FEBRUARY 2022
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VOLUME 171, NO. 5
FEBRUARY 2022
MS. IESHA DANIELS ELECTED 2021 HOMECOMING QUEEN OF HOWARD UNIVERSITY In Fall 2021, Bishop David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr. and Supervisor Irene M. Daniels’ youngest daughter, Iesha Mardea Daniels, was elected as the 83rd Miss Howard University. She is a senior acting major, playwriting minor. She is a proud member of Alpha Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Iesha loves to make people laugh, meet new people, and artistically collaborate. She was an actress, assistant director, and writer for the Tony Award-Winning Theater, Arena Stage. She has also performed at Howard University as Guhahamuka in Children of Killers by Katori Hall. Iesha’s ultimate goal is to become an actress, director, and social impact producer where she aims to dismantle the negative stereotypes of black women in the entertainment industry, especially colorism. She is currently an intern at Jordan Peele’s Academy Award-winning film company Monkeypaw Productions. Iesha is proud to be a 2021 graduate of the Academy Gold Rising program hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Iesha is also passionate about her Howard community. She was the 2018-2019 Miss Freshman and the 2020-2021 Miss College of Arts and Science. For her current role as Miss Howard University, she ran on the platform “It’s Giving!” which highlighted inclusivity and connectivity at Howard
University readjusted having its first year back on campus after 3 virtual semesters. This past semester Iesha has had the opportunity to host many events on campus: She partnered with UGG and @winxlex to ...continued on p3
MT. PISGAH AME CHURCH, LAWNSIDE, NEW JERSEY CELEBRATES 229 YEARS; JARENA LEE TOMB REDEDICATED On December 12, 2021, the members of Mt. Pisgah African Methodist Episcopal Church and well-wishers from across the connectional AME Church gathered to celebrate the 229th Anniversary of Mt. Pisgah AME Church in Lawnside, New Jersey. Pastored by the Rev. Dr. Michael Chism, th congregation is one of several along the eastern seaboard that existed before the AME the d denomination was organized at the first General Conference in 1816. The church is also the fi final resting place of Jarena Lee, the first woman licensed to preach in the AME Church. At th 2016 General Conference, Jarena Lee was recognized as an ordained itinerant elder by the th Connectional Church. the On December 9, a group of distinguished female clergy came together to discuss “The R Reverend Jarena Lee Experience.” Moderated by the Rev. Dr. Jamie F. Eaddy Chism, the fi lady of Mt. Pisgah, the panelists included the Rev. Dr. Erika D. Crawford (Connectional first pr president, AME Women in Ministry); the Rev. Dr. Leslie Callahan (senior pastor, St. Paul’s B Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania); the Rev. Dr. Toni Belin Ingram (presiding el elder, Augusta North District, August Conference, 6th District); and the Rev. Dr. Valerie B Bridgerman (dean and vice president of Academic Affairs, Methodist Theological School in O Ohio). These panelists reflected on the life and legacy of the Reverend Lee ...continued on p3
WOMEN IN MINISTRY OF PHILADELPHIA HOSTS SECOND ANNUAL LEGACY CELEBRATION By Angelena Spears, Contributing Writer
The Women in Ministry of the Philadelphia Annual Conference (PAC/WIM) held its Second Annual Legacy Celebration on September 18. During the virtual program, six women were honored for their dedicated service to the ministry. The honorees were the Rev. Alberta Jones, pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Reading, Pennsylvania; the Rev. Dr. Patricia S. McAllister, pastor of Mount Zion AMEC, Columbia, Pennsylvania; the Rev. Dr. Esther L. Seales, pastor of Tyree, AMEC, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and the Rev. Gloria Walker, pastor of Bethel AMEC, Camden, New Jersey. Retired women in ministry who were honored were the Rev. Dr. Natalie Alford (the retired presiding elder of the Philadelphia ...continued on p2
Reframing the Refiner’s Fire: Welcoming Purging and Purification from God… p5
Prioritized Healing … p12
Questioning Faith: My First Conversion… p15
REV. DR. REGINALD BLOUNT APPOINTED TO THE MURRAY H. LEIFFER CHAIR IN FORMATION, LEADERSHIP, AND CULTURE The Rev. Dr. Reginald Blount (G-ETS 2005), associate professor of formation, leadership, and culture at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, has been aappointed by President Javier A. Viera to the Murray H. L Leiffer Chair in Formation, Leadership, and Culture, eeffective January 1, 2022. Formerly held by the Rev. D Dr. Richard D. Tholin (1985-1993), the Rev. Dr. Mark A A. Fowler (2000-2016), and the Rev. Dr. Timothy R. E Eberhart (2020-2021), Blount is the fourth person and ffirst person of color to be appointed to the Leiffer chair ssince its establishment in 1984. Dr. Blount officially joined the faculty of GarrettE Evangelical in 2006 but served as an adjunct professor a instructor from 1997 to 2006. ...continued on p9 and
Facing i Whit White Ch Christianity’s i ti it ’ Role in the January 6th Insurrection… p18
Allen University’s Good Samaritan-Waverly Hospital’s Capital Campaign Recently Received a Boost From Colonial Life With a $100,000 Pledge… p20
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...From Women in Ministry p1 district and the Rev. Lugenere Jones, who although she is now superannuated, continues to serve as the pastor of Bensalem AME Church.
The theme for the celebration was “Built for This,” based on Jeremiah 1:5. The Rev. Dr. Emilygail A. Dill, the president of the First Episcopal District Women in Ministry, brought a stirring message, titled: “Finish Well – You Were Built for This.” Her text was taken from 2nd Timothy 4:7-8. She expounded upon Paul’s familiar passage and said, “It is not where you begin that makes the difference – but where you end up that really matters. It is one’s staying power that makes the difference,” declared Dr. Dill. Dr. Dill told the women, that challenges must always be expected, however, they should never give up. “We must all focus on keeping the faith and finishing well,” she declared. The six honorees were presented by the Rev. Lois Wilkinson, who has served as the coordinator of PAC/WIM since 2017. The Rev. Wilkinson is also the pastor of Shorter AME Church. Following the Rev. Wilkinson’s presentation, each honoree was also introduced by someone who knew them well and lauded their achievements in ministry.
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The Rev. Patricia McAllister was introduced by her son, the Rev. Bryan S. McAllister, the pastor of Heard AMEC in Rozelle, New Jersey. He marveled at his mom’s strength and said she entered the ministry in 1990 and was appointed the pastor of Mt. Zion AMEC in Columbia, Pennsylvania, at her husband’s funeral. “She also buried two siblings during her pastoral ministry,” said the Rev. Bryan McAllister. “She kept doing m ministry through the darkest days of her life,” he said. The Rev. Gloria Walker was introduced by Evangelist Jackie O Owens of Mt. Tabor AME Church, Philadelphia, who noted that d during the Rev. Walker’s itinerancy, she had worked tirelessly at A AME Union and had been a great support to their pastor at the t time, the Rev. Paul Thomas. The Rev. Walker was congratulated for h new charge as pastor of Bethel AMEC, Camden, NJ. “She loves her G God’s people,” added Evangelist Owens. “She is a true woman a after God’s own heart.” The tribute for the Rev. Lugenere Jones was given by her son, G George Jones, who joined the call from Atlanta. He complimented h mom’s steadfastness to the ministry. He noted that his father his a grandfather had also been pastors. He said, “It has been a and jo journey, and I have rode with her from the beginning.” He also pointed with pride to the extensive reparations that had been done at Bensalem AMEC, under her leadership.
The Rev. Alberta Jones was introduced by her sister Lillie Jones who said they had been raised by a mother who insisted they go to Rev. Lois Wilkinson, the Sunday school and church every Sunday. She said their mom had coordinator for the PAC WIM. also taught them, “If you put God first, everything will fall into The Rev. Wilkinson says she is proud of the work PAC/WIM place.” She added they (the family) were not surprised when their has done under her leadership. “When God gave me the vision to lead WIM, he sister announced her call to the ministry. said to honor, encourage, and help the women,” says the Rev. Wilkinson. “And this Dr. Seales was introduced by the Rev. Vernon Byrd, pastor of St Matthew AMEC, is what I have tried to do. Under my leadership, associate membership reached a Philadelphia, who complimented her humility and calm disposition. “You are truly an record high of 35 and numerous female pastors have received financial assistance to example of what it means to be Christlike,” he said to Dr. Seales. “You are a guiding use toward church repairs and as stipends,” she says. light in the Philadelphia Annual Conference. When you speak, we all listen.” The tribute for Dr. Alford was given by the Rev. Jacqueline Capers, pastor of Disney Nichols AMEC, Philadelphia, who said Dr. Alford had been a visionary, servant leader, and supporter – and was always open to their ideas. “When Presiding Elder Alford came to a quarterly conference it was never ordinary – because the Holy Spirit would fall on us,” said the Rev. Capers, “During one district conference, there were 16 baptism.”
At the conclusion of the Celebration Luncheon, the Rev. Wilkinson presented $500 checks to the Rev. Lilleth Baugh, pastor of Kenneth Square AME Church, and the Rev. Julia Smith, a local elder at Bethel Downingtown AME Church. The Rev. Baugh has faced health challenges and financial challenges at her church, and Hurricane Ida severely damaged the Rev. Smith’s home in September. ❏ ❏ ❏ THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER: The Christian Recorder (ISSN 1050-6039, USPS 16880) is the ofϐicial organ of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and a member of the Associated Church Press and the National Newspaper Publishers Association. Founded in 1852, it is printed monthly by the AMEC Sunday School Union, 1722 Scovel Street, Nashville, TN 37208. Periodicals Postage Paid at Nashville, TN.
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not only in the AME Church but also for the Black Church and beyond.
The Sunday anniversary celebration featured two dynamic preachers and female pioneers of the AME Church. At the 11 a.m. service, Dr. Teresa Fry Brown, executive director of Research and Scholarship of the AME Church, preached from Psalm 34:8, “A Taste of Assurance,” drawing from the experience of the Rev. Jarena Lee, a former first lady of that church and encouraging the church to remember how they had tasted God’s deliverance through the years. The 3:30 p.m. service featured the virtual rededication of the Rev. Jarena Lee’s tomb. The Rev. Dr. Jaquita Wright Henderson (1st District) opened with the call to worship. The Rev. Lerato Pitso (19th) District, delivered the invocation. Scriptures were read by the Rev. Dr. Mila Cooper (3rd District), the Rev. Kamaria Byrd-McAllister (1st District), and Presiding Elder Beatrice Motokoa (18th District). Musical selections were provided by the Connectional Music and Christian Arts Ministry and Zak Williams/IAkord. The Rev. Dr. Jamie EaddyChism, the first lady of Mt. Pisgah, Lawndale, introduced the afternoon preacher, Retired Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie. Bishop McKenzie preached from Philippians 1:27-28, “Hang on in There,” and reminded the people of the determination of the Rev. Jarena Lee and the need for persons to have that same determination today. After the service, the Rev. Linda Samuels-Ellerbe gave the invitation to discipleship. The ceremony of dedication was led by the Rev. Terrilisa Bauknight (1st District), the Rev. Adunnola Waterman (1st District), the Rev. Shonda Gladden (4th District), and the Rev. Dr. Erika Crawford. The service closed with the benediction from the Rev. Maxine L. Johnson (1st District). We thank God for the opportunity to host this momentous occasion to celebrate 229 years as well as honor a trailblazer who is still making an impact. Persons interested in purchasing a commemorative Rev. Jarena Lee tote bag can send $15 and address information to Mt. Pisgah AME Church, Lawnside through: 1. CashApp ($mtpisgahlawnsidenj) 2. Givelify (Mt. Pisgah AME Church) 3. Check/money order to Mt. Pisgah AME Church • 306 Warwick Rd. N. •Lawnside, NJ 08045 ❏ ❏ ❏
...From Ms. Iesha p1
educate on sustainable fashion and gave out over $500 worth of free UGG merchandise. She partnered with @HBCUBuzz to host conversations around new upcoming films and series that highlight black art: Horror Noire on AMC or Amazon Prime Video and the reboot of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air on Peacock. She was a student ambassador for Chase Bank and Kevin Hart’s financial literacy workshops on campus for young black artists and investors. She has also partnered with the National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda to give out free menstrual products to students on campus and to educate them about menstruation as a means to destigmatize periods. Lastly, Iesha and her Mister Howard University, RO, threw a holiday film screening on The Yard and served hot chocolate as their final send-off before winter break commenced. Iesha is blessed to be in this role. She is excited to finish as strongly as she started and even more excited to launch her postgrad career in Los Angeles, California. ❏ ❏ ❏
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HAPPY NEW YEAR! WE ARE YET ALIVE! By Versey Williams, Contributing Writer
New Year greetings from Mt. Calvary African Methodist Episcopal Church in Detroit, Michigan! The words “We are yet alive” hold significant meaning for our congregation. Our church, like many, struggled through deep waters, but God was and is faithful! In the notsso-distant past, we were faced with th the prospect that our church might cclose. Bishop John F. White, the ppresiding prelate of the 4th Episcopal District, and Presiding Elder E der Larry Bell, Bell North MidMid M Michigan Conference, introduced us to Pastor Versey Williams. A At the time, her husband was dying of Alzheimer’s, and we, as a ccongregation, were trying to live! Mt. Calvary had been through a drought. It is true: “We know that all things work together for ggood for those who love God, who are called according to his ppurpose” (Romans 8:28). Sixteen months later, we are alive, and th the cloud has lifted, the sun is rising in our congregation. God rrefreshed us all through our collective grief. We were patient Walter Holman. Elder, wife, pastor. E w with each other, kind to one another, prayed and hoped for each o other. God helped us find solace in th good ole days and chart a new the p path and vision for Mt. Calvary. Day b day, we experience beauty for our by a ashes. We could not remember the last ti time we celebrated our church’s a anniversary - no worries now! We c celebrated our 78th anniversary on N November 19, 2021. Presiding Elder B and first lady of our North MidBell M Michigan District, the Rev. Danita B Bell, joined us to celebrate a new se season in the life of our congregation. W did not stop there. Like Gideon We (J (Judges 7:7-8), we learned God does n need an army, just humble and not fa faithful people. We began our Advent January 2022 Christian Recorder Mt. Calvary Congregation. journey to Bethlehem with weekly celebrations with other congregations. Christmas time can be jubilant and challenging; we blessed the Children’s Hospital of Michigan with gift cards to help fulfill their wishes. We also celebrated our own brother and trustee, Walter Holman, who was inducted into the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame as an outstanding athlete in football and track. The journey to wellness has not been quick or easy; it is a thorough and deliberate commitment to our faith in God and hoping the best for our church and each other. Jesus reminds us that a house divided against itself cannot stand. We had to process the dynamics of the past including how we go forward with a renewed sense of purpose of who we are in God’s kingdom. During ongoing “isms” the challenges ahead of the body of Christ are not new but we realize the methods from the good ole days may not be effective for our contemporary ministry needs. As we enter 2022, we are examining how our experiences have shaped our perception of the Gospel and how we might better reach not only believers in Christ but those who are seeking a more just, loving way of life. Yes, Jesus came so we could have life abundantly. We wish the same for you! Happy New Year! ❏ ❏ ❏
ENJOY LIFE By Byron Washington, Columnist
I finished my doctorate in December 2021, and it came with a feeling of great joy. I was happy to be done writing and revising my dissertation. My dissertation focused on burnout in pastors, and I hope in the future to share and provide some insight from my research about how we can assist pastors in offsetting burnout. That being said, once all that was over, I took some time to enjoy life. The last few years were focused on finishing that degree, and now it was over. So, I made it a point to take a minute to enjoy the moment. In contrast, everyone was scrambling to think about their new idea for 2022 or how to relaunch his or her business. I was spending time with my kids. We went sledding, made hot chocolate, and stayed up late watching movies. My weekends were often occupied by studying, writing, and classes while I pursued my degree. So, I decided to spend time with family and took a minute to focus on life. With all that is happening with the pandemic, people can forget to enjoy life. Life has a lot of options and opportunities; enjoy them. During my “mini-vacation,” I did not plan speaking engagements, coaching sessions, or stressful work. It felt good to relax and take a moment before the hustle and run of the new year. Now I am not saying go out and be reckless. I am saying, use wisdom to find ways to live your life and enjoy the blessings God has bestowed upon you.
In 2022 find a way to enjoy life. Find a hobby, a new routine, or something that brings a smile to your face and joy to your heart. We have to slow down at some point to rest and be restored. We have spent the last two years running, hiding, wearing masks, COVID-testing, and so much more. Let God lead you to a place of rest. Let him lead you to a place of relaxation. Let him show you how to enjoy the blessings he has provided for you in this life. Psalm 23:2-3 reminds us that [God] makes [us] lie down in green pastures; he leads [us] beside still waters; he restores [our] soul. During my downtime, I was informed of the passing of a few people that I knew pretty well. Their deaths furthered my resolve to take a minute to sit by the “still waters.” Finishing my degree and simultaneously hearing about people passing away reminded me of what the hymn writer said: “Time is filled with swift transition.” My brothers and sisters, exercise caution, use sound judgment and wisdom. However, find a way to enjoy life. Do something that adds laughter to your day and joy to your week. In 2022, have your goals, your dreams, and your plans. However, make sure you leave room to laugh, smile, and reflect. Do not speed through this year racing to the next year and the next set of goals. Today is a good day to start enjoying life. ❏ ❏ ❏
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HOW TO BE A LIAR By Rev. Dr. Melinda Contreras Byrd, Contributing Writer
Liars. We are all familiar with them. So, I am sure that some of you are surprised or curious about the title of this article. At some point, we have all told a lie. But we are not all liars. Someone likely thinks it is preposterous to write about “how to be a liar” when we know what a liar is. But perhaps we don’t! Yes, all of us have had the misfortune of interacting with liars—and even more unfortunate is the fact that some of us are, in fact, liars ourselves!
asking, “What is truth?” or the lawyer asking, “Who is my neighbor?” Scripture demonstrates that real liars model their father—Satan, by behaving in a manner that minimizes the importance of what is true. John 8:44 describes liars as children of the household of Satan rather than God: “You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires…When he lies, he speaks according to his nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” This declaration should be a sobering truth to anyone realizing that he or she is a liar.
So. I am writing this article to educate us on the characteristics of a liar. I am doing this primarily so those living under niggling guilt that we are liars may be freed by learning that we are not. Next, I write so that those unaware of adopting behaviors toward becoming liars may become aware and move in another direction. And lastly, I write so that those who are, in fact, liars can no longer live pretending like they are unaware that they are liars and embrace the truth, repent, and seek God in changing this behavior.
First, if you want to be a liar, you must continually choose the way of lies. You must incorporate lying into your personality and become an enemy of God’s kingdom way. Make no mistake—if others know you to be a liar, and you are comfortable with that moniker, whether you tithe, attend church, or even pastor a church—in addition to anything else you may be—you are living as an enemy of God’s kingdom.
Lies bring about issues of degree, awareness, intent, and determination. A liar always tries to base their lie on a concept of truth. There is truth, and there is a lie. While not everyone agrees upon what is “true,” most can agree enough to detect twinges of untruth. Sometimes we “split hairs” regarding what is true. Some do this to be certain and accurate in their assessments and judgments, while some “split hairs” to assuage their guilt. Think, Pilate
Second, if you want to be a liar, you must be consistent and aware. A few unrepentant lies do not a liar make. Liars must make lie-telling an ongoing approach to life. Misquotes or misinformation do not even earn you the title “liar.” Even consistently misquoting and misinforming others does not earn you the title. (it will, however, earn you the title of “uneducated, misguided gossip”), but not “liar.”
But if you want to be a liar, here’s how:
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Third, if you want to be a liar, you must demonstrate malicious intent. I am sorry, but you cannot be a liar if your untruth was unintentional. To earn the title “liar,” you must have invested energy and thought in developing and planning your untruthfulness to cause intentional hurt and harm, as true liars are aware of the wrong and harm they cause. They feel justified and satisfied in their lying. Being a liar requires a pattern of deliberately choosing to share what you know to be untrue. If you believe that you are speaking the truth and find that you are not, you are not a liar—you are misinformed. Fourth, if you want to be a liar, you must embrace halftruths. The swearing-in process as a court witness requires that the witness “swears, to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” This clarification is warranted because liars will obfuscate the truth. There you have it: how to become a liar. But is that how you want to be known? Trust is the basis for building the real community God wants for us. It is also the bedrock of Christ’s church. One way to destroy or disempower the church—is to remain silent as the church is filled with those whose reputations have rightfully earned them the title “liar.” Colossians 3:9: Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices. ❏ ❏ ❏
PHILADELPHIA CHURCH MOURNS THE LOSS OF THEIR BELOVED PASTOR — THE REV. DONALD BUREMS, SR. By Sister Angelena Spears, Contributing Writer
On Thursday, October 28, members of the St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, located in the Paschall community of Philadelphia, said goodbye to their pastor of 17 years—the Rev. Donald Burems, Sr. Although the service was video recorded on Facebook, the church was filled with members and clergy who joined the family in celebrating his life. The Rev. Burems, 65, was the husband of Linda Davis Burems. The couple had been married 40 years and have four children and 10 grandchildren. In addition to being a pastor, he had also been a gifted musician and vocalist. During the service, one of his sons sang a signature Rev. Burems is pictured with members of St. John’s ministerial staff L-R: Reverends song of his: “My Soul Has Been Anchored in the Lord.” Saint John was the Rev. Burem’s first charge, and for some members – Donnie A. Marshall, Sr., Diana O. Case, and Cordelia Fortun. had gone through periods of illness,“ said Bishop Norris. Bishop Norris called the he was the only pastor they had ever had. Throughout the service, the Rev. Burems was Rev. Burems a “friend and brother [who as he] never let a week go by without calling remembered as a beloved pastor and devoted family man. It was also noted that he had me and praying with me.” Bishop Leath also spoke very fondly of the Rev. Burems and served as an armor bearer to three bishops in the First Episcopal District: the late Bishop th th reminded the congregation of his heavenly reward. “He is among that number who Zedekiah LaZett Grady (111 ) and now retired bishops Richard Franklin Norris (116 ) th will cast their crowns before the feet of the Lord of Lords,” declared Bishop Leath. who was in attendance, and Gregory G.M. Ingram (118 ). After the service, the Rev. Diana Case, who is a local elder at St. John, said that the The officiant for the service was Presiding Elder Rev. Dr. Janet Jenkins Sturdivant. Rev. Burems was a stellar leader. “He led us with compassion and conviction...from The First District’s newly appointed bishop, the Right Rev. Julius Harrison McAllister, th one degree of grace to another. He was always encouraging us to be our best,” she said. Sr. (129 ) delivered the eulogy, based on 2 Timothy 4. Bishop McAllister drew a In the weeks following the Rev. Burems’ death, the Rev. Dr. Janet Sturdivant has parallel between the Apostle Paul’s life and testimony and that of the Rev. Burems provided pastoral leadership for the St. John Church family. She arranged for a series as the Rev. Burems had also “fought the good fight and finished the race.” Presiding of grief counseling sessions for the membership. The sessions are being led by the Elder Sturdivant said, “All of us are here because we loved the Rev. Burems. In some Rev. Dr. Wanda Henry-Jenkins who is a professional grief counselor and has written ways, he affected all of our lives.” several books on healing after a loss. Elder Sturdivant says she highly recommends Both Bishops Norris and Jeffrey Nathaniel Leath (128th) offered words of comfort to grief counseling for any church that loses a pastor. the family, and a heartfelt resolution was read from retired Bishop Ingram and Episcopal “The people at St. John really loved the Rev. Burems,” said Elder Sturdivant. She Supervisor Rev. Dr. Jessica Kendall Ingram. Former Philadelphia Mayor W. Wilson commented that even in his dress, he always “looked” like a preacher. He was fully Goode, Sr. was also present and spoke about how the Rev. Burem’s ministry had been a dressed and always ready for service. His presentation for God was always from a point blessing to the entire Paschall community by providing food and clothing for persons in of readiness, she said. need. “Rev. Burems wasn’t just the pastor of St. John – he was the pastor of the Paschall “If you ask people to share their thoughts about the Rev. Burems, you will always community,” said Mayor Goode. hear the same testimony,” said Elder Sturdivant. “Everyone will remember him for his When Bishop Norris gave remarks, he marveled that the Rev. Burems had struggled love of God, his love in being a pastor, and his love for his family. The Rev. Burems was [in the past couple of years] with several medical issues, and yet he had been “a mighty truly a remarkable Christian man. He was greatly loved and will be missed by all,” she warrior.” “He never apologized for being saved,” said Bishop Norris, “But he always said. “Rest well, our friend!!!” ❏ ❏ ❏ praised God for each day that God gave him. He was a stellar example to all of us who
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WHO WILL HELP SAVE OUR DEMOCRACY? By Dr. Betty Holley, Contributing Writer
Not only are we experiencing a health crisis brought on by COVID-19, but also there is a fight to end democracy as we know it. As African Americans and people of color, our right to vote is being threatened at this very moment. We remember that horrible day, January 6, 2021, the day that thousands of domestic terrorists descended on the nation’s capitol building and violently disrupted the Electoral College count. We cannot ignore members of Congress who are presently fueling false information to undermine the election results of the presential election in favor of President Joe Biden. Our democracy, at this moment, is hanging in the balance. Who will help save our democracy? During the Civil War, pioneering African Americans stepped forth to help save the Union. These black heroes of the Civil War are often overlooked for their contributions. For example, Alexander Augusta, a Virginia native, educated as a physician in Canada, wrote President Lincoln in 1863 offering his expertise. He was the first black commissioned medic to serve in the Union Army and the highest-ranking black officer. In 1869, Augusta joined Howard University as the nation’s first black professor of medicine. Susie King Taylor, as a child in Georgia, learned to read and write in secrecy before escaping from slavery in 1862 with the help of her uncle. At 14, she joined one of the Union Army’s first black regiments and served as a nurse, cook, and launderer. She taught formerly enslaved soldiers to read. After the war, she opened a school for formerly enslaved black people’s children. Born in bondage in North Carolina, Abraham Galloway escaped at 19 in the cargo hold of a northbound ship but returned to the south several times to lead others to freedom. He served as a spymaster when the Civil War began, running networks in Louisiana, Mississippi, and North Carolina. Galloway led a delegation of black North Carolinians in April 1864 to petition President
Lincoln to support black suffrage in North Carolina. The petition reminded President Lincoln that free black men had enjoyed voting rights in North Carolina from 1776 to 1835. Galloway and his delegation asked Lincoln to grant the greatest privilege to exercise the right to vote, and they would pledge to fight the rebellion “until every cloud of war disappears.” Christian Fleetwood
founded one of the nation’s first African American newspapers in Baltimore before joining the Union Army in 1863. He distinguished himself particularly in the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm, Virginia. In September 1864, his courage earned him a Medal of Honor—one of just 25 awarded to black soldiers in the Civil War. President Lincoln’s thinking on equality was transformed after seeing the bravery of black men in uniform. On April 11, 1865, Lincoln delivered a speech from the White House balcony (his last public speech before his assassination by John Wilkes Booth) calling for educated black men and those who had served as soldiers to be given the right to vote. Black petitioners set in motion, during the Civil War, the ratification of the 15th Amendment, which made it illegal for a state to deprive citizens of their right to vote “on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” Who will help save our democracy in this 21st century? ❏ ❏ ❏
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REFRAMING THE REFINER’S FIRE: WELCOMING PURGING AND PURIFICATION FROM GOD By Rev. Dr. Jason Richard Curry, Columnist
It is no secret that growth can be difficult. For example, the act of lifting
lives if they allowed God to “burn out,” and remove
weights, tearing down old muscles while building new muscles, can be painful
the thoughts, words, objects, and deeds of their lives
at times. However, getting out of our comfort zones and enduring confusing,
which distanced them from the God that ultimately
exhausting, and painful experiences can sometimes help us achieve worthy or
loved them. The fire of which Malachi spoke was
noble goals. In the litany of attributes associated with the value of Christian love,
a spiritual fire that ultimately sought to refine the
Paul lists the word “long-suffering” (1 Corinthians 13:4 YLT). As Christians, in
human personality so that they may be one according
order to reach some of our goals in life, we will have to suffer because redemptive
with God’s intention for their lives.
suffering, at times, is the only means to achieve a Christian end. In Malachi 3, the prophet talks about the idea of being placed in the Refiner’s
The Meriam-Webster Dictionary states that to refine is “to free (something, such as metal, sugar,
fire. According to Malachi, “[God] will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and
or oil) from impurities or unwanted material.” To be sure, God’s incorporeal
he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until
light of holiness is still able to refine us so that we may rid ourselves of people,
they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness” (Malachi 3:3). We know
places, things, thoughts, words, and deeds that seek to separate us from the
from experience that fire is hot; therefore, it is safe to assume that no one wants
love of God. We may encounter this much-needed Refiner’s fire through the
to be placed in a cleansing fire. However, the prophet suggests that the Refiner’s
resources of the Christian faith (e.g., the Bible, prayer, fasting, and worship).
fire is for the betterment of the one enduring the fire. Malachi was essentially
When we encounter this fire, let us embrace it, for the purging and purification
making the case that the people of his day would lead both holy and fulfilling
that comes from it is ultimately reflective of God’s love for us. ❏ ❏ ❏
THE MIDWIVES, THE MAGI, THE MESSIAH, THE MESS, AND THE MOB By Rev. Renita Green, Columnist
After listening to Eddie S. Glaude’s book, Begin Again, and James Baldwin’s, The Fire Next Time, I am certain that the soul pain of racism is so deep, so private that no amount of education nor depth of relationship can help a white person truly know the power of its pangs. We do not know the pain of our humanness being questioned, challenged, or devalued. Liturgically speaking, we are in the season of Epiphany—the manifestation of the Messiah to the Jews and Gentiles. At the time Magi came to pay homage, Herod ordered the murder of all baby boys up to two years old. The whitewashing of history in both this story and in art depicting it leads us to believe that two white men and one black man visited white baby Jesus in the manger on a peaceful night and then went back home. I wonder how different the narrative would be had Mary been depicted like most women after childbirth—messy hair, sweaty, swollen, and exhausted. I imagine there was much chaos that night. Midwives coming to Mary’s aid bringing along water for cleaning and drinking, and the swaddling clothes. I imagine someone also brought Mary a change of clothing, blankets, and something for pain. And, someone cleaned up and did something with the afterbirth. The Messiah may have been miraculously conceived, but Jesus got here the same as us all—in a mess. Missing this part of the story is to miss the humanness of the Messiah—which is to miss the entire point—Jesus was fully God and fully human. The stories and pictures we are accustomed to emphasize the Messianic nature while dismissing his humanness. The story we learn does not tell of the trauma of parents whose male babies were ripped from their arms. They were powerless against the mob of terrorists empowered by the government. We do not often hear about the wailing of mothers like none heard. There is no mention of fathers who ripped their clothing and bellowed out in agony. Fathers are often left out of the story—like Michael Brown, Sr. who grieved loudly, deeply, and publicly when Herod’s agents murdered his son on a street of Ferguson.
James Baldwin explains “To accept one’s past— one’s history—is not the same thing as drowning in it; it is learning how to use it.” We can only become better if we are honest with and about ourselves. Unfortunately, given what I have witnessed, I suspect there is greater hope for the redemption of the avowed white supremacist than there is for the devout “not-a-racist.”
at the Capitol. On this day, a mob of Americans attempted to “take the country back.” In the aftermath of the mob’s open display of white supremacy, instead of repentance, we puffed out our chests and pulled out the “Not-a-Racist” badges we have given each other for our good deeds, loving hearts, and liberal pontifications and we distanced ourselves from the mob—we are not them. Yet still, here we are on the eve of celebrating the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, and Congress is yet fighting to pass legislation protecting the right to vote. Thirty-four states have passed voter suppression laws. Suppressing voices is to say that a voice has less importance—that the voice of that human has less value than others.
Epiphany in 2020 was also the day of the insurrection
The mob is not the problem, not really. The
The omission of these parts of the story minimizes the trauma of those who suffered and sanitizes the story of those who were traumatized. This is the rub against the teaching of Critical Race Theory—white people will not talk about the messy past and therefore will not acknowledge that the past is present.
problem is those who, like the Jews, heard that liberation was coming and “feared along with Herod”—“but everyone should have an ID to vote, everyone should have an ID anyway,” I have heard said so many times by one of us. What is it about liberation that frightens us? In listening to and reading words of white people, and by examining my own heart, I suspect we deeply fear exposure. When I moved to Ohio, I planned to tap out for a year—my soul is exhausted from fighting against racists in systems that are determined to stay the same. Yet, at a recent school board meeting, the newly elected members came out of the gate with policies straight out of Trump’s rhetoric. In my tapping out, my heart exposed me—I have taken advantage of white privilege—resting is a privilege. Black and brown people in this country do not have the option of tapping out because they are exhausted from fighting racist systems—as my friend said, “Every day I leave my house I have to confront racism.” While we are resting, Herod is busy wreaking terror on those whose humanness is attacked in this mess of society. “Arise and shine, the Light has come” (Isaiah 60:1)— it’s time to tap back in. Doing what we feel like doing is a privilege that we must deny ourselves. The Rev. Dr. King, Jr. said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” During this season of Epiphany, may our hearts be emboldened that, like the Magi and the Midwives, we might embody the manifestation of the human Messiah in word and deed. ❏ ❏ ❏
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— TRANSITIONS — JAMYE COLEMAN WILLIAMS, PH.D. (1918-2022) Born on December 15, 1918, in Louisville, Kentucky, to the Rev. Frederick D. Coleman, Sr., a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Jamye Harris Coleman, a religious writer grew up in Kentucky and earned a bachelor of arts with honors in English from Wilberforce University in 1938. The following year, she received a Master of Arts in English from Fisk University. Over the next twenty years, Williams taught at four AME colleges: Edward Waters College, Shorter College, Morris Brown College, and Wilberforce University. In 1959, she completed her Ph.D. in speech communication at the Ohio State University, and that fall joined the faculty of Tennessee State University. She became a full professor of communications and in 1973 took over as head of the department, serving in that capacity until her retirement in 1987. While her academic career took off, Dr. Williams began to ascend the leadership ranks of the AME Church. She served as a delegate to the AME General Conference in 1964 and became a board member of the National Council of Churches in 1968. From 1976 to 1984, she was an alternate member of the AME Church’s Judicial Council, serving as president of the 13th District Lay Organization from 1977 until 1985. At the 1984 General Conference, Williams was named editor of The AME
Church Review, the oldest African American literary journal. She held that post for eight years. Dr. Williams also has paved the way for others in the AME, helping Vashti McKenzie win the election as the first female AME bishop. During her forty-five years in Nashville, Dr. Williams was active in her community, serving on several interdenominational organizations, community groups, and civic committees. She worked as a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP) Executive Committee and in 1999, received the organization’s Presidential Award. She was also known for her fierce devotion to her alma mater, Wilberforce University, serving as a trustee and later trustee emerita. Dr. Williams was also a lifelong member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Dr. Williams died peacefully in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 19, 2022. She was predeceased in death by her husband of over seventy-five years, Dr. McDonald Williams, in 2019. She is survived by her daughter, Donna Williams, grandson, Douglass (Pamela) Selby, two great-granddaughters, Jamye and Payton Selby, a niece, Frieda Coleman Minga, and a host of extended family, former students, and friends. ❏❏❏
Tribute to Nkele Sarah Matlhare in the African Methodist Episcopal Church By Sister Potlako “PJ” Molomo, Botswana Annual Conference Secretary
NKELE SARAH MATLHARE OCTOBER 31, 1941 1941-DECEMBER 24, 2021 Mother Matlhare, as she was affectionately known in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, joined the African Methodist Church in 1970. She was a bonafide stalwart who lived and breathed the AME Church, its doctrine, and polity. Her legacy lives on as she covered all aspects of church life as a leader, teacher, and protector of the faith. As the biblical name depicts, Sarah was indeed a mother of nations in the AME Church. She is well known, and her works and nurturing can be seen and felt in the Southern African region and the United States of America. Her story demonstrates that all things are possible when you walk with the Lord. From high school to her very last breath, she uplifted herself educationally, spiritually, socially, economically, and professionally. Her multi-roles as a professional nurse, a lecturer, a businesswoman, a wife, a mother, and a grandmother did not deter her from fulfilling God’s purpose. She was a staunch believer that a house without God is not a home. She steered the ship of her life with purpose and determination. Mother Matlhare was not shy and did not find it robbery to take up the “God challenge” when everybody else ran away from such a responsibility. Her journey in the Women’s Missionary Society (WMS) started at an early age in the 15th and 19th Episcopal Districts respectively, before her transfer to Botswana with her family. She served with distinction in all levels of the Society. Her impeccable WMS vitae ultimately qualified her to be honoured with the prestigious meritorious Life Membership status while in the 15th Episcopal District. Here is a brief timeline of Mother Matlhare’s tenure in the Women’s Missionary Society: • Joined the Society in 1970 • Attended her first Quadrennial Convention in 1971 in Los Angeles • Elected the local WMS president (1979-1984) • Served as overseas director from (1984-1987) • Elected the first Connectional officer outside the USA as associate editor of the Women’s Missionary Society Magazine (1987-1991) and re-elected in 1991-1995 • Served as the Connectional officer as chair of Global Homelessness and Housing (1995) and as the chair of Wellness and Health (2000-2006) • Served as an advisor to the late Supervisor PAM DeVeaux (1996-2000) • Bestowed the honour of Life Member in May 1994 during the leadership of Bishop Allen Chapelle, Sr. and Supervisor Barbara Chappelle • Appointed Botswana Annual Conference WMS NGO liaison in 2020
Not one to miss a WMS Quadrennial Convention, her presence was always felt in the corridors and she opened doors for the Botswana Annual Conference through her strong and valuable international connections. Mother Matlhare loved and diligently served the Lay Organization. She would be donning her royal blue and white exquisite outfits, teach and inculcate a culture of responsibility and accountability. In addition to her trailblazing record in the WMS and the Lay Organization, she was a trusted steward and trustee in the church. She served as the Botswana Annual Conference treasurer, the vice chairperson of the Botswana Annual Conference Trustee’s Board, the M. Joan Cousin Youth and Women Empowerment Centre vicechairperson. The latter was her passion, where she spent time and her personal resources serving the community and the church beyond measure. When the centre was challenged financially, she consistently paid for utilities and staff salaries from her own pocket over the years. Her greatest cry was the lack of AME sanctuaries and she actively and continuously called for concerted fund-raising initiatives and walked the talk with her generous donations. She patiently and with her own resources fought for the acquisition of the Vashti Murphy McKenzie AME Church plot and had already paid for the building plan at the time of her passing. Mama Nkele was welcoming, had a big heart, an excellent hostess, and opened her house to the bishops and supervisors of the AME Church. Her home was the undesignated stop-over for the Episcopal leadership when travelling to and from the western part of Botswana. It did not matter what time of the day it was; she would cook up a storm in her top-class kitchen and serve the food in the finest crockery and cutlery fit for kings and queens. Mother Matlhare also had a great effect outside of the AME Church. She served as the president of the Eastern Block of the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women from 2000 to 2006, first vice president of the Botswana Council of Churches, and was a Board member for the Kagisong Centre. At the time of her transitioning on 24 December 2021, she was still an active life member of the 18th Episcopal District and her passion for the work of missions never stopped. The AME Church was her life – the work of missions was her priority. When it came to church business, our dear mother did not only have an open heart but an open checkbook as well. The WMS, YPD, laity, and clergy in the Botswana Annual Conference will remember her for her love, frankness, humility, and doing things the AME way. One thing she abhorred was copying practices and concepts which went against the AME way. She was a giver, leader, mentor, teacher, comforter, mediator, and advisor in the WMS and the church at large and will be greatly missed in the 15th, 18th, and 19th Episcopal Districts and the Connection respectively. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Montwedi Matlhare, son, Kgosi, her daughterin-love, Tapiwa, and their children. She will be laid to rest on Friday 31 December 2021. ❏ ❏ ❏
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...From Rev. Dr. Reginald p1
H a v i n g noted his contributions to the field of Christian Education, Youth, and Young Adult Ministry, the doctors of philosophy and ministry program and curriculum, his good citizenship and entrepreneurship within the seminary, and his distinguished record of service to the African Methodist Episcopal Church and to Garrett-Evangelical, Blount was promoted to associate professor in 2020. Dr. Blount’s research and writings have centered on adolescent and young adult identity formation, African American identity formation, Christian education, and strategic leadership in the Black Church. He speaks and teaches nationally and internationally, helping faith communities envision new and creative ways to minister to, with, and on behalf of young people, engage in transformative Christian Education, and foster congregational and community renewal. “I am very grateful to President Viera to be named to the Murray H. Leiffer chair,” Dr. Blount said. “Throughout
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my career at Garrett-Evangelical, I have greatly appreciated the encouragement and support the school has provided to my calling to theological scholarship, seminary teaching, congregational faith formation, and communal social impact. This distinguished appointment further highlights that support, and I am honored for the opportunity to continue the legacy of Dr. Murray H. Leiffer and join the company of Tholin, Fowler, and Eberhart who held this chair.” In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Dr. Blount serves as the director of the “Holy Yearning, Holy Listening, Holy Partnerships” project, established in 2017 at GarrettEvangelical. This project was formed out of the Lilly Endowment’s Young Adult Initiative, which aims to help congregations develop and strengthen congregational ministries that build relationships with young adults, nurture their religious lives, and foster their engagement with religious communities. An ordained elder and pastor of
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Arnett Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in the Morgan Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Blount has been a leader in the formation of Freedom Schools both in Evanston and Morgan Park. In partnership with his faculty colleague, the Rev. Dr. Virginia Lee, Dr. Blount cofounded the Garrett-Evanston Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools Program in 2016. In addition, they served as editors for the book, Let Your Light Shine: Mobilizing for Justice with Children and Youth (Friendship Press Inc., 2019). He has contributed numerous articles and chapters throughout his career. Of particular note, Dr. Blount served as a contributor to the Common English Student Bible (CEB) along with his daughter Deborah Ayanna, which was published in 2015. He wrote discussions for the books of Joel and James, which include questions, activities, and “Reading Differently” exercises for youth groups and small groups. Blount received his bachelor of science in chemical engineering from
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Tuskegee University (1984) and master of divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University (1995). He earned his doctor of philosophy from the Garrett-Evangelical/Northwestern University joint program in religious and theological studies, focusing on the areas of Christian education and youth ministry (2005). A 1925 graduate of Garrett Biblical Institute (GBI), Dr. Murray H. Leiffer joined the faculty of the Chicago Training School for Home and Missions (CTS) in 1927. Upon the merger for CTS and GBI, Leiffer joined the faculty of Garrett in 1929, specializing in urban ministry, sociology of religion, and Christian social ethics. Leiffer retired in 1970 and was named professor emeritus. The chair in his name was established in 1984 by Dr. Neal F. Fisher, president emeritus of Garrett-Evangelical. ❏ ❏ ❏
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CONGRATULATORY LISTINGS
JANUARY 2022
*Purple font connotes Episcopal Family; Red font, General Officers; and Blue font, Connectional Officers. Detroit Native Jamal Simmons (AME PK) Hired as Communications Director for Vice President Kamala Harris
The Reverend Larry Simmons is pleased to announce that his son, Jamal Simmons, has been appointed to serve as Vice President Kamala Harris’ Communications Director. Jamal Simmons is a member of both Baber Memorial AME in Detroit where the Reverend Simmons serves as pastor, and Metropolitan AME in Washington, D.C. Jamal has worked on a number of presidential campaigns, including those of Bill Clinton and Al Gore, and he was an adviser to the Democratic National Committee for the 2008 race. He also has appeared on Hill.TV and NPR’s Hear and Now and was founding editor of The Beat DC and hosted their weekly podcast. He has a bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College and a master’s in public policy degree from Harvard University. A Detroit, Michigan native, he arrived in Harris’ office with decades of political communications and campaign experience, including on former President Bill Clinton’s traveling press team during his 1992 presidential campaign and as deputy communications director for Al Gore’s presidential campaign. News link: https://deadline.com/2022/01/jamal-simmons-kamala-harris-communications-director-1234905572 Please keep Jamal lifted in prayer. Congratulatory messages can be email to proud father, the Rev. Larry Simmons, Sr., pastor: llsr@aol.com. The Reverend Veda Stewart, Pastor of Barnes Temple AME Church, Elsmere, KY Successfully Defended Her Dissertation
The Reverend Veda Stewart, pastor of Barnes Temple AME Church, Elsmere, KY, successfully defended her dissertation entitled “Special Considerations Process in Gifted Identification: Increasing Access and Equitable Practices for Underrepresented Population in an Urban School District” and now holds a Ed.D. in Educational Policy and Leadership from Eastern Kentucky University. Congratulatory messages may be sent to: Dr. Veda Stewart at sisvpower@icloud.com. On behalf of Publications Commission chair Bishop David R. Daniels, Jr., president/publisher of the AMEC Publishing House (Sunday School Union) the Rev. Dr. Roderick D. Belin, and editor of The Christian Recorder Mr. John Thomas III, we celebrate and applaud your achievements. “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NRSV) To share or receive information about Connectional clergy family bereavements and congratulations, please contact the AME Church Clergy Family Information Center. Mrs. Ora L. Easley, administrator • 5981 Hitching Post Lane • Nashville, TN 37211 • 615.833.6936 (CFIC Office) • amecfic. org • facebook.com/AMECFIC
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NECROLOGY LISTINGS
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JANUARY 2022 *Purple font connotes Episcopal Family; Red font, General Officers; and Blue font, Connectional Officers.
Ms. Loretta Ruth Johnston, daughter of the late Rev. Dr. David A. Johnston (25th pastor of Saint Joseph AME Church, Durham, North Carolina, serving 1948-1958) and former first lady of Saint Joseph AME Church and Second Episcopal District Supervisor Verdelle Ruth Johnston (serving 1988-1992) The Reverend Johnny Love Walton, husband of Mrs. Alberta Walton and a retired pastor in the Northeast Alabama Conference on the Phenix City District, Ninth Episcopal District The Reverend Mzuvukile Johannes Mbanjana, age 55, an itinerant elder for 11 years in the 15th Episcopal District, having served the Queenstown Annual Conference: 1. Barkley East 2. Aliwal North District. Eastern Cape Annual Conference: 1. Noupoort 2. Darie Mae, Cradock. He was holding the position of Board of Christian Education director in the Eastern Cape Annual Conference. He was married to Mrs. Nozikhumbuzu Mbanjana with three children, Siyabulela, Achumile, and Siphesihle. Mrs. Karan A. Howard, a member of the Hendersonville chapter, Links, Incorporated and the mother of the Rev. Anica Howard, Presiding Elder Nashville District, Tennessee Annual Conference, Thirteenth Episcopal District Brother Johnny L. Hall, the beloved brother of the Rev. David L. Hall, pastor of Union Branch AME Church, Monticello, Florida, Eleventh Episcopal District, and the brother in love of Sister Gloria Hall. Brother David King Walter, the beloved brother of the Rev. Addie W. Holt, pastor of Old Bethel AME Church, Quincy, Florida, Eleventh Episcopal District, and the brother in love of Brother Charleston Holt, Jr. Brother Robert Lee Ball, husband of Sis. Roxie P. Ball of the Thirteenth Episcopal District, a member and secretary of the Episcopal Committee for over 20 years, a member of the General Conference Commission for 20 years and served as the secretary of the program committee for several years, and most recently, she was a member of the Revisions Committee Mr. John Leroy Davis, the brother of the Rev. Napoleon Davis, Twelfth Episcopal District Mrs. Lucile J. Johnson, the widow of the late Rev. L. W. Johnson, and mother of the Rev. Dr. Ralph E Johnson, presiding elder of the North District of the Tennessee Annual Conference and pastor of St. Paul AME Church, Woodlawn, TN, Dr. Camilla Sharon Johnson Cobb, M.D., associate professor of clinical pathology, University of Southern
California Healthcare Network, and Dr. Roy P. Johnson M.D., president, Middle Tennessee Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inc. The Reverend Stephanus Williams, age 84 years, superannuated minister in the Boland Annual Conference in the Fifteenth Episcopal District. He was an itinerant elder for more than 40 years in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and served churches in the Namibian and Cape Annual Conference in the Fifteenth Episcopal District: Ms. Briana S. King, the beloved granddaughter of the Rev. Richard E. King, pastor stationed at St. James AME Church, Eustis, FL, Eleventh Episcopal District Mrs. Santranella Anderson, the mother of the Rev. Sharon D. Moore, executive pastor of Saint Andrew AME Church, Memphis, Tennessee, West Tenessee Conference, Thirteenth Episcopal District, mother in love of the Rev. Dr. Byron C. Moore, pastor of Saint Andrew Mr. Clifford Earl Ransom, Jr., the brother of the Rev. Sandra (Reuben) Eldridge of the Twelfth Episcopal District Mrs. Pearl C. Higgins, the grandmother of the Rev. Jermaine L. Wilson (spouse, the Rev. Dujuana Wilson), pastor of Warren Chapel AME Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Thirteenth Episcopal District Mr. Rodney Satterwhite, stepson of the Rev. Deborah Satterwhite, pastor of New St. John AME Church, Dearborn, MI. Mr. Satterwhite suffered with COVID, was on a ventilator for 4 weeks and vowed to be vaccinated once he left the hospital; Pastor Satterwhite’ message is for all to get vacinated. The Reverend Dr. Terry McCray Hill, pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Portland, Oregon, Fifth Episcopal District The Reverend Dr. Carolyn Brooks, a retired itinerant elder who served faithfully in the Florida Conference of the Eleventh Episcopal District Retired Presiding Elder William Trip Lesueur, husband of Mrs. Marion Lesueur; served as a presiding elder in the Camden District of the Southwest Alabama Conference, beginning his pastoral career in 1963, as a servant of God, serving diligently in active ministry for more than 58 years as a pastor and presiding elder in the Ninth Episcopal District Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams (103),[ retired general officer, editor of The AME Church Review, first female elected as a
general officer in the AMEC, a veritable titan of an educator and leader in the AME Church Ms. Modestine Byrd Hunter, the mother of the Rev. Johnny Byrd, pastor of Felderville (Santee) African Methodist Episcopal Church, Midlands District, Central Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the AME Church Mr. Tyson Manvel Merrill, the son of Sister Brenda A. Merrill, First Episcopal District office manager and secretary to Bishop Julius H. McAllister, Sr., presiding prelate of the First Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church The Reverend Chris Anthony Copeland, itinerant elder in the AME Church, and associate minister at Ward Chapel AME Church, Memphis, Tennessee, the Rev. Eric J. Knowles, pastor, South Memphis DistrictWest Tennessee Annual Conference, Thirteenth Episcopal District Sister Bertha Mae Walter-Gray, the beloved sister of the Rev. Addie W. Holt, pastor of Old Bethel AME Church, Quincy, Florida, Eleventh Episcopal District, and the sister in Love of Brother Charleston Holt, Jr. Sister Mary Overton Jackson, a member of New Wright’s AME Church in Memphis, Tennessee; the loving mother of Jamie Overton of Memphis, Tennessee, and sister of the Rev. Patsy T. Brown, pastor of Galilee AME Church of Memphis, Tennessee (North Memphis District, West TN Annual Conference), Thirteenth Episcopal District Mrs. Brenetta Joyce Hudspeth, stepmom of the Rev. Bianca Canley, communication coordinator of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church Finance Department – Washington, D.C., and pastor of Quinn Chapel AME, Crossett, Arkansas Mr. Walter D. Holden, the brother of the Rev. Dr. Sheila Alford (P.E. retired Roger Alford) of the Oklahoma State Annual Conference, Twelfth Episcopal District Mr. John David Edwards, Sr., a senior deacon at Deliverance Church of God in Christ, Augusta, Georgia, the father of the Rev. Claudia Lawton, pastor of Bethel (Huger) African Methodist Episcopal Church, Mt. Pleasant District, Palmetto Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the AME Church The Reverend Eula Smith, associate minister at Pilgrim AME Church, Washington, D.C., Capital District, Washington Conference of the Second Episcopal District; the mother of Dannie Newby.
Condolences to the bereaved are expressed on behalf of Publications Commission chair Bishop David R. Daniels, Jr., president/publisher of the AMEC Publishing House (Sunday School Union) the Rev. Roderick D. Belin, and editor of The Christian Recorder, Mr. John Thomas III.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 (NRSV) To share or receive information about Connectional clergy family bereavements and congratulations, please contact the AME Church Clergy Family Information Center. Mrs. Ora L. Easley, administrator • 5981 Hitching Post Lane • Nashville, TN 37211 • 615.833.6936 (CFIC Office) • amecfic.org •facebook.com/AMECFIC
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PRIORITIZED HEALING By Rev. Lauren Harris, Contributing Writer
There is a conversation happening on social media about prioritizing healthcare. The Omicron variant caused infection rates to soar across the nation, and the U.S. healthcare system has reached its limit. One suggestion to solve this problem keeps coming up: prioritize those who are vaccinated against coronavirus. I understand people’s frustrations, but, as a Christian, black woman, this is extremely concerning. It should also concern you. As a member of two marginalized groups, I know that I would not be made a priority of healthcare professionals. I also have a pre-existing health condition. Does that mean when hospitals are at capacity, I deserve to die over a younger, white, or wealthier person? I am also the mom of a special needs child. Would he be prioritized if we implemented this kind of treatment system? What about someone who is transferred from a prison? When you start to think about these ethical issues, you realize that solving the problem of an overtaxed healthcare system is more complicated than merely turning unvaccinated people away. We are heading into dangerous territory when people play God by determining whose life is more valuable. If we succumb to this way of thinking, the marginalized, including black people, will suffer and die. We have the perfect example of such systemic marginalization from the black maternal mortality rate in the U.S. Prior to the pandemic, this rate was a hot topic.
The Christian Recorder A December 6, 2021 study published by the Population Reference Bureau finds that black women are three times more likely to die in pregnancy and postpartum than white women. Many black women, including myself, shared stories of their negative experiences with healthcare professionals and life-threatening pregnancy complications as a result. This disparity happens because hospitals do not prioritize the lives of black women and black babies. As the pandemic advanced in 2020, people, including medical professionals, continued having real conversations about healthcare equity. For example, according to a December 2020 report on racial and ethnic health disparities by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, black and Hispanic patients succumbed to COVID-19 at higher rates. The pandemic exposed what many of us knew already—when it comes to effective healthcare and accessibility, we, black and other marginalized groups, are not a priority. Now that COVID-19 infections have spiraled out of control all over the country, despite vaccines and other mitigation efforts, many people, including Christians, are looking for someone to blame and punish so they can be prioritized. The answer today is the unvaccinated, the new leprosy. I just want to remind you that Jesus healed indiscriminately. Jesus continues to heal indiscriminately. Nothing about Jesus’ ministry supports prioritized healthcare or men and women deciding who lives and dies based on some man-made checklist. If you want to be a faithful follower of Jesus, this knowledge should change how you engage in conversation about
THECHRISTIANRECORDER.COM the unvaccinated. Jesus heals even if the person contributed to their own condition. You remember the paralytic of Mark 2? Four men carry him on a mat and lower him through the roof so Jesus can heal him. When Jesus sees him and the faith of his friends, he says, “Son, your sins are forgiven” i f i ” (Mark 2:5 NRSV). Jesus heals the man despite his actions contributing to his condition. Prior to healing the paralytic, Jesus heals an unclean leper by touching him and showing him mercy (Mark 1:40-41). In fact, Jesus begins his ministry in the gospel of Mark with healing. Jesus heals entire cities because a major mark of Jesus’ ministry and messiahship is healing. Jesus heals people of various diseases and conditions, whether they are deemed sinful (or in compliance) or not. One of the frustrations some marginalized groups have with black people is that we often demonize, ostracize, and condemn them the way we have been demonized, ostracized, and condemned by society. When we jump on the bandwagon of public opinion about prioritized healthcare for certain groups, we must remember that we might check one of their boxes, but we will still be left behind when it comes to the hierarchy of white supremacy. We need to be the people whom Jesus challenges us to be and reject this notion that some lives are more valuable than others because of vaccination status.
The Rev. Lauren Harris (formerly Lauren Jones) is an itinerant elder serving in the 2nd Episcopal District. She works for the Baltimore-Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church. She has been published in the following magazines: Sojourners Washington FAMILY, and Modern Loss. She is remarried after being a widow for six years and is the proud mother of two children.
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MEET ITINERANT ELDER REVEREND FELICIA NANETTE GROSS By Mary F. Walton, Contributing Writer What was once thought was merely a passion for the field of Human Resources, the Rev. Felicia Gross realized was a much larger passion and calling to serve others, promote just treatment of all, and help others recognize and live in the fullness of their worth. She has relinquished control to her calling. She was ordained an itinerant elder by Bishop James L. Davis during the Second Episcopal District Hybrid Combined Ordination and Holy Sacraments on October 20, 2021. As a member of Community of Hope African Methodist Episcopal Church for the last fourteen years, the Rev. Felicia began her journey as a team leader of the Stewardess Board and class leader of several Women’s Discipleship classes. As a member of the ministerial staff, she currently serves in church administration and a leadership capacity on both the Women’s and Marriage ministries. The Rev. Felicia is the visionary behind Make It Happen SIS (Spiritually Inspired Sisters). Make It Happen SIS (www.makeithappensis.com) creates safe spaces to inspire, motivate, and coach women toward making it happen. Her definition of a Spiritually Inspired Sister is a woman who understands her greatness and walks diligently to fulfill her destiny. She is aware of her self-worth and knows her value. Because she is fearfully and wonderfully made, she does not allow others to treat her less than the virtuous woman she is. She overcomes challenges by acknowledging
that God has already planned for her to succeed and prosper! All these things are carried with grace and class and not conceit while being compassionate and caring to others. While she has spent most of her life in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area, she is a native to Georgetown, South Carolina. While under the care of her grandmother, the late Ms. Mattie Mae Wilson, the Rev. Felicia began attending Bethel AME Church at a very young age. She is the only child of her mother, Ms. Jerlyn V. Wilson, and the eldest of
DECOLONIZING THE BLACK CHURCH By George Anthony Pratt, Contributing Writer
On a December day during the heat of finals week, I received a notification from a mentor that prompted me to pause from the blaze of essay writing. He posed a provocative question that spurred one of our usual philosophical engagements via text. Through a triplet of inquiries, he asked how does one promote the decolonization of Christianity in the church? Warm with the embers of wordsmithing, I responded in this way: Decolonizing Christianity requires the castration of empire from its ecclesial bodies. This work calls for one to revisit the strategy of Constantine and the decisions made at the Council of Nicea, in which the religion of Jesus emerged as a method of controlling the masses. The task of applying a decolonial framework to Christianity enables one to uncover the retelling of ancient stories, co-opted as literal truths, contained with symbols and allegories revealing ultimate universal truths. In the case of African American expressions of Protestantism, black religious institutions have inherited and adopted various forms of Constantinian Christianity, conveyed primarily through patriarchy. Constructing the Black Church presented men with the possibility of gaining the same power of their white oppressors. It was a vehicle in which they could use the masters’ tools to build a version of their own house. Decolonizing is the act of destroying this house, ridding it of its foundations from all forms of patriarchy and androcentrism. This act of abolition also includes the work of transformation. It begins with the Sankofa look: the act of reclamation— reaching back to the past and fetching what is at danger of being lost— our collective spirit. The reaching back calls us to capture what is good from the past, followed by the act of imagination, the dreaming of new worlds with the “ideal cosmic community” in mind. It means doing the work of the future in the present to rebuild— the act of creation. The Black Church must struggle to decolonize for its existence to remain relevant. While this may emerge as an uphill battle in consciousness for the masses of black congregants trekking toward the proverbial promise land in their Christian journey, it can begin with a collective look in the mirror. We must recall the visions of wisdom from our past, remembering ways of being and knowing that are most ideal for the entire community. We must revive our spirit— our common ethos — the work of decolonization. ❏ ❏ ❏
four to the Rev. Franklin E. Rutledge and First Lady Sandra Rutledge. The Rev. Felicia earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Resources Management from the University of Maryland University College. She earned a Master ti i Urban U b Ministry Mi i t of Divinity with concentrations in and African American Church Studies from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry, Soul Care. She is blessed to be married to her very best friend, Minister Gregg Gross, Sr. As a blended family, they are the parents of three young adults: Thomas, Elizabeth, Gregg, Jr., and one teenager, Gianni. Community of Hope AME Church, the Rev. Tony Lee, pastor.
JUST ASK By Rev. Sheri D. Smith Clayborn, Contributing Writer
Have you ever been, or have you ever noticed someone else, being passive about asking for what they want, even something that seems simple? It is almost impossible to get what you want without intentionally asking for it. You will definitely get something; however, it will not likely be what you want, especially if it remains in your head. What you desire is likely available if your ask is specific rather than ambiguous, creating a guessing game with those whom you are asking. Let us consider our everyday interactions and conversations. On the surface, asking should be easy. After all, we ask for things every day, but are we actually asking for what we want? There is a difference between being indecisive and not asking for what we know we want. Is it possible that when we do not ask for these things that seem insignificant that we begin to establish a pattern? Does this pattern become the foundation for not asking for the larger, more meaningful things that deeply impact our lives? The pattern shows up as overthinking, concocting negative responses before asking, or even saying, “Whatever you want.” Why is asking for our wants and desires challenging? Fear is often the underlying reason. Fear—the monster that shows up in the little things as well as the big things in our lives: fear of being told no, being exposed as having a need, hearing what others have to say, losing independence, not being able to change your mind, and having people in your business. I wonder how not asking for what we want impacts our relationship with God? Do we withhold from God our true desires for fear that what we want is not in line with what God wants for our lives? God desires to have a relationship with each of us that is based on truth (John 4:24). Our truth-telling does not guarantee that we get what we want, but it opens the door to a trusting relationship with God and others. Part of establishing that trusting relationship is asking for what we want. When we ask, the ask should be in proportion and appropriate to your relationship with the person, a reflection of your true want/desire, based on your want/need, and not based on your perception of an assumed (but unknown) response. Your ask should be based on trust. The impact of not asking results in a diminished voice (the more you do this, the more difficult it becomes to ask for what you want), relationships that lack truth and trust, and perception that you have no wants and desires. On the other hand, the impact of asking is that you strengthen the inner you that affirms what you want, reduce the stress from false perceptions, and show people that you have wants and desires that matter. Asking impacts our lives. Some asks enrich our lives with confidence, determination, hope, and follow-through. Accept that your ask may result in a “no” from this person at this time; allow the “no” to redirect you to the Source who holds all resources and encourages us to take risks. Take the chance and just ask. We have not because we ask not! Ask…, and it shall be given! ❏ ❏ ❏
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THE TRUTH IS THE LIGHT By Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., Columnist
Based on Biblical Text: 1 Thessalonians 3:12 (NRSV) “And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.” The greatest quality in the world is love. Without love, we are nothing and cannot have abundant life. The Apostle Paul was aware of this. His prayer to God was that the Thessalonian church and its believers might grow more and more in love. Paul knew that the church that would be a model to others is a church that has a strong and abiding love. The model church exhibits an intense love for God and one another. Paul prays to God, our Father, reminding us that the God we serve is not just “out there” ruling and reigning in some far-removed place but, is in fact, right here with us actively participating in our lives just as an earthly father participates in the lives of his children. In other words, God, our Father, is intimately involved in our lives. We see Paul approach like a child approaches his father. A child requests of his father, knowing that his father will hear and answer. Paul prays to our Lord Jesus Christ, who has existed eternally in heaven but so loved us that he would become our Lord. He would come to earth in the flesh and dwell among us. The depth of Paul’s prayer reveals to us that both the Father and the Son have the nature of God. The Father and the Son have co-existed eternally and continue to reign eternally. Paul prays for what he knows is the only solution to the people’s dilemma. He prays for their need to love. Why, because love is the necessary foundation for every church that seeks to flourish in the work of the Lord. If the church of Jesus Christ is to grow, it must allow the love of God to multiply and overflow into the world.
God can increase our love and cause our love to overflow toward others. The overflowing love of God can perfect that which is lacking in our conviction and can guide and direct all our efforts. This is our mandate if we are to be the church in our community that would be a model to others. God’s overflowing love will move us to not only encourage the unsteady among our congregation, but also the unsteady “out there” in the world as well. We will be able not only to strengthen the weak within our walls but also to strengthen the weak outside of our walls. God’s overflowing love will allow us to inspire not only the dispirited on our roles, but also the discouraged in our community. We will be moved not just to feed the hungry in our membership, but also to reach beyond our membership to the hungry who do not know the Lord. As we aspire to be a church in our community that stands boldly as a model to others, our prayer is that we are strengthened and encouraged to carry God’s overflowing love into all the world. The model church loves God with the entirety of its heart, mind, and soul. It, just as importantly, extends that same love to its neighbor. We know by faith that there is no relationship that God’s love cannot strengthen. We are encouraged that there is no fellowship that his love cannot enhance, no heart that his love cannot soften, nor is there any pain that his love cannot relieve. Lord, we seek to be a church in our community that stands as a model to others, and our prayer is that you make us blameless, pure, holy, and our pathway sure.
The Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., is the pastor of James Chapel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.
QUESTIONING FAITH: MY FIRST CONVERSION By J. Jioni Palmer, Columnist
“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.” -- Ralph Ellison As a child, I attended Bethlehem Lutheran Church in West Oakland, California, with my family. West Oakland was, and despite rampant gentrification, still is a predominantly working-class African American community. In the 1960s, the people of West Oakland, many of them migrants from East Texas and Louisiana fleeing the choking oppression of Jim Crow, were harassed and brutalized by the Oakland Police Department. They migrated in search of better opportunities, but the material conditions hardly improved for many—rural poverty was swapped for urban poverty. As a result of these conditions, in 1966, the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense was founded and headquartered blocks from Bethlehem. Twenty-three years later, Black Panther co-founder Huey P. Newton was murdered by a drug dealer not far from the sanctuary’s doors. Throughout it all, Bethlehem has stood at the intersection of the sacred and the profane. While signs of a community in decay and turmoil proliferated on one side of the threshold—homeless encampments in the park across the street, Mickey’s malt liquor big mouth bottles littered the streets, and prostitutes worked the corners—I found spiritual and cultural undergirding and affirmation on the other side. The congregation was predominantly black but rich in the natural diversity of the African diaspora. Prominent figures like the publisher of the Oakland Tribune and a player on the Golden State Warriors sat in the pews alongside secretaries at Kaiser and high school custodians. Pastor Herzfeld was black, and so was the ministerial staff, including several from West and Southern Africa. It was there that I learned about Maurice Bishop, Steven Biko, and various liberation struggles that were sweeping the globe in the 1980s. I did not always understand what I heard, but I do not think that mattered because I felt something. Something that drew me closer to the divine. Something that pulled me closer to those in the pews. Something that drew me closer to my community at home and abroad. It was there that I developed the habit of looking around to observe what other people were observing to see what moved them and how they moved. One of my most vivid memories is from a Christmas Eve service. My mom and I were sitting behind a man who could not sing a lick, and he moved off-beat, but that did not stop him from belting out “Silent Night” like he was choir director. His passion was undeniable.
I naively thought most Lutherans were black and worshiped the way we did at Bethlehem. I would soon learn most Lutherans were white, and many held very conservative theological, social, and political views that were antithetical to my own. Decades later, I was astounded to learn that former Attorney General Ed Meese, a Ronald Reagan loyalist, grew up in Oakland and attended Bethlehem Lutheran Church. It seems unfathomable that we would ever call the same church home. For some reason, my family left Bethlehem and began attending another church in the East Oakland foothills.
There were a few other black families and families of color, but it was a predominantly white congregation. The senior pastor and ministerial staff were white. The music was flat and lacked the zeal I had become accustomed to. I missed the pageantry of Bethlehem. While I was much more actively engaged with this new congregation—I was confirmed there, was an acolyte, regularly participated in lock-ins and camping trips—than at Bethlehem, I found my connection to the faith I had known slipping away. In retrospect, I realize I was undergoing my first conversion experience, which was away from my family’s faith. As I was going through the confirmation process, I wrestled with understanding the concept of the Trinity—how can God be three separate individuals yet also one—and the question of who created the creator. I would lay in my bed at night pondering these questions. When I put them to my new pastor, I received a mystified look and the unsatisfactory response, “Well, you just got to have faith.” His words were reassuring, but the look in his eyes led me to doubt. As I looked into his cool blue eyes, I felt like he was searching to understand me and what I was searching to understand. In contrast, when I looked into Pastor Herzfeld’s warm brown eyes, I felt like he knew what I was in search of—that which he had not yet found but knew existed—and invited me along the journey. ❏❏❏
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$20M LILLY ENDOWMENT GRANT TO PRESERVE BLACK CHURCHES By Brenda Jones
Since our nation was founded, black churches have led at the forefront of critical and meaningful democratic reform in our society. From the abolition of slavery and the public education movement, the advent of civil rights to the expansion of voting rights, the Black Church has helped interpret the spiritual mandate of democracy in ways that have not only assisted the African American community but have extended the franchise to language minorities, women, LGBTQ communities, rural and senior citizens, and millions of other Americans. The Black Church has created a template of advocacy for the dispossessed in nations around the world, demonstrating how to defend their human dignity and demand the access and respect they deserve. Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. writes in The Black Church, “No pillar of the African American community has been more central to its history, identity, and social justice vision than the ‘Black Church.’” They are the oldest institutions created and controlled by African Americans. In recognition of its pivotal contribution, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund (AACHAF) has received a new $20 million grant from the Indiana-based Lilly Endowment Inc. to launch the Preserving Black Churches Project. The Action Fund project will advance sophisticated strategies that model and strengthen stewardship and asset management, interpretation and programming, and fundraising activities of historic black churches. Through grant-making, technical assistance, and multi-year projects, the Action Fund will provide direct support to uplift the people and communities working to save these special places. In the current period of reckoning with racial and economic justice, this partnership will make an unprecedented investment in and build capacity among black-led institutions to reimagine, redesign, and redeploy historic preservation to address the needs of faith-based institutions, assets, and stories. Together, our organizations will leverage historic preservation as a tool for equity and reconciliation and celebrate historic black churches with active congregations as well as those with new uses as centers of civic pride and cultural value. “Black churches have stood at the center of the African American experience and are a living testament to the achievements and resiliency of generations in the face of a racialized and inequitable society,” said Brent Leggs, executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. “Yet despite the central role that these historic houses of worship play in the fabric of black communities, they face a myriad of challenges. Their preservation—like that of all black heritage sites—has often been overlooked and vastly underfunded. A critical piece of our work is to increase investments in the preservation, management, and interpretation of historic black churches—so that they can continue to serve as the epicenters of black communities and American heritage.”
The Action Fund is the largest preservation fund in United States history dedicated to the preservation of historic African American places. It works at a critical moment both in the trajectory of the National Trust and the trajectory of history when preservation, culture, and creative thinking are ascending as essential methodologies for shaping livable and equitable futures. As a unifying force of the community’s spiritual, social, economic, and political will, black churches have also been targeted by opponents of progress, fairness, and justice. They have survived arson, bombing, and other violence as a result of their pivotal civil role. From Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina and Bethel Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, to Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Robert’s Temple in Chicago, Illinois, the Action Fund has partnered with black churches to tell their stories of racial violence and community empowerment, while also ensuring
these landmarks of cultural memory and national legacy are protected and preserved. Since its launch, the Action Fund has raised more than $70 million and supported more than 200 preservation projects nationally, including the above-mentioned historic churches. Over the next three years, the Action Fund will partner with more than 50 churches nationwide, many of which are now suffering from threats of deferred maintenance, insufficient funding, aging and decreasing congregations, and/or sitting vacant or slated for demolition. Meanwhile, important sanctuaries are also lost to natural disaster, like St. James AME Church, founded in 1868 and constructed in 1923, which was hit by a tornado during the last weeks of 2021 devastating the town of Mayfield, Kentucky. Through the Action Fund, St. James will be awarded $100,000 and is the first recipient of the Preserving Black Churches Project’s special emergency funding to help restore the historic church and conserve a Helen LaFrance mural damaged in the storm. LaFrance is a folk artist whose depictions of rural life are collected by the likes of celebrities Oprah Winfrey and Bryant Gumbel. This special fund will enable the project to respond to a church’s need to rebuild after an unexpected disaster that can displace congregations and leave historic assets beyond repair, especially if mitigation is not undertaken immediately. The Action Fund is pleased to make this investment and help accelerate the rescue and rebirth of this landmark imbued with community history and resilience. Information on grants, programs, and resources will be announced in the summer of 2022. Sign up to receive updates and guidelines as they become available by visiting www.savingplaces.org/blackchurches. ❏ ❏ ❏
BLACK CHURCH FOOD SECURITY NETWORK HELPS ARDMORE’S BETHEL AME DELIVER FOOD FOR THOSE IN NEED By Richard Ilgenfritz, Mainline News Media
In 2018, members of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Ardmore decided to put a small plot of land next to their historic church to good use. They would grow fresh, healthy vegetables. Over time, that garden idea has expanded to help inspire and empower others in the community to learn to grow some of their food at home by placing gardens in front yards, side yards, backyards – wherever there might be space. Through their garden experiences and due to outside factors, they have learned something over the past couple of years. The current food system has problems. “The pandemic has really emphasized just how dysfunctional our food system is,” said the Rev. Carolyn Cavaness, pastor of Bethel AME Church in Ardmore. The longtime expression that says “you are what you eat” could have an added addendum of “you eat what you have access to.” And if that food people have access to is not always the healthiest to eat, it can cause health concerns. “That has added a commitment for us,” says the Rev. Cavaness, “to empower people of color to take the power in controlling
their food source – how do you grow your own food and how do we support black and brown farmers?” This past week, Bethel teamed up with pastor Heber Brown III, founder and executive director of the Black Church Food Security Network, a national organization based out of Baltimore, Maryland, to help bring freshly grown food to those in need. Brown’s organization purchases vegetables from black farmers and then distributes it through a network of African American churches, such as Bethel, who then help get it to the people who need it. “We are co-creating local food systems that center small farmers and center the assets and strength of local churches,” Brown said as he made his first delivery to Bethel this weekend. “Our particular focus is on African American
h h because b h disproportionate d f d churches off the rates off food insecurity, health challenges, and disparities in the African American community. And so, we feel like when you put African American churches and farmers together, it helps to get that much closer to a solution to some of those challenges.” Brown’s organization purchases the food from small farmers. The food he brought up this week came from places such as King and Queen County, Virginia; Warfield, Virginia; ...continued on p17
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4 PRINCIPLES FOR ENGAGING DONORS WHO CARE ABOUT MAKING A DIFFERENCE By James Elrod, Jr., Lewis Center for Church Leadership
A fundamental challenge for any church is to articulate to its members that their donations are making a difference because the church is making a difference. The problem for many established churches is that their donor management strategy is centered on answering this question with the Mature or Silent Generation (born between 1928 and 1945) in mind. Matures give primarily from a sense of obligation and loyalty. Their decision to donate to an organization comes from a conviction that they ought to give and they ought to continue to support the institution because they have supported it in the past. Their relationship with the church is tied to the institution itself, more than its good works. Once the decision to provide financial support is made, the donor assumes the church will spend their contributions wisely.
time-consuming and a drain on limited resources. Whether or not these arguments have merit, that approach ignores what we know about the preferences of the boomer and Gen Xer cohorts that make up their congregation.
Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) and Gen Xers (born between 1965 and 1980) do not share the worldview of the Matures. They want a more organic relationship with their church than their parents did. For these donors, building that relationship starts with quantifying how their financial support is or is not making a difference.
2. MEASURE WHAT MATTERS.
Boomers are the largest generation alive today. The sheer number of boomers means that their giving potential dwarfs that of any other generation. As a practical matter, no church or donor-dependent nonprofit organization can afford to ignore boomers and their preferences. Gen Xers currently lag the boomers not only in dollars given to charity, but in giving rates. But the youngest Gen Xers, 40-years-old in 2020, are just entering their prime earning years, and will have more disposable income over the next decade. In the not-too-distant future, boomer mortality will take its inevitable course. The Pew Research Center projects that by 2028, the population of Gen Xers will exceed the population of boomers. By the time 2030 arrives, Gen Xers will supplant the boomers as the generation that matters most when it comes to charitable donations. If a church wants to create a more authentic, more productive relationship with its boomer and Gen Xer members for fundraising purposes, what might it look like? As a first step, church leaders need to build consensus in the congregation around the following four principles:
1. AGREE ON WHAT MATTERS. Church goals can be famously open-ended. God’s call to serve humankind is not bound by geographic limits or resource considerations. The mission statements of many churches reflect this expansive mandate. Unfortunately, some church leaders use the aspiration proclaimed by a church’s mission as an excuse not to set specific goals. They reason that the divine nature of the mission transcends benchmarks or that it’s too difficult to measure qualitative goals or that measuring performance is
The first step is a rigorous review of the church’s mission and mission statement. Is it a general endorsement of Christian principles or does it describe the unique call of this congregation? Is it an artifact of history, or does it speak to the aspiration of the current congregation at this point in history? Setting appropriate goals — and addressing the informational needs of the church’s donor base — is impossible unless church leadership can develop a consensus on what the congregation is called to achieve. Whatever a congregation believes it is called to do, Gen Xers will want the church’s results to be measured. They care about whether their church is efficient and effective, whether it realizes its mission, and whether it summarizes and reports its operating and financial results. The most appropriate group of metrics is one that reflects the mission of the congregation. The key is to develop a series of metrics and apply them objectively.
3. REPORT THE RESULTS IN A TRANSPARENT MANNER. In a donor relationship based primarily on loyalty and obligation, the content and frequency of reporting does not matter very much. In the late 20th century, when Matures provided the revenue base for most churches, church leaders didn’t need to give serious attention to reporting results in a consistent manner. Matures assumed that church leaders were pursuing a church’s mission prudently. In a relationship based on loyalty, sharing results with church members isn’t a high priority. In the near future, when Gen Xer engagement will matter a great deal, this attitude will become problematic.
4. OWN THE RESULTS. Too often, church leaders adjust the congregational narrative to highlight only those initiatives that are functioning well. In the parlance of the investment world, they selectively disclose the results. Celebrating success is important for many reasons, not the least of which is that it builds donor confidence. But if clergy and lay leaders do not take responsibility for performance through candid disclosure, how can the congregation appreciate the challenges they face? A willingness to measure and report on performance is insufficient; it must be accompanied by a balanced assessment of how actual performance fared against projections made by church leaders.
This article is adapted from Creating Financially Sustainable Congregations (Church Publishing Incorporated, 2021) by James L. Elrod, Jr. Used by permission. The book is available at Cokesbury and Amazon. Related Resources: • Generosity, Stewardship, and Abundance (Rowman and Littlefield, 2021) by Lovett H. Weems, Jr. and Ann A. Michel • 7 Ways to Make it Easier to Talk About Money in Church by Ann A. Michel • The Promise of Digital Giving by Ann A. Michel Reprinted with permission. ...From Black Church p16 Beckenham, South Carolina and others. Once the food arrives in Ardmore, Bethel AME and its small army of volunteers packs up the food into what they are calling power bags. The food is then distributed to people who signed up for the program. Most were from the local area and a few people were from West Philadelphia. Brown said not only does the program help get food to those in need, but also it helps small farmers. “These are small farmers, many of them don’t have big contracts at the big stores, they’re not in the government program for food distributions, and so we create the avenues for them to earn a living based on the delicious food that they grow and connect them with the churches – this is a niche market made just for them,” Brown said. Brown’s own church began a garden as part of an Earth Day event in 2010 for many of the same reasons Cavaness started the garden at Bethel. “As a pastor, I would see members of my church be hospitalized repeatedly for diet-
related issues,” Brown said. “And to be frank, I got tired of just praying for them and hoping that they made it. I wanted to do something in addition to prayer, and so the idea came, let’s grow food on the land that we have on our church.” So, once he saw the benefits of having a garden with fresh produce at his church, he began thinking about how it could be scaled upwards to make it larger and then network different churches together. This weekend was his first trip to deliver food in the Philadelphia area. Over time, he hopes to connect with other churches throughout the area. About 1,500 to 2,000 pounds of produce and goods were brought up to Ardmore on Saturday to fill about 200 grocery bags full of food. “I love it,” Brown said about getting food to people who need it. “You can’t read the Bible and not bump into many stories about food. Many of the miracles we celebrate in scriptures are miracles where food is somewhere in the pitcher – or wine, Jesus’ first miracle was transforming water into wine or taking a
little boy’s lunch and feeding 5,000. Food is sacred, and it’s always been sacred, scripturally.” For Cavaness, working with Brown and his connection with farmers is also important. “You are looking at a plate that has been grown and supplied by generations of black and brown farmers,” Cavaness said. With his first trip delivering food to the area, Brown said he wanted to be back. “I would just continue to invite more churches, synagogues, and mosques and other faith-based organizations to dream big about how their current assets can be utilized for a greater public good,” Brown said. More information on the Black Church Food Security Network can be found at blackchurchfoodsecurity.net. https://www.mainlinemedianews.com/2021/12/27/ black-church-food-security-network-helps-ardmor esbethel-ame-deliver-food-for-those-in-need/.
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AME ZION MEMBER MAKES HISTORY AS FIRST BLACK WOMAN ELECTED TO KANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL KANNAPOLIS — A new Kannapolis City Council member made history Monday night as the first female African American to be sworn onto the board. Jeanne Dixon had her extended family standing around as her friend, and fellow member of Price Memorial AME Zion Church, swore her in. Dixon has been a resident of Kannapolis for 48 years and has a long career in public service. After graduating from Barber-Scotia College with a degree in organizational management, she started her career as an eligibility specialist in the Cabarrus County Department of Social Services. She later served as a child support enforcement agent and a child support program manager. When she retired, she was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. Her last position was with the State of North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts as Guardian Ad Litem district administrator for Cabarrus and Rowan counties. She has most recently served Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, the Cabarrus Partnership for Children Board, and the Cabarrus NAACP. She previously served on the boards of Cooperative Christian Ministry, Community Free Clinic, and CVAN. She also served on the Kannapolis on the Planning and Zoning Board. During Council comments, long-time Council member Doug Wilson welcomed Dixon to the board. The council also took a moment Monday night to thank former council member Van Rowell for his four-year service on the council. Mayor Darrell Hinnant thanked former council member Van Rowell for his service on the council. Rowell is a graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and a U.S. Army veteran. He is a registered professional engineer in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. He spent 22 years working in wastewater utility management as a corporate engineer before becoming engineering director at the Water & Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County. He has also owned and run several small businesses.
Jeanne Dixon, Dixon second from left, left is sworn in during the December Kannapolis City Council meeting with her family standing with her. Hinnant, Wilson, and Councilmember Dianne Berry were also sworn in during the meeting.
While thanking Rowell for his service, Mayor Darrell Hinnant noted that Rowell has served on the city council during major changes for the city. It has undergone a downtown revitalization project, a West Avenue Streetscape project, and the construction of the Atrium Ball Park. “I was just reminded,” the mayor said, “that Van was sitting there many times around that table making decisions about
whether we were going to choose that color of seat for the ballpark or change events along the way to help make decisions to save money and to make this a better place for all of us. So, for you, my friend, thank you very much for your dedication to this city council and this community.” ❏ ❏ ❏
FACING WHITE CHRISTIANITY’S ROLE IN THE JANUARY 6TH INSURRECTION By Dr. Robert P. Jones, PRRI
On Jan. 20, 2021, President Joe Biden became the first commander in chief to use the words “white supremacy” in an inaugural address. Naming “the cry of racial justice four hundred years in the making” and its corollary, “a rise in political extremism,” he called out white supremacy as a “domestic terrorism that we must confront, and we will defeat.” The backdrop of the U.S. Capitol Building on that sunny, crisp winter day was as poignant as it has been since Abraham Lincoln gave his first inaugural address in front of its unfinished dome in 1861. Devoid of the usual inaugural crowds due to the pandemic, the Capitol’s windows and doors had also been hastily repaired following the damage done by Trump supporters who, encouraged by the outgoing president, staged a violent insurrection on Jan. 6 attempting to prevent the certification of the electoral college vote. The building’s gleaming white exterior, neatly trimmed with American flags and red, white, and blue bunting, and the symmetry of the sparse, socially distanced chairs, presented a surreal contrast to the chaos just two weeks prior. On Jan. 6, an undulating sea of rioters revealed, with their flags and signs and totems, that this attack on our democracy was animated not just by fealty to a single leader but also by deeper allegiances to both white supremacy and Christianity. Antisemitic tropes and groups were prevalent, including at least one protester who sported a “Camp Auschwitz” hoodie. Wide camera shots of the mob showed large Confederate battle flags. Shamefully, these 21st-century insurrectionists managed to do something the Confederate Army was never able to accomplish during the Civil War: fly the Confederate battle flag inside the Capitol. One widely shared image showed a rioter with the flag strolling by a portrait of William H. Seward, an anti-slavery advocate and Abraham Lincoln’s secretary of state, who was seriously wounded in the assassination plot that killed Lincoln in 1865. Comfortably intermingled with these tributes to white supremacy were Christian symbols and rhetoric. There were numerous Bibles, crosses, “Jesus Saves” signs, and “Jesus 2020” flags that mirrored the design of the Trump campaign flag. Some Christian participants had organized as part of a “Jericho March” in the days before the attack, blowing shofars as they encircled the Capitol, imitating the siege of the city of Jericho by the Israelites described in the book of Joshua in the Old Testament. One video depicted the Christian flag — white with a red Latin cross inside a blue canton, officially adopted by the Federal Council of Churches in 1942 — being paraded into the congressional chamber through breached doors just minutes after members of Congress had been evacuated through underground tunnels.
That flag was familiar to me, as it would have been to many from my church, where it flanked the pulpit along with the American flag, and where, as a child in vacation Bible school, I remember being led in a pledge of allegiance to both flags. The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, who interviewed rioters on the Capitol grounds, wrote that “the conflation of Trump and Jesus was a common theme at the rally,” citing statements such as these: “It’s all in the Bible. Everything is predicted. Donald Trump is in the Bible. Get yourself ready.” “Give it up if you believe in Jesus!” And then: “Give it up if you believe in Donald Trump!”—which elicited loud cheers from nearby rioters. The U.S. Capitol riot was a stain on U.S. history, ending more than two centuries of pride in an American democracy that had provided 44 consecutive peaceful transitions of power. But these awful events had one value: they put on plain display the unholy amalgamation of white supremacy and American Christianity that lives among us today. These unsettling connections among white supremacy, white Christianity, and support for the former president are not confined to the extremists who attacked the Capitol. There is a strong correlation between voting for Trump in the 2020 election and median scores on the Racism Index — a composite measure of attitudes about systemic racism I developed in my recent book, “White Too Long” — among white Christian subgroups. According to the 2020 Associated Press VoteCast Exit Polls, 81% of white evangelicals once again cast their votes in support of Trump. Their median score on the Racism Index: 78 out of 100. Similarly, 58% of white mainline Protestants voted for Trump, while their median Racism Index score is 69 out of 100. And Trump received the vote of 57% of white Catholics, a group with a median Racism Index score of 72 out of 100. By contrast, only 26% of white religiously unaffiliated Americans voted for Trump, a level roughly in line with their much lower median Racism Index score of 29. Clearly, we white Christians have barely begun the work of reckoning with white supremacy, much less the effort to bind the wounds we have inflicted on our black and brown citizens or to recover our own ability to live more faithfully in the world. But there are signs of hope and change. There have been significant symbolic transformations in our cultural landscape, catalyzed by the massive marches in support of the Black Lives Matter movement that erupted throughout the summer of 2020 in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer. In my home state, the Mississippi Baptist Convention, the local arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, came out strongly in support of legislation to remove the Confederate battle flag from our state banner, the last state flag in the country that continued to ...continued on p19
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...From Facing White p18 incorporate it. Dr. Sean Parker, the executive director of the MBC, called removing the emblem a “moral obligation” and “a matter of discipleship for every follower of Jesus Christ.” That legislation passed quickly and was signed into law on June 30, 2020. On Jan. 11, 2021, just five days after the Capitol riots, a newly designed “magnolia flag” rose over the Mississippi State Capitol, marking the first time since 1894 that the Confederate battle flag had not been visible in that place. The civic landscape of the former capital of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia, has also been transformed. During the weeks I spent there conducting research in the summer of 2019, I took regular walks down Monument Avenue, the verdant, linear park built to host five massive monuments to the Confederacy. But across the few summer months of 2020, Black Lives Matter protesters toppled the statue of Jefferson Davis, and Mayor Levar Stoney ordered the removal of three more. As city workers took away the monument to General Stonewall Jackson, staff members at the prominent First Baptist Church, which directly faces the monument, took turns ringing the church bell. This seemingly simple event marked a significant inflection point in the arc of the bell’s, and the church’s, history. As an expression of the church’s loyalty to the Confederacy during the Civil War, the congregation voted in 1861 to donate the bell to the Confederate Army to be “melted for cannon.” But the church ultimately kept the bell, which traveled with the congregation as First Baptist relocated from downtown to its current location on Monument Avenue in the 1920s. While today’s parishioners were not of one mind about the removal of the Jackson monument, Pastor Jim Somerville believed the sounding of the bell to be the fitting response, declaring, “It’s time for us to come down on the right side of history again by working for justice and by celebrating people who are so glad to see the symbols of oppression being removed from Monument Avenue.” Harkening back to Lincoln, Biden noted in his inaugural address that at great moments of national crisis, Americans’ “better angels” have prevailed; that at these turning points, “enough of us came together to carry all of us forward.” The tumultuous events of 2020 have called the question about where we white Christians stand on white supremacy. History is recording a roll call vote that requires us to declare our position. At this time of reckoning, we can remain loyal to our heritage and ancestors through defensiveness and inaction. Or we can rededicate ourselves to the work of handing down a healthier faith and country to our children and our children’s children. But we can’t do both. My hope is that enough of us will awaken from the fevered nightmare of white supremacy and finally choose a future in which we work shoulder to shoulder with our black and brown brothers and sisters to achieve the promise of a multi-racial, multi-religious America.
NOTE: This post was adapted from the afterword in the paperback edition ofbWhite Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity.bCopyright © 2021 by Robert P. Jones.
PERSEVERANCE IN SPITE OF COVID
By Sandra Bonner Hadley, 2nd Episcopal District
One of the most joyful songs for entering a church building is Psalm 122:1, “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.” The seed was planted three years ago when the Rev. Dededrick O. Rivers was assigned to Ward Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church, located in the northeast corridor of the nation’s capital. Shortly thereafter, the seed began to take root and grow. The blueprints for revamping the church as well as the funds were in place. There were setbacks, but we persevered. What we thought was the worst that could happen had not happened. The worst was the COVID epidemic crisis. With much prayer and grit, the Rev. Rivers along with a few could keep working. The COVID crisis turned out to be a blessing for the continuation of the renovation. The workers could move about freely and the donations increased. Today, we are grateful to report that the church app is available for download at IOS (Apple) and Google play (Android) app stores. We can watch services on our cell phones live on Sunday mornings as well as download and watch the service at our leisure. Services from June 21, 2021 are archived and an online Bible is available in the app. There are many more capabilities that are not being used in this initial launch. Our sanctuary is shining brightly with the installation of 40 new window panes, state of the art toilets, kitchen, multi-purpose room, and finance room. We are currently refurbishing the pews and new carpet will be installed. Our goal is to restore the temple to a place that is pleasing in God’s sight. Under the wise and fearless leadership of the Rev. Rivers we believe that Ward Memorial will continue to be a beacon of light in the northeast corridor of the nation’s capital. ❏ ❏ ❏ ECUMENICALNEWS
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ALLEN UNIVERSITY’S GOOD SAMARITAN-WAVERLY HOSPITAL’S CAPITAL CAMPAIGN RECENTLY RECEIVED A BOOST FROM COLONIAL LIFE WITH A $100,000 PLEDGE The gift is payable over a three-year period (2022-2024) and the funds will be used to: • Support a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) summer camp for high school students ($7,500 annually) • Support programming within The Boeing Institute on Civility – a national hub for advancing civil discourse in America ($12,500 annually) • Name a classroom within The Boeing Institute on Civility ($40,000) “Colonial Life’s support of Allen University through The Boeing Institute on Civility and the summer STEM camp for students is an investment in our future,” said Tim Arnold, president of Colonial Life. “This partnership aligns with our commitments to inclusion and diversity and providing students with equitable access to quality education.” For Allen University, corporate partners have been instrumental in the tremendous growth and success the university has experienced in recent years. The technology infrastructure has grown exponentially with the deployment of a virtual server (cloud), universal tools for students, and 5g capacity across the campus. Grants and pledges from companies like Colonial Life are important to this continued growth. “Colonial Life has been an extraordinary corporate citizen in South Carolina via its leadership and community-based programming, as well as its support of higher education. p We W are pleased to have the company as a contributor to the Waverly Hospital Restoration and Expansion Project, and a W partner in other ventures that serve the greater good,” says p Dr. D Ernest McNealey, president of Allen University.
About Allen University Allen
University
is
accredited
by
Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools Commission A on o Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, and master’s degrees. Contact the Southern Association m of o Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at a 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 300334097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the 4 accreditation of Allen University. For more information a about Allen University, visit: www.allenuniversity.edu. a
Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Unum Group, provides financial protection benefits to America’s workers and their p families when the unexpected happens. The company fa offers workplace benefits, including disability, life, o accident, dental, cancer, critical illness, and hospital a confinement indemnity insurance. Colonial Life’s c benefit services, education, and innovative enrollment b technology supports over 87,000 businesses and 4 te million workers. In 2020, Colonial Life paid more than m $700 million in benefits to policyholders. $
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ALLEN UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES HONOREES FOR ITS UNCF SCHOLARSHIP GALA (Columbia, SC) – Allen University will host its upcoming 15th Annual UNCF “A Mind Is…” Scholarship Gala & Richard Allen Awards on Friday, January 31, 2020 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. The reception begins at 6 p.m. with the formal program immediately following at 7 p.m.
design and implementation of the Apple Core Initiative nitiative (ACI), a scholarship program in the USC Collegee of Education for incoming freshmen into the teacher er education program.
The 2020 Richard Allen Award honorees are the Gamma Nu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Senator Darrell Jackson, Sr., Dr. Jennifer Clyburn Reed, Dr. Nancy Rhoads, and Senator John L. Scott, Jr. Named in memory of the founder and first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Richard Allen award recognizes individuals who have led the way in educating youth and who have made exceptional contributions to the society.
Dr. Nancy Rhoads is an assistant professor att Allen University, where she teaches law-relatedd subjects. She also established and currently serves es as the advisor for the Pre-Law Society, where she mentors students, encouraging and helping them m apply to law school.
The Gamma Nu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. was chartered February 7, 1942 in Columbia, SC and is a part of the South Atlanta Region. The chapter has contributed over a half million dollars for scholarships
Senator John L. Scott, Jr. was elected to the South Carolina State Senate in 2008 and represents South Carolina’s Senate District 19. Most recently, he was successful in working to pass a bill to repair and rebuild the state’s crumbling roads and bridges
L-R: Gamma Nu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Senator Darrell Jackson, Sr., Dr. Jennifer Clyburn Reed, Dr. Nancy Rhoads, Senator John L. Scott, Jr. from its signature events, FashionettaTM and the Pink Ice Gala. South Carolina Senator Darrell Jackson, Sr. was elected to the South Caroline Senate in 1992, becoming at the time the state’s youngest African American senator ever elected. Today, he continues to serve in the South Carolina Senate representing District 21, which is Richland County. Dr. Jennifer Clyburn Reed has education and teaching experience that spans 27 years in South Carolina public education. Most recently, she co-coordinated the
and to make them safer for all of South Carolina. This past year, he proposed legislation and worked to get the bill passed for a 4% cost of living increase for state employees. For more information on the gala, visit www.allenuniversity.edu/gala/. You may also contact Dr. Teesa Brunson, director of development/ associate vice president for institutional advancement, at (803) 376-5724 or tbrunson@allenuniversity.edu.
AME UNIVERSITY, CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL LIBERIA SIGN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING Monrovia, Liberia (January 14, 2022): The AME University (AMEU) and Conservation International (CI) Liberia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at promoting Liberia’s Young Conservation Leaders Program in internship, research, research analysis, and secondment activities. Under the MOU, CI will, among other things, support at least three (3) AMEU students to participate in field activities at CI field project sites, conduct three (3) training sessions for AMEU students, provide internship and job training opportunities for at least five (5) AMEU students annually, invite AMEU students to participate in CI national stakeholders’ workshops and training programs in Liberia and provide a working environment, including access to the internet and a desk at CI offices, for AMEU students to engage in online research. Meanwhile, AME University, as part of the agreement, will build an internship placement program in curricula as a pre-requisite to completing degree programs, build the Research and Development Program into current coursework on research methods with the intent of helping to strengthen student ability to conduct standard field research, identify and nominate suitable candidates and ensure that students participate in CI field programs, meetings and information sharing workshops as requested and identify, nominate, or confirm all participants in CI internship and job-training opportunities. ❏ ❏ ❏ CONNECTIONALNEWS
The president of AME University, the Rev. Dr. Alvin E. Attah, signed on behalf of the University while the country director of Conservation International Liberia, Peter Gayflor Mulbah, did same for his organization.
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EDITORIAL FOUNDER’S DAY MESSAGE TO THE CONNECTIONAL AME CHURCH By Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfield, Presiding Prelate of the 13th Episcopal District and President of the Council of Bishops
In 1984, at my first Founder’s Day as a pastor, a little girl asked her mother, “What was lost.” The reply was, “Nothing.” So the young girl asked again, “Then who?” “Who what,” her mother responded. “Who was lost,” asked the daughter. “No one,” said the mother. “Why are we celebrating Founder’s Day if no one was lost,” the little girl said in a much louder voice. “Hush, just celebrate,” the mother finally said. So, what do we do with this question? Why are we celebrating if nothing is lost? We are in our Founder’s Day season, the hallmark for the African Methodist Episcopal Church. For us, this is the best season of the year. We gather. We remember. We reflect. We treasure. We gather in the houses of love; we call churches to remember the dedicated servants who built the foundations on which we stand while reflecting on our history (AME and beyond). We celebrate the legacy of Richard, Flora, and Sarah Allen. We enact, recite, and sing our history as a people of triumph and tenacity. What a treasure we have in two centuries of AME memories, accomplishments, firsts, and historical overcoming at every turn—on every continent. Every general conference and annual conference reminds us from whence we came and how far we still must travel. The list is long: First black denomination, first black university started by blacks for blacks, oldest continuous ownership of property, expansion to Canada, Africa, and the West Indies, first African American congresspersons and representatives, first woman bishop. During this time of the year, we, as proud AMEs, renew our commitment to continue the legacy of Allen. We remember our trials, our sorrows, and our mistakes. We proclaim the work of the church and preach triumph over disappointment with remembrance of the
greatness and miracles we have witnessed. We are overcome with joy when we recite history, accomplishments, and victories. Our failures have never overtaken our faith. The spirit of Richard Allen leads and inspires us, and we celebrate this most wonderful time in African Methodism. This year many issues confront us, hurt us, challenge us, and raise the credibility of the church of Allen. This year for many, it is a Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfield Guest Editorial challenge to celebrate amid a deadly pandemic, plaguing racial pandemic, churches laboring under the weight of economic challenges, and clergy who are facing the possibility of financial devastation and death of loved ones. How have we come this far: The goodness of God. How did we make it through crisis: It was a miracle from God? What shall we sing in this strange place? God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. How do we remember that God has restored us before? We tell the story of how our God empowered us to build a church of former slaves and slaves; how we march in the victory of voters’ rights, started Wilberforce University with no money but a vision, and built great cathedrals the same way. We take a moment on this Founder’s Day to reflect even in uncertainty. We are the church of Allen, built on a foundation of hope, responsibility, and faith. We are the church of Allen, moving forward but never leaving our history behind. We are the church of Allen, scattered yet connected. Our Founder is not lost. We still celebrate. ❏❏❏
HUNGER STRIKE By Rev. Jazmine Brooks, News Editor
Since the January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol, at least 19 states have passed at least 34 laws relating to the right to vote. These laws set off a chain reaction of resistance from local organizations to national faith coalitions who all agree that voting rights attacks must be interrupted. Among the most notable is Joe Madison’s hunger strike, which began on November 8, 2021. He is 72 years old, has been on strike for now 67 days, and intends to continue striking “until Congress passes, and President Biden signs, the Freedom to Vote Act or the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act” (Joe Madison). There is a long history of hunger strikes as a tool of non-violent political action that can cost the lives of those participating. The purpose has been to bring attention to those protesting and appeal to the consciousness of those in power. These are the extremes to which those invested in democracy are willing to go; it is a death they are willing to choose. Similarly, on January 6, 2022, 25 black faith leaders began a 10-day hunger strike to demand the U.S. Senate to act on the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act on or before Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. While the host organization is Faith for Black Lives, led by the Rev. Stephen A. Green, many of the hunger strike participants are faith leaders who are simply committed to the cause. According to the Rev. Green, three-quarters of those participating are clergy and pastors in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME). Green attributes the overwhelming presence of AME clergy to the history of the AME Church being formed in the spirit of liberation and reconciliation. He names
this moment a “renaissance of resistance” directly tied to the events of January 6, 2020. “The insurrection continues,” he says. “These attacks on voting rights are a continued assault on the democracy…So, our call is from insurrection to resurrection. Let us resurrect democracy and the right to vote.” The Rev. Green was joined in the interview by the Revs. Rodrecus Johnson and Darien Jones, both AME pastors who shared their hopes toward the restoration of voting rights at the conclusion of the hunger strike. The Rev. Jones was clear that while he is skeptical of the Senate’s ability to do what is necessary for black people, he relies on God’s power to intervene as a divine encounter in the face of great political injustice. The Rev. Johnson agreed, adding that “should there be issues [with passing the bills], we will escalate.” The spiritual discipline of abstaining from food that undergirds this effort is a “theo-political act grounded in historical relevance.” As Green admits, the group recognizes that “we’re up against authoritarianism and fascism” and that we are leaning on the history of “immeasurable progress and non-violent resistance being an effective action” to resist what he identifies as “tyranny.” The historical grounding of the group spans from biblically inspired hope to the work of Civil Rights leaders whose work the Rev. Jones states is currently being undone. They are committed to the hope of realizing God’s kingdom come on earth and God’s will being done by the power of collective resistance. The call to action made by the Rev. Green states that “as faith leaders, we are called to speak truth to power and to raise the conscience of this nation through
morall resistance. This Th moment requires sacrifice f andd a deep commitment to radical love in action to redeem the soul of this nation and to protect our democracy.” Since the initial call, the list of clergy joining the strike continues to grow—the Revs. Traci Blackmon, Otis Moss III, Jamal Bryant, William Lamar have joined along with about 40 young people who gathered at the U.S. Capitol on January 13, day 7 of the hunger strike. The group will continue to escalate efforts if the demands for voting rights are not met on or before Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. ❏ ❏ ❏
