46 minute read
Reframing the Refiner’s Fire: Welcoming Purging and Purification from God
HOW TO BE A LIAR
By Rev. Dr. Melinda Contreras Byrd, Contributing Writer
Advertisement
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!
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.
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 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.
But if you want to be a liar, here’s how:
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.
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.”
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 song of his: “My Soul Has Been Anchored in the Lord.”
Saint John was the Rev. Burem’s first charge, and for some members – he was the only pastor they had ever had. Throughout the service, the Rev. Burems was remembered as a beloved pastor and devoted family man. It was also noted that he had served as an armor bearer to three bishops in the First Episcopal District: the late Bishop Zedekiah LaZett Grady (111th) and now retired bishops Richard Franklin Norris (116th) who was in attendance, and Gregory G.M. Ingram (118th).
The officiant for the service was Presiding Elder Rev. Dr. Janet Jenkins Sturdivant. The First District’s newly appointed bishop, the Right Rev. Julius Harrison McAllister, Sr. (129th) delivered the eulogy, based on 2 Timothy 4. Bishop McAllister drew a parallel between the Apostle Paul’s life and testimony and that of the Rev. Burems as the Rev. Burems had also “fought the good fight and finished the race.” Presiding Elder Sturdivant said, “All of us are here because we loved the Rev. Burems. In some ways, he affected all of our lives.”
Both Bishops Norris and Jeffrey Nathaniel Leath (128th) offered words of comfort to the family, and a heartfelt resolution was read from retired Bishop Ingram and Episcopal Supervisor Rev. Dr. Jessica Kendall Ingram. Former Philadelphia Mayor W. Wilson Goode, Sr. was also present and spoke about how the Rev. Burem’s ministry had been a blessing to the entire Paschall community by providing food and clothing for persons in need. “Rev. Burems wasn’t just the pastor of St. John – he was the pastor of the Paschall community,” said Mayor Goode.
When Bishop Norris gave remarks, he marveled that the Rev. Burems had struggled [in the past couple of years] with several medical issues, and yet he had been “a mighty warrior.” “He never apologized for being saved,” said Bishop Norris, “But he always praised God for each day that God gave him. He was a stellar example to all of us who
Rev. Burems is pictured with members of St. John’s ministerial staff L-R: Reverends Donnie A. Marshall, Sr., Diana O. Case, and Cordelia Fortun. had gone through periods of illness,“ said Bishop Norris. Bishop Norris called the Rev. Burems a “friend and brother [who as he] never let a week go by without calling me and praying with me.” Bishop Leath also spoke very fondly of the Rev. Burems and reminded the congregation of his heavenly reward. “He is among that number who will cast their crowns before the feet of the Lord of Lords,” declared Bishop Leath. After the service, the Rev. Diana Case, who is a local elder at St. John, said that the Rev. Burems was a stellar leader. “He led us with compassion and conviction...from one degree of grace to another. He was always encouraging us to be our best,” she said. In the weeks following the Rev. Burems’ death, the Rev. Dr. Janet Sturdivant has provided pastoral leadership for the St. John Church family. She arranged for a series of grief counseling sessions for the membership. The sessions are being led by the Rev. Dr. Wanda Henry-Jenkins who is a professional grief counselor and has written several books on healing after a loss. Elder Sturdivant says she highly recommends grief counseling for any church that loses a pastor. “The people at St. John really loved the Rev. Burems,” said Elder Sturdivant. She commented that even in his dress, he always “looked” like a preacher. He was fully dressed and always ready for service. His presentation for God was always from a point of readiness, she said. “If you ask people to share their thoughts about the Rev. Burems, you will always hear the same testimony,” said Elder Sturdivant. “Everyone will remember him for his love of God, his love in being a pastor, and his love for his family. The Rev. Burems was truly a remarkable Christian man. He was greatly loved and will be missed by all,” she said. “Rest well, our friend!!!” ❏ ❏ ❏
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? ❏ ❏ ❏
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 weights, tearing down old muscles while building new muscles, can be painful at times. However, getting out of our comfort zones and enduring confusing, exhausting, and painful experiences can sometimes help us achieve worthy or noble goals. In the litany of attributes associated with the value of Christian love, Paul lists the word “long-suffering” (1 Corinthians 13:4 YLT). As Christians, in order to reach some of our goals in life, we will have to suffer because redemptive 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 fire. According to Malachi, “[God] will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness” (Malachi 3:3). We know from experience that fire is hot; therefore, it is safe to assume that no one wants to be placed in a cleansing fire. However, the prophet suggests that the Refiner’s fire is for the betterment of the one enduring the fire. Malachi was essentially making the case that the people of his day would lead both holy and fulfilling lives if they allowed God to “burn out,” and remove the thoughts, words, objects, and deeds of their lives which distanced them from the God that ultimately loved them. The fire of which Malachi spoke was a spiritual fire that ultimately sought to refine the human personality so that they may be one according with God’s intention for their lives.
The Meriam-Webster Dictionary states that to refine is “to free (something, such as metal, sugar, or oil) from impurities or unwanted material.” To be sure, God’s incorporeal light of holiness is still able to refine us so that we may rid ourselves of people, places, things, thoughts, words, and deeds that seek to separate us from the love of God. We may encounter this much-needed Refiner’s fire through the resources of the Christian faith (e.g., the Bible, prayer, fasting, and worship). When we encounter this fire, let us embrace it, for the purging and purification 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.
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.
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.”
Epiphany in 2020 was also the day of the insurrection 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. The mob is not the problem, not really. The 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. ❏ ❏ ❏
— TRANSITIONS —
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-DECEMBER 24, 2021 OCTOBER 31, 1941
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. ❏ ❏ ❏
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 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 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
...From Rev. Dr. Reginald p1 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. ❏ ❏ ❏
CONGRATULATORY LISTINGS JANUARY 2022
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
NECROLOGY LISTINGS JANUARY 2022
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)
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. 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 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.
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 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 of Divinity with concentrations in Urban Ministry ti i U b Mi i t 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.
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. ❏ ❏ ❏
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! ❏ ❏ ❏
