georgia.

The culmination of their efforts was evidenced in Orlando, Florida as the Southeast Region NAACP held its 53rd Annual Civil Rights Advocacy Training Institute, at the Rosen Centre Hotel. Reverends Drennon Lewis and Watts were a part of the planning and development team for the event.

Reverend Watts, a Julius C. Hope Religious Affairs Intern, was a great asset in production and media technology. As such, he designed logos, bulletins and name badges for the event. He worked diligently with the on-site computer registration and program development. He worked quietly behind the scenes to insure that every thing ran smoothly.

Reverend Lewis, an Interdenominational Theological Center Ministry in Context Intern, was instrumental in the planning and production of Religious Emphasis Day during the Institute. Religious Emphasis Day focuses the Institute on re-establishing the bridge between the Church and the Civil Rights Community. This year’s theme was “Speaking Out Against Injustice”. Reverend Lewis sought panelist and program participants to participate in discussions and worship services. Topics of discussion included: The Election Is Over Now What? Reverend Lewis had the opportunity to dialogue and network with religious and political leaders throughout Region V (Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee). Turner Alumni, the Reverend Terence Gray, and the St. Mark AME Church family, hosted the closing events of Religious Emphasis Day, which included a Gospel Music Extravaganza, Community Mass Meeting and Memorial Service and Soul Food Dinner. Reverend Gray served a dual role as host and emcee of the evening’s festivities, exhibiting grace, love and hospitality, while keeping things flowing in a spiritual and timely manner.

Reverend Drennon, the WIN (Women in the NAACP) Intern, coordinated the WIN Breakfast, featuring Mrs. Frances Hooks, the founder if WIN. During the event participants dined and were treated to a hat show, in which the ladies of WIN could "strut" their stuff. The thrust of this year’s banquet was to encourage the requirement and participation of young women in WIN.

Even after these things their work was not done. The Interns worked registration, coordinated venues and set-up for over twenty workshops and eighth meal functions. Reverends Drennon and Lewis also conducted the Morning Devotion and bible study and Reverend Watts served as liturgist for the closing worship service.

The event culminated with the Medgar W. Evers Freedom Fund Awards banquet, at which the Interns served as escorts for the honorees. Turner salutes Reverend Drennon, Lewis, and Watts for a job well done and for continuing in one of the founding principal of the African Methodist Episcopal Church- the social up-lift and empowerment of our people.

Reverend Kecia A. Lewis
President, Turner Student Fellowship
Eighth Episcopal District

4. EIGHTH DISTRICT CONTINUES TO SHINE:


The proud members of the Eighth Episcopal District are still working and showing the Connection and the world at-large that “we are the best of the best, still striving to be better yet…” As such, the Turner Student Fellowship (TSF) of Turner Theological Seminary is pleased to announce an administrative Eighth District Tag team, as not one, but two Eighth District preachers were installed as officers of the Fellowship for the 2005-2006 academic year.

The President, Reverend Kecia A. Lewis hails from the Central Louisiana Annual Conference and is a member of Nelson Chapel AME Church in Napoleonville, Louisiana where the Reverend Richard Starks, Sr. is the pastor.

Reverend Lewis is a senior at Turner working on a Master of Divinity with concentrations in Homiletics and New Testament with the goal of graduating in May 2006. While a student at Turner, Reverend Lewis became active in the movement for social justice and worked as a Religious Affairs Intern for the Region V Office of the NAACP and is a Silver Life Member of the organization. She has also served as speaker for many NAACP functions. She was also the recipient of the 2005 T. J. Davis Award for academic excellence and commitment to Turner Theological Seminary.

A mother of two, Joshua and Zacchea, Reverend Lewis holds a Bachelors Degree in Sociology with a concentration in Family/Youth Advocacy.

Reverend Lewis is an affiliate member of Turner Monumental AME Church in Atlanta, under the leadership of Reverend Hayward White, Jr.


The Reverend Cory Watts will serve as Vice President of the TSF. Reverend Watts is from Gulf Port, Ms and is a member of the Mississippi Conference and St. Paul AME Church in Gulfport, Mississippi where the Reverend Artimise Clemons is the pastor.

Reverend Watts is married to Mrs. Toy Coles Watts, an educator currently working in the Atlanta Public school system. Reverend Watts is a senior at Turner, having served the student body as Resource Center Director. The Right Reverend C. Garnett Henning, Sr., also appointed him as an Eighth District representative on the Strategic Planning Committee, the Presiding Prelate of the Eighth Episcopal District.

Reverend Watts was instrumental in the start-up and maintenance of the Turner Theological Seminary web page as well as the C. H. James Computer Lab and Resource Center housed in Talbot hall At Turner. He also worked as a Julius C. Hope Religious Affairs Intern for the Southeast Region V Office of the NAACP.

Reverend Watts is an affiliate member of Flipper Temple AME Church in Atlanta, where the Reverend Gregory V. Eason is the pastor.

Also serving the Turner Student Fellowship this academic year will be Sister Seena H. Washington of the Eleventh Episcopal District, who will serve as Treasurer for a second term. Sister Roteshia Hamilton of the Seventh Episcopal District will serve as Secretary. Brother Jarrett B. Washington, the YPD President of the Seventh Episcopal District will serve as Parliamentarian.

The new Executive Board of the Turner Student Fellowship have committed themselves not to politics but to service, in the hope that every man and woman who matriculates under the banner of Turner will emerge not only a well trained and prepared preacher, Christian Educator or musician, but also an individual who knows the value of prayer, unity and social up-lift.


Reverend Kecia A. Lewis
President, Turner Student Fellowship
Eighth Episcopal District

5. DR. CECIL MURRAY CHAIR OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS DEPARTMENT:

Reverend Cecil “Chip” Murray joined the USC (University of Southern California)
College faculty in January of this year, but that doesn’t stop him from claiming to be a student. “I think with a school like USC,” says the septuagenarian, “you come as a student. Whether you are in fact a student, faculty or staff member, if you come to USC as a student, you will benefit and be of benefit.”And Murray certainly knows how to be of benefit to his surroundings: as senior pastor at Los Angeles’ First African Methodist Episcopal Church (FAME) for the past 27 years, his leadership increased church membership from several hundred to more than 18,000. He also helped build FAME Renaissance, the church’s economic-development nonprofit arm, which brings corporate interests, jobs-training programs, affordable-housing development, homeowner loans and small-business incubation into the church’s low-income neighborhood.

Murray is commonly recognized in Los Angeles as a prominent figure in the city’s religious and civil landscape, remembered for his and his church’s efforts to end community violence during the 1992 Rodney King riots. While Murray was at the pulpit, FAME was regularly visited by a host of politicians and public figures, including President George W. Bush and Reverend Jesse Jackson. Murray officially retired from his post at FAME on Sept. 18, 2004.

At USC, Murray will hold the Tanzy Chair in Christian Ethics and lecture on a variety of spiritual and societal issues as well as serve as an unofficial ambassador, linking USC to its surrounding community. He has also been named a senior fellow at the College’s Center for Religion and Civic Culture. “Reverend Murray is a distinguished civic leader who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the USC campus and our surrounding community. The impressive nature of his leadership will be an inspiration to all of the students he encounters at USC and we are looking forward to working with him to build even stronger bridges with the community,” says Joseph Aoun, Dean of USC College. “Personally, I can think of few people better qualified to carry out the university's mission of developing human beings and society through the cultivation and enrichment of the human mind and spirit."Rabbi Susan Laemmle, dean of religious life at USC, agrees. “Reverend Murray has now formally assumed a role that, in a way, he has held for a long time—as USC’s senior statesman,” she says.

No Stranger to USC

In the past, Murray has been a frequent guest lecturer in an undergraduate course on leadership taught by USC President Steven Sample and University Professor Warren Bennis. He also served as a speaker at USC baccalaureate ceremonies, and received a USC honorary doctor of humane letters in 2002. He is eager to join what he describes as one of the most dynamic and inspiring environments in Los Angeles.“Starting modestly in 1880, USC has outgrown its garment—and to outgrow your corpus is an indication that you must be doing something right,” he observes.USC’s recent emphases on the study of globalization and on enhancing applied research also fall in line with Murray’s own hopes for the university.“USC has 117 nations represented on its grounds—and those are nations that bring so much to the table,” he says. “In addition to USC’s multiculturalism, it has a hunger for growth through research. The book seems to be constantly in writing.”

“Pass the Bread, Please”

Murray sees USC’s numerous outreach programs as the University’s most effective way of making academe—which is often seen as insular and distant—an active and engaged force in society.“USC is placed at this unique point in time and history, to serve as an exemplar of multiculturalism, of pluralism and of positivism,” says Murray. “The world is hungry and is reaching out saying, ‘pass the bread, please.’”Murray will be directly involved in facilitating this outreach at USC, serving as an interpreter to community groups of the University’s research and how it relates to them, says Grace Dyrness, associate director at the College’s Center for Religion and Civic Culture.The College’s Joint Educational Project (JEP), one of the oldest service-learning programs in the country, is one such outreach program that Murray says is an example of the greatness USC students; faculty and staff are capable of accomplishing. “Anybody who wants to be cynical has only to stand on the front porch of the JEP program and look at these volunteers come and sign up to help others who cannot help themselves,” he says. “It is a blessing to the leadership that gives a philosophy of service beyond self.”He continues: “The school and its numerous outreach programs seem to say, ‘my mind is my mind, but my mind extends beyond me and mine.’ It extends to the world and perhaps even beyond that world. And whenever you can find such a creative environment, you find an environment with a mission, on a mission that cannot fail.”

The article above was written by Kaitlin Solimne and used by permission as printed in the AME Herald (The Reverend Denise Rogers)

6. NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2005 - April 21-24, 2005:

The 154th Session of the New England Annual Conference

Bethel A.M.E. Church, New Haven, Connecticut, the Rev. Daylan Greer, Host Pastor

The 154th Session of the New England Annual Conference (NEAC) convened on April
21st at Bethel A.M.E. Church in New Haven, Connecticut under the leadership of our distinguished, illustrious 116th Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Richard Franklin Norris, Presiding
Prelate of the First Episcopal District African Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mother
Mary Ann Norris, Episcopal Supervisor.

First District Theme

Our dynamic Episcopal team of Bishop and Mother Norris led the NEAC to new spiritual heights as we embraced the First Episcopal District theme: "Walking worthy of the calling with which we are called" (Ephesians 4:1.)

The Best Way to Honor God's Word Is ...To Live It

Bishop Norris encouraged the NEAC to honor God's Word by living it, rather than focusing on whether we should stand or sit when the Scripture is read. He further stated that he has heard many reasons why we should stand, and the only acceptable one he heard is that "we should stand to honor God's word." Bishop's position is that the Conference will sit when the Scripture is read. However, local churches are free to have their congregations stand.

Pastors' Annual Report

The Rev. Dr. Herbert L. Eddy, our esteemed, efficient, and beloved Presiding Elder of the Boston-Hartford District gave an impressive summary of the Pastors' Annual Report.
This report indicated that our churches in New England are rapidly growing-spiritually, numerically and financially. Bishop Norris called upon the pastors to present their Annual Report at the evening business session on Opening day. He reminded pastors to "send him a telegram and not a letter"; in other words, only brief highlights of accomplishments were required.


The Rev. Jesse Jackson Greeted the NEAC

Conference participants were pleasantly surprised by the appearance of the Rev. Jesse
Jackson at the Lay Organization and Commitment Service on Thursday, April 21st.
The charismatic Rev. Jesse Jackson brought greetings to the NEAC, pumped up the crowd, and left the congregants energized.

Holy Spirit ...Have Your Way

"The Spirit of the Lord is here...I feel it in the atmosphere". Bishop Norris encouraged us to come into the Lord's house expecting a blessing; if you don't get a blessing it's because you have shut Him out. Although God is a God of divine time and order, when it came to the Holy Spirit, we observed that Bishop Norris allowed the Holy Spirit to have His way!

Certainly, the presence and power of the Holy Spirit was evident at every business meeting, worship service and workshop. Every preacher preached under the anointing of the Holy Spirit with power from on high.

On Friday morning, April 22, the Rev. James E. Deas, Sr., Executive Director, Christian
Education Board of the First Episcopal District, allowed the Holy Spirit to use him in a mighty way as he presented the workshop "Walking worthy of the calling with which you were called ". Rev. Deas stated that "a believer is considered "worthy," not on the basis of talent or position, but by how well his or her actions display Christian character."

When Will We Get The Chance To Do This Again?

Conference participants took notice of Bishop Norris' interest in young people. He reminded us that they are not the youth of the future but the present. This could be seen at Christian Education Youth Night Worship Service on Friday, April 22, as the young people were used of God in a powerful way. During this service, Bishop selected four young people to serve on the Finance Committee. After instructing them regarding how to separate the checks from the cash, they joined the Finance Committee, chaired by the Rev. Dr. LeRoy Attles, Pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Cambridge, MA. These young people were elated as they assisted the Finance Committee in carrying out their duties and proudly signed their names as members of the Committee. Then, one person asked the question, "When will we get the chance to do this again?"

Certainly, Bishop Norris not only captured the attention and won the hearts of the not so young, but the young people as well. Bishop knows how to relate to young people and he expects his pastors to love and relate to the people in our congregations. His pastoral and teaching skills were evident and embraced by all.

Ordination Service

The Right Rev. Frank Curtis Cummings, 96th Bishop of the A.M.E. Church, who recently retired, gave an inspiring ordination message entitled, "A calling from the Son of God". Bishop Cummings challenged us to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His heart's desire is to see the church grow and be productive. In order for us to be productive, Bishop Cummings emphasized the need for us to abide in the word. He reminded us that Jesus chose us; we did not choose Him. Therefore, we should take the preaching ministry seriously as if our life depends on it. After all, this is a ... "special calling."

The Board of Examiners, chaired by the Rev. Dr. Gregory G. Groover, Pastor of the
Historic Charles Street AME. Church in Boston presented twenty-two candidates for ordination. Seven were presented for itinerant deacons' orders; seven were for local deacons' orders; two for itinerant elders' orders; and six for local elders' orders. These twenty-two persons were ordained on Saturday, April 23rd.

The Bar Was Set Very High

The Rev. Daylan Greer, Host Pastor, First Lady, Mrs. Jennifer Greer, and the Bethel
Church family, demonstrated a standard of hosting that set such "a very high bar" that few, if any, can exceed it, without the divine intervention of the Holy Spirit!

For persons who wanted shuttle service to and from the airport, church and hotel...the bar was set very high.

For persons who wanted to feast on great food... the bar was set very high. For persons who wanted fast food service and an opportunity to have a say in the selection from a broad menu...the bar was set very high.

For persons who wanted to hear anointed spirit-filled musicians playing the keyboard and various musical instruments and to hear great singing by anointed choirs...the bar was set very high.

For persons who wanted to stay in an exquisite hotel with a choice of valet or no valet service...the bar was set very high.

For persons who wanted hosts and hostesses who were kind and courteous...the bar was set very high.

For persons who entered their hotel room to find care packages wrapped fit for kings and queens...the bar was set very high.

Bishop Norris stated "the bar has been set so high by Bethel-New Haven that someone better have springs on his or her shoes to meet the challenge".

The 155th Session to Convene At Grant A.M.E. Church, Boston, Massachusetts 2006!

Although the bar was set very high, the Rev. Roland C. McCall has "Launched out into the deep" and declared that he and the Grant AME Church family will exceed the bar as they prepare to host the 155th Session of the New England Annual Conference. This Conference will convene at Grant AME Church in Boston, Massachusetts in 2006.

To Rev. McCall we say, God is still able to do exceeding, abundantly above all that we may ask or think, and, "There is nothing too hard for God."

Don't Let Your Fire Go Out

Bishop Norris set the Conference ablaze during the closing/commissioning service, as he preached a stirring-fiery message, entitled, "Don't' let the fire go out!" Bishop Norris stated that God is calling for a prophetic ministry and challenged us to "look at evil in the eye and let the world know that when something is wrong, it is wrong". Bishop reminded us of the courage of the Prophet Jeremiah who boldly declared the Word of God, despite the consequences. Yes, there is danger in being courageous, and even though being courageous is a thankless job, Bishop Norris challenged us to preach the unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ. We must also rebuke and correct – as commanded by God - even though this will not win us a popularity contest.

The NEAC accepts the challenge of our beloved Bishop. Like Jeremiah, we have fire shut up in our bones, and "we can't let the fire go out" because we have accepted the call of God to "Walk worthy of the calling with which we are called."

To God Be the Glory!!!

The Rt. Rev. Richard Franklin Norris, Presiding Prelate
Mother Mary Ann Norris, Episcopal Supervisor
The Rev. Dr. Herbert L. Eddy, Presiding Elder

The Rev. Betty J. Hamilton, Reporter to the Church Press
Bethel A.M.E. Church
6 Sever Street
Plymouth, MA 02360
Church (508) 746-4239

7. THE BALM IN GILEAD LAUNCHES HISTORICAL PARTNERSHIP WITH THREE BLACK CHURCH DENOMINATIONS TO ADDRESS HEALTH DISPARITIES:

The Balm in Gilead Culminates Women's History Month with Historical Partnership between the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

New York, NY - (BlackNews.com) - In an unprecedented moment in Black history, the national presidents of the women's missionary society of The African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church this week announced a partnership with The Balm In Gilead, a not-for-profit organization with an international mission to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS by building the capacity of faith communities to provide education, services and support for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. This partnership will build the capacity of these denominations to address cervical cancer, HIV/AIDS and other health disparities among Black people.

This partnership is also designed to build a sustainable health education and service delivery system within African American faith communities that will reach the masses. "This partnership serves as a historical marker in the Black community," said Pernessa Seele, Founder/CEO, The Balm in Gilead. "It is the first time in history that three denominations have banded together with a national technical assistance organization to address health disparities on a comprehensive scale."

Mrs. Jamesina Evans, national president of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, National Women Missionary Society; Mrs. Barbara Shaw, national president of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Women's Home and Overseas Missionary Society; and Dr. Elnora Hamb, national president of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Women's Missionary Council stood tall with Pernessa Seele, Founder/CEO of the Balm In Gilead and Board Chair, Erline Belton to launch this partnership at a press conference held at the New York Academy of Sciences.

The Balm In Gilead has been working with these national organizations over the past year to launch this partnership. With on-going technical support and training from the Balm In Gilead, each national president has appointed a national health director who has begun to build an infrastructure to educate the approximately 7 million combined memberships of these national church denominations. Working together, this partnership will establish regional health offices within each Episcopal district of the AME, AMEZ and CME churches that will report to the national health office under the direction of the national presidents of the women's missionary society. The Balm In Gilead will convene a training program in late summer to begin the process of equipping these district health coordinators on building the capacity of local churches to address cervical cancer, HIV/AIDS and other health disparities among Black people.

Appointed National Health Directors are: Dr. B. J. Cotton, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, National Women Missionary Society; Mrs. Sandra Crowder, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Women's Home and Overseas Missionary Society; and Mrs. Rudine Phelps, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Women's Missionary Council.

Black Methodism in America is a direct result of slavery and the mistreatment of Black people within White religious institutions during the 18th and 19th centuries. The African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) was founded in Philadelphia on April 12, 1787 as a result of discrimination against Black members of the St. George Methodist Episcopal Church and in protest of slavery. The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AMEZ) was founded in October 1796 in New York City after Black members were denied the sacraments and full participation in the John Street Methodist Church. The establishment of the AMEZ church was in protest of the conditions and treatment of Blacks living in New York City. The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME) was founded on December 15, 1870 in response to slavery and treatment of Blacks in the South.

"The health of Black America is in a serious crisis," said Seele. "When we look at the statistics among HIV/AIDS among teenagers, obesity among our children, cervical cancer among Black women, prostate cancer among Black men-just to mention a few, we must begin to develop long-term, sustainable health structures within institutions that Black folks trust and support," she added. Press Contact: Teresa Lyles Holmes, 914-282-5317 or 212-730-7381

8. ELEVENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT 2005 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

Eleventh District Lay Convention
June 21-24, 2005
The Double Tree Guest Suites
2670 East Sunrise Boulevard
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33304
Phone: (954) 565-3800
Reservations (800) 222-8733
Rate: $99.00
Cut off Date: May 15, 2005

Christian Education Congress (CEC)
July 18-21, 2005
Rosen Centre Hotel
9840 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 996-9840
Rate: $110.00
Cut off Date: June 17, 2005

Presiding Elder’s Retreat
July 22-23, 2005
Rosen Centre Hotel
9840 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 996-9840

Annual Conference Schedules & Venues

Florida Conference (140th Session)
August 27 - September 2, 2005
Host Site: Bethel A.M.E.
501 West Orange Avenue
(850) 576-7501
Tallahassee, FL 32310
Host Pastor: The Rev. Semmeal Thomas
Host Church: Mt. Zion AME, Havana, FL
Host Pres. Elder: The Rev. Henry Griffin
August 27 - Young People’s Division
August 28 - Debutante Masters Commission (DMC)
August 29 - Women’s Missionary Society (WMS)
August 30-September 2 - Annual Conference Convenes - Opening - Business - Closing

Central Conference (106th Session)
September 17-23, 2005
Host Site: Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church
530 George W. Ingram Blvd
Daytona Beach, FL 32120
(386) 255-1195
Host Pastor: The Rev. Vincent Mitchell
Host Pres. Elder: The Rev. James O. Williams
September 17 - Young People’s Division (YPD)
September 18 - Debutante Masters Commission (DMC)
September 19 - Women’s Missionary Society (WMS)
September 20-23 - Annual Conference Convenes - Opening - Business - Closing


South Conference (115th Session)
October 1-7, 2005
Host Site: St. Paul A.M.E. Church
1892 NW 51st Terrace
Miami, FL 33142
(305) 448-2742
Host Pastor: The Rev. Michael Bouie
Host Pres. Elder: The Rev. John Bodison
October 1 - Young People’s Division (YPD)
October 2 - Debutante Masters Commission (DMC)
October 3 - Women’s Missionary Society (WMS)
October 4-7 - Annual Conference Convenes - Opening - Business - Closing


West Coast Conference (65th Session)
October 15-21, 2005
Host Site: St. Paul A.M.E. Church
506 E. Harrison Street
Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 318-0816
Host Pastor: The Rev. Bryant Fayson
Host Pres. Elder: The Rev. Theodore Andrews
October 15 - Young People’s Division (YPD)
October 16 - Debutante Masters Commission (DMC)
October 17 - Women’s Missionary Society (WMS)
October 18-21 - Annual Conference Convenes - Opening - Business - Closing

Alternate Host Site: New Bethel A.M.E. Church
2122 M. L. King Jr., Avenue
Lakeland, FL 33805
(863) 687-1994


Alt. Host Pastor: The Rev. Jimmy Thompson
Alt. Host P.E.: The Rev. F. B. Lemon

East Conference (130th Session)
October 29 - November 4, 2005
Host Site: St. Stephen A.M.E. Church
913 W. 5th Street
Jacksonville, FL 32209
(904) 354-5201
Host Pastor: The Rev. Michael Mitchell
Host Pres. Elder: The Rev. Dr. Robert L. Mitchell
October 29 - Young People’s Division (YPD)
October 30 - Debutante Masters Commission (DMC)
October 31 - Women’s Missionary Society (WMS)
November 1-4 - Annual Conference Convenes - Opening - Business - Closing

Bahamas Conference (66th Session)
November 16-20, 2005
Host Site: Robinson- Morris A.M.E. Church
P.O. Box SS6973
Nassau, Bahamas
(242) 356-2347
Host Pastor: The Rev. Howard Williamson
Host Pres. Elder: The Rev. Dr. Ranford Patterson
Nov. 16 - Lay Organization
Nov. 17 - Women’s Missionary Society (WMS)
Nov. 18 - Annual Conference Convenes - Opening - Business - Closing
Nov. 19 - Young People’s Division (YPD) / Debutante Master’s Commission (DMC)

Eleventh Episcopal District Planning Meeting
December 1-3, 2005
Venue - TBD

9. THE THIRTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT LAY ORGANIZATION:

We pray that all is well! We know that this is a busy time in the life of our Church on all levels, and we pray for God's blessings and strength as we try to do our best for Him. The 8th Annual District Lay Convention will be held June 10-11, 2005 at the Sheraton Music City Hotel, Nashville. We are coming together to "Equip Local Churches for Effective Service". As you know, the success of the work of the Lay Organization requires understanding and cooperation between clergy and laity. In too many instances and for far too long, we have allowed the lack of understanding about the Lay Organization -- on the parts of laity AND clergy -- to either negate its existence or stifle its participation and growth in the local church. We want to remove those barriers and create greater opportunities for kingdom-building work! Four great workshops have been planned for this Convention that will provide inspiration AND workable plans that persons can take back to their Conferences and local churches for implementation:

1) "Everything You've Always Wanted to Know about the Lay Organization, But Were Afraid to Ask."

2) "Using Technology to Advance the Local Church",

3) "How to Develop A High Impact Lay Organization", and

4) "Discovering the Spiritual Gifts within Your Congregation and How to Put Them into Action". The Convention will feature three other highlights:

a) The Lay Convention Choir will sing at the Worship Service on Friday evening, June 10;

b) Outstanding Young Adults, Adults and Pastors from each Conference will be honored at an Awards Luncheon on Saturday, June 11 for their contributions to the AMEC and their communities; and

c) An Appreciation Service for all former District Presidents will be held during the Awards Luncheon. (The four Past District Presidents are Sis. Jamye Coleman Williams, Bro. Leroy Duff, Sis. Rutha Pegues, and Sis. Loretta Matthews. We pray that you will make every attempt to attend all or a part of this Convention. We ask that you will encourage laypersons within your Districts and congregations to attend as well. Please feel free to forward and/or duplicate the attached registration form. Also attached are a flyer with other pertinent information and a schedule of events.

Finally, we ask for your incessant prayers that God will bless us in a mighty way as we come together to learn, share, and grow. In His Service, Paula Y. Holmes, Director of Lay Activities

10. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

Regretfully we share news of the passing of Mr. Floyd Madison, the brother of Presiding Elder John E. Madison, Presiding Elder of the South Memphis District, West Tennessee Conference, 13th Episcopal District.

Mr. Floyd Madison passed after being hospitalized several days following a job related accident.

The Funeral Service for Mr. Floyd Madison is scheduled for Saturday, May 14, 2005, at 12:00 Noon. Services will be held at the:M. J. Edwards Funeral Home5494 Elvis Presley Boulevard
Memphis, Tennessee 38116

Condolences may be sent to:

Presiding Elder John E. Madison
2171 Colony Park Drive
Memphis, Tennessee 38118

901-794-7844 (Fax)
RevJohnCPA@aol.com (Email)

Please remember the Madison family in your prayersGod Bless!

Ora L. EasleyEmail: Amespouses1@aol.com
(Nashville, TN Contact) Phone: (615) 837-9736Fax: (615) 833-3781
(Memphis, TN Contact) (901) 578-4554 (Phone & Fax)

THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE (5/16/05)

Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram - Chair, Commission on Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor


1. REMINDER: THE GENERAL BOARD & BISHOPS COUNCIL WILL BE HELD JUNE 26 – 29 IN DALLAS TEXAS:

This link: http://www.ame-church.com/newsevents.html# will give you additional information and the option to make hotel reservations online.

Bishops’ Council / General Board Hotel will meet at:

Wyndham Anatole Hotel2201 Stemmons FreewayDallas, Texas 75207Phone: 214-748-1200Room Rates:

$ 119.95 Single/Double$ 139.95 Triple/Quad

Make your reservations NOW!

2. BISHOP GREGORY G. M. INGRAM TO BE ELEVATED TO PRESIDENT, COUNCIL OF BISHOPS: THE INVESTITURE BANQUET WILL BE HELD AT THE WYNDHAM ANATOLE HOTEL, DALLAS, TEXAS AT 7 P.M. ON MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2005:

The Investiture of the Right Reverend Gregory Gerald McKinley Ingram, presiding prelate of the Tenth Episcopal District as President, Council of Bishops will be held on Monday June 27, 2005 at 7 p.m.

Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram, the man who many call a walking miracle after he survived a car crash in South Africa that nearly took his life, will be elevated to the position of president of the Bishop’s Council in a Texas-sized investiture banquet being planned in his honor.

Bishop Ingram, the presiding prelate of the Tenth Episcopal District, has come a long way since the 2003 accident.

So when Bishop Ingram assumes the position of president of the Bishop’s Council it will reflect the renewed strength that comes to those who wait upon the Lord as he did following the crash and his faith-driven determination to walk again.

His miraculous journey from death’s door to head the Council of Bishops symbolizes that Bishop Ingram has truly been ‘Called to Make a Difference,’ a motto that he adopted upon entering the ministry and is included in his Coat of Arms.

“Bishop Ingram’s life was miraculously spared and I believe it is because God had great work for him to do. We’ve already seen it at work in Texas,” said Bishop John R. Bryant. “His life has been spared in a miraculous way. His anointing has been increased and I believe his productivity will be a blessing to many, many others.”

The investiture banquet for Bishop Ingram will be held June 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the elegant Wyndham Anatole Hotel in Dallas. The Rev. Dr. Floyd Flake will be the featured speaker for the banquet and gospel recording artist Karen Clark-Sheard will perform for the guests. General banquet seating is $75. Inner Circle seating and VIP reception is $150. The deadline for purchasing tickets is May 13. To purchase tickets or get further information contact the Tenth Episcopal District Headquarters at 214-333-2632.

Rev. Dr. Jessica Kendall Ingram, the Tenth District Episcopal Supervisor, said the investiture banquet will be one that attendees will be an affair to remember. Bishop Ingram’s many sons and daughters in the ministry, his family from Detroit, and a host of friends will share this once-in-a lifetime moment with him.

“Bishop is proud to be an AME,” said Rev. Dr. Jessica. “We see this occasion as being ordained by God. It is an opportunity to celebrate. It’s going to be a great gathering.”

Bishop Ingram was elected the 118th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 2000. Prior to his election and consecration as a Bishop he served for 13 years as the senior pastor of Oak Grove African Methodist Episcopal Church in Detroit. While there 2,400 members joined Oak Grove and more than 1,420 of them became tithers. Bishop Ingram has distinguished himself throughout African Methodism for his expertise on stewardship and tithing.

His recovery and continued passion for Episcopal service has been nothing short of astounding.

Long time friend the Rev. Dr. William D. Watley, who plans to attend the banquet, called Bishop Ingram’s appointment a well-deserved honor.

“Greg was always seen as a bright shining star in our Zion who offered leadership and service. I’ll feel pride to see my friend assume that honor,” said Watley. “To see him moving around as if he’d never been in an accident is just a testament of the miracle-working power of our God and his own faith. He’s a walking miracle. He truly is.”

Bryant, Salatheia

3. THE CELEBRATION OF THE OPENING OF KAIROS COMMUNITY AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH ON PENTECOST SUNDAY:

And, what a celebration! The energy, the efficiency, the joy, the flags, the dancing, the musical instruments, the human voices, the prayers, the praises, the singing, the poem, the choreographic movement of the choir, the preaching, the “Kairos – ‘the right time; your divine opportunity; the appointed hour’” was experienced at the celebration of the opening of the Kairos Community African Methodist Episcopal Church, Nashville, Tennessee. Even the announcements were celebratory event. The Reverend Roderick Belin, the assigned “gardener” of the “planted” congregation knows the “garden” and the “ground” that has to be “plowed, watered and nurtured.”

The event was a first-class event. Reverend Belin knows what needs to be done. He has a gift for putting an event together. The praise team led by Sister L’Tanya Moore was inspiring and set the tone for what was to follow. The entrance of the worship leaders followed by the Tennessee Annual Conference YPD processing in and bearing the flags of, what looked liked all of the nations of the world. It was a moving and symbolic event that embraced the Great Commission of Christian going to “all of the world” to carry the Gospel of Christ.

The participants represented all racial groups and the message of Reverend Belin was that Kairos Community is in the community and will attempt to reach out to all races and ethic groups.

The service was awesome, spiritual, contemporary, different, relevant, and dynamic. Folks from all walks of life were gathered in the spirit of Christ; young and old, black and white gathered in worship. A highlight of the worship service was a poem recited (note “recited,” not read), entitled “Whosoever Will, Let Him Come” by a young man, Eric Robertson, who is a member of Lee Chapel. The poem he recited was written by Iyanla Vanzant. That’s the way we used to do it; we used to recite poems in public venues, not read them. Young Eric is to be commended and he received a standing ovation.

Bishop Henry A. Belin, the father of the pastor Belin was joined in the pulpit by Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, who delivered the sermon, Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram and their spouses, along with General Officers: Dennis Dickerson, Johnny Barbour who delivered the prayer, Daryl Ingram, retired General Officers, Robert Reid and Paulette Coleman; and yours truly. All of The married General Officers were accompanied by their spouses. Mother Belin was joined in the pew by the spouses of the bishops who were present. Brother Stan McKenzie who was the afternoon speaker in the near Paducah arrived later. The Reverend Dr. George Moore, pastor of Saint Philip AME Church in Atlanta, Georgia, and who is Reverend Roderick Belin’s father in the ministry gave remarks and spoke about Reverend Belin’s competence and dedication as a young minister. Bishop Ingram, in his remarks said that the event was a celebration of a heavenly disturbance. He went on to say that he would be here next year because he prophesied that Kairos Community, under the leadership of Roderick Belin, would grow by leaps and bounds. Comments were also given by Congressman Cooper who presented Reverend Belin and Kairos with a proclamation in recognition of the Kairos ministry.

Reverend Belin took time to recognize all of the guests and modeled protocol as a master. He did protocol right!

The choir sang and remarks were given, but then the preacher of the hour, Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, mounted the pulpit. She stood up proclaimed what “thus saith the Lord and left us panting. She took her text from Leviticus 6:8-13 and used as her subject, “Keep the Fire Burning.” She told us about the wood – cottonwood which is porous, green wood which won’t burn well, oak wood that is hard and turns to embers and will help to ignite another fire, and acacia wood that can be used when it couldn’t be used for anything else. Her hermeneutical application was superb. Kairos was set on “fire.” Later, I heard Bishop Belin say that his father used to say after hearing a preacher preach a sermon like Bishop McKenzie preached, “Call an ambulance, that kind of preaching will drive folks crazy!” Bishop McKenzie preached!

The Invitation was given, the offering lifted and the benediction pronounced. Refreshments were served and we all had been spiritually and physically fed. It was indeed a great Pentecost celebration!

4. EDITOR’S CORNER:

- Letters to the Editor:

- Dear Dr. Sydnor,

Greetings! Please note that AME University and her president were left out of the AME universities and colleges listed in the last publications of the Christian Recorder. AME University has over 1800 students. Here is the Information about AME University. Please include it in your list of AME Colleges and Universities:

Dr. Levi B. Zangai, Ph D., President
AME University (African Methodist Episcopal Church University)
34 Camp Johnson Road
Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa

God bless you now and always,

Bishop Daniels

- Dr. Sydnor,

Thank you for the additional copies of the Christian Recorder. Please thank those persons who so generously have made their contributions to the 20th. I just want to share something with you.

I attended a Bible Expo at the Sheraton, Zimbabwe, Harare over the weekend. I was surprised at the lack of materials they had. There was a beautiful advert (write-up) in the newspaper regarding the event, so I was looking forward to attending. What a let-down. I thought about the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Libraries that we, members, have, the amount of literature that we produce as AME's, the kind of resources that we have, and I thought if we AMEs only had a bookstore in Harare, we would have taken up all the space in the convention center and would have needed more space, in comparison to all the participants that were there.

I can see my minds-eye, the AME Church in Zimbabwe, in all its glory, being what Richard Allen meant it to be, a place where souls are saved, minds are liberated and deliverance takes place - a liberating and exalting church. This is the work that I look forward to doing in the 20th Episcopal District - expanding the Church, enabling God's people and exalting Christ.

Now, you asked me to tell something about the brick making machine. Because we do not have any Churches in Malawi that are fully completed, and because they have the natural resources (people and raw materials) there is a need for us to complete our places of worship as soon as possible. At the moment, the members mold the bricks themselves, wait for them to dry, burn them and then try to build, not knowing the proper mixture to use. Hence, when the rainy season comes, the church buildings are washed away. The brick making machine will help us with:-

1. Training and empowering persons with a needed skill and we can then use them to train others to build their own Church

2. We can use the machine as a continuous income generating project for the District because it can be moved from place to place for the purposes intended.

Additionally we have enough skilled persons in the 20th Episcopal District, that we can start our own AME Construction Company. Talk about empowerment - (GDC)!

There is enough work to repair the forty-two AME Schools we have in Malawi, the forty acres of land that we have in Zimbabwe that also has a Primary School, and on those grounds we intend to build a Clinic, pre-school, and do some farming so that we can feed the students that are at school along with the community. We want to send parents for training while the kids are taken care of at the pre-school. The closest clinic is 65 miles away from this village. The AME Church has the potential to become the “Church in the Heart of the Community, with the Community at Heart.”

We are in the process of providing electricity to our school so that we can introduce computers to the children and teachers. It will also become a means for me to communicate with that community and with the pastor, since the church is also on the grounds of the school.

Ah! I can go on with lots of information. If you want more, let me know.

HAVE A GREAT PENTECOST SUNDAY!!!! NOW YOU KNOW WHY I AM SO EXCITED!

Bishop Wilfred Messiah

Editor's Comment: I will publish the names of some folks who reponded to the call for help for our overseas Episcopal Districts 14-20. I will also publish the name of the person who led the drive in her community and in her family and folks responded. Praise God!

- Dr. Sydnor,

Thank you for your diligence in calling attention to the nation-wide scam through the AME Christian Recorder. Several well-meaning pastors and congregations have been victimized. However, I strongly believe we are coming to a positive and speedy resolution.

I have attached message of instruction from Tallahassee (Florida) Police Investigator, W. Stewart Clendinen. The emails were received today. He recommends that the victims, or persons who have been contacted by the perpetrators, should file a police report in their jurisdictions. He is serving as the clearing house for all reports. I have included his contact details on each of his email messages.

Again, thanks for your helpfulness. It also proves that our famous AMEC network actually works.

Sincerely,

A. J. Richardson, Bishop

* * *
Bishop Richardson,

Since a crime was committed or attempted in St. Charles, Illinois' jurisdiction, a law enforcement agency in that jurisdiction should take the report and follow-up on the crime including seeking out information about the telephone number. That should be the procedure for each such incident.

Let me know if I can assist further.

All police reports should be faxed or E-mailed to me to act as a clearinghouse.

Investigator Stewart Clendinen
Tallahassee Police Department
Financial Crimes Unit
234 East 7th Avenue
Tallahassee, Florida 32303
V- (850) 891-4509
clendins@talgov.com
FAX- (850) 891-4685

- Dear Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram - Chair, Commission on Publications, the Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher, and the Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor

Let me take this opportunity to appreciate you all especially for making it possible for us to have access to the online edition of the Christian Recorder free of charge. The print edition of the Recorder is unaffordable to many prospective overseas subscribers like me. I count myself privileged to be among the less than 2% AME's both clergy and laity that have access to the internet this side of connection Allow me to thank Dr Sydnor for the excellent coverage made of the events that characterized the GDC hosted by the 20th District under the dynamic leadership of Bishop Messiah in Harare Zimbabwe. I salute you for your factual observations made of what is needed to be done to lift the bar of excellence in Districts 16 through 20.

I would like to agree more with the statement from our "ever green" Bishop Guidry who alluded to the fact that the definition for "missionary" and "mission" and the church need to change including the way that we are doing business in overseas Districts. I am glad that "All of the bishops and supervisors reiterated that their comments were not reflections of the great work done by all of our bishops who have served overseas, but they wanted to share the difficulties involved in ministry in some of the overseas districts."

From the above quotation, our Bishops I believe are stating the fact that there is work to be done based on the foundation left by previous Episcopal leaders. Indeed the way of doing business in the overseas districts of 16-20 requires a completely new approach if we are to close ranks with structures that exist in the USA. I am excited by the unity of command and purpose demonstrated by the Bishops that attended the GDC. The need for frank like the one the Editor Sydnor has made in the previous three editions about the GDC are required to sensitize the whole connectional church.

Lastly, let me thank Bishops Wilfred Messiah, James Davis, Carolyn Tyler Guidry, Samuel Green, and Sarah Davis and all Episcopal representatives for the tireless effort in adding value to the work of the GDC. To Dr Sydnor, I say keep up the good work and come again to mother Africa especially to the vast 17th Episcopal District. God bless all online subscribers Rev Royd Mwandu - Senior Pastor St Thomas AME Church 17th Episcopal District 82-14th Street, Nchanga South P O Box 11125 Chingola, ZAMBIA

5. AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH SEVENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT - HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF DISTRICT VISITATIONS:

The 2004-05 series of Annual Conferences in the Great Nation State of South Carolina is making history as the Bishop of the 7th Episcopal District,

The Right Reverend Preston Williams humbly promises to visit each of the 563 congregations of the six conferences that comprise the 7th Episcopal District. Bishop Williams passionately intimates that the South Carolina delegation of AME’s has a rich history not only in African Methodism, but in Christianity and in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world.

Over the course of the next year, Bishop Williams vows to personally visit each church in every corner of South Carolina. It does not matter whether it is the leading church in a district or the smallest mission church on a circuit and/or in the rural counties of the state, Bishop Williams will personally visit the church, meet and greet the men, women and children of the congregations.

The eloquent history of African Methodism stands proudly on the shoulders of the many churches in the 7th Episcopal District. The Bishop’s desire and commitment to visit each church gives these congregations a well deserved place in the annals of African Methodism.

As the Episcopal visits unfold, district personnel will document and record each visit for future generations to enjoy.

Many parishioners have been truly elated by the visits. Several AME’s indicated that the Bishop was warm and engaging as he expressed thanks to them for their contribution to African Methodism. Additionally, an elderly woman remarked that in over 60 years of membership in the A.M.E. Church, this was her first opportunity to meet and talk with the Episcopal Leader personally. She further stated that it was a memorable event that she will treasure always. Another gentleman was heard saying “When you made that promise, I didn’t think you would keep it, and here you are”. Again, another was quoted as saying “Bishop Williams has gone where no other Bishop has gone before in South Carolina”.

Bishop Williams, accompanied by our Episcopal Supervisor, Mother Wilma Webb Williams together with the Christian Education Administrator, Ms. Kabrina Bass, will spend three (3) days traveling in each of the seventeen (17) Presiding Elder Districts. One can find hundreds of historical churches throughout the lowland, from the coast to the foothills, in the rural communities and throughout the cities, both large and small. Some churches are just a few miles apart, while others expand across this great Palmetto State.

For centuries, hundreds of thousand souls have been fed in places like Wando, Trio, Nesmith, Dalzell, Sellers, Pamplico, Jenkinsville, Rembert, Carlisle, Edisto Island, Holly Hill, Burton, Roseville, Summerton, Ft. Motte, Mauldin and Bradley. Even in the most remote places, deep in rich rural soil, there are voices of praise ringing out from beautiful wooden framed buildings to brick cathedrals, from churches in the middle of corn fields to churches on the main highways of small towns. Many of these are members who would not have the opportunity to share some personal quality time with our Episcopal Leaders.

We salute Bishop Preston Warren Williams, II and Mother Wilma D. Webb Williams for their ministry of embracing and motivating all of the constituents of African Methodism in the State of South Carolina.

To God be the Glory!

Presented by:
Presiding Elder Rosalyn G. Coleman
Newberry-Spartanburg District

6. CONNECTIONAL HEALTH COMMISSION LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP:

Health Directors on all levels, Health Coordinators Health Educators are invited to participate in a training session at 4:00 p.m. on June 26, 2005 at the site of the General Board/Bishop's Council, Wyndham Anatole Hotel, Dallas, Texas.

Updates on Connectional Projects, Policy and Procedure and other timely information will be shared with the participants.

Registration is free.

For more information contact: Gwen Williams, Executive Director at telephone 504. 482-3051 or gwen8614@bellsouth.net

7. THE REVEREND DR. MIRIAM BURNETTE IS THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR THE CONNECTIONAL HEALTH COMMISSION:


8. SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION:

1. The United Negro College Fund/J. P. Morgan Chase Bank is offering a full scholarship known as the John F. McGillicuddy Scholarship. Deadline May 31, 2005.

This scholarship pays (FULL TUITION) & provides a (COMPUTER LOADED WITH THE LATEST SOFTWARE). This scholarship is open to graduating high School seniors entering as a college freshman full time at a UNCF college /university. Applicants must be residents of one of the below participating states.

Participating States: Missouri, California, Indiana, Arizona, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut,
Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Delaware, Michigan, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Colorado, Louisiana, Utah, and West Virginia.

All Scholarship Information Can Be Found By Clicking or Copy Paste The Link Below:

http://www.uncf.org/scholarships/scholardetail.asp?Sch_ID=173

2. INTERNSHIP "O" - The Oprah Magazine is looking to hire fall interns in the Fashion and Style Departments. Candidates must be highly organized, detail-oriented and be able to juggle multiple tasks at once. Prior internship experience preferred, but not required. This opportunity is available for college students in need of credit hours and recent graduates who are available to start immediately, full-time Send resumes with a cover letter to: Cindy M. del Rosario, Associate Editor O, The Oprah Magazine 1700 Broadway, 38th floor NY, or call 212-903-5149.

3. Verizon is looking for students who are 2004 graduates of Historically
Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). If you know of someone graduating from a HBCU this year with a degree in Engineering, Computer Science and Technology, Information Technology, General Business, Finance or Marketing, please have them forward their resume to: melissa.w.langham@verizon.com to be considered for career opportunities within Verizon.

4. Harvard is offering free tuition for students that have a family Income below $40,000. If you are a mentor or know any teenagers, please give them this information. Visit Harvard's financial aid web site at: http://adm-is.fas.harvard.edu/FAO/index.htm or call the school's financial aid office at (617) 495-1581.

5. Subject: Full Medical Scholarship Please pass this on to any African American who may be interested in a free medical degree. Washington University in St. Louis, the Medical School, now ranked number 2 (along with Baltimore's John's Hopkins University Medical School) has scholarships to award to bright black Americans. The students that are chosen will be awarded full tuition for 4 yrs, $30,000.00 per year plus $2,500.00 stipend. Check them out on the Web. Washington University Home page www.wustl.edu http://www.wustl.edu/ ('http://www.wustl.edu/'); for Complete instructions and deadlines for applying, call the office of undergraduate Admission at (800)638-0700 or (314)935-6087.

To view the application and to obtain more information, you can also visit their web site at http://admissions.wustl.edu

Marvin Mitchell, Associate Athletic Director
Academic Services for Athletics
Student Activities Center, 202E
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY 40292
Ph: (502)852-7940
Fax: (502)852-7924
Email: mmitchell@louisville.edu

9. THE ATLANTA NORTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE:

The Atlanta North Georgia Annual Conference hosted by Rev. & Mrs. Gregory V. Eason, Sr., the Flipper Temple AME Church family, and Host Presiding Elder Walter Daniels, closed out in grand style on Friday night. The closing Commissioning services were held at Big Bethel AME Church, downtown Atlanta where the Rev. Dr. Mark Thompson serves as pastor.

Retired Bishop John Hurst Adams was the preacher of the hour and he used as his text Matthew 9, and Luke 4:20. Bishop Adams delivered a powerful message entitled "The Content of Our Faith."

Dr. Pam DeVeaux, Sixth District Episcopal Supervisor in her own inimitable style had the congregation on their feet as she led us in singing "What a mighty God we serve."

Along with several other visitors the following persons were in attendance for the closing services:

Bishop E. Earl McCloud, Ecumenical Officer of the AME Church, Dr. Dolly D. Adams, Retired Episcopal Supervisor, Mrs. Aurellis Davis, Nineteenth District Episcopal Supervisor, Bishop James Davis, Nineteenth Episcopal District, had attended services earlier in the week.

Bishop DeVeaux made the following moves at the conclusion of the Atlanta North Georgia Annual Conference:

Presiding Elder David L. Moore transferred from the South GA Conference to the Macon GA Conference, and assigned as Presiding Elder of the Griffin District.

Rev. Harvey Williams transferred from the Southwest GA Conference to the South GA Conference and assigned as the Presiding Elder of the Thomasville-Bainbridge District.

Rev. Kenneth C. Williams transferred from the South GA Conference to the Southwest Conference and assigned as pastor of Saint Mark AME Church, Columbus, GA.

Peace & Blessings,
Bruce Leon Francis

10. AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE REVEREND DR. CLYDE ODEN:

Dear Fellow Clergy:

Because African Americans and Latinos are among the highest AIDS case rates of any racial/ethnic group, it behooves communities of color, across the country, to come together as often as possible to hold special awareness and testing events. Members of the Statewide HIV/AIDS Church Outreach Advisory Board are committed to hosting prevention and awareness activities four times a year around the following observances:
- National HIV Testing Day, June 27

- World AIDS Day, December 1

- National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, February 7

- Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, annually the first week in March (March 5 to 11, 2006)

In support of National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) on June 27th, we encourage churches to educate their congregations and communities about the impact that HIV/AIDS is having on the African American community.

For instance, share the facts. Because we have been silent about the disease, Blacks have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS since the epidemic began and the trend has grown worse over time. African Americans represent approximately 12 percent of the U.S. population, yet we account for 40 percent of current AIDS cases and more than half (54%) of the estimated 40,000 new HIV infections each year in the U.S. The number of women and youth with AIDS in this group has also been on the rise.

Included with this letter is a calendar of various HIV/AIDS activities that take place throughout the year. We recommend that churches visit www.healingbeginshere.org for additional announcements on the Healing Begins Here community calendar. These items are part of the National HIV Testing Day Church Information Kit that offers tips on how churches can enlighten their congregations during the observance of NHTD on June 27. What some churches have done is to open up their parking lots for confidential HIV testing; others host discussion groups about HIV/AIDS education and awareness or deliver compassionate sermons such as the ones found in the pages of the Healing Begins Here: a Pastor’s Guidebook for HIV/AIDS Ministry through the Church.

We respect that each church will approach the subject of HIV and AIDS from a direction that fits the comfort levels of their congregation. I preach to my congregation that AIDS is a disease, not a sin. As it says in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge . . . ” We are seeking your assistance in helping to inform our people that knowing your HIV status can help prevent the spread of the disease.

Call us toll-free at 1-877-256-1997 or e-mail us at info@healingbeginshere.org with ways your church observed NHTD. Together we can demonstrate God’s powerful purpose of love and compassion through action.

Sincerely,
Rev. Dr. Clyde W. Oden, Jr.
Working Committee Chair,
Statewide HIV/AIDS Church Outreach Advisory Board Member
Pastor, Bryant Temple A.M.E. Church – Los Angeles

11. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICES:

Regretfully we share the following two notices of bereavement.Mr. Modest White of Cleveland, Ohio, the brother of the Rev. Quentin White, Chaplain, Dept. of Veterans Affairs (Salem, Virginia) and Pastor, St. John AME, Roanoke, Virginia.

The funeral arrangements are being planned for this weekend.

Condolences may be sent to Rev. Quentin White.

Contact Information: Rev. Quentin WhiteChaplain, Dept. of Veterans Affairs (Salem, Virginia) Pastor, St. John AME3019 Rutrough RoadRoanoke, VA 24014

(540-982-2463, ext. 2890
(540)562-2325
qjwhite@roanokemail.com

The funeral arrangements for Mr. Modest White of Cleveland, Ohio, the brother of Rev. Quentin White, Chaplain, Dept. of Veterans Affairs (Salem, Virginia) and Pastor, St. John AME, Roanoke, Virginia.

12. DEATH NOTIFICATION:

Mr. Freddy Tyer, the brother of Mrs. Martha Huggins, wife of former Presiding Elder Harold Huggins, Michigan Conference, 4th Episcopal District passed this life on Saturday, May 7, 2005, in Dothan, AL. Funeral arrangements are incomplete. Condolences may be sent to: Mrs. Martha Huggins3791 Fullerton Detroit, MI. 48238(313) 491-0445 – Phone

Funeral ArrangementsFuneral arrangements for Freddy Tyer, brother of Martha Huggins, wife of former Michigan Conference Presiding Elder Harold Huggins are as follows:

Wake Thursday, May 12, 2005
Levite Funeral Home
814 Headland Ave.
Dothan, AL.

Funeral Service May 13, 2005
North Highland Baptist Church
407 Houston Street
Dothan, AL.

Home address:
3791 Fullerton
Detroit, MI. 48238
Email Condolences: Elderrete2@aol.com
Fax number: (313) 491-446

13. ALL BEREAVEMENT NOTICES PROVIDED BY:

Please remember these families in your prayers.

God Bless!Ora L. Easley
Email: Amespouses1@aol.com
(Nashville, TN Contact) Phone: (615) 837-9736Fax: (615) 833-3781
(Memphis, TN Contact) (901) 578-4554 (Phone & Fax)

THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE (5/10/05)

Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram - Chair, Commission on Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor


1. EDITOR’S CORNER:

- Breaking News:

Here are the significant moves that were made at the Virginia Annual Conference that closed on Saturday, May 6, 2005:

The Reverend Dr. Ricky Spain, retired General Officer/retired Editor of The Christian Recorder assigned to Waters AME (Baltimore Conference); The Reverend Samuel Hayward, transferred to the Washington Conference and appointed to Hemingway Memorial AMEC; the Rev. Monica Spencer assigned to Ebenezer AME Church in Richmond, VA; and the Reverend Willie White assigned to St. Stephen's AME (Eastern Shore).

The Christian Recorder will publish the other pastoral appointments when we receive them. The Christian Recorder would like to publish news from all of the Episcopal Districts. chsydnor@bellsouth.net

Breaking News:

Stephanie Walker Stradford shares the news about the signing into Maryland State law, House Bill 189 renaming Baltimore Washington International (BWI) Airport to Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. It will be good to arrive at "a place for which our fathers sighed."

- Correction

Correction to your article about the GDC. The 14th Episcopal District had no representation to the GDC. It was a combined effort of the 15th and 20th Districts that led the devotionals.

Thanks

Bishop Messiah

- Editor’s comment: Thank you Bishop Messiah for the correction.

- Check out the 15th Episcopal District homepage:

www.15thdistrict.co.za

The Right Reverend Samuel Green is the presiding bishop of the 15th Episcopal District.


- Greetings from the 20th Episcopal District Supervisor

My Sisters in Christ!

I hope that all of you had a Happy Mother’s Day. Greetings from the 20th Episcopal District.

May God's richest blessings be yours,

Sister Carol Messiah

- More of the account of my visit to Johannesburg, South Africa and Harare, Zimbabwe to attend the Global Development Council – Day 2:

The GDC closed with the spirit-filled sermon by Bishop Sarah Davis and the closing prayer and benediction led by Bishops Messiah and Davis. But we were not finished. We had lunch and the food was excellent; they must have saved the best for last. The hotel prepared a feast. I believe that they must have had some South Carolinians in the kitchen! We had a great meal, but more than the meal, the overseas Bishops and the Editor of The Christian Recorder had a conversation about the overseas work.

I am not sure how the conversation got started, but I believe that I may have mentioned that I saw headlines in the local Harare newspaper that morning that exclaimed the country was running out of food and gasoline. I mentioned that more AMEs needed to see the work being done in Episcopal Districts 14 – 20. Bishop Sarah Davis remarked, “The AME Church needs a new definition for ‘missionary’ and “missions” and the church needs to change the way that we are doing business.” Bishop Guidry responded, “Fifty-percent of my pastors are licentiates.” Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry told us that when she arrived in the Dominican Republic many churches had no altars because a presiding elder had all of the altars taken out and directed that Communion should only be given on special occasions. I asked her how that could happen and she went on to explain that the Pentecostals in the region believed Communion to be special and that to share Communion on a regular basis made it too common. The presiding elder was “giving in” to another denomination’s tradition. Bishop Guidry also explained that another pastor told her that the AME Church would lose churches if they baptized infants because the prevailing thought in that area was that baptism of infants went against biblical teaching and so some of the ministers, with limited education and limited theological training, failed to hold the biblical, theological and doctrinal positions supported by the Didache and taught by the Church. Bishop Guidry very forcefully said that she ordered the altars to be replaced and used those experiences as teaching moments and gave the Annual Conferences’ leadership lessons in baptism and in ecclesiastical design of Methodist and other liturgical churches.

Both, Bishops Guidry and Sarah Davis wanted to make sure that I understood that that their comments were not a reflection on their predecessors and what I understood them to mean was that the situations in the overseas districts, as it relates to “ministry, missions, funding, ministerial education and compensation, etc.” is that they are in the midst of a “condition.” Organizations have “problems” but at other times they have “conditions.” Problems can be solved more easily and more quickly than “a condition.” “Problems” often can be solved with money and directives from on high. When an organization has “a condition” it takes more time to fix. So, as we talked, I began to understand that the overseas districts are not experiencing “a problem,” but “a condition.” If the condition is not addressed, even Bishops Guidry or Davis won’t be able to fix it.

Bishop Guidry says that AMEs in the Virgin Islands want a “church planting” in the Virgin Islands and they want a “church that ministers to the whole person.”

Episcopal Supervisor Donovan Guidry, said “Mid-Year Convocations in the 16th District, and probably some other overseas districts cannot be planned because of distance. In the 16th District each annual conference is in another country.” Bishop Messiah pointed out that there are four countries in the 20th Episcopal District. The 17th Episcopal District is extremely large. Episcopal Supervisor Donovan Guidry went to say that one of his missions for the 16th District is storm preparedness for all of the annual conferences. That is a must, given the situations they experienced last year. Bishop and Supervisor Guidry gave strong kudos for how the AME Church responded to their requests for assistance.

Episcopal Supervisor Claytie Davis encouraged our leaders and members from the United States to visit some of the annual conferences in the 18th Episcopal District where, in some locations, there are no five-star hotels. Brother Claytie shared some pictures of Bishop Davis traveling by auto, boat and hiking up hills to get to some of her churches.

Bishop Wilfred and Mother Carole messiah share that in northern part of Malawi; the people said that they hadn’t seen a bishop since 1945. Mother Carole Messiah added, “No person in the Malawi Annual Conference owned an automobile” and went on to say, “The old members are faithful to the AME Church.” Bishop Messiah went on to say that getting to, and around Malawi is extremely difficult. Tanzania has not seen a bishop. Many of the areas are just too remote.

All of the bishops and supervisors reiterated that their comments were not reflections of the great work done by all of our bishops who have served overseas, but they wanted to share the difficulties involved in ministry in some of the overseas districts.

Bishops Guidry, Davis and Supervisors Guidry and Davis all agreed that the Church cannot grow and develop overseas districts by doing the same things or by doing things the way that we have done things in the past.”

We continued to talk and to share and I thought, “There is work to be done and I keep thinking that a lot of the work can be done on a grass-roots level. We don’t need to pass a lot of legislation, we need people to get holy-Ghost filled motivation and seeing the need, respond to the need.” In spite of all of the needs of the overseas districts, I heard time and again from the ministers and laity about what the bishops who served them had done. They mentioned bishops by name. In spite of all of their difficulties the people are appreciative of what the church is doing, trying to do, and what the Church has done in the past.

We talked some more and Bishop Guidry mentioned the need for the AME Church to publish materials in the language of the people we serve around the world. I responded that we are a global church with a global mission and we need to do the things that global organizations do. Bishop Guidry said that some of the churches in the Dominican Republic are using Pentecostal materials. She went on to say that there is a need in the 16th Episcopal District for materials in Portuguese, Spanish, French and Dutch. She commended the work of Brother John Thomas of Nashville for the work he did in translating materials in Spanish.

And while we were talking, Brother Chidzungu of Malawi stopped by the table to greet us. He was a teacher at a Presbyterian School and noticed that the teachers made fun of the AME students so he started an AME school where the AME children could learn without being mistreated. Brother Chidzungu was a “grass-roots movement of one.”

Let me “jump on the bandwagon and say that it is apparent that the African Methodist Episcopal Church needs to provide more assistance and it means that the Church needs to redefine how it helps the overseas religious community and our academic institutions overseas. Both the Wilberforce Community College and the R. R. Wright Theological Seminary needs serious assistance; and I am not just thinking about money. In addition to money I am thinking about visiting professors, carpenters, exchange students from Payne and Turner Theological Seminaries, and teachers going over at their own expense or sponsored by some of our mega churches.

I am not speaking about change that needs General Conference legislation or political persuasion. I am not talking about budget increases. More than money, I am speaking about Holy Ghost-filled, Christ-committed persons who want to facilitate change and growth. I am talking about a “grass-roots Holy Spirit-filled revolution.” I am not talking about shouting and lifting our hands in praise; I am talking about “work” and putting our hearts and hands to tasks that need serious attention.

Brother Claytie shared that a group from Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, Ohio was coming to do volunteer work in the 18th Episcopal district. I immediately thought that some AMEs need to go over and work somewhere overseas, when Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry informed the group, that members from New Philadelphia AME Church in Carson, California where the Reverend Dr. Sherman Gordon is the pastor, is sending 20 persons to Jamaica to do missionary work. New Philadelphia is sending skilled crafts persons, etc. to assist with the work in Jamaica. I feel better now.

What are you willing to do? What am I willing to do? That’s the question that each of us need to answer. I hope that we will take a lead from Isaiah and respond to the challenge of missions, “Here am I, send me!” (To be continued)

The 20th Episcopal District needs a brick making machine. Dr. Flowers and I have consented to help. Does anyone else want to help?

In the next edition of The Christian Recorder Online I will share the tour that Bishop Messiah gave us to several AME Churches in the Harare area.

- Out of the office

- I will be out of the office for several days. I will be visiting children, grandchildren, and in-laws in Covington, Kentucky and in Cincinnati and will be attending the Commencement Exercise at Lexington Theological Seminary, Lexington, Kentucky. I am a member of the Board of Trustees for the seminary. Keep the articles and news coming.

2. GRANT AME, LOS ANGELES IMPLEMENTS NEW WORSHIP INITIATIVES:

The media release below concerns changes to the worship service at Grant African Methodist Episcopal Church in Watts. As your news organization provides continuing coverage of the steps the Catholic Church is taking to reach the masses after electing a new Pope, perhaps you will consider how Protestant denominations, like African Methodism, are doing the same. Judging from the tremendous response of Grant's parishioners when the change was first implemented last week these measures to "aggressively" reach the lost are proving successful.

And while it is true that other churches in Southern California have also moved to more contemporary services over the years, as the region's second largest A.M.E. Church, Grant's decision represents a monumental shift in a denomination traditionally regarded as conservative.

The Rev. Leslie R. White and members of the music department are available for interviews by contacting the Church office at 323-564-1151. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Respectfully submitted,

Rev. Kevin T. Taylor
Associate Minister
revkttaylor@hotmail.com

3. REGION'S SECOND LARGEST A.M.E. CHURCH ANNOUNCES INNOVATIONS IN ITS WORSHIP; 11 A.M. SERVICES NOW FEATURE CONTEMPORARY MUSIC, PRAISE DANCERS AND SPOKEN WORD POETRY:

LOS ANGELES - (May 7, 2005) - The 11 a.m. worship service at Grant African Methodist Episcopal Church will never be the same and neither will the Watts community it serves, prays the congregation.

Watts' largest church, and the second largest A.M.E. Church west of the Mississippi River, under the dynamic leadership of its pastor, the Rev. Leslie R. White, recently decided to reformat and contemporize the 11 a.m. service to "reach more aggressively for young people to be a part of the worship experience."

Beginning with its 11 a.m. service on Sunday, May 1, prose/poetry, Christian rap/hip-hop, liturgical interpretive dance, "stepping and stomping," drama and video clips enrich Grant's worship services as innovative "expressions of praise" at various intervals throughout the month.

"Quantity and quality time shall be given at each worship service for the Praise of the Lord our God," explained White.

Additionally, the Voices for Christ Choir will sing on the first, second and fourth Sundays, while the Junior and New Spirit Nation youth choirs will lead the music ministry on the third Sundays. Consequently, Grant's renowned Adult Choir will be featured at the 8 a.m. service every Sunday except the fourth when the youth choirs sing again.

White, who has been in ministry for more than 30 years, 10 of which have been at the helm of Grant, will continue to proclaim the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ at both the 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. worship services.

"We must recognize that this is a new generation of young people who view the world through different lenses than we do," he said. "The Negro spiritual 'I Want Jesus to Walk with Me,' which has encouraged African Americans since the days of slavery, has been innovatively handled by Kane West into a song entitled "Jesus Walks," wherein the good news of Jesus' presence in all life conditions is again yet affirmed. We must discover new ways to reach new generations."

Ian Lawrence, 15, provided the vocals for West's song during one of the special Resurrection Sunday services in March, to the resounding ovation of the capacity crowd, and applauds the efforts of his Church to be more relevant to his generation.

"People my age are hungry for the Word, but we want it presented in a way we can understand," said Lawrence adding that other churches in the denomination should consider following suit.

At age 25, Kenya Francis agrees that the denomination founded in 1787 should work aggressively to shed its conservative image.

"If the A.M.E. Church is going to remain relevant to the Black Community it must keep up with the times. If not, who will fill our pulpits in 10 or 20 years? Who will fill our pews, or teach our Sunday School classes, or lead our organizations? There will be no one because they will be at another Church where their needs are being met. By making these changes Grant is truly making an investment in its future and in the Kingdom of God."

Moreover, White added, "As Christians, we must be so sensitive to the movement of the Holy Spirit that we recognize that God can work in a spiritual, a hymn or in a rap. Then we must make the necessary adjustments in our worship experience to embrace the move of the Holy Spirit."

Chris Jordan, primary music director/coordinator for the 11 a.m. service, speaks to the energy and drive that services must have to reach young adults and youth in saying, "Embracing where worship has developed is joyfully challenging. Seeing the new expressions of worship offers more creativity, and encourages greater depth of spirit. It's great!"

White is confident that the parishioners of the 99-year-old Church will share Jordan's enthusiasm and embrace the new format and the new members who unite with the congregation. Pointing to the phenomenal success of the Easter services and the similarly formatted Gospel/Hip Hop/Jazz Sunday in January, he expects both "increased attendance and a swift move of the Holy Spirit in South Los Angeles.”

Ultimately, White says, "the mission of the Church is to seek, save and serve souls for Christ. Through music, dance, poetry and the prophetic Word of God, Grant is following the mission of Christ."

Grant A.M.E. Church is located at 10435 South Central Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90002. Services are heard on the radio each Sunday morning at 6 a.m. on KJLH 102.3 FM. Join us for worship on Sundays at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. and for Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday Hour of Power begins at 11:30 a.m. and Thursday night Soul Food starts at 6 pm. All are welcome.

For driving directions or for more information visit www.GrantAMEChurch.org or contact the Church office at 323-564-1151.

Contact: Rev. Kevin T. Taylor
May 7, 2005 (323) 564-1151

4. WOMEN’S DAY AT ST. JAMES A.M.E. CHURCH, 444 LINCOLN AVENUE, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA:

Greetings Community Church Family and Friends:

We trust that you are blessed on this day that our Lord has made. The purpose of this communication is to announce that Reverend James Edward Murray, Jr., Pastor of “The Historic” St. James A.M.E. Church of East Liberty would like to extend an invitation for you, your congregation, organization, family and friends to attend our Annual Women’s Day 2005 Event on Sunday, May 15, 2005. This year we are hosting a good old-fashion, all-day spiritual feast with the theme and program format as follows:

"Women in Praise"
Proverbs: 31:30
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised…

8:00 a.m."A Spiritual Breakfast"Our Own First Lady, Mrs. Yuolonda D. Murray, St. James A.M.E. Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Followed by a Continental Breakfast)
10:45 a.m."A Spiritual Brunch"Dr. Patricia Fletcher, Guest Speaker, Quinn Memorial A.M.E. Church in Steubenville, Ohio & 25th President, National Association of Colored Women's Clubs(Followed by a Mid-Afternoon Meal)
3:30 p.m."A Spiritual Smorgasbord"Pastor, Wanda L. Sawyer, Guest Speaker, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Rankin, PA (Followed by light refreshments)
Everyone if invited to attend (Men, Women, Boys and Girls) and we are looking forward to seeing all of you on Sunday, May 15, 2005 for this all-day even. If you are unable to attend, please be sure to pass this information to someone that may be able to attend. If you can’t attend all day, come share a part of your day with the St. James A.M.E. Church family to receive God’s blessings.

If you have any questions, you may contact St. James A.M.E. Church (412) 441-9706 or any of the St. James A.M.E. Women’s Day Chairpersons: Sister Freda B. Hill (412) 373-2180, Sister Hazel Jackson (412) 243-1114, Sister Rosie Jones (412) 537-4388 or Sister Brenda A. Montgomery (412) 242-7389. We would like to request that you post the attached flyer on your bulletin boards. This information may also be accessed by visiting the Internet website www.thesoulpitt.com under the Spiritual Announcement section. Thank you very much for your kind attention. May the God that we serve continue to bless you.

Your Sisters in Christ & the St. James A.M.E. Church’s Women’s Day Chairpersons,


Freda B. Hill
Hazel Jackson
Rosalie (Rosie) Jones
Brenda A. Montgomery

5. THE BIRTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF TURNER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY:

The Reverend Kyle “K. C” Gibson
Turner Seminary Class of 2003

The Concept of Turner Theological Seminary date back to September 23, 1885 when Reverend T. G. Steward a Chaplain in The United States Army was elected to serve as Dean of Theology of Morris Brown College. It would take nine years before the Department of Theology became a reality. On October 2, 1894 the Department of Theology officially opened with an enrollment twelve students. The first person elected to serve as Dean was Reverend E. L. Chew; however he never served in the position. Reverend E.W. Lee who later went on to become President of Morris Brown was elected as the first active Dean.

In December 1895, the Reverend J. S. Flipper (Future Bishop) was elected to serve as dean but did not serve in the position; however Reverend Wellington G. Alexander served for the remainder of the year. In 1896, the General Conference assigned Bishop Henry McNeal Turner to the Six Episcopal District and Reverend E. L. Lee was again elected to serve as Dean. However, Lee was transferred to the Macon Conference and Wellington G. Alexander again served as Dean for the remainder of that school year.

In 1896, Rev. J. S. Flipper was elected to serve as Dean, but resigned again and Rev. M. M. Ponton became the next Dean. The Department of Theology of Morris Brown College name was changed in 1900 to Turner Theology Seminary, in honor of Bishop Turner who at that time was the Senior Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In July 1903, the Rev. J. A. Lindsay was elected as its first Dean but resigned, and Rev. J. S. Flipper was appointed and served until 1904 as Turner Seminary’s first Dean. Rev. W. G Alexander returned to Turner Seminary and served as Dean until 1907.

In 1908, Rev. F. R. Simms became the seminary’s Dean and was followed by Rev. W. G. Alexander who served until 1913 when Rev. Peter W. Greatheart was elected to serve as Dean until 1920. It was during the Episcopal administration of Bishop W. A. Fountain that Turner Theological Seminary was most prolific in the production of prominent Pastors.

Under Bishop Fountain’s administration, he placed emphasize on the preparation of young men (women were not permitted in the ministry during this time) in the ministry. Bishop Fountain brought in well trained personnel to teach in the seminary. These included personalities such as Dr. S .H. Giles, Dr. Charles L. Hill, and Dr. J. R. Coan just to name a few.

Bishop Fountain named Dr. Charles L. Hill to serve as Dean of Turner Seminary and under Hill’s leadership, the curriculum was standardized and he established the precedent of conferring degrees on college graduates only and also secured the participation of Turner Seminary in the Southern Inter Seminary Movement.

Under Hill, Turner Seminary was able to establish a more intimate association with Morris Brown College. Another accomplishment under Hill’s administration was that Turner Seminary had its largest enrollment of students up to that time.

In 1957 the Turner Seminary acquired a two-story building on 557 Mitchell Street, N.W. The first floor had lecture and conference rooms along with offices for the staff, faculty and a spacious office for the Bishop. A library was located on the second floor which was equipped with modern furnishings. In sequential years the Reverends David R. Fobbs, Charles Leander Hill, Carleton L. Lee, Frank Cunningham, E. J. Odom Jr also served as Dean of Turner Seminary.

In 1958, when the Interdenominational Theological Center was organized, Turner Theological Seminary was one of the four founding constituents members and George A. Sewell, became the first ITC era Dean of Turner Seminary. Following Sewell were Josephus R. Coan, George L. Champion, Cecil W. Cone, and C.D. Wilkerson. Turner Seminary’s current Dean is The Reverend Daniel Wesley Jacobs who has headed the seminary since 1985.

Turner Theological Seminary was created to render service throughout the connection of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Some of Turner’s graduates have served as Deans, professors, pastors of some of African Methodism’s most prestigious pulpits, chaplains, and have been elected to public office. Under Jacobs’s leadership, the enrollment of Turner has more that doubled and the four-story Turner building was erected. Another significant accomplishment during his administration is that several Bishops, General Officers and Connectional Officers have been elected to serve our Zion.

In keeping with the original purpose of the founders to fill the void of educational opportunities for blacks, Turner Theological Seminary has provided this opportunity to many women and men of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Among some of the graduates of Turner Seminary are Dr. David R. Fobbs, the first alumnus to serve as Dean; Dr. C.D. Wilkerson, Turner’s (ITC) first Dean and was a part of ITC’s first class as part of the ITC; David P. Talbot, a Presiding Elder an uncle of Bishop Fredrick H. Talbot.

The first three Turner alumni to be elected to the Bishopric were Bishops William A. Fountain Sr, (1920) William R. Wilkes (1948) and Harold I. Bearden (1964). The first ITC era Turner Alumni to be elected to the Episcopacy was Bishop Adam Jefferson Richardson (1996) followed by Bishop Preston Warren Williams (2000).

At the 2004 General Conference, three sons of Turner were elevated to African Methodism highest office. These distinguished Alumni were Bishops James Davis, Samuel L. Green and E. Earl McCloud. In addition to the election of Bishops, two of Turner graduates, George L. Champion and George Flowers have been elected as General Officers. In addition, the current President of the Connectional Council, Reverend Michael K. Bouie is an Alumni of Turner Seminary.

The early history of Turner Seminary does not include many accomplishments of women in the ministry because they were not permitted to in the ministry during the early years. But in recent years the A.M.E. Church has made tremendous changes in this area with Turner Alumni leading the way.

Presiding Elder Leeomia Kelly was appointed as the first African American female chaplain of The Miami-Dade Police Department and currently serves as a member of the Judicial Council; Rev. Debra Grant was the first female appointed to a major pulpit in Georgia and is the immediate past National Turner Alumni President; Dr. Jacquelyn Grant-Collier is a world renown scholar in Theology with a specialization in Womanist Theology.

Rev. Ammie Davis currently serves as a Chaplain in the United States Navy and pastors a major charge in the 8th Episcopal District; Rev. Cassandra Hill currently server as the Administrative Assistant of Turner Seminary; Rev. Charletta Robinson who serves as Woman in Ministry Episcopal leader in the 11th Episcopal District and pastors Mother Mid-Way the Mother Church of African Methodism in Florida and Rev. Edrena Houston-Brown who serves as Founding Editor of the Cultural Connection, a magazine of the A.M.E. Church

For 111 years, Turner Theological Seminary has produced many women and men who have made major contributions to the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Over the course of her celebrated history, Turner Theological Seminary continues to train clergy “For a Prepared Ministry.” It is my prayer that God continues to shine a light on the Legacy of our beloved Seminary as we continue into the 21st Century.

God Bless Turner Theological Seminary and Long Live the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

To God Be the Glory!!!

God Bless Turner Theological Seminary and Long Live the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

To God Be the Glory!!!

6. ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF TURNER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 2005 EXECUTIVE BOARD PLANNING MEETING IN REVIEW:

By Reverends Philis J. Griffin and Kyle C. Gibson

“Visionary leaders only come by every twenty years,” said Presiding Elder George Tyler, who served as president of the Alumni Association of Turner Theological Seminary, 1997-2001. In his remarks, Rev. Tyler was referring to Reverend Ammie L. Davis newly elected president of the association.

Under Rev. Davis’ administration the association recently held its First Annual Executive Board Planning Meeting at Turner Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia. This meeting marks “the beginning of a new journey and a new dimension for the alumni of Turner,” said Rev. Davis. The purpose of the meeting was to establish a plan by which the executive board can nurture, restore and rebuild the association, so that alumni participation is based on accountability and responsibility.

Listed below are six objectives the executive board adopted as part of its strategy to undergird the alumni association on all levels:

- Develop an Alumni Mission Statement

- Revitalize Regional and State Alumni Chapters

- Initiate an Alumni Day in each region

- Create an Alumni E- Newsletter and Directory

- Support Turner Student Fellowship Web site-Alumni Link

- Explore Alternative Financing for Turner Seminary and the Alumni

In addition, the board voted to adopt “Alumni Association of Turner Theological Seminary” as the organization’s official name. Following was a discussion on the implications behind relationship building, particularly, alumni-student relations. “Strong relationship building with current students is the key to our success,” said Rev. Davis. It will provide strength to the alumni association once students’ graduate. Thus a Mentorship Program for the Turner Student Fellowship was established to help prepare seminarians for broader leadership roles in the church and society.

Among the Mentorship Program’s protégées who attended the planning meeting and now serve on Executive Board Standing Committees are: Reverends Kecia A. Lewis, President’s Advisory Board; Cory Watts, Public Relations (Turner Web site Administrator); Linda Powell, Public Relations; Lisa Marshall, Special Events and Programs; and Donald L. Phillips, Chaplains’ Committee.

The board also discussed ways to undergird the Presidents’ Projects, the service-oriented and continuing education entity of the association. In short, the projects are:

- The Alumni Lecture Series

- The Alumni Wall of Fame at Turner Theological Seminary

- The Water-Well Project. This project is currently under research as an outreach ministry to West Africa

- The C. T. Vivian Leadership Institute and Civil Rights Museum – is an ecumenical project in support of the Institute and Museum to be built in Atlanta, Georgia

Last but not least, plans for The Henry McNeal Turner Breakfast are underway. The breakfast is an annual project of Turner Seminary hosted by the office of Dr. Daniel Wesley Jacobs, President of the seminary. This year over 200 alumni and “Friends of Turner” are expected to attend. The event will be held in conjunction with the Bishop’s Council, Tuesday, 28 June 2005 at 7:00 a.m., the Wyndham Anatole Hotel, Dallas, Texas. Alumni are encouraged to call the hotel directly at (214) 748-1200 for reservations. To RSVP for the breakfast, please contact Reverend Dr. Cassandra Hill, Administrative Assistant to Dr. Jacobs at (404) 527-0080 or chill@itc.edu . Alumni interested in serving on Standing Committees may contact Reverend Ammie Davis at Ttsalumnipres@aol.com or (504) 710-6557.

For A Prepared Ministry

In retrospect, the Alumni Association of Turner Theological Seminary has a rich history which embodies the institution’s motto: “For A Prepared Ministry.” Its membership includes some of the nation’s prodigious religious leaders, scholars, preachers, church builders and socio-political activists, who are guided by the principle Rev. Davis calls “Leadership that Works.”

Against this backdrop stands the late Dr. Charles L. Hill, Dr. Josephus R. Coan, Dr. David R. Fobbs, Dr. C. W. Wilkerson and Rev. David P. Talbot. In addition to these giants of African Methodism are: Dr. George L. Champion, Sr, Retired Executive Director of the Department of Church Growth and Development and former Dean of Turner Theological Seminary, Dr. George F. Flowers, Executive Director of Global Witness and Ministry; Dr. Michael Bouie, President, Connectional Council; Dr. Cecil Cone, a former Dean of Turner Theological Seminary, Dr. Daniel Wesley Jacobs, President of Turner Theological Seminary; Dr. Leeomia Kelly, Member of the Judicial Council; and Dr. Jacquelyn Grant Collier, Consultant to the Connectional AME/WIM.

From the ranks of Turner’s illustrious alumni also stood three noble pioneers who were influential in building the house of Turner. They will always be etched in church history as visionaries who left an extraordinary legacy: Bishop William A. Fountain, Sr. (1920); Bishop William R. Wilkes (1948); and Bishop Harold I. Bearden (1964).

The new era of Turner’s legacy continues to elevate its alumni to African Methodism highest office, beginning in 1996 with the election of Bishop Adam J. Richardson, followed by Bishop Preston Warren Williams, II in 2000. At the 2004 General Conference three sons of Turner made history by following the footsteps of their predecessors. They are Bishop James L. Davis, Bishop Samuel L. Green, Sr. and Bishop E. Earl McCloud, Jr.

Without question, the women and men behind Turner Theological Seminary are prepared to meet the emerging socio-economics challenges confronting the institution. In the opinion of the writers of this review Turner’s alumni will continue to move the church, as did our namesake, Bishop Henry McNeal Turner.

And so we press on…

Alumni Association of Turner Theological Seminary

2005-2009 Executive Board Members

Reverend Ammie L. Davis, President
Reverend Philis J. Griffin, First Vice-President
Reverend James E. Thompson, Second Vice-President
Reverend Dr. Lena Flowers, Recording Secretary
Reverend Dr. Cassandra Hill, Assistant Recording Secretary
Reverend Richard A. Yancey, Treasurer
Reverend Vivian A. Deyone Douglas, Financial Secretary
Reverend Gregory Eason, Parliamentarian
Reverend Kyle Gibson, Historiographer
Reverend Lonnie McClain, Chaplain


Executive Board Standing Committees’ Chairpersons

Reverend Leslie R. White, Fund Development
Reverend Terrence Gray, Fund Development
Reverend David R. Bishop IV, Public Relations
Reverend Vetrel Smith, Public Relations
Dr. George F. Flowers, Global and Ecumenical Affairs
Reverend Moses Simms, Presidents’ Projects
Reverend Gloria Bennett, Special Events and Programs
Reverend Claude James, Bylaws and Constitution
Chaplain Ronald L. Owens and Addison Burgess


7. MEDITATION, THE PASTOR’S CORNER: GOING FORWARD WITH GOD - SPIRITUAL HEALING:

1At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. 2But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.

The Book of Acts is often described as the Acts of the Apostles. In reality, the Book of Acts is the Acts of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is operating through the servants of Christ for the purpose of building the kingdom of God. This is the basis for Spiritual healing. Spiritual Healing is a work of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12: 9) by which God confirms the message of the gospel and demonstrates God’s power over the powers that would “kill, steal, and destroy” life in God’s creation.

In the passage above, the gospel was being preached effectively. Many came to know Christ as Savior. But, there was opposition. The enemy does not give up on his quest to see lives destroyed. The devil used people in an attempt to block the spread of the gospel. Ephesians 6: 12 remind us that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against…spiritual forces of evil.” God confirmed the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ by using Paul and Barnabas to perform miracles that demonstrated God’s sovereignty.

One of the miracles God used to this end was performed through Paul in Lystra (Acts 14: 8-10). The Holy Spirit healed a man who was crippled from birth and had never walked. This healing required the combined actions of God, the healing agent (Paul) and the one who received the healing.

1. The Holy Spirit empowered Paul, who effectively spoke the gospel. (v. 9a)

2. The man received the message of the gospel as presented through Paul. (v. 9a)

3. The man “had faith to be healed.” (v. 9b)

4. The Holy Spirit, through Paul gave the command to, “Stand up…” (v. 10a)

5. Accepting God’s command “the man jumped up and began to walk.” (v. 10b)
Even after this powerful demonstration of God’s sovereignty, the devil did not give up (vv. 11-18). Some falsely attributed the man’s healing to Zeus and Hermes, Greek idols and attempted to identify Paul and Barnabas as these Greek gods. The enemy even went as far as stoning Paul (v. 19) and leaving him “outside the city, thinking he was dead.” God once more stepped in and demonstrated His power of the enemy by healing Paul’s wounds (v. 20) and allowing Paul to continue preaching the gospel.

God is constantly demonstrating His sovereign power over evil. As we “Go Forward with God,” let’s have faith in God’s miraculous healing power. Let’s be willing instruments in God’s confirmation of the gospel - praying for the sick, injured, addicted, and infirmed. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to work through us to bring “Spiritual Healing” to those whom the enemy would destroy. Let Him Use You!

Pastor James Moody
Quinn Chapel AMEC Chicago

8. GLENDA JENNINGS ASKS FOR HELP IN FINDING A HOUSE TO RENT:

If anyone knows of any houses for rent in the Raleigh area, (10 months) please let me know. I'm looking for something small for me and my 3 year old Boston terrier (Fuji). A nice quiet area with golf course, pool and fitness center nearby would be great. I don't have much time to find something. I will go on house hunting leave around second week of July. My training group doesn't graduate until 24 June. Any help out there will be most appreciated. Glenda Jennings Harrison, CHC, USN. Please email Chaplain Jennings directly at: shereegj601@yahoo.com

9. THE MASSACHUSETTS COUNCIL OF CHURCHES OFFERS STATEMENT CONCERNING 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBERATION OF JEWISH CONCENTRATION CAMPS:

The Massachusetts Council of Churches is honored to stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters in witness and remembrance on this solemn anniversary. As always, we come to the observance of Yom Hashoah with a strange mixture of feelings--both solemn appreciation and heartfelt mourning--solemn appreciation as we mark the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the camps, and honor those who fought and sacrificed to end the Nazi terror; heartfelt mourning at the incomprehensible tragedy, the recounting of which continues to test our ability to comprehend its meaning, 60 years hence; We pray that Boston’s Holocaust Memorial, whose tenth anniversary we observe, will be a steady reminder and challenge--Never again!--even as, together, we continue to face new challenges around the world that threaten the integrity of peoples and cultures. We pledge ourselves anew to honor the dead by living together with mutual respect, and by sharing in the work of mending creation with all of God’s children.

Information contact
Rev. Dr. Diane Kessler

10. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

Regretfully we share the news of the passing of Bro. Henry Jackson, II on Wednesday, May 4th.
Bro. Henry Jackson, II is the Son of Reverend and Mrs. Henry Jackson, Pastor and spouse of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Pompano Beach, Florida. South Florida Conference, 11th Episcopal District.

Funeral service: Bro. Henry Jackson II (Better known as Hank)

Saturday, May 14th at 11:00 a.m.
Greater Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church
2416 Lipscomb St.Melbourne, FL 32901
Church Phone # 321-724-1557
Ch. Fax 321-724-1293
Buggs Funeral Home
2701 S. Harbor City Blvd.
Melbourne, Fl 32901
Phone: 321-728-7076
Fax: 321-728-0204
Condolences may be sent to the Home, Church or Funeral Home.

Home Address

Rev. Henry (Annie) Jackson
3108 Swift DriveMelbourne
FL 32901
321-723-5906

11. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

Regretfully we share new of the passing of The Reverend Patricia A. W. Long.

On Thursday, May 5, 2005, REV. PATRICIA A. W. LONG of Clinton, MD. Loving wife of Frank C. Long; devoted mother of Kimberly Duncan, Kristen and Kandiss Long and Kareem Duncan; sister of Freda Warren passed.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, May 10, at Ebenezer AME Church, 7707 Allentown Rd., Fort Washington, MD, from 9 a.m. until time of funeral services at 11 a.m.

Interment Resurrection Cemetery, Clinton. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Rev. Patricia A. W. Long Scholarship Fund, c/o Bethany AME Church, P.O. Box 1319, Forestville, MD 20753. Arrangements by Strickland.

Published in The Washington Post on 5/8/2005. washingtonpost.com (Sign Guest Book)
http://www.legacy.com/washingtonpost/LegacySubPage2.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=3514180

Condolences maybe sent c/o the family to:

Strickland Funeral Service PA
6500 Allentown Rd
Temple Hills, Maryland 20748

Phone: (301) 449-0400
Fax: (301) 449-2791

12. ALL CLERGY BEREAVEMENT NOTICES PROVIDED BY:

Ora L. EasleyEmail: Amespouses1@aol.com

(Nashville, TN Contact) Phone: (615) 837-9736Fax: (615) 833-3781
(Memphis, TN Contact) (901) 578-4554 (Phone & Fax)
gwmame@bellsouth.net

THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE (5/6/05)

Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram - Chair, Commission on Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor


1. EDITOR’S CORNER:

- Morris Brown will have its Commencement Exercises on Sunday May 15 at 6 p.m. at the John Henry Lewis Health Physical Education and Recreation Complex. The Honorable Cathy Cox, Secretary of State will be the Commencement speaker.

Letter to the Editor:

Dear Dr. Sydnor

Congratulations for being selected by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. as Outstanding “2004” Citizen of the Year for your journalistic skills and format presentation as Editor. I rejoice with you for the honor and for your success.

My Church pastor has also provided me with a subscription to The A.M.E. Church Review and I concur with you that the articles are educationally informing, scholarly, and relevant for our Zion and for living a life that can be abundantly fulfilled by God’s Grace.

I plan to write to Dr. Dickerson fort see if portions of my doctoral dissertation might be considered for inclusion in one of his issues. The subject is “Human Potential – Christian Perfection the internal Struggles to Growth.”

Again, warm and sincere congratulations.

The Reverend Dr. Mildred S. Keeys, Ph. D.


- More of the account of my visit to Johannesburg, South Africa and Harare, Zimbabwe to attend the Global Development Council – Day 1-2:

The opening session began with the devotional service being led by representatives of the 15th and 20th Episcopal Districts. At the conclusion of the morning session, which ended on a high note, we adjourned for lunch.

Bishop and Mother Messiah hosted an excellent lunch for the GDC participants. An array of salads, which I did not eat, but which looked like it came out of Gourmet Magazine was deliciously displayed. Baked chicken, beef, vegetables, soup, rice, potatoes and various desserts were served. The chicken and gravy over rice was prepared like it‘s prepared “back home.” The gravy was good for soppin’ it up with some biscuits. They didn’t have biscuits, but the breads were superb and much like the breads served in Europe. As a matter of fact the desserts were prepared like desserts are prepared in Europe; not very sweet as some American desserts. The lunch was wonderful and the service was excellent.

The afternoon session started with devotions by representatives from the 17th Episcopal District; and what a devotional. It was amazing to me to hear familiar tunes and hearing different languages being sung to the tunes that I have heard all of my live. The body movement of the Africans there at the Sheraton Hotel in Harare in 2005 took me back to St. George Methodist Episcopal Church in 1787 and I can imagine the white members of St. George being disturbed by the emotionalism and movements of the Africans in the sedate Methodist worship service. People of color are expressive people, even in worship. I felt my body swaying and moving to the music. Now, you have got to remember that I came out of Ebenezer AME Church in Rahway, NJ where the worship service was quiet and there were not many emotional outbursts. Occasionally someone would “catch the Spirit,” so my body is not naturally used to a whole lot of movin’ and goovin’ in worship. But I felt my body naturally movin’ and groovin’.

The afternoon agenda called for each Episcopal District to share a five minute prepared statement of concern. There was a concern about the general Church’s use of the term, “AME in Africa” because there is a church by that name in Africa, which started in 1980. Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry opined that “”We were here first, and that group needs to find another name.” Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry also wanted to insure that everyone knew that the GDC includes “the Caribbean, South America, the British Isles, and Europe.” She was concerned that some people think only of Africa when the GDC or “overseas” is mentioned. She encouraged to the group to think and speak globally.

Bishop Samuel Green chaired some of the afternoon session and he knows how to move a “meetin’ along.” The “Bishop” does not like to waste time and he was anxious for us to stay on task; and he kept the meeting on task.

Bishop Messiah shared with the group about the expenses and gave a financial report to the members of the GDC. Bishop James Davis expressed the view that a full accounting for all disbursement of funds should be the protocol of the GDC. The afternoon session business was completed and the various committee slots were willed.

Dinner was each attendee’s option. I chose to go to the Japanese restaurant in the hotel. That was not a good decision. I chose shrimp; and that was not a good decision. I should have stuck with the beef or chicken.

The evening session began with the devotionals led by the 14th Episcopal District. The devotional, as were the others, was a moving spiritual event. The attendees reviewed what had been accomplished and the quadrennial agenda was discussed and will be finalized. Other business was transacted upon. Proposed meeting dates were discussed and a “roadmap” for the work of the GDC provoked a spirited discussion.

We adjourned for the evening and returned for the closing session on Thursday morning. The devotion was led by the 14th Episcopal District as we prepared to hear the Word preached by the Right Reverend Sarah Davis. She preached a Spirit-filled message entitled, “You Can’t Stay Here; It’s Time to Move on!” She took her text from Deuteronomy 1:1-18. She preached about how Moses spoke to the whole people of Israel and how God’s message is the same message today. Bishop Davis spoke about being prepared. She went on to say, “If you move on; you have got to be prepared. “ She shared that God is an intentional God and God wants an intentional people. The preacher went on to say that, “Intentional people, intentionally ‘live for God, walk with God and work for God.’” She also spoke about the “wilderness” and asked the congregation to think l about where God spoke – in the wilderness. She pointed out that God speaks to folks in the wilderness today- a place with no boundaries such as the wilderness of disappointment and the wilderness of not making progress, the wilderness of seeing AME schools looking worse that the schools of the Seventh-Day Adventists and the Roman Catholics and the wilderness of seeming to not having enough resources. The sermonic good news is that we do not have to stay in the wilderness (and I don’t need to tell you anymore because you can probably use your imagination and you would know that the rest of the sermon preached itself!). God told the people that they had to leave the wilderness and go and possess the Promised Land. Some of us want to stay on the mountain or in the wilderness. God enjoins us, today, to go and possess the Promised Land, the blessings that God has prepared for us. The sermon was awesome. We prayed and sang and the preacher gave us the benediction.

But we were not finished. We had lunch and the food was good, they must have saved the best for last. The hotel prepared a feast. They must have had some South Carolinians in the kitchen. We had a great meal, but more than the, the overseas Bishops and the Editor of The Christian Recorder had a conversation about the overseas work… (To be continued)

In the next edition of The Christian Recorder Online I will share the great conversation I had with the Bishops and the Episcopal Supervisors during lunch.

2. GLOBAL WITNESS AND MINISTRY NEWS:

Dr. George F. Flowers, Executive Director of the Department of Global Witness and Ministry and Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor of The Christian Recorder are flying, as I am writing this message to you, on a very long flight to Johannesburg, South Africa from Atlanta, Georgia.

Following a “full day” in South Africa; we will board another flight for Harare, Zimbabwe to attend the Global Development Council (GDC) convening at the Sheraton Hotel Harare. The Council Meeting will have representatives from every overseas district (14-20). Bishop James L Davis will convene the meeting and Bishop Wilfred Messiah will serve as host. We are expecting at least 100 in attendance to include: executives, some council members, 7 active overseas bishops, 1 retired bishop living on the continent and 2 stateside bishops. This will be the first meeting of the quadrennial.

Dr. George F. flowers and the Department of Global Witness and Ministry have received for the Tsunami for East Africa through the following donors:

- $10,000 from Bishop Adam J. Richardson and the Second Episcopal
District

- $ 2,000 from (WMS) Eighth Episcopal District; Bishop C. Garnett
Henning and Supervisor Yvonne H. Parks

- $8,181.85 from SADA and Mr. Robert Nicholas (donors from across the church

- $500.00 Baker Chapel AMEC (Souper Bowl) Tenth Episcopal District

- $500.00 Greater St. Peter AME (Jonesburg, GA) Sixth Episcopal District

- $250.00 Jerusalem AME (Wadmalaw, SC) Seventh Episcopal District

- $500.00 Campbell Chapel (Bluffton, SC) Seventh Episcopal District

- $531.14 Greater Trinity (Charleston, SC) Seventh Episcopal District

- $150.00 Nazareth AME (Georgetown, SC) Seventh District

(According to Executive Director Flowers, the entire amount was channeled as (Pass-through funds) to Church World Service primarily for East Africa).

Received for Haiti Relief Efforts:

- $1,000.00 Macedonia AME (New York) First District
- $6,581.13 Lay Organization Seventh Episcopal District (South Carolina)
- $500.00 Bethel AME (New Orleans, LA) Eighth District
- $200.00 Mother Beverly Thomas

(These funds were (Pass-Through) to Presiding Prelate of the 16th Episcopal District; Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry).

The Reverend Dr. George F. Flowers
gwmame@bellsouth.net

THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE (5/5/05)

Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram - Chair, Commission on Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor


1. EDITOR’S CORNER:

- The Associated Press featured a story about an AME minister and his wife who were arrested and charged with arson in Summerville, SC on Tuesday for burning their church building down. The New York Times and other newspapers picked up the story and released an article yesterday. I mention it because it’s in the media and certainly our prayers go out to the Bethel AME Church family in Summerville. This has to be a trying time for the pastor and his wife, that congregation and the surrounding community. Keep them in your prayers remember that person(s) are innocent until proven guilty.

- More of the account of my visit to Johannesburg, South Africa and Harare, Zimbabwe to attend the Global Development Council and a little historical background about the Global Development Council

To pick up where I left off, we arrived at the International Airport of Harare at about 9 p.m. local time and were met by Bishop Messiah. We were taken to the Harare Sheraton Hotel where we were met by Episcopal Supervisor, Mother Carol Messiah. Our rooms were ready after getting settled in our rooms and after attending the welcome reception, we retired for the night.

Bishops Wilfred Messiah, James Davis, Carolyn Tyler Guidry, Samuel Green, and Sarah Davis had a late night meeting to finalize the agenda for the GDC that was going to have its opening session on Wednesday morning.

The ministerial and lay leadership from the overseas Districts 16 – 20 had arrived and were ready to do the work of the Church as it relates to global ministry.

Wednesday morning, April 27th was beautiful. Sunrise arrived early and after a breakfast of eggs, bacon, baked beans, fresh bread and coffee, we moved to the first session of the Global Development Council. There were about 100 participants at the GDC meeting.

The bishops, General Officers, Connectional Officers and Episcopal Supervisors were introduced and presented to the GDC participants. Bishop James Davis chaired the opening session of the meeting and conducted the organizational business of the GDC and eloquently handled the election of officers. Bishop Wilfred Messiah was unanimously elected to be the chair of the GDC for the next two years.

A little historical background of the GDC

As a way of explaining the mission of the GDC, I am extracting some of the information from a handout that was distributed at the conference.

The GDC is concerned about Global witness and development in Africa, the nations of the Caribbean, South America, the British Isles, and Europe.

In the 1980-1984 Quadrennium, bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church began to address the multiple stress points emanating from Africa. There was a concern about the lack of Africans that had been elected to the Episcopacy. Also there apparently there were concerns with the Article of Religion as to how it addressed allegiance to civil authority, especially allegiance to the government of the United States.

The 1996 Doctrine and Discipline of the AME Church provided for the formation of a commission to determine the programmatic opportunities and timelines for maximum development in Episcopal Districts 14 – 19 (now 20). “In 1997, the Council of Bishops authorized the Right Reverend Harold Ben Senatle, senior bishop in Africa, to call a historic all-Africa summit to address continental commonalities and concerns. The first meeting was held in Johannesburg and included the participation and leadership of Bishops C. Garnett Henning, Richard Allen Chappelle, Sr. and Adam J. Richardson, Jr. who were serving in Africa, and Bishops Donald G. K. Ming and McKinley Young who were serving districts in the United States.

The Africa Jurisdictional Committee (AJC)

Another summit was held in March 1999 in South Africa. Out of that summit was “birthed” the Africa Jurisdictional Committee (AJC) which produced a document, the Africa Jurisdictional Authority Bill (AJC Bill), which was referred to the annual conferences in Africa.

A third summit was held in Mafikeng, South Africa. The AJC Bill was approved by the African Episcopal Districts and subsequently, with minor amendments, at the 2000 General Conference. The bishops who were assigned to Africa, Bishops Adam J. Richardson, Richard F. Norris, Vashti Murphy McKenzie, Gregory G. M. Ingram and Preston W. Williams, along with retired Bishop, H. B. Senatle and C. Garnett Henning, the chair of the Commission on Africa Development, continued to work diligently.

Name changed from the Africa Jurisdictional Committee to the Global Development Council

At the 2004 General Conference, the name of the Africa Jurisdictional Authority was changed to the Global Development Council to represent “the global interest of he Church’s ministry beyond the borders of the United States.” The GDC has been challenged to provide equitable development for the life and leadership opportunities of its members and ministries in Africa, the nations of the Caribbean, South America, the British Isles and Europe.

The mission of the GDC is to implement the mission and purpose of the AME Church; establish opportunities for developing clergy and lay leadership in the church; unite all AME Churches in Africa, the nations of the Caribbean, South America, the British isles, and Europe; determine the potential resources of he AME Church, develop and implement programs for the maximum development of the congregations; promote economic development and health initiatives; secure for members in the global community, opportunities for service in the ministry of governance; promote deeper understanding, collaboration, and cohesion among the AME Churches in Africa, the nations of the Caribbean, South America, the British Isles, Europe, and Canada with those of the United States.

Among the membership of the GDC are all of the active and retired bishops; general officers, connectional officers and field representatives, members of the General Board, supervisors and presidents of episcopal auxiliaries and organizations residing and serving in GDC episcopal districts.

The GDC is directed to hold biennial meetings and the Executive Board, which includes all of the bishops serving in Africa and the presiding bishop of the Sixteenth Episcopal District, is to meet annually.

The first Session

The GDC chair, Bishop Wilfred Messiah, gave the participants an opportunity to share their concerns and a spirited discussion ensued. It appeared that there was a perception that the AME Church in the United States should be doing more to assist the overseas districts. That went on for a while and appeared to be gaining some momentum when Bishop Davis went to the podium and acknowledged what he was hearing about what the participants were saying about the need for more assistance from the districts in the United States. He went on to say that the direction of the dialogue, in his opinion, was going against the grain of the historical and spiritual foundation of the African Methodist Episcopal Church; that we have always been a church in struggle and with economic constraints, but that never hindered our growth and spiritual focus. He observed that in the discussions that he heard about what was not being done, but nothing about the Holy Spirit’s work in the life of the Church. He was taken back that no one had mentioned what God could do or what God was doing. And following his line of thinking, Sister Passion A. N. Musa, the 20th Episcopal District President and Connectional 3rd Vice President of the Women's Missionary Society of AME Church, gave a passionate affirmation of what Bishop James Davis’ comments by encouraging the participants to accept the biblical principles of tithing and went on to say that the GDC participants in that room had the resources to bring about change in the overseas districts. In a moving and passionate voice, Sister Musa encouraged the participants to embrace, for themselves and to encourage others to tithe and to seek a deeper spiritual underpinning. One could feel the “Sweet, Sweet Spirit” in that place.

We broke for lunch on a high note. (To be continued)

In the next edition of The Christian Recorder Online I will share the great comments of Bishops Wilfred Messiah, Carolyn Tyler Guidry, Sam Green and Sarah Davis and some of the other participants.

2. KAIROS COMMUNITY AME CHURCH, 4605 NOLENSVILLE PIKE, NASHVILLE TENNESSEE 37211 CELEBRATES PENTECOST:

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

I am writing to share with you how God is blessing us in the establishment of the Kairos Community Church and to invite you to join us on Pentecost Sunday, May 15, 2005 as we celebrate the opening of this great church.

The first AME Church to be planted in Nashville since 1911, Kairos Community Church has been worshiping together since February 13, 2005 and we have now grown to 25 members. We are planted in southeast Nashville, a very vibrant and diverse community. This area is experiencing tremendous growth and economic development.

The church building is prominently located on a very busy and vital street for this area of the city. We are currently leasing this church building and we have an option to purchase. The facility includes a sanctuary with seating capacity of 900, 3 furnished offices, 1 furnished conference room, 7 furnished classrooms, a fully functional kitchen and a fellowship hall equipped with tables and chairs to accommodate 200. This building provides us with a tremendous opportunity to minister to our community. We look forward with eager anticipation to the continued growth of the ministry.

Join us on Sunday May 15, 2005 as we celebrate. I will be preaching in our morning worship celebration at 9:30 a.m. and the Chief Pastor of the 13th District, Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie will be preaching in our Pentecost Celebration at 6:30 p.m. I would love to see you there. We will be blessed by your prayers and enriched by your presence.

Partner with us as we seek "to meet the emergent needs of a diverse community through holistic ministry based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ." THE TIME IS NOW!!!

Passionately yours,
Roderick Dwayne Belin
615,332-3320
Fax: 615.332-3324
WWW.KAIROSCOMMUNITYCHURCH.ORG



3. HISTORIC ST. JOHN A.M.E., CLEVELAND, OHIO CELEBRATES 175TH ANNIVERSARY:

St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church located at 2261 E. 40th St. is the oldest African American Church in Greater Cleveland. St. John A.M.E. Church was founded in 1830 by the Rev. William Paul Quinn. The present location was purchased December 3, 1907 with Rev. Ira Collins as the pastor. The church was built at the cost of $55,000.00. The deal was reported to have been the largest real estate transaction by “Negroes” during the period.

St. John A.M.E. is 175 years old and was organized in 1830 with a membership of six. By 1945, its membership numbered 3,100 people.

A glance into past history of St. John A.M.E. reveals in 1848, the members purchased a lot for $300.00 on Bolivar St. east of Erie St. on the site of the Pick Carter Hotel (Carter Apartments). This location was considered the outskirts of the city. According to the 1848 city directory, there were 15 members. The church building was named Bolivar St. AME church and was built at the cost of $400 with a debt of $200. In 1863, property for a second church was purchased on Ohio Street. The church was known as the Ohio Street AME Church (1862-1878). In 1877, due to a fire that partly destroyed the church, the membership decided to move to a new location on Erie Street (now E. 9th St.). It was at this time that the church was renamed St. John AME Church even though many members referred to as “Old Erie Street Church”. Rev. Ira A. Collins was the minister.

In 1893, St. John suffered another fire at the Erie St. Church. Services were held in Giessen Hall at Central and Woodland. In 1907, under the administration of Rev. Ira A. Collins, land was purchased on Dec. 3, 1907 to build the present building located at 2241 E. 40th St.

In 1908, the cornerstone was laid; the new church was built for the sum of $55,000.00. A parade of uniformed bodies of Negro lodges of the city led by Phillegans Full Brass Band took place beginning at 24th street marching to 40th and Central. The Masons had charge of the corner stone laying and Bishop Derrick was the featured speaker. The event was of considerable significance to Cleveland Negroes since it was the first time in Cleveland’s history that Negroes erected a costly brick building for their worship.

Marian Anderson gave her first concert in Cleveland at St. John. The Rev. William Paul Quinn, the fourth bishop of the A.M.E. was responsible for organizing the A.M.E. denomination in 1830. The Rev. Richard Allen founder of the A.M.E. church was the first Bishop, elected and consecrated in 1816.

On Oct. 7, 1974, St. John A.M.E. Church was designated a Cleveland Historic Landmark and St. John was also placed on the National Register of Historical Places in 1982. In February 1995, the church was added to the African American Heritage Trail Tour (site No. 7) of historic places in the city of Cleveland.

St. John AME Church has been a part of the foundation in the community and the city of Cleveland. In 2008, our present building will be 100 years old. With new homes being constructed in the community, the new Pastor of St. John AME Church, Rev. Dr. Taylor T. Thompson’s goal is to renovate the church to a new shining light on Fortieth Street, going forward as the new St. John AME Church of the 21st Century, operating a seven day a week ministry and serving the greater Cleveland community.

Youth Ministry and YPD Luncheon and Fashion Show

Saturday, May 7, 2005, the youth ministry and YPD will be presenting a Mother’s Day Weekend luncheon and fashion show at St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2261 E. 40th Street and Central, Cleveland, Ohio, 12 noon to 3 p.m. All are welcome; donations will be received at the door.

Children’s Retreat – Friday, May 13, 2005

Our children’s and youth ministry will host an overnight retreat for our children at St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2261 E. 40th Street and Central, Cleveland, Ohio on Friday, May 13th. We will be involved in learning and sharing about our God in a Christian setting. If you would like for your children to be involved, please see Sister Gladys Richardson or call the church office for registration material

Women’s Missionary Society Weekend

The WMS has Mrs. Shirley Reed of Washington, D.C., past Connectional Recording Secretary of the WMS and author of a book and materials on developing a strong missionary society. Mrs. Reed will be our guest workshop leader on Saturday, May 14th from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2261 E. 40th Street and Central, Cleveland, Ohio. It is an excellent opportunity for the men and women to share in this workshop on missionary work. “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” (Matthew 9.37) Please join us and note men can be affiliate members of the WMS. Praise the Lord

The Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones at St. John AME

On Sunday, May 22, 2005, Congresswoman Jones will be the guest speaker at St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2261 E. 40th Street and Central, Cleveland, Ohio celebrating the Annual Women’s Day, at the 10:45 a.m. service. She is the first African American woman elected to the United States House of Representatives from Ohio and is now serving in her fourth term. Please join us. For more information, please call 216-431-2560

Pentecost Evangelistic Revival – June 6-7, 2005, 7 p.m.

Monday and Tuesday Night, June 6th and 7th, the Rev. Dr. Frank Madison Reid, III, pastor of Bethel AME Church, Baltimore and international evangelist, seen weekly on the TV cable Word Channel, will be our guest preacher at St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2261 E. 40th Street and Central, Cleveland, Ohio. We look forward to a Hallelujah time in the Lord! “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come ... they were all filled with the Holy Spirit!” (Acts 2.1-4) Join us in revival and evangelistic outreach.

For more information, please call 216-431-2560.
Rev. Dr. Taylor T. Thompson, Pastor
Holy Communion to help unify United Methodist Church
May 4, 2005

4. THE CHAPLAINS CORNER:

- A Message from Deployed AME Chaplain, Lt Col, USAF Oledia F. Bell:

I pray that this e-mail finds all you and your families well. Although I am still on deployment I know that annual conference is here. It has been my practice to attend annual conference or send a report every year since coming on active duty in 1988.

Thank you all for your prayers on behalf of my family and the troops deployed here to Baghdad, Iraq. It is still a dangerous place to be and praise God my tour is almost complete. I am thankful that I am a part of this great Church of Allen. We pray for a Spirit-filled time in the LORD at all of the Annual Conferences in the Second Episcopal District and especially the Virginia Annual Conference, which is meeting this week and for everyone, may God rain down showers of blessings.

Please give my kindness regards to the Second Episcopal District’s Virginia Annual Conference, “Thank you for giving me wings!”

Very Respectfully,

OLEDIA F. BELL, Ch, Lt Col, USAF
Group Chaplain
447th Air Expeditionary Group/HC
Baghdad International Airport, Iraq
DSN (Miliatry and government telephones): 318-453-0204

- Chaplain Glenda Jennings Harrison selected to attend Duke University

- I imagine I was experiencing so much turmoil spiritually because the enemy knew God was getting ready to bless me real good. The Chaplain Corps has selected me to attend Duke University this fall to work on a M.Th degree in the area of Ethics. Please have my AME family to pray for me as I've been out of seminary for over 10 years. Be that as it may, since God has opened the door obviously I'm equipped enough to walk through. I have attached an article for publication and I'm praying for my AME church as we continue to be a beacon of light to the world.

Blessings,
Chaplain Glenda Jennings Harrison

Article for the Chaplain’s Corner

“Don’t Give Me Anymore Excuses”

“Your crown has been bought and paid for, all you must do is put it on your head.” James Baldwin

Excuses, excuses, excuses…one excuse after another; sounds like a broken record doesn’t it? I meant to put the car in the shop this afternoon, but something came up. I definitely need to take leave, but I have too much work to do. I really want to work on another degree, but I’m getting up in age. The myriad of excuses we often find to avoid doing the things we need to do plague many of us, yet all of us do it from time to time.

How many times have you found yourself looking for a reason not to do what you know you must? What is it that prevents you from putting your hand to the plow? What are you afraid of, and what do you lack? Do you have a plan of action, or is it hard for you to make a plan?

Many of us are excuse driven. Many of us are unable to make things happen and we wonder why the opportunities of life pass us by so frequently. As we begin to ponder these questions we must remember that we are a designer original and we were bought with a price.

Ours is to discover the uniqueness of who we are. We do this by embracing a dialectical process, which seeks to uncover our particular talent, that special gift, which is our ticket to success. As we walk about this journey, we must view it as the first episode of a long-running series. Each experience doesn’t’ have to be detrimental to our existence, because all of us have gleaned some lessons in life already.

When we feel we are flying solo, it is important to gain a clearer understanding by paying particular attention to our surroundings. Instead of watching that basketball game, or “As the World Turns” we need to turn on the Discovery Channel and take note of lessons nature can teach us. In fact, according to the book of Proverbs, there are four creatures on earth that “are exceedingly wise” – The ant, the badger, the locust and the spider.

An examination of these four creatures gives us a much-needed understanding of the harmful effects of excuse making. For example, the ant is concerned with preparation. There must be food for the harvest to provide for the welfare of the colony throughout the winter. Therefore, an excuse would ultimately threaten the colony’s existence and an excuse cannot be tolerated.

The badger is considered a mammal of little strength, and in its wisdom is cognizant that safety is an important issue. Accordingly, the badger builds its home wisely, up high and between rocks. Protection is the key to life for the badger. No excuses can be tolerated. Unlike the honeybees who are led by the queen, the locusts are without leadership, therefore in order for them to survive it is necessary that they cooperate and travel in an orderly fashion. In so doing, this guarantees their existence.

Again, any excuse to the contrary cannot be tolerated. Finally, the spider the most cunning of all the insects is fearless and bold. It can build a web anywhere, at anytime and under any conditions. The spider exhibits no fear as it resides in places of authority where excuses are not tolerated.

The challenge is presented, the examples made plain. What is your response? Will you continue to say “woulda, shoulda, thought I coulda?” Or, will you prepare like the ant; build wisely like the badger; seek support from those who share your goals like the locust and stand fearless and with assurance like the spider? Do you know that you were bought with a price? Do you realize that “you,” yes, that’s correct; “you” are to God a priceless treasure of humanity - a treasure for whom excuses cannot be tolerated? Now go forth and make a difference.

Chaplain Glenda Jennings Harrison

5. NEWS FROM THE UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE:

By Deborah White*

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)--A growing interest in Holy Communion can unify and revitalize the United Methodist Church, said leaders of an international conference focusing on the sacrament.

The conference, "Teaching the Sacrament - Improving the Practice," was held at the United Methodist Board of Discipleship in Nashville, Tenn. It attracted more than 100 clergy and other church leaders from as far away as Singapore, Canada and Alaska.

The April 26-28 conference was the first offered since the denomination's top legislative body, the General Conference, adopted a 16-page study of Holy Communion as the church's official, interpretive statement on the sacrament during its 2004 session. The study, "This Holy Mystery: A United Methodist Understanding of Holy Communion," clarifies the tradition, theology and practice of Holy Communion.

The General Conference, the denomination's top legislative body, "unleashed a growing interest in communion," said the Rev. Daniel T. Benedict Jr., a staff executive with the Board of Discipleship's worship section.

United Methodist congregations are encouraged to move toward a richer sacramental life, including weekly celebration of the Lord's Supper. A seven-session study edition of "This Holy Mystery" was introduced to the conference participants. It includes commentary and guidelines for study groups.

During the opening worship service, participants prayed for a new sense of mystery and grace and for the Holy Communion table to become a uniting place.

"This is a very important moment in the life of our church," said retired Bishop Joseph Pennel, now a professor at Vanderbilt Divinity School, Nashville, Tenn. "We need teaching around Holy Communion because this is one place people - month after month - can have the experience without knowing the meaning."

With so many expressions of United Methodism today, Pennel asked, "Could it be that baptism and Holy Communion might be practiced in such a way that it will hold us together? We're at a time when we need to consider what to teach, how to teach and what to do."

Many United Methodist clergy need to improve how they preside at the communion table, Pennel and other leaders said.

In a workshop titled "Presiding with Grace and Freedom," Benedict coached participants in leading Holy Communion smoothly, reminding them that their actions signify "receiving the richness of God." They discussed rhythm, tonality, continuity, flow, emotion, showing hospitality, gestures, formality and informality. "If we're awkward and embarrassed, they will be awkward and embarrassed," he cautioned.

Benedict said that even if styles of ministry are different, there should be unity in the practice of Holy Communion. "It's when we trivialize it . . . when we are excessive about innovation and creativity, we're on thin ice," he said.

During the workshop, the Rev. Jim Doepken, pastor of Girdwood (Alaska) Chapel United Methodist Church, said Holy Communion in his one-room church is informal, but he uses the full liturgy. "You can be liturgical but down home or laid back as well," he said.

United Methodists are interested in the sacraments, but are also confused by them, said the Rev. Gayle Felton, principal author of "This Holy Mystery."

"The purpose of this week is to try to help us move from confusion to clarity," she said. "We have a lot of the former and not a great deal of the latter."

The intent of "This Holy Mystery" is not to lay down an authoritarian formula, but to provide guidance and direction, she said. "Also it might move us from apathy to enthusiasm. We have de-emphasized sacraments. The road to recovery is to recover our heritage - become Wesleyan again."

In a panel discussion about moving to a richer and more frequent communion, retired Bishop Kenneth Carder advised participants to have patience as congregations increase the frequency of Holy Communion from every month or every quarter to every week. "It involves creating a new culture," said Carder, now a professor at United Methodist-related Duke Divinity School, Durham, N.C.

The Rev. Joseph Daniels, pastor of Emory United Methodist Church in Washington suggested, "Jump into it and teach as you go." He led his congregation into offering Holy Communion on a weekly basis last summer. The impact has been profound, including a more unified congregation and an increase in attendance, he noted.

"The very act of communion, the sacrament itself, forces us to break down the barriers," Daniels said. "It's all because we have placed emphasis on the table."

Clergy have taken an active role in moving churches to weekly communion, noted the Rev. Mark Stamm, a professor at United Methodist-related Perkins School of Theology, Dallas. Stamm is involved with the Order of Saint Luke, an organization dedicated to liturgical study and education.

The Rev. Valerie Bridgeman-Davis, a professor of preaching and worship at Memphis (Tenn.) Theological Seminary, called for prophetic leadership. "We often are so scared about pushing people. People are willing to do more than we give them credit for," she said.

In the closing session, Carder said there is a connection between Holy Communion and accounts in the Gospel of Luke about Jesus eating meals. "He eats with tax collectors and sinners," Carder said. "Jesus' life around the table is a challenge … and a source of help. God's justice, generosity and joy are prevailing values. That new world dawns at the table, is celebrated around the table, nurtured at the table and empowered around the table."

"This Holy Mystery" Carder said, "seeks to respond to critical issues raised in Luke about who is in charge, who is host, who is invited and how we are to behave."

The Holy Communion table is a continuation of the many tables Jesus and the disciples shared, he said. "What He said about other tables comes to fruition at this table. Look at all the dinners Jesus attended and see how he turned the tables," Carder said, sparking an enthusiastic reaction from the participants.

Carder emphasized the importance of including poor people at Holy Communion. "You can't have sacramental renewal if the poor aren't present," he said. "When we gather at the table, it is the meal in the new order of things, especially when we are coming with all of God's children."

*White is associate editor of Interpreter Magazine and Interpreter OnLine.
News media contact: Deborah White News (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.

6. ARTIST J. MORRIS METZE TO UNVEIL “GLORY TO GOD, GUARDING OUR LEGACY”:

Columbia, S.C. - A Columbia artist, minister and college student is set to unveil a limited series art print that analyzes and celebrates the 218-yea-old African Methodism movement.

The Reverend J. Morris Metze will unveil “Glory to God, Guarding our Legacy” on Saturday, May 14, at 11 a.m. at Saint Paul African Method Episcopal (AME) Church, 835 Kennerly Road, Irmo, S. C. Metze is an assistant pastor at Saint Paul and a senior business administration major at Allen University.

The art print depicts a cross and anvil, surrounding by African mosaics with children’s hands “reaching from the abyss.” The cross and anvil are traditionally used in the emblem of the AME domination. They represent the location of the first AME house of worship in a former blacksmith shop in the late 18th Century Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

According to the artist, “This work of art may be just the most significant work produces in the 218-year history of African Methodism.”

Each church throughout our Connection should have one for their narthex, fellowship hall or pastor’s study, “Metze added. And, the print is suitable to hang in a professional office or home.”
The event will also feature a pre-publication review of the unpublished book, “Letters to Saint Paul,” and the debut of a new work of sacred music, “You are Welcome. Want-a You Come.” Metze created both the book and sacred music. Allen University English Professor John Preacher will conduct the book review. The sacred music will be debuted by Relda Ogleton, who also transcribed the piece. The performance will be followed by a message from Metze, entitled, Glory to God, Guarding our Legacy.” The event will be officiated by the Rev. Dr. William Smith, Jr., Presiding Elder of the Columbia District of the AME Church.

An exhibit of other works of art by Metze will be on display until 7 p.m. in the church’s educational building. The artist will be on hand to sign and number the limited edition prints. Following the May 14th event, the print may be viewed and purchased at Cokesbury Books and Church Supplies, 2730 Broad River Road, Columbia, S.C.

For additional information, contact J. Morris Metze at (803) 407-2316 or email JMMetzeConsultin@AOL.com

7. FUNERAL NOTICE:

Mrs. Earnestine Watson, mother of Rev. Moses Green (12th district) will be funeralized on Saturday, May 7, 2005, 12:00 noon at the Bethel A.M.E. Church, West Memphis, Arkansas 2403 East Barton, West Memphis, Arkansas 72301.

Arrangements are with the wolf brothers’ funeral home, 128 so. 7th Street, West Memphis, Arkansas 72301, 870-735-5855.

Thank you,

Anita Brannon
12th District Office Manager
Please remember the family in your prayers.

8. FUNERAL NOTICE:

We regret to inform you of the passing of Mrs. Gretchen Morton, grandmother of Rev. Jocelyn Hart, who is the pastor of St. John AMEC – Niagara Falls. The following information has been provided regarding funeral arrangements.

Funeral – Friday, May 6, 2005
Service – 11:00 a.m.
Vermont Avenue Baptist Church
1630 Vermont Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20009
Fax: 202-667-1492

Condolences may be sent to:
Rev. Jocelyn Hart
C/o Vermont Avenue Baptist Church
1630 Vermont Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20009

Please remember the Hart family in your prayers during this time of their bereavement.

9. FUNERAL LOCATION CHANGE:

The funeral service for Rev. Thomas R. Jones on Thursday May 5, 2005 was moved to New Psalmist Baptist Church which is located at 4501 Old Frederick Avenue, Baltimore Maryland 21229 410-945-3000. The wake was from 10:30 AM-11:30 AM and the funeral service was to follow.
--
Rev. Dr. Joan L. Wharton
Mt. Zion AME Church
"I can do all things through
Christ who gives me the strength

10. ALL FUNERAL AND BEREAVEMENT NOTICES PROVIDED BY:

Sister Ora L. Easley
Email: Amespouses1@aol.com
(Nashville, TN Contact)
Phone: (615) 837-9736
Fax: (615) 833-3781
(Memphis, TN Contact)
(901) 578-4554 (Phone & Fax

THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE (5/3/05)

Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram - Chair, Commission on Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor

1. EDITOR’S CORNER:

- I do not have a correct response to yesterday’s question.

- The name of the Connectional Officer whose name I didn’t know yesterday who was present at the Global Development Council Meeting was Sister Passion A. N. Musa, 20th Episcopal District President and Connectional 3rd Vice President of the Women's Missionary Society, AME Church.

- More of the account of my visit to Johannesburg, South Africa and Harare, Zimbabwe to attend the Global Development Council:

I left home in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday, April 29th and flew to Atlanta, Georgia where I met Dr. George Flowers, the Secretary of Global Witness and Missions for the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He gave me an overview of what to expect and shared some important travel tips, as I had not traveled to Africa; it was my first visit to the Continent. I experienced some anxiousness as we boarded the South African Airlines Airbus A340-600 for the 17 hour, 50 minute flight to Johannesburg, with a refueling stop at Cape Verde.

We arrived in Johannesburg at 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning. We were scheduled to depart for Harare, Zimbabwe at 7:20 p.m. I was fortunate that Dr. Flowers had arranged for the Reverend O. J. Matchabe, pastor of Jordan Temple AME Church, Kathlehong, Germiston and the Reverend M. Jerry Mokhatsi, senior pastor of Robinson Temple Vosloorus AME Church and acting Presiding Elder of the Germiston District to meet us and to give us a tour of some of the churches in the Johannesburg area. Johannesburg is beautiful city and covers a wide area. It didn’t remind me of any particular city, but looked more like one of the cities in the western area of the United States. We went to Soweto and that was a moving experience for me because I had read so much about Soweto. I thought that it would be about the size of a small American town, but was I wrong! Soweto is huge; I was told that Soweto has a population of about 2 million residents. I was told look as far as I could see and that, and more, was Soweto. We drove, and drove and drove and it seemed as if Soweto was not going to end. We visited two AME Churches in Soweto, one of which was the church that Bishop Messiah pastored before becoming elected and consecrated a bishop. The churches in Soweto seemed to me to be the centers of the community in Soweto. We also visited the Wilberforce Community College and the R.R. Wright Theological Seminary and spoke with the President, the Reverend Dr. Jeremiah Leeshope and several of the seminary students, who come from Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Lesotho, several other countries and of course, South Africa. It’s an international campus in the trust sense. Bishop James Davis, the presiding Bishop of the 19th Episcopal District and Dr. Leeshope are doing the work of preparing ministers of the gospel for the African Methodist Episcopal Church. They are using what they have, but it is apparent that the African Methodist Episcopal Church needs to provide more assistance and it might mean that the Church needs to redefine how it helps the overseas academic institutions. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but both the Wilberforce Community College and the R. R. Wright Theological Seminary needs some serious assistance; and I am not just thinking about money. In addition to money I am thinking about visiting professors, carpenters, exchange students from Payne and Turner Theological Seminaries, and teachers going over at their own expense or sponsored by some of our mega churches. I am not speaking about change that needs General Conference legislation or political persuasion. I am not talking about budget increases. More than money, I am speaking about Holy Ghost-filled, Christ-committed persons who want to facilitate change and growth. I am talking about a “grass-roots Holy Spirit-filled revolution.” I am not talking about shouting and lifting our hands in praise; I am talking about “work” and putting our hands to tasks that need serious attention. You know what; I am jumping ahead of myself. Later, when I write about the Global Development Meeting in Harare, I will share an example of what I mean I tell you about Brother Chidzungu of Malawi who was a teacher at a Presbyterian School. He noticed that the teachers made fun of the AME students so he started an AME school where the AME children could learn without being mistreated. He was a “grass-roots movement of one.”

We left Soweto and went to a nice restaurant in a nice area before heading back to the airport for our flight to Harare. When Dr. Flowers and I got to the departure gate, we saw a number of AMEs and I felt right at home because, even in Africa, we greeted each other as only AMEs can! We boarded the plane for the 1 ½ hour flight to Harare. Bishop James Davis and Bishop Samuel Green were on the flight along with some of the ministerial and lay leaders of the overseas Episcopal Districts. The airport in Johannesburg is a hub like Atlanta and it seemed to me that to get anywhere in southern Africa, one must go through Johannesburg.

We arrived at the International Airport of Harare at about 9 p.m. local time. The airport in Harare is small, similar to some of our small town airports in the U.S. as opposed to the International Airport in Johannesburg, which is huge; think Atlanta or Chicago. We were met by Bishop Messiah, who was the ultimate host. Transportation was ready and we all were taken to the Harare Sheraton Hotel where we were met by Episcopal Supervisor, Mother Carol Messiah. Our rooms were ready after getting settled in our rooms and after a welcome reception, we retired for the night. I needed the bed because I had gotten up at 3:30 a.m. Monday morning to get ready for my 6:30 a.m. departure from Nashville, Tennessee. It was Tuesday evening at around 11 p.m. when I finally settled in my room for the night.

Even though the hour was late, the work of the bishops was not done. Bishops Wilfred Messiah, James Davis, Carolyn Tyler Guidry, Samuel Green, and Sarah Davis had a late night meeting to finalize the agenda for the GDC Meeting that was going to take place on Wednesday morning.
The ministerial and lay leadership from the overseas Districts 16 – 20 had arrived and were ready to do the work of the Church. (To be continued.)

Editor’s note: I am going to stop right here and will continue the full report of the GDC Meeting in the next issue of The Christian Recorder Online.

There is much work that needs to be done in Districts 16-20 and the next article provides a potential orientation point and, hopefully, might be a motivating “vehicle” to encourage persons to volunteer or be sponsored to serve in the overseas districts.

2. INVITATION TO JOIN THE GLOBAL MINISTRY OF THE CONNECTIONAL LAY ORGANIZATION IN JOHANNESBURG AND CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA, MARCH 1-11, 2006:

You are invited you to join the Global Ministry of The Connectional Lay Organization in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa, March 1-11, 2006.

The excursion will focus on Lay Organization outreach and Lay Ministry training. For information about this exciting 10-day ministry excursion visit the Connectional Lay Organization website: http://www.amec-connectionallay.org/ .

After you have reviewed the itinerary, please complete the registration form to reserve your space, and return it to the address provided. Should you have any questions, please call Xodus International Group, Inc. at 703-971-9660 and reference the AME Connectional Lay South African Excursion.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in South Africa.

Sincerely,

Jesse L. Burns,
President, Connectional Lay Organization

3. THOUSANDS WITNESS HEALING BY "THE POWER OF ONE":

Farrakhan: "I'm in Pain"

By Stephanie and Eric Stradford

The Christian Recorder, May 2, 2005, Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church, Ft. Washington, MD - The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan climbed out of a wheelchair last night to declare his independence through, "The Power of One." "I'm in pain," repeated the 72 year old visionary of the 1995 Million Man March. The physical pain endured by the charismatic leader of the Nation of Islam might inspire one in a million to seek emergency healing.

Minister Farrakhan stood on a bad back for nearly an hour preaching the Gospel from the empowering pulpit at Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church. "I feel at peace here," said the minister. He had come to a place where millions of modern day Christians, Jews, Muslims, and Gentiles have found relief.

The Ebenezer "Family," widely known for setting a mood, stood with Co-Pastors Grainger and Jo Ann Browning to usher in the miracle of THE MILLIONS MORE MOVEMENT. Minister Keith Williams' humble spirit led a choir of 300 in proclaiming, "The Spirit of The Lord is here!" The gathering rose to their feet to receive a message from The Rt. Reverend Vashti Murphy McKenzie, Presiding Bishop of the AME Church's 13th Episcopal District. The first woman to be elected bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church left little room for doubt that this was the right place at the right time for healing Africa's legendary Stolen People.

The Reverend Willie F. Wilson serves as National Executive Director for THE MILLIONS MORE MOVEMENT. Flanked by an army of co-conveners, the pastor of Union Temple Baptist Church is among the first to experience "The Power of One." It reached to the highest mountain, touched The Rev. Al Sharpton (2004 Democratic Presidential Candidate); and has inspired leadership from all walks of life. Dr. Dorothy I. Height (President Emeritus National Council of Negro Women); Bishop Larry D. Trotter (Senior Pastor, Sweet Holy Spirit Church Presiding Prelate of the United Pentecostal Church of Christ); and Sister Phile Chionesu, Founder /President of the Million Woman March); are but a few of the well-known names.

But the "Power of One" is not an asset held only for the well-known or the religiously endowed. It has a demonstrated capacity for reaching high mountains, flowing through valleys, and never losing. Did we fail to mention Tavis Smiley (National News TV/Radio Talk Show Host/Philanthropist); Actor Kene Holliday (TV Matlock's Tyler Hudson); John and Joyce Brown, (Mega Corporation), and Mr. Danny Bakewell (Activist/Developer/ Founder of Brotherhood Crusade)?

"What do you all have in common?" asked Minister Farrakhan. The list of who's who among America's most gifted seemed endless. Nelson Mandela, Cecily Tyson, Dick Gregory, Coretta Scott King, Ambassador Andrew Young, The Honorable Anthony William (D.C. Mayor), The Honorable John Conyers, Dr. C. DeLores Tucker (National Congress of Black Women), Mother Tynetta Muhammad, Danny Glover, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Stevie Wonder, Senator Barack Obama, Dean Evans Crawford (Howard U. School of Divinity, ret.), Will and Jada Smith, Mr. Art Blackwell (Financial Manager of Highland Park, Michigan/Former Wayne County Commissioner); Rev. Clay Evans, Dr. Arthur A. Fletcher, (Father of the Affirmative Action Enforcement Movement); Marc Morial (Urban League), The Honorable Alexis Herman (Former, U.S. Secretary of Labor), Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth (SCLC), The Honorable Maxine Waters, Dr. Ron Daniels Executive Director, Center for Constitutional Rights); Prince Assiel Ben Israel (Ambassador Black Hebrew Israelites); The Honorable L. Douglas Wilder (Former Governor VA), Yolanda Adams, Mr. Jim Brown President/CEO I Can, Inc. and NFL Hall of Frame); Brother Ben Brown (Nationalist/ Author/Community Organizer);US Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC); Dr. Ron Walters (Distinguished Leadership Scholar & Director, African American Leadership Institute); Charles Ogletree (Harvard U), Susan Taylor (Essence), Rev. Jesse Jackson (Rainbow PUSH Coalition); Dr. Benjamin Chavis (Former National Executive Director of the Million Man March and Million Family March); Councilmember Marion Barry (Former DC Mayor) and Cora Masters Barry; Mr. Jack Johnson (Prince Georges County, Maryland County Executive); Rev. Floyd Flake and Rev. Walter Fauntroy (Former US Congressmen); Dr. Conrad Worrill (National Black United Front); Dr. Julian Bond (Chairman, NAACP); Rev. Nelson B. Rivers III (Chief Operating Officer, NAACP); Dr. Maulana Karenga (Professor of the Department of Black Studies, California State University, Long Beach); Dr. Ramona Edelin (National Urban Coalition); Bill Lucy (Former Pres. AFLCIO), Dr. Ben Carson, Dr. Jocelyn Elder (Former U.S. Surgeon General), Dr. Julianne Malveaux (Columnist/Author/Commentator); Bishop Adam Jefferson Richardson (Presiding Prelate, 2nd Episcopal District, AME Church); Bishop Warren Brown (Mid-Atlantic II Episcopal District of the AME Zion Church); Dr. Major L. Jemison (President of National Progressive Baptist Convention); Dr. Claud Anderson, Dr. Earl Graves, Magic Johnson, Dr. Cornell West, Stephanie and Eric Stradford, Youth Achievers USA; Hannibal Afrique (NCOBRA/Nationalist) Donna Brazile (former Presidential Campaign Manager for Al Gore), and many more.

The common factor for these and "MILLIONS MORE" is "The Power of One."
Still don't get it? You possibly didn't get Malcom X, Martin Luther King, Jr., Medgar Evers, WEB DuBois, Harriet Tubman, Richard Allen or Absolom Jones either. A revolution, evinced by love, began more than 2000 years ago. It came with healing, wholeness, and endless possibilities for peace and prosperity. The Power of One will come to your house. The question is how will you receive it?


4. THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS BEGINS SECOND PHASE

By Rev. Dr. Lugenia Johnson

The African Methodist Episcopal Church Strategic Planning Core Committee (SPCC) met to begin the second phase of planning and evaluating ministry in the 21st Century, on Monday and Tuesday, March 7 and 8, 2005, at the Marriott Airport Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, under the direction of the Council of Bishops; and, lead by Co-Conveners Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, Presiding Prelate of the Thirteenth Episcopal District; Bishop McKinley Young, Presiding Prelate of the Eleventh Episcopal District; and, Bishop Garnett Henning, Presiding Prelate of the Eighth Episcopal District. This second phase of the SPCC will examine issues arising out of the more than 25,000 survey responses from members of the Connectional AME Church such as declining membership, young adult participation, worship trends, empowerment and inclusion of men in the church, job descriptions and performance evaluations. The SPCC will also focus on developing recommendations for the completion of a feasibility study on making the Episcopal Districts more equitable in size and membership.

As a result of two major surveys and of twenty-five thousand plus responses from AME’s across the Connectional Church, several pieces of legislation were presented and five pieces of legislation passed the legislative process at the 47th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference that was held in Indianapolis. Among the pieces of legislation that passed the legislative process was Bill CC – 2 which requires a feasibility study to examine making the Episcopal Districts of the Church more equitable. This feasibility study was remanded to the SPCC for completion by December 2005, and, presentation to the General Board in 2006. Other issues voiced by the stakeholders of the AMEC from across the Connectional Church will be reviewed, prioritized, and discussed upon the completion of the recommendations for the feasibility study.

The Strategic Planning Core Committee was envisioned and birthed through the Counsel of Bishops and the General Board of the AMEC following the 46th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference for the purpose of allowing all of the stakeholders of the AME Church to have a voice in planning for the future of the Church. The SPCC has coordinated ideas, plans, and information with the Global Development Council in an effort to plan for the future of the Connectional AMEC. This bold new vision, the AMEC SPCC, began the work of its charge in Baltimore MD, September 28 – 30, 2002 with approximately ninety – five representatives to include individuals from all departments of the church.

On Monday and Tuesday, March 7 – 8, 2005, a total of seventy – seven representatives from Episcopal Districts 1 – 14, and 16 assembled together at the Marriott Airport Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee to begin the implementation of this second phase of the process. Feelings of excitement and anticipation permeated the atmosphere as five bishops, one Episcopal Supervisor, five General Officers, one General Officer’s spouse, four Connectional Officers, presiding elders, pastors, missionaries, members of the lay, one chaplain, and; members of the Youth, and Young Adult Departments diligently worked with the very critical tasks at hand. This Core Strategic Planning Committee was composed of twenty-eight of the original Episcopal District representatives, along with twenty–nine newly appointed Episcopal District representatives, and five observers.

The SPCC began the process of developing recommendations for the completion of the feasibility study for making the Episcopal Districts more equitable with the following steps:

- Determining a definition of the problem: The rationale as explained in the Legislative Bill CC2 defined the nature of the problem and the need for making the Episcopal Districts more equitable. The SPCC began the task of clearly defining the different entities of the Church as outlined in the legislation, i.e. Episcopal district, annual conference, presiding elder district, local church; and, mission church.

- Analyzing the Problem: The members of the SPCC were assigned the task of continuing the research and information gathering in his/her respective Episcopal districts so that the committee may be able to proceed with the most accurate information possible on which to develop recommendations for the general Church, and, that all stakeholders may have the opportunity for input.

Developing Recommendations: Once the information and data have been gathered and analyzed, the SPCC will develop recommendations for completing the feasibility study on the process of making the Episcopal districts more equitable.

Presenting Recommendations: According to the parameters set forth in the legislation, the SPCC has a target date of December 2005 to make initial recommendations to the General Board and to the Bishops’ Council.

Subsequent SPCC meetings have been scheduled for May 23–24, July 11–12, September 19–20, and November 28–29, in Nashville, Tennessee. Stakeholders are welcome to attend and participate in the process.

5. BRYANT TEMPLE A.M.E. CHURCH, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA WILL HOST 2nd ANNUAL WOMEN'S HEALTH AWARENESS DAY:

Bryant Temple A.M.E. Church [Rev. Dr. Clyde W. Oden, Jr.] in conjunction with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, LASB Alumnae Chapter and The Palms Residential Care Facility, will host their 2nd Annual Women's Health Awareness Day, Saturday, May 14, 2005, 10 a.m. – 2 p m., 2525 W. Vernon Avenue [corner of 4th Ave. & Vernon, church lot - Los Angeles], Admission is Free. Our goal is to address significant health issues affecting women in the community. Free screenings may save a life, especially that of an uninsured women. Our focus is HIV/AIDS; however, this year we introduce Mental Health Awareness. Dr. Rosie Milligan leads our workshop on HIV/AIDS and Dr. Verda Bradley will discuss depression, stress, and anxiety. Our participants include: American Red Cross, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Minority AIDS Project, Crenshaw Expo Medical Center, 24 Hr. Fitness, YWCA, Curves, Jamba Juice, Awesome Chiropractic. Our Free Screenings: HIV/AIDS, Hypertension, Diabetes, STDs, Bone Marrow, Obesity/Nutrition and more. We'll have massages to reduce stress and Mary Kay. Fun for the kids in our Kids Korner!! Live performance by Chosen Gospel Ministry.

For more information call 323-293-6201 ext 201 or visit, http://www.blogger.com/www.bryanttemple.org, or http://www.blogger.com/www.abc7.com.


6. FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS:

The finalized funeral arrangements for Mrs. Ruby Kirkland Jones who passed on Friday, April 29, 2005, the oldest sister (matriarch) of Bishop Theodore Larry Kirkland, Presiding Bishop of the Ninth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church are as follows:

Family Visitation:

Wednesday, May 4, 2005
6:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.
Smith & Gaston Mortuary
102 6th Avenue, SW
Birmingham, AL 35211
205-322-3581 (Fax)

Funeral

Thursday, May 5, 2005
St. Paul AME Church (Wylam)
1223 Portland Street
Birmingham, AL 35224
205-781-1756 (Phone)

Messages of condolence may be sent to:

Bishop and Mrs. Theodore Larry Kirkland & Family
2101 Daniel Payne Drive
Building 2
Birmingham, AL 35212

205-791-1908 (Phone)
205-791-1905 – FAX

Or to:

Smith & Gaston Mortuary
102 6th Avenue, SW
Birmingham, AL 35211

205-322-3581 (Fax)

Or to:

Bishop and Mrs. Theodore Larry Kirkland and Family
2120 Park Brook Lane
Birmingham, AL 35215

205-854-2878 (Fax)

God Bless!Ora L. Easley
Email: Amespouses1@aol.com
(Nashville, TN Contact) Phone: (615) 837-9736Fax: (615) 833-3781
(Memphis, TN Contact) (901) 578-4554 (Phone & Fax)

THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ONLINE (5/2/05)

Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram - Chair, Commission on Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor


1. EDITOR’S CORNER:

- My visit to Harare, Zimbabwe and Johannesburg South Africa

I returned from my visit to Harare, Zimbabwe where I attended the Global Development Council (GDC) and Johannesburg, South Africa yesterday. I have to say that the GDC meeting and interacting with the bishops, ministers, and laity was an awesome experience. To see some of our churches and to speak with pastors is something that I need to share with our readership as well as the engaging conversation I had over lunch with several of our overseas bishops. I am going to get this issue out now, but I am working on my trip report which I hope to have ready for tomorrow’s issue. The Reverend Dr. George Flowers, our most capable Secretary of Global Witness and Missions was my travel partner and travel mentor. I refer to him as “most capable” because it was quickly apparent to me that he knows his overseas territory and has the respect of the Episcopal, ministerial, and lay leadership from across the overseas districts. Bishops Wilfred Messiah, James Davis, Carolyn Tyler Guidry, Samuel Green, and Sarah Davis were the Episcopal representatives in attendance, along with General Officers George Flowers and yours truly. Connectional Officers present were, a wonderful lady who Dr. Flowers introduced to me as, “Mother Precious” (I will have her full name by tomorrow’s issue) and Brother Weldon Shuman, 2nd Vice-President of the Connectional Lay Organization. Episcopal Supervisors present were Carol Messiah, Donovan Guidry, and Claytie Davis. Bishop Messiah was elected as the chair of the GDC. And, the sermon by the Right Reverend Sarah Davis was magnificent.

I am going to stop right here and do a full report of the GDC and my visit to South Africa and Zimbabwe in the next issue of The Christian Recorder.

- Here is a question: When (what year) was the first AME Hymnal published and who were the compilers? I need the precise answer to my question within 24 hours of the posting of this edition of The Christian Recorder Online.

Prize: Subscription to any AME periodical


2. INFORMATION REGARDING THE HAMPTON UNIVERSITY MINISTERS’ CONFERENCE:

Go to http://www.hamptonu.edu/ and then click on “Calendar of Events” after which you will click on “Ministers Conference” or email:
ministersconference@hamptonu.edu

The HU Ministers Conference will be held on June 5-10, 2005. The AME Luncheon will be held at the Radisson Hotel, within walking distance of the campus, on Thursday, June 9, 2005 at 1:30 p.m.

3. SISTER LAURA C. EVERETT PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION:

The Massachusetts Council of Churches is offering seven full scholarships to qualified seminarians, theology students and recently ordained clergy to attend the Northeast Ecumenical Institute, of which we are a co-sponsor with three Roman Catholic religious orders. The scholarships will be given to stimulate and encourage new ecumenical leadership. If you know of any seminarians or recently ordained clergy who might be interested, I'd appreciate if you sent this their way and post this in your papers. We are really making a concerted effort to help folks attend who might not be able to otherwise and also reach out to potential ecumenists. I've included below the Website for the Massachusetts Council of Churches that gives a brief introduction to the institute, application, registration form, and institute agenda. They can also all be obtained on our webpage at http://www.masscouncilofchurches.org/.

Thank you kindly and please feel free to contact me with any questions,

In God's Peace,
Laura C Everett

E-mail: council@masscouncilofchurches.org for additional information

The Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Council of Churches has authorized the granting of scholarships using funds from an offering given at the MCC’s Annual Meeting and the Hope for the Future Fund. A sub-committee of the MCC Board will select the recipients.

4. THE CHAPLAINS CORNER:

- Chaplain David R. Brown will make his Annual Chaplain Report at the Virginia Annual Conference.

Chaplain David R. Brown is a native Cranford, New Jersey. He is an ordained Itinerant Elder within the African Methodist Episcopal Church and has served as a pastor within the church for three years prior to Active Duty. He has been a Navy Chaplain for over nine years and is presently serving as a Staff Chaplain at the Naval Station Norfolk Chapel in Norfolk, Virginia.

Chaplain Brown has earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia and a Master of Divinity degree from the Proctor School of Theology of Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia. He is currently enrolled as a student in the Marine Corps Command and Staff College Distant Education Program (CSCDEP), which is a seminar course held at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA. He is expected to complete the course requirements towards Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) I in June 2005.

Listed Below is A Chronology of the Significant Billets Served:

· 2002-Present: Naval Station Norfolk, VA.
· 2000-2002: USS SHREVEPORT (LPD-12), Norfolk, VA.
· 1998-2000: Naval Training Center Great Lakes, IL.

· 1995-1998 Third Battalion, Seventh Marines - Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, CA.

Chaplain Brown’s military awards are as follows:

Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2); Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon (2), Fleet Marine Force Ribbon, National Defense Medal (2); Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal (Afghanistan), Global War on Terror Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (2).
Chaplain Brown has been married to his wife, the former Rayna Turner of Richmond, VA, for eleven years and together they have a son, Jonathan, and reside in Chesapeake, VA.

Dear Bishop Richardson,

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! By the grace and mercy of God, I am pleased to offer this tenth report to the Virginia Annual Conference as a Navy Chaplain. I would like to begin by extending a warm welcome, or as we say in the Navy, “Welcome Aboard!” to you and Mrs. Richardson. Also praise God for the love and support that I continually receive from my wife, Rayna, and my son, Jonathan. They are truly “the wind beneath my wings” and I am blessed to have them in my life.

Here is a brief synopsis of the ministry over the past conference year:

Present Assignment

I am currently assigned to Naval Station Norfolk, VA, which is the largest naval base in the world. Naval Station Norfolk is referred to as “shore duty” in that there is a miniscule chance that personnel assigned to the naval station will ever deploy. However, my primary task is to provide for the spiritual and pastoral care needs of those who are impacted by deployment, the Sailors, Marines and family members of the naval station. In this supporting role, I participate in conduct worship services, administration of the sacraments, counseling, deployment preparation, and official military and civic ceremonies.

Local Ministry

Being assigned to Naval Station Norfolk allows me to be an active participant within the local church. My family and I are affiliate members of Lee’s Chapel AME Church in Chesapeake, where the Rev. Horace B. Cross is the pastor. Two years ago, Pastor Cross appointed me as the director of Youth/Young Adult Ministry to help restart a dormant Young People’s Department (YPD). My first course of action was to form a youth advisory council from the laity, with one member being from the Women’s Missionary Society (WMS). Mrs. Pam Harris, the member of the advisory council from the WMS, was later appointed as the Director of the YPD and is doing a superb job with our youth. Additionally, Pastor Cross allows me to preach every Fourth Sunday as my schedule permits.

Another highlight of the local ministry was an invitation I received to preach a revival. The Reverend Emmanuel Wasson, III, pastor of Holy Trinity AME Church in Las Vegas, NV, extended the invitation to preach a three-service revival at his church. This invitation to preach a revival was the very first one that I had received since becoming a minister in the AME Church in 1987. The theme scripture was Matthew 28:18-20, “The Great Commission”, which spawned these three sermon topics: “I’ve Got The Power”, “Carry Out Your Orders”, and “What More Do You Need To Know?” I’m pleased to report that God brought revival to Holy Trinity.

Scholarships

Praise God! This is the third year that my wife and I have been able to offer a scholarship to a deserving seminary student at Payne Theological Seminary. The scholarship we have established is called the Ministry Opportunities Fund, which is awarded to the seminarian who has the highest grade point average at the end of their first year of studies. On the evening of May 27th, I am planning to be present at the graduation ceremony to award at this year’s scholarship in the amount of $3000.00.

My wife and I have also established a scholarship at the Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. The name of the scholarship is the Rev. Julia W. McCargo Memorial Scholarship for Women in Ministry. The scholarship is awarded to the top female student who possesses the highest grade point average after her first year of studies. Last year’s award was in the amount of $4000.00. This year, we intend to do something different: make the award of the scholarship $2000.00 and establish a book voucher account for AME students at the seminary’s bookstore. With this act, we’ll be able to support more students than ever.

AME Chaplain’s Association

I began the past conference year as the President of the AME Chaplains Association. It was a distinct privilege to be the representative for over 50 endorsed AME Chaplains serving in the Armed Forces, Veteran’s Administration, Federal Bureau of Prisons South African National Defense as well as our retired colleagues.

During my tenure as president, we have been able to increase the visibility of chaplains throughout the church. We have accomplished this through publishing articles in the Christian Recorder, the AME Herald, filing reports from the CONVOS and attending church seminars and conferences.

I relinquished my position as president at the 2004 General Conference in Indianapolis, IN and was elected as the Historiographer of the AME Chaplain’s Association.

Future Assignment

I have received orders to report to the USS BATAAN (LHD-5) in July, which shall conclude my tour at Naval Station Norfolk. The BATAAN is a multi-purpose amphibious assault ship and it’s primary purpose is to transport United States Marines and their aircraft, vehicles and other equipment to an area of operations for off-load and employment (war fighting). I will be the Lead Protestant Chaplain responsible for the pastoral care needs of over 3,000 Sailors, Marines and family members. Please pray for my family and me as we embark upon this professional transition.

In summary, it’s been an outstanding year in ministry. To God be the glory!

Respectfully submitted,
D. R. BROWN
Lieutenant Commander, U. S. Navy
Chaplain Corps

- Beneath It All – Spirituality – Chaplain John Wesley Morrison, CHC, USN:

"The longest journey is the journey inward."- Dag Hammarskjöld"

Occasionally one sees strange things at sea. The wind, the tide and surface ice will all move in one direction, but sailing majestically in the opposite direction will be an iceberg. How can this be? The reason is not hard to find. We see only a small part of an iceberg - just the tip. Deep down in the water, underneath it all is the base controlled by more powerful, deeper currents.

For human beings, I believe "spirituality" is the powerful deeper current that is within each of us, effecting and directing how we cope with and react to the challenges and blessings of everyday living.

Spirituality can be defined in many ways, meaning something different to each of us, but most notably, spirituality isn't just something people find in a church, temple, mosque, or synagogue. Spirituality isn't necessarily synonymous with religion. Spirituality simply affirms that we have three types of existence: the body, the mind, and the soul. The body is pretty easy to understand. The mind is becoming more so. However, the soul is the toughest part of us to comprehend.

In a practical sense, spirituality can be said to embrace the sweet mysteries of life, those aspects outside the realm of science and intellect: faith, trust, love, truth, compassion, as well as HONOR, COURAGE, and COMMITMENT (the U.S. Navy’s Core Values). Employing spirituality in our everyday lives and working to positively strengthen it in us can even help carry the benefits of traditional medical care beyond its physical limits.

One way of understanding spirituality is through the quality of our relationships. Most importantly, spirituality is concerned with our ability, through our attitudes and actions, to relate to ourselves, to others (family, friends, shipmates, neighbors), and to a Higher Power – GOD. By daily maintenance of a spiritual routine or discipline, many learn to live a spiritual way of life - moving away from fear, self-pity, resentment, and dishonesty, to a life based on trust, gratitude, acceptance and integrity.

So how's your "personal" readiness in the arena of life (self-esteem, relationships, attitude, worldview)? What kind of feedback are you getting from "the one in the mirror" that knows and has to daily deal with the innermost depths of your being?

Just a couple of days before he was assassinated Mahatma Gandhi shared these words which have greatly influenced my own personal spiritual program: "I've learned too... Keep my words positive - words become my behaviors; Keep my behaviors positive - behaviors become my habits; Keep my habits positive - habits become my values; and Keep my values positive - values become my destiny!"

As a Navy Chaplain, I am excited to have an opportunity to journey with men and women bound together in service to our Nation. However, what brings me the most challenge and the most satisfaction is that I get to mix-it-up spiritually with folks from diverse backgrounds, and beliefs. As chaplain I get to engage men and women from the aspect of the Divine - that which makes each and every one of us the unique jewel of great price to our Creator.

I believe within each of us is the signature of a Creator whose love and concern is without bounds. Finding and recognizing this "sacred signature" within is not a destination - it is a way of living that directs the strong powerful currents deep down within us all.

I pray God’s richest blessings upon each of you and trust you will not just profess a faith but walk the spiritual path God has provided exclusively for you.

"…with an attitude of gratitude…"

Chaplain John Wesley Morrison

5. MEDITATION – “GOING FORWARD WITH GOD, RESTORED BY HIS SPIRIT:

1The word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah. 2“The Lord was very angry with your forefathers. 3“Return to me,” declares the Lord Almighty, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. 5“Where are your forefathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever?” 6Then they repented and said, “The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as He determined to do.” (Zechariah 1: 1-6)

The prophet Zechariah, whose name means “Yahweh Remembers,” was used by God to call God’s people to repentance and to encourage the people to finish rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. God desired to restore His people, and their restoration required restoration of their relationship with God. For it was the word of God spoken through Zechariah that we know that it is, “’Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 4: 6)

The prophet begins his message of encouragement and restoration with a call to repentance. I John 1: 5 – 2: 2, reminds us that true repentance is about recognizing and accepting God’s standard for our lives. As we walk in the light (v.7) of God’s way we are restored to fellowship with other believers and experience continual cleansing from sin.

True repentance requires that we confess our sins (v. 9). To confess sin is to say the same thing God says about sin. So many of the practices and attitudes accepted by believers today reflect what society says but ignore God’s standard for our lives. Gambling, sexual sins, greed, destructive words, and addictions are just a few of the things that are widely accepted in society, yet they break our fellowship with God.

But we have an advocate, Christ Jesus (2:1-2). He speaks in our defense before the Father. He stands right beside us. His sacrifice is the satisfaction of the sentence against us. And when we confess, forgiveness and fellowship in the family of God is restored.

God’s concern for His people and their restoration is deep and unfailing. God not only restores our relationship with Himself but he also sends His Holy Spirit to guide us in our daily lives and empower us to obey follow Him every day.

Pastor James Moody
Quinn Chapel, Chicago

6. PASTOR JAMAL BRYANT, SENIOR PASTOR OF EMPOWERMENT TEMPLE RECENTLY APPEARED ON TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK:

Pastor Jamal Bryant appeared on TBN on April 26 at 10 p.m., EDT. Pastor Jamal Harrison is the pastor of Empowerment Temple, 4217-4221 Primrose Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21215, telephone: 410-225-3494, Web: http://www.empowermenttemple.org/

7. THE REVEREND DR. GRANGER BROWNING TO PREACH FOR CHICAGO AREA AME CHURCHES:

On May 23-25, 2005 the AME Churches of Chicago will conduct a revival series of meetings featuring Dr. Grainger Browning of Ebenezer AME of Fort Washington, Maryland. Please be a prayer warrior and pray for the following:

1. A fresh and enduring move of the Holy Spirit in the AME Church in the City of Chicago and Vicinity, bringing us to a “Time of Repentance, Restoration, and Empowerment.”

2. For God to prick the hearts of members and ministers in the AME Church, resulting in record attendance of the upcoming revival events.

3. The anointing of the Holy Spirit on our preacher, the Rev. Dr. Grainger Browning, as he delivers the word of God to the people of God.

4. Souls to be saved, delivered, and transformed by the power God moving on us during the revival event.

God has not forgotten us. It is His desire to bring restoration and empowerment to His church through the work of His Holy Spirit. True restoration will be accomplished, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit.”

Pastor James Moody
Quinn Chapel, Chicago

8. PRAYER REQUEST FOR A NEW CHURCH PLANTING:

Good Afternoon all you beautiful people!!

Please join me in prayer tomorrow for the Yuma church plant, Christ Is King AME Church.

My Mom and her group of senior prayer warriors have prayed and “the big guns” have already been fired;”I have now come to run the play.”

Tomorrow another prayer warrior and I will be in Yuma praying from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. California Time (PST). Will you please pray and join us in prayer: That:

1. God will call those who are to participate in the ministry: the unsaved, the back-slidden, new Christians, established Christians, people hungry for God, and those looking to interact with God in new and creative innovative ways

2. God will call those with an array of gifts to give to and participate in the ministry: people with a servant-hearts, those with the gifts of administration, business and finance, music, worship & praise, helps, tithers, generous givers, computer “geeks,” elder and child care workers, construction workers, and those with strong spiritual and committed leadership.

3. Favor with the city and current church leaders

4. Final details with the radio ministry, webpage, and newspaper get worked out

5. Confirmation of in which Community Center to hold the initial church services.

If I may also add a personal prayer request:

I will be beginning a Doctoral program in August; I don't have “one dime” to put toward the tuition and travel expenses; please pray that I will receive a 100% scholarship and that God will open the windows of heaven and pour me out a blessing that I will not have room enough to receive it.

I know that my God is faithful,

May God Continue to Bless You,

Villa White

9. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

Regretfully we share the news of the passing of Rev. Thomas R. Jones, retired pastor of the Baltimore Conference, husband of Brenda Jones. Rev. Thomas R. Jones passed Friday morning, April 29th. The funeral will be on Thursday, May 5th, 2005 at Grace AME Church, 671/2 Winters Lane, Catonsville, Maryland at 12:00 Noon. The wake is at 11:00 AM. Please keep the family in prayer.

Rev. Dr. Joan L. WhartonMt. Zion AME Church"I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength."

j.l.wharton@att.net

10. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

Regretfully we share news of the passing of Mrs. Ruby Kirkland Jones, sister of Bishop Theodore Larry Kirkland, Presiding Bishop of the Ninth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Ruby Kirkland Jones, the elder sister of Bishop T. Larry Kirkland, passed this morning, Friday, April 29th.

Pending funeral arrangement details will be forthcoming.

Messages of condolence may be sent to:

Bishop Theodore Larry Kirkland & Family
2101 Daniel Payne Drive
Building 2Birmingham, AL 35212

205-791-1908205-791-1905 – FAX

11. FUNERAL NOTICE:

We regret to inform you that retired Rev. Oliver Thomas passed away on Friday, April 22, 2005. He was a pastor in the New Jersey Conference.

The following information has been provided regarding funeral arrangements.

Funeral - Wednesday, April 27, 2005Service - 11:00 a.m.
Stiney's Funeral Home
P. O. Box 543
Hardeeville, South Carolina 29927
Elder Raymond J. Hamilton, Funeral Director

Condolences may be sent to: Mrs. Julia Thomasc/o Stiney's Funeral Home at the above address Fax no.: 843-784-6629

Please remember the Thomas family in your prayers during this time of their bereavement.

12. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:

Presiding Elder Walter Daniels of the South Atlanta District of the Atlanta North Georgia Conference of the Sixth Episcopal District recently lost his step-father, Mr. Wessell McCloughin of Windsor, Connecticut.

The service was held on Saturday, April 23, 2005 at 11:00 a.m. at Connecticut Valley Church of Christ. Condolences can be sent to the following:

Mrs. Frances McCloughin (Bereaved wife/mother of PE Daniels @ 89 years of age/married 42 years)

No. 6 Amy Drive
Windsor, Connecticut 06095
860-219-0269or
Presiding Elder Walter & Shirley Daniels
5225 Cascade Road, SW
Atlanta, GA 30331

404-472-3028
For more information, contact:
B. B. Calloway
SED Office Administrator
770-220-1770770-220-9996(fax)
www.sixthepiscopaldistrict.org

13. ALL BEREAVEMENT NOTICES PROVIDED BY:

Sister Ora L. Easley

Email: Amespouses1@aol.com
(Nashville, TN Contact) Phone: (615) 837-9736
Fax: (615) 833-3781

(Memphis, TN Contact) (901) 578-4554 (Phone & Fax)