Dedication of Anvil Arms and Anvil House

Good Times

Sandra Bonner Hadley

The Holy Bible reminds us in Psalm 30:5 that, “For his anger is but for a moment; his favour is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” In times like these, it can be easy to get stuck in the weeping and neglect to embrace the joy to come. In efforts to cling to the joy and moments of celebration, it was a breath of fresh air to celebrate the 145th anniversary and renovations of Ward Memorial African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church on the good morning of May 8, 2022. During the fifth month of the year, which symbolizes the grace of God at Ward Memorial AME Church, we embraced our season of “good morning“ and praised our good God for all the great things he has done. During the morning worship experience, through the prevalence of success stories, the guest preacher, the Reverend Lee P. Washington’s comparison to a TV sitcom from the ’70s, “Good Times,” to commentate the 145th anniversary and the completion of a one million dollar renovation was intentional and skillful.

As we embraced God’s grace, we celebrated God’s goodness by remembering the good times. Ward Memorial completed the building renovations at a time when many churches did not make it, but with the grace of God, Ward Memorial not only completed the project but did so while having a “good time.” Ward Memorial AME Church, under the leadership of a dynamic young pastor, the Reverend Dededrick O. Rivers, completed a one million dollar renovation during the “good times!” As a result, in what may have been a season of weeping for others, we were able to be a living testimony that joy will always prevail. The Rev. Lee P., as he is affectionately called by many, described our struggles by reciting the lyrics from the 1970s sitcom “Good Times”:

Anytime you meet a payment—Good Times, anytime you need a friend—

Good Times, any time you’re out from under—Good Times, not getting hassled, not getting hustled, keeping your head above water, making a wave when you can, temporary layoffs, scratching and surviving, hanging in a chow line, ain’t we lucky we got ‘em—Good Times, just looking out the window, watching the asphalt grow, thinking how it all looks hand-me-downs—Good Times, yeah Good Times! (Lyrics: Dave Grusin and Andrew Bergman) And with the many kumbaya moments, Ward Memorial survived! We are aware that without God, we never would have made it. We are grateful that we have made it to experience good times so that we may be good stewards of our testimony to share with others that the same God who did it for us can bless you exceedingly, abundantly above all you could imagine. Society may say that it appears we are at risk of a recession, but at Ward Memorial AME Church, we are embracing the season of joy. We truly praise God from whom all blessings flow and invite others to hold tight to the “good times.” ❏ ❏ ❏

Dedication of Anvil Arms and Anvil House

Dana Davis

With cheers and clapping hands in the background, Bishop Clement W. Fugh, presiding prelate of the 5th Episcopal District, Supervisor Alexia Butler Fugh, Presiding Elder Harold Mayberry of the Oakland-San Joaquin District, Presiding Elder Vernon Burroughs of the San Francisco-Sacramento District, the Rev. Robert Shaw II, senior pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church-San Francisco, and the Rev. Boaston Woodson, Jr., pastor of Resurrection AME Church-Richmond, California, cut the ribbon to dedicate Anvil House in Richmond, California.

“This is beautiful. God is great!” exclaims Lady Mary Mayberry as she toured the house, which has been five years in the making. Anvil House, in partnership with Bethel AME Church-San Francisco and Resurrection AME Church-Richmond, is a transitional home serving men reentering society from the penal system. Brother Bobby Sisk, Business Development manager, Bethel AME Church, San Francisco, manages this collaborative ministry. Echoing the sentiments of Lady Mayberry, the Rev. Ann Champion Shaw, executive pastor of Bethel San Francisco, proclaimed it to be a “Beautiful day, family. We’re on a mission [here at] Anvil House. To God be the glory, great things God has done!” The day began at Bethel San Francisco under sunny, blue skies. Bishop and Supervisor Fugh, along with AME dignitaries, Bethel members, and friends, traveled to Anvil Arms–a recently purchased 12-unit, market-rate apartment building located a little more than a mile from the church. “[Acquiring the apartment building] was our way of stepping out on faith,” says Pastor Shaw while addressing guests in front of the building. “We’re still for affordable housing, but this just diversifies our portfolio. And with the proceeds, we fund other ministries for Bethel AME Church.”

Prior to the pandemic, church attendance was declining nationwide. According to an Institute for Family Studies analysis using the American Family Survey, in 2019, 45% of black Americans attended religious service regularly, and by 2021, the number dropped to 30%. Low attendance had a financial impact. “In the current climate, investing like this is a way for churches to keep their doors open,” says Nikki Steady-Taylor, Bethel San Francisco’s Church ...continued on p33

What About Fracking?

Dr. Betty Holley, Contributing Writer

As members of the priesthood of all believers, we should be caretakers of what God has given us—Mother Earth. Being a caretaker means that everyone is responsible for keeping a watchful eye over themselves, personally, in how we interact with every living thing on earth. Earth is our only home! Therefore, we should view our responsibility to earth as a lifestyle choice. Our entire focus of living on earth should be centered around just taking only what is needed to survive so that others will have what they need. Someone once said, “Be good to the earth, and the earth will take care of you.” So, what about fracking? Fracking is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high quantity of water, sand, and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure—high enough to crack the rock—which allows the once-trapped oil and gas to flow to the surface out to the head of the drilling well. Fracking is detrimental to our survival here on earth. Yet, a Cornucopian believer would welcome fracking. Why? Fracking is advancing technologically, and the belief that the earth will rebound–take care of itself. It does not matter about the risk factors of fracking affecting people’s health, wildlife habitat’s eradication, land erosion, and, more importantly, climate change. Who cares if fracking will cause accidents, leaks, fires, and spills every year? Who cares if there is a disruption of communities across the country? Who cares if people are killed at various fracking work sites? Who cares if toxic and radioactive waste is being produced in massive quantities? Who cares if derailing explosive, milelong oil trains near cities along great rivers occur? These are the thoughts of a Cornucopian believer. A Malthusian believer would view fracking as the culprit of climate change due to the activities of fracking to acquire more resources, and the increasing population would be viewed as a threat to our human health. A Malthusian believer would have predicted the disruption of wildlife migration routes and habitats from noise pollution due to fracking. They would have predicted people of color would withstand the worst of additional fossil fuel pollution coming from public lands. They would have predicted 19 million acres of untouched wilderness in Alaska’s Arctic Refuge for oil and gas drilling. They would have predicted that the impacts of fracking are often irreversible. Malthusian believers would have predicted in six western states in the U.S., 74,000 people are threatened by pollution emitted from wells, tanks, and pipelines due to activities of fracking. They would have predicted that there are 96,000 active oil and gas wells on public lands, which give off pollutions that contribute to climate change and which are linked to asthma attacks in children, especially. Here are nine reasons to ban fracking globally. ❖ Fracking accelerates climate change. ❖ Fracking pollutes drinking water. ❖ Fracking produces toxic — even radioactive — wastewater. ❖ Fracking makes people sick and causes a host of public health problems. ❖ Fracking is exempt from federal environmental laws allowing corporations such as Exxon Mobil or Chevron to conceal the contents of chemical cocktails.

❖ Fracking and the disposal of fracking wastewater cause earthquakes. ❖ Fracking is driving a huge petrochemical and plastics boom. ❖ Fracking is expanding pipeline infrastructure across the country. ❖ Fracking imposes heavy social costs and quality of life burdens. The only way toward a clean, renewable energy future is to ban fracking and stop all new fossil fuel development. We need to ban fracking everywhere, but the first step is saving our public lands from the free-for-all fracking permits the former president ushered through. ❏ ❏ ❏

The Truth Is the Light

Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., Columnist

Based on biblical text Acts 5:29: But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.” Laws established by elected politicians and appointed judges were patterned after the morality established and demonstrated by God in the Bible. The truth is that, until now, not many would even think to challenge such laws. It is so very obvious that we live in a different era now. In this time of technological genius, we appear to be so intent on maximizing our freedoms that we now have the audacity to challenge even God. God led us to draft a constitution affirming that he is no respecter of persons. So likewise, we seem to have become no respecter of God. We find biblical morality is challenged on every front as the divide between church and state grows wider and wider. No prayer in school, no Ten Commandments posted in the courthouse. We are in an age of confrontation with the political “right” and “left.” So the question is, what is a Christian to do?

The answer is very clear for those of us who are “the called according to God’s purpose.” We, who profess to be “children of the Most High God,” are mandated to preserve the Word of God at any cost. It would certainly appear that the battle lines have been drawn. How far will we go to defend our cause for Christ?

In our text, we find that Peter and John have taken a stand for the Lord. They have preached the unadulterated Word of God in city after city, despite warnings of imprisonment and even death. Now they find themselves standing before the Jewish high court. All the high priest needed to say was, “We gave you strict orders.” Peter and John boasted boldly, “We must obey God rather than men.”

As Christians, we need to realize that we can sometimes do the right thing and end up guilty before the law and innocent before God. We must understand that it is never a light thing to break our nation’s laws. However, there are times when, as the Apostles did in Jerusalem, “we must obey God rather than man.” It is the way that we show that God is truly in charge. It is also the only way that we will preserve the Word of God for our future generations. Jesus warned that the Word of God would not, could not, and must not be altered. influence of the Word of God in our daily lives?” Peter and John’s ministry did not fail the Lord; will ours? Will we have the courage to face off against the political enemies of God? Christ is seated at the throne of God, waiting for the church to take a stand. Now is not the time for lukewarm Christianity! Clearly, it is high time for us to reach our boiling point and take a stand for the Lord. The truth of the matter is that it is time to get back to doing things God’s way. Recently we heard of the senseless shooter in a Buffalo supermarket, killing ten shoppers. We find ourselves grief-stricken as yet another lunatic has, for whatever reason, entered an elementary school killing 19 children and two teachers. Once again, the church of Jesus Christ should have been overwhelmed with sadness. Again, too soon, we find folk forced to their knees by overwhelming circumstances, yet we still find that too many did not know how to pray or to whom. Has the church of Jesus Christ lost its influence and impact on America?

Dream, Dreamers, Dream

Rev. Renita Green, Columnist

The art teacher extended the invitation for dreamers to enter a safe space without limits or boundaries for the imagination. Dreamers were encouraged to explore every thought and idea through multiple mediums. That room was the space for imagination to become reality. Those powerful words are found in Genesis 37:19 and are part of a story filled with excitement, resentment, fear, disappointment, and joy. Sometimes the words of Luke 2:19 accompany this text, “And Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” Many sermons have inspired and empowered us through the story of Joseph, his brothers, and the Pharaoh. Through these messages, we have learned to be wise and humble when we share our dreams and with whom they are shared—that the enemy lies in wait to destroy the dreamer before the dreams have the chance to live.

I was about ten or eleven when I remember hearing a Sunday school lesson from Habakkuk 2:2-3, “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it. There is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come and not delay.” I used to keep a dream journal that contained all of my wild imaginations. A series of life interruptions caused me to stop writing in this journal, but I held onto it for many years. Finally, during a traumatic time in my life, I pulled it out when I was alone; reading it with tears brought me hope. I remember the day I tossed it into the trash—the dreams that once brought hope then seemed to taunt me.

At some point, I stopped dreaming—I stopped imagining what life could be or who I could become. I have learned that this is typical for those who are just surviving their day-to-day life. As surviving became easier, dreaming returned. My dreams were always for others—how to improve life, ease burdens, and shine a light on and in darkness. While this is noble and worthy of merit, these dreams sprung out of trauma and were a trauma response. The dream became a place to hide—a facade of healing. Sometimes it is hard to know if we are healing or hiding from our trauma. “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Even when we are hiding, this promise is true—all things—all of our dreams for others that are imagined in our hiding places—work together for good. It is the working together that sometimes tricks us—we believe ourselves to be in the perfect will of God because all the things are working together. The hiding place is an essential, safe place for us to heal. However, we do not always do the work of healing once we find rest in hiding. Hiding causes us to feel lost, directionless, and discombobulated. Sometimes we heal and stay in hiding because this is where we feel most safe and comfortable. The problem is that we outgrow the hiding place, and the longer we stay, the harder it is to leave—we get stuck. And then, some are ready to emerge from the hiding place but unsure what to do. We learned to survive. Now it is time to thrive intentionally. Several months ago, I found myself in the place of needing to learn how to thrive intentionally. So I researched and found myself a life coach. One of the first sets of questions I could not answer was about where my life would be in three, five, or ten years from now. My homework was to dream without time, age, space, location, resources, and knowledge limits. Sitting with my homework, I imagined myself in that art room where it was safe to dream and imagine. Through this process, including conversations with my coach, I was able to unlock a dream I had long held in my heart. My coach, like the art teacher, invited me into a magical place where my dreams were safe— where I was safe to dream.

I was then given the homework of answering the question, “What is needed to make this dream live?” I realized I knew the steps to take and the questions to answer—I already knew the process; I just needed a little coaching to help me realize and articulate my knowledge. This exercise pulled me out of hiding: Behold, the dreamer cometh. The dreamer has been awakened, and suddenly the impossible does not exist, and the invisible can be seen. The dreamer has been awakened, and suddenly, the dreamer can imagine a thriving life without fear or limits. I treasure the words spoken over my dreams and pondering them in my heart. I write them with confidence and reread them to stay encouraged. I am researching how to make my dreams a reality—I do not know the answers, but I know the process. The dreamer is awake and equipped, and I feel alive!

Dream, dreamers, dream. It is great on this side of life! ❏ ❏ ❏

“My Body Is Not a Prayer Request” Imagines of a Disability-Centered Church

Kathryn Post, Religion News Service

“God told me to pray for you!” is about the last thing Amy Kenny wants to hear when she cruises into church riding Diana, the mobility scooter she has named after Wonder Woman.

It is not that she has anything against prayer; however, Kenny, a Shakespearean scholar and lecturer at the University of California, Riverside who is disabled, would simply like other Christians to quit treating her body as defective. “To suggest that I am anything less than sanctified and redeemed is to suppress the image of God in my disabled body and to limit how God is already at work through my life,” Kenny writes in her new book, My Body Is Not a Prayer Request. The book, which debuts this month, invites readers to consider how ableism is baked into their everyday assumptions and imagines a world — and a church — where the needs of disabled people are not ignored or tolerated, but are given their rightful place at the center of conversations. Kenny combines humor and personal anecdotes with biblical reflections to show how disabilities, far from being a failure of nature or the divine, point to God’s vastness. She reframes often overlooked stories about disability in scripture, from Jacob’s limp to Jesus’ post-crucifixion scars. Abolishing ableism, she concludes, benefits disabled and nondisabled people alike. Religion News Service (RNS) spoke to Kenny about making the church what she calls a “crip space,” her belief in a disabled God, and why she prefers Good Friday over Easter. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. RNS: At what point did you begin seeing your disability as a blessing? Kenny: I was told often by doctors that my spine and my leg and my body were crooked. I began seeing how crooked and jagged creation is, the way elm trees have snaking branches and maple leaves are ragged and kangaroos don’t walk but hop. I didn’t have any trouble thinking about those elements as beautiful and divine. Yet when applied to humans, disability was thought of as dangerous and sinful. That just didn’t make sense to me. So based on the idea that creation is delightfully crooked, I started to think about how my body, too, is made in the image of the divine and its crookedness isn’t anything to be ashamed of. RNS: Can you explain the difference between curing and healing? Kenny: I think of curing as a physical process, usually a pretty rapid one — in Western society, going to the doctor and wanting a fix for whatever illness you are experiencing. Healing is much richer than that. It’s deeper. Healing is messy and complex. It takes time. It’s about restoring someone to communal wellness.

RNS: What is “crip space” and what does it look like in the context of a church?

Kenny: Crip space is a disability community term that is reclaiming what has been used as a derogatory slur against us, cripple, as a way of gaining disability pride. It’s saying that we are not ashamed to be disabled, that our body-minds are not embarrassments. Crip space puts those who are most marginalized, so folks who are queer, black, disabled--at the center and follows their lead.

Monrovia College Celebrates Centennial; New Building to Open in 2023

S. Odell Swen, Monrovia College

Monrovia College and Industrial Training School, Inc. was established in 1922 by the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Bishop Samson Brooks, the presiding prelate at the time, was instrumental in its birth. Its purpose was and still is to offer post-secondary education solely intended to prepare students for immediate employment. In 1995, to address the need for postsecondary education, the AME Church in Liberia opted for the establishment of its university. As a result, the church felt that AME University could use the Monrovia College building because there was room for expansion, thereby relocating Monrovia College to a relatively small former apartment building owned by the church on Clay Street.

The idea of a new home for Monrovia College dates back to 2011, when Bishop David Daniels was the presiding prelate of the 14th Episcopal District. However, when Bishop Earl McCloud, Jr. was assigned in 2016, the decision for the relocation of Monrovia College kicked up a storm, and Bishop Paul J.M. Kawimbe, the new presiding bishop of the 14th Episcopal District, embraced the project and has taken a keen interest in ensuring that this dream becomes a reality. Monrovia College’s new facility will be a fourfloored building, and the total cost of this project is USD 1,020,249. The project will proceed in phases with an estimated completion date of December 2023.

In the face of huge economic challenges in Liberia, Monrovia College is now on a venture with a grander vision that will create a learning environment that promotes post-secondary-educational development with a focus on enabling a favorable environment for holistic student development and specialized vocational programs for navigating life and making meaningful contributions to society. Monrovia College celebrates 100 years since its establishment in 1922. The Committee is creating a comprehensive plan for the college’s anniversary. Using the theme, “Standing on Our Legacy; Embracing the Future,” the Committee put together a series of events to commemorate the same. Events covering this once-in-a-lifetime occasion include a beauty pageant, alumni homecoming and sports tournament, street parade, groundbreaking ceremony, and benefit gala and awards night. Climaxing these festivities was the centennial salute to past presidents of Monrovia College held at the Monrovia City Hall. Those honored were Dr. Louse C. York, Mrs. Pearl Banks Williams, Mr. Jackson Paye Gbamie, and Presiding Elder James O. Jallah. Gracing this auspicious occasion was the Right Reverend Dr. Paul J. M. Kawimbe, the presiding prelate of the 14th Episcopal District, and Episcopal supervisor Dr. Lister M. Kawimbe.

During the event climaxing the centennial celebration of Monrovia College and Industrial Training School, Bishop Kawimbe expressed thanks and appreciation to the guests present. He assured those present of his office’s commitment to ensuring that the dream of constructing a new home for Monrovia College becomes a reality. Moreover, he affirmed the church’s commitment to the educational process for the betterment of the people of Liberia. He further asserted that his office would endeavor to ensure that the new building for Monrovia College would be constructed. He then thanked the alumni and all well-wishers of Monrovia College. He finally stated that we should look forward to the fulfillment and fruition of a dream.

Groundbreaking. Miss Monrovia College Beauty Pageant.

New building. Past presidents honored.

Current building. Monrovia College parade. ❏ ❏ ❏

nuanced and human than that. It’s noticing that there’s no ramp to the building you’re in, or no sensory spaces for people to take a break. It’s noticing that the language of the songs or the sermon is ableist and changing those words. It’s recognizing when the community is missing disabled folks. I’ve often had that as an excuse: “We don’t have any other disabled people but you.” Well, I wonder if that’s related to your lack of accessibility. RNS: Could you share why you use the term bodyminds? Kenny: It’s a disability community term that is attempting to undo some of that mind/body dualism. And it’s asking for us to think about how our bodies and our minds work in concert with one another. It’s also a way of being inclusive, making sure that when we talk about disability, we’re not just talking about mobility issues. We’re not just talking about visible disabilities. We’re also talking about hidden disabilities. RNS: Some churches claim they just can’t afford to make their buildings accessible. What’s your response to that? Kenny: This one cuts deep because often the people making that excuse do so in spaces that have prioritized spending money on other things. There will be doughnuts, coffee carts, different types of sound equipment and lights. I’m not against those things, but they suggest you’re prioritizing the aesthetic over including image bearers in your service. It also is suggesting that church services don’t evolve. RNS: How does scripture talk about disabilities? Kenny: In one of my favorite passages, Jacob wrestles with God or an angel, and comes away with a healing limp and a blessing. The limp is often read as a reprimand for questioning God, but Jacob talks about it as God being gracious. It’s one of the transformative moments that allows Jacob to witness his brother Esau as an image bearer and to begin creating a sense of interdependency, rather than hustling to prove his self-worth through lies and schemes and the accumulation of goods. There are so many myths of ableism wrapped up in that. We still see today people hustling to prove they are worthy of love and care. Instead, that passage demonstrates that through disability, Jacob is able to create a sense of co-flourishing with his brother and with the community. RNS: The New Testament shows Jesus curing people with disabilities. How should Christians read these passages traditionally interpreted to mean disability is something to be fixed? Kenny: The ninth chapter of the Gospel of John is helpful here. It’s the story of when disciples are asking Jesus if the man who is born blind has sinned or if his parents sinned. And Jesus says neither — this is so God’s works can be revealed. People usually make this passage about the miraculous moment, but that’s not exactly what Jesus says. The story itself is about this larger healing that’s being offered that should restore people into a sense of communal wellness. I wonder how our faith communities would look if we were able to understand disability as a way of revealing the living God. RNS: You warn that, taken too far, celebrating disability can become a kind of prosperity gospel. How so? Kenny: This connects to inspiration porn — the idea, which comes from (disabled comedians and actors) Stella Young and Maysoon Zayid, that disabled people are nondisabled people’s inspiration. It’s porn because it’s consumptive, and it turns disabled people into an object. When we turn disabled people into inspirations, we’re

...From “My Body… p22 reducing that person into a feel-good commercial and often assuming we don’t have to meet their access needs. Both the prosperity gospel and inspiration porn fail to make space for the complexity of what it means to be embodied. The prosperity gospel promises that we all get a perfect life that is successful. Inspiration porn doesn’t allow for disabled people having tough days, or being frustrated at the ableism that we’re facing. RNS: You say you prefer Good Friday over Easter. Why is the day meaningful to you? Kenny: I relate to Jesus of Good Friday. Jesus on the cross is disabled in both a physical and a social sense. A lot of times we focus too much on Resurrection Sunday or Easter, wanting to spiritually bypass the painful and hard parts of a faithful life and quickly move into the triumphalism of resurrection. I also really relate to the abandonment on Good Friday. I’ve definitely felt abandoned by churches I’ve been a part of and my friends that I’ve had within those churches who, from my perspective, didn’t care enough about disability to be willing to grow and learn together. RNS: How does viewing God as disabled impact our understanding of who God is and our understanding of the world? Kenny: It reminds me that the ableism I have experienced doesn’t need to continue. It brings a sense of empowerment to think about God as described in (the biblical books of) Daniel and Ezekiel, as sitting on a throne with wheels. That sounds a lot like my wheelchair — it’s a shimmery, fiery, turquoise wheelchair like the one that I get around in. On days when people attempt to pray me away or attempt to cure my disabled body, it reminds me that my disabled body is made in the image of the divine. ❏ ❏ ❏

Softball Declared BCSN NAIA Division HBCU National Champions

Atlanta, Georgia-There are now two national championship teams that call 1658 Kings Road in Jacksonville, Florida home. On Wednesday evening, the Edward Waters softball program joined their baseball brethren as they were declared by the Black College Sports Network as the 2022 NAIA Division HBCU National Champions, earning them their first softball national championship in program history.

The Lady Tigers received 153 points in the BCSN NAIA Division computer poll, finishing ahead of Huston-Tillotson (20-23, 145 points), Xavier (20-30, 140 points), Talladega (12-29, 124 points), and Jarvis Christian College (19-26, 123 points).

The purple and orange finished their 2022 campaign with a 32-11 overall record and received a bid to the Continental Athletic Conference Tournament back in early May.

Edward Waters also served notice to their future foes in the SIAC, as the Lady Tigers finished 13-3 against SIAC opponents in 2022. Against other fellow HBCU opponents, the Lady Tigers went a combined 21-3 during the season as well. ❏ ❏ ❏

The Gift of Righteous Hearts and the Evil of Mass Shootings

By Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 In 1998, an African American composer and singer, Teri Callier, wrote the song “Keep Your Heart Right,” which included these words: In a weary world that needs redemption Maybe we can learn to love again … Keep your heart right On May 14, 2022, another ten souls of African descent experienced violent death at the hands of another white racist gunman in Buffalo, New York. Three were seriously wounded. This time the incident happened while the victims were buying food in a supermarket in an area New York Governor Kathy Hochul called a “food desert.” Not long after this tragic event, I was present at another occasion memorializing the violent deaths of African lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). I was at the United States debut of the award-winning film Empire of Silence with the filmmaker Thierry Michel, the District of Columbia area Congolese community, and the Congolese Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege. The film graphically showed the unspeakable violent deaths of thousands of souls in DRC, going back decades. The perpetrators of these evil and violent crimes are innumerable in the United States and globally. In many cases, there is an obsession with power, money, and greed. Racism and ethnic biases also play a role. Such motivations and actions expose misplaced values and hearts that lack love for self, humanity, and creation. Despite these evils, the unyielding hope, love, and resilience demonstrated in the lives of those who have died from these tragedies, the survivors, and other witnesses left behind is remarkable. The film shows this in dramatic displays of women and men calling for justice in the streets of DRC, the U.S. Congress, and the United Nations. This campaign includes leadership from Dr. Mukwege and the filmmaker. In the case of the Buffalo massacre, just like in the massacre of the nine in Charleston, South Carolina, the testimonies of the lives of the victims give witness to the faith, love, and generosity they shared in their families, churches, and community. Indeed, their testimonies speak to the power of their righteous hearts and the bearing of their good fruit. Galatians 5:22-23 states that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control ….” We are summoned to have righteous hearts that bear good fruit. We bear good fruit when we advocate to end food deserts, starvation, famine, climate change, and conflict. We bear good fruit when we speak to the historical inequities that make fragile communities more vulnerable to conflict and death. So, as we observe the International Day of the African Child on June 16, remembrance of the Charleston massacre that occurred on June 17, 2015, and Juneteenth on June 19, let us find ways to strengthen our hearts for acts of righteousness that bear good fruit and counter evil.

Angelique Walker-Smith is a senior associate for Pan African and Orthodox Church engagement at Bread for the World.

Increase Financial Oversight with an Internal Audit Committee

Cynthia Gordon-Floyd, C.P.A., C.F.E., Contributing Writer

Many churches would like an external audit but cannot afford to do so. My recommendation is instead to form an internal audit committee at the church. An internal audit committee can consist of as few as two persons, so members can implement the audit at churches of any size. While this function is not a part of our Book of Doctrine and Discipline, it can be a valuable tool for our ministries. A properly formed internal audit committee can provide the oversight needed to address adherence to policy and procedures while providing independent oversight of the financial functions. This committee not only ensures consistent application of governance and procedures but can, in many instances, become a necessary deterrent to fraudulent activity. General guidelines: (1) The committee can consist of as few as two persons, but the ideal composition is at least three. They should not be involved with the financial management of the church; therefore, they should not be stewards, financial secretaries, treasurers, or members of the Commission on Stewardship and Finance. They should be active members of good repute who have been with the ministry for at least five years. (2) The committee must be an independent function without a political agenda or allegiances. They should report to the pastor and the Official

Board jointly. The pastor and the Official Board should select the committee from members of the Official Board. (3) The committee should meet no more frequently than semi-annually to review a random sampling of transactions for those six months. The committee will document:

a. Consistent payment of compensation to all salaried persons according to their employment agreements.b. Vouchers, invoices, and all checks to independent contractors to ensure they were properly authorized and payments made were consistent with the documentation and service received.

c. Vouchers and invoices paid for other products and services used by the ministry to ensure proper authorization and timely payments and consistent with the documentation.

(4) With proper preparation, the committee could accomplish this process in one day. The committee should document and present any discrepancies to the pastor and Official Board. Assuming that the discrepancies are not major, the internal audit team would review documentation during their next six-month review to ensure they have been addressed. If the discrepancy is major, the committee should follow the same reporting procedure, but the pastor and the Official Board must take immediate corrective action.

Cynthia Gordon-Floyd is a certified public accountant and a certified fraud examiner. She is the founder of Willing Steward Ministries, LLC. Willing Steward Ministries (www.willingsteward.com) is a financial consulting and accounting firm for churches and other faith-based nonprofits, specializing in Bible-focused financial practices, pastoral compensation issues, IRS compliance, and other financial needs specific to churches. Cynthia is a graduate of Lake Forest College and holds her MBA in Accounting from DePaul University. She is a steward and the financial secretary at the First AME Church of Manassas in Manassas, Virginia.

Give the People Christ

Rev. Jazmine Brooks, News Editor

In March of 2022, World Methodist Evangelism resumed its annual “Order of the FLAME (Faithful Leaders As Mission Evangelists)” gathering in St. Simon’s Island, Georgia. Many leaders come from the United Methodist Church, and the students come personally recommended from denominations within the Wesleyan tradition. The 4-day Wesleyan conference curates a culture of evangelistic discipleship. Each person gathered under the umbrella of this one aim, according to Kim Reisman, executive director of World Methodist Evangelism, “to be instilled with the DNA of the Holy Spirit, empowered to do ministry, and connect evangelism into their church and community.” Each morning at 7:15 a.m., the day began in communion service, and one service, in particular, seemed to summarize the focus of the shared space most succinctly. “Give the people Christ,” proclaimed the Rev. Leon C. Moore, general secretary of Evangelism and Missions in the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church. His message was complete with instructions regarding our passions for being led by Spirit, being accountable to spiritual and missional growth, and boldly proclaiming the good news of Jesus as recorded in the gospel of Mark, the 9th chapter. His message made clear that students of the conference leave the space prepared to make disciples of those they encounter along their Christian journey. But what does that look like in a world that is increasingly nonreligious and in need of an Exodus? Considering its colonial history and present practices, it is no surprise that many people are skeptical of evangelism and the motives of missionary evangelists. If we believe that Jesus already died to give all people access to life and life more abundantly, particularly as an alternative to empirical rule and the religious elite, then there must be no need for those who desire access to that life to come under the subjugation of current Christian doctrines and disciplines. This demand, however subtle, is often the prerequisite for membership into the faith and mirrors the colonial nature of white evangelicalism. One attendee, in her mid-20s, shared her personal experience with evangelism in her native country. She said that the people were given Bibles and invited to services/studies but were not allowed to speak in their native language or engage in their rituals and practices. What she described was more akin to the violence of assimilation, cultural erasure, and a western desire to dominate than to the life of Jesus as recorded in the gospels. This reality is uncommon within our evangelistic aims and requires us to interrogate our faith in a call to convert. And that is precisely what happened during the 2022 gathering of the Order of the FLAME. Attendees were encouraged to dialogue and build community with one another during meals and free time. So, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I daily sat with different groups of people and inquired about their experiences. “What did you gain from the collective sharing?” “How does evangelism fit into your understanding of interfaith relationships?” “What does it mean to Christianize the world?” For some, conversion to Christianity is the result of relationship-building using the processes shared in plenary sessions. For others, conversion is the sole work of the Holy Spirit after the disciplined work of those same processes. And still, for others, our work is not contingent upon conversion but the will to live the life of Jesus in pursuit of a more just world. I also reflected on the Communion Message, “Whatever It Takes” (Mark 2:4-5) from Dr. Marcellus Norris, executive director of Church Growth and Development of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Are we willing to move past the “safe” forms of evangelism and questions we ask to necessary inquiries that place us in uncomfortable places? If we believe in the necessity of evangelism at all, how do we evangelize in ethical ways, leave space for religious pluralism and indigenous spirituality, and allow space for individuals to maintain the fulness of their being within the community? We cannot deny the historical links between evangelism, colonialism, and white supremacy that have tainted the Gospel. Even benignly, the doctrine we become subject to is white supremacy unless we choose instead to “give the people Christ” ever conscious of eurocentric biases and lenses. The Rev. Moore’s words set the stage for what I would consider a key takeaway from the plenary sessions, personal reflections, and lessons on how to live out an evangelistic faith that followed his morning manna. God does not call us to simply convert, but to live out our faith in service to humanity, just as Jesus did. To give the people Christ is to give a revolutionary love without reservation, prerequisites, or conditions. To give the people Christ is to push back against the death-dealing systems of oppression and suffering, be they political, economic, social, or religious. To give the people Christ is to offer life and life more abundantly in ways that are tangible in the present as opposed to far-off heaven in the next life. To give the people Christ, in all of his humanity, as is documented in the gospels, is our call to evangelism and our obligation to one another. ❏ ❏ ❏

...From The Investiture p1 M. Elmore Gymnasium on the beautiful campus of Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University. The sun was shining outside, and the atmosphere inside was ecstatic with anticipation. As invited academic guests and religious leaders arrived, dressed in their academic regalia, and assembled for the procession, the audience waited patiently but expectantly. The time finally arrived. The procession entered to Mendelssohn’s “War March of the Priests (from Athalie).” The ROTC Color Guard posted the colors, and the body sang the National Anthem. The Right Reverend E. Anne Henning Byfield, presiding bishop of the 13th Episcopal District and president of the Council of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, gave the invocation. The Honorable A. Laura Hall, State Representative District 19 and honorary chairperson, welcomed the audience. Additional program participants brought greetings, including local and state government officials, local and state university presidents, and religious leaders from the faith-based community. Following the greetings, the investiture ceremony, and those sharing in this auspicious occasion came forward to present President Wims with a picture of Dr. William Dr. Daniel K. Wims with the adornments and elements signifying his position in the leadership hierarchy. Hooper Councill, founder of Alabama A&M Accordingly, Dr. Daniel K. Wims made the following presentations: University and St. John AME Church. ❖ The President’s Ceremonial Regalia is the attire designed featuring the school’s colors: maroon and white. The gown is solid maroon tropical wool with a maroon velvet front panel adorning the neck and sweeping down the length of the gown. The front panels of the gown are framed on the outer edge with a row of white metallic cording. Each front panel has the Alabama A & M Seal embroidered at chest level in white metallic. The double bell sleeves have an inner cuff and four velvet sleeve chevrons outlined in a white metallic cord edge braid. Four chevrons on the sleeve are unique only to presidents.

The shoulders on the gown are highlighted with white metallic cording. ❖ The University Seal was adopted in 1920. It features an anvil, plow, crown, and a book; it also has the motto, “Service is Sovereignty.” ...continued on p27

Have You Eaten?: Christian Response to the Hunger and Poverty

Quardricos Bernard Driskell, Columnist

“Have you eaten?” This is the question Bread for the World’s president, the Rev. Eugene Cho’s parents would ask him constantly. As the Rev. Cho explained, it was their form of saying, “I love you,” because of the extreme hunger his parents experienced living in Korea. Bread for the World is a hunger-justice liberal Christian-based advocacy organization dedicated to ending hunger and poverty by uniting Christian voices urging our nation’s policymakers to end hunger in the U.S. and abroard. Politically and legislatively, Bread helped to introduce the Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act of 2021 (H.R. 4693/S.2956), which directs the U.S. government to create a comprehensive plan to end global malnutrition. And while this legislation is vital, the U.S. and the world continue to deal with COVID-19 even though the pandemic’s grip has eased by some measures – food insecurity and hunger, especially among black and brown individuals and families – both in the U.S. and abroad continue to be a concern. The unfortunate reality is that the world is facing a real-live “hunger game” (an ode to the book and film series, in which a dystopia country set in a North American country consisting of the wealthy Capitol and 13 districts in varying states of poverty, where every year, children from the first 12 districts are selected via lottery to participate in a compulsory televised battle royale death match called The Hunger Games) where the wealthy has an abundance. Still, the rest of the world is facing a worsening hunger crisis – exacerbated by rising food costs, famine, and climate change. Furthermore, poor nutrition is a leading contributing factor to the global disease burden and premature death. Equity is an interdisciplinary approach that drives Bread for the World’s work of ending hunger and poverty. Bread’s Pan African and Latino/a Consultations illustrated this. The Pan African Consultation keenly noted that racial equity in the agricultural sector, especially and specifically for black farmers, is critical to achieving any measure of success. As the Rev. Cho preached from John 6:1-15 in his first in-person address to advocacy attendees, what struck me in his sermon was Jesus’ concern about feeding the multitude and that Jesus did not feed the crowd directly; the Disciples did, as this was the work of the Disciples. This message is for us–this work is for us to do. It is easy to talk about what Jesus did, to place the focus on Jesus, to talk about what Jesus talked about, but it is more important to do what he did. It is not lost on me that this is Pentecost in the book of Acts. This is the start of the church; when different people gathered, all on one accord, and the Spirit fell upon them. As we continue to face the growing issues of hunger and poverty–with more than 13 million children who face food insecurity daily in the United States, the question becomes, what will be the church’s response? How will the Spirit empower you to address hunger and poverty? Jesus gave the food to the Disciples to feed the people. Additionally, the Rev. Cho mentioned that part of justice work is telling the truth, so let us tell the truth. The issue of hunger and famine worldwide is because of the long reach of white supremacy vis-a-vis colonialism and imperialism into these countries. When you follow the route of the transatlantic slave trade and where the slave ships arrived, you see the patterns of disparity in healthcare, thus it is no coincidence, nor should we be surprised that significant food deserts in this country are located along the transatlantic slave route in the southern region of the United States. When you follow the route of the transatlantic slave trade and where food deserts are located, you also find states that passed draconian voter access laws and attempts to limit women’s rights over their own body. Thus, no surprise these areas are the bedrock of white evangelical Christianity. More rooted in the politics than in the Imago Dei. More concerned about using their politics to influence faith rather than influencing their politics. As such, if you follow the trail of tears, you find the same food desert in indigenous communities and rampant alcoholism. One of the statements I read that touched me the most during the two-day Advocacy Summit for Bread was by a Christian activist and author who wrote: “One of the biggest mysteries of our faith is that, for some wild reason, God does not want to change the world without us. We need to be people of prayer, but we also need to be people who are ready to get up off our knees and become the answer to our prayers.” We must have a faith-based theological response to ensure that we feed the multitudes, for when we do this, we can sing, like that old Negro spiritual: Let us break bread together on our knees. Let us break bread together on our knees. When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord, have mercy on me. Quardricos Bernard Driskell is a federal lobbyist, pastor of the Historic Beulah Baptist Church, an adjunct professor of legislative politics at The George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management, and a member of Bread’s Pan African Young Adult Network (PAYAN). Follow him on Twitter @q_driskell4.

Service means the performance of labor for the benefit of another. Sovereignty means the quality or state of being chief, highest, foremost, or superior to others. ❖ The University Medallion is an impressive brass medal that lists the names of all presidents serving throughout Alabama A & M University’s rich 147year history. The president wears the medallion during commencement ceremonies and major convocations. ❖ The Ceremonial Academic Mace. Dr. Andrew

Hugine, Jr., the eleventh president of the university, commissioned the 2019 Mace to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the institution’s designation as a university. The mace encompasses significant events in the history of the university.

The names of the presidents of the university are inscribed on individual rings. After the presentation of the presidential regalia, the twelfth president of Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University was presented with rousing applause by the audience. President Wims then took the podium to make his first official inaugural address. The legacy of the connection between Alabama A & M University and St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, Huntsville, had come full circle. Dr. William Hooper Councill, an ordained minister of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) denomination, founded Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University in 1875. Ten years later, in 1885, he would organize St. John AME Church. One hundred and forty-seven years later, the twelfth president of historic Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University would be an ordained minister of the AME Church. To God be the glory! The Right Reverend Harry L. Seawright, presiding bishop of the Ninth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, conducted the “sending forth” prayer at the close of the ceremony. ❏ ❏ ❏

...From The Investiture p26 The Reverend Maurice Wright II, pastor of Historic St. John AME Church, Huntsville, Bishop Harry L. Seawright, Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfi eld. The Inves ture procession L-R; 1st Row: Dr. Andrew Hugine, Jr., past president of Alabama A&M Univ., and Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfi eld, president of the Council of Bishops of the AME Church. 2nd Row: Mr. Tommy Ba le, mayor of Huntsville, Alabama, Bishop Harry L. Seawright, presiding prelate of the Ninth Episcopal District of the AME Church.

Still Good News

Evangelist Dr. Val Eloby-Slade, Member of The Bishop Sarah Frances Davis Covenant Keepers and Intercessors Ad Hoc Executive Board (PART 1 OF 2)

The Department of Church Growth and Development never missed a beat as the transition of general officer and commission chairperson shifted from retiring general officer, the Reverend Dr. James C. Wade, to our newly elected general officer, the Reverend Dr. Marcellus Norris, and newly appointed Commission chairperson, Bishop Reginald T. Jackson. April 2022 began with many meetings and lots of planning by the director, the Reverend Dorisalene Hughes, the Ad Hoc Executive Board, and the members at large for the Bishop Sarah Frances Davis Covenant Keepers and Intercessors. The committee planned and executed two events with great emphasis on welcoming the Holy Spirit to be present. The first was the April 4, 2022, Monthly Monday Midnight Prayer. The second was the spirit-filled African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church’s Connectional Day of Prayer hosted by The Bishop Sarah Frances Davis Covenant Keepers and Intercessors on April 13, 2022. The midnight one-hour prayer began with the sounding of the shofar, followed by participants singing “Sweet Hour of Prayer.” Then, after salutations and welcoming the Ecumenical and Urban Affairs Office of the Endorsing Agent, Bishop Jeffrey N. Leath gave a resounding prayer covering all domestic and foreign spiritual leadership, the military, and governmental leaders. In addition, Bishop Leath included a prayer for global issues, including the cyclone in our 20th Episcopal District, storms in our 16th Episcopal District, and covering for the remaining captive Girls in Chibok, Nigeria, and human trafficking globally. Next, our Connectional Richard Allen Young Adult Council president (RAYAC), Martinique Mix, provided an electrifying prayer covering all young adults, teenagers, children, foster homes, orphanages, and new ministries for all family members. Then the Michigan Conference Lay Organization chaplain, Vicki Whinsett Jackson, provided a prayer covering for all senior citizens, the homeless, incarcerated, suicide and homicide victims’ families, and the abused children and adults worldwide.

The AME Church Connectional Day of Prayer evoked the Holy Spirit manifesting power that only the Holy Spirit can, as the Reverend Dr. JoAnn Sumbry petitioned for covering of healings, protection from the enemy and leviathan spirits. She also asked for a special blessing upon the Annual Connectional Day of Prayer for the AME Church, petitioning for miracles, signs, and wonders. While the Spirit was still high, our Chicago Conference Lay president, Bryan T. S. Gray, provided a prayer-covering over all men as he spoke Acts 2:17, calling for our men to take their rightful place according to God’s Word. President Gray prayed for the blood of Jesus to cover educators, parents, grandparents, and the family unit. The last prayer covering was rendered by a praise and worship instructor, Minister Edwina Franklin, who read John 14:12-13. Her prayer petition covered improved communications and greater evangelism, global Christian church growth, transforming, transcending, and liberating spirit-filled faith and discipleship—the Connectional Day of Prayer 2022 was Holy Spiritfilled and empowering for all. ❏ ❏ ❏

My Heart Aches

Dr. Herman O. Kelly, Jr., Columnist

My heart aches every summer due to accidental drownings in our community. This summer, we have had several drownings already. Many who drowned were people of color—my heart aches. I want to strongly suggest we develop a swimming ministry in every congregation through the Board of Christian Education in the local church by identifying those to enroll in teaching and water safety training. First, we must teach and preach the importance of learning to swim and water safety for our youth and young adults. We must break the cycle of having a water phobia in the African American community. Due to segregation and racism, we were not allowed to swim in many facilities. We swam in lakes, bayous, and unsafe places; therefore, many of our people drowned–my heart aches. Secondly, we should identify a person to coordinate the swimming ministry and encourage them to be trained and certified as a Water Safety Instructor (WSI) to teach and provide leadership for the ministry. Lastly, I would encourage all pastors to learn to swim. The pastor can enroll in private lessons at the local university or YMCA. We must provide leadership to the congregation. My heart aches because I know we can do better, and God calls us to better. ❏ ❏ ❏

When God Tests Our Hearts: Giving Willingly with Honest Intent

Rev. Jason Richard Curry, Ph.D., Columnist

May 26, 2022 When I was a pre-teenager, I vividly remember hearing the following phrase during the offering: We should give “not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). The speaker read the scripture prior to the giving of our tithes and offerings to the church. The reading cultivated the connection between our posture in giving (e.g., giving cheerfully) and how the Lord will receive it (e.g., God loves a cheerful giver). If we as a Christian body posit the claim that God is indeed omnipotent (i.e., all-powerful), then it is also true that God does not need our giving. God desires and rewards but does not need. Therefore, our sincere and honest giving reflects our faith in and devotion to God more than it is a prerequisite for God to move, act, or intervene in our world. As a pre-teen, I did not have the faith to tithe (I had to fix that problem later as a minister), but I was happy to give an offering like other congregants. I gave cheerfully, hoping my gift would reflect my heart. In 1 Chronicles 29:17, we read: “I know, my God, that you search the heart and take pleasure in uprightness; in the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people who are present here offering freely and joyously to you.” King David donated rare and expensive materials toward the building of a temple. Even though David could not participate in its actual construction (see 1 Chronicles 28:3), he willfully and cheerfully gave as a reflection of a heart devoted to God. Since an omnipotent God did not need David’s gifts, the scriptures reveal that God was only testing the condition of his heart. David passed God’s test, and all those under his command and his son Solomon, who would succeed him as king, were greatly blessed. It is a privilege and an honor to serve an omnipotent God. We should view giving our time, talents, and tender as a reflection of our hearts instead of a prerequisite for God’s intervention in our lives. In all circumstances, let us strive to give willingly, cheerfully, and honestly so that we and this world might know that our hearts are a reflection of God’s grace (i.e., love). We and others shall be blessed by giving “…for God loveth a cheerful giver.” ❏ ❏ ❏

Four Incarnational Benefi ts of Bivocational Ministry

Steven Van Ostran

It has been my experience that bivocational ministers see themselves and are looked upon by others as second-class ministers — ministers who are not on the same level as those who serve full time. Yet, it has also been my experience that some of the finest, most godly, and long-tenured pastors I have ever had the privilege to serve alongside were and are bivocational. So why the disconnect?

While the economic benefits of bivocational ministry have long been evident, by its very nature, bivocational ministry is advantageous to incarnational ministry and helping the church be Christ to its community.

I suspect a large part of the reason for this is that, in this “Show me the money!” environment and culture, we naturally presume that the brightest and the best will be called to full-time positions, be paid well, and not have or even want to do anything but live out the call to pastor God’s people. We presume that when God calls someone to serve in ministry, that call is to full-time ministry. But that simply is not the case.

While estimates vary, a survey by Faith Communities Today reported that just 62 percent of congregations had a full-time, paid senior or sole pastor in 2015. This percentage was down from the 2010 survey. One Southern Baptist Convention commentator speculated that between 40 and 60 percent, and maybe as much as 80 percent, of their churches, were served by bivocational pastors (“Is Bivocational Ministry the New Normal?” Rudy Gray, Baptist Courier. November 2, 2016). Yet, these dedicated, talented, hard-working, and tireless men and women of God are too often looked down upon by their full-time colleagues.

While the economic benefits of bivocational ministry have long been evident, bivocational ministry, by its very nature, is advantageous to incarnational ministry and helping the church be Christ to its community. There are four specific benefits of bivocational ministry that will be of great importance to the church in the coming years and can help the church reframe its understanding of bivocational ministry as a positive way of incarnating Christ.

1. Bivocational ministry breaks down the sacredsecular divide. 2. Bivocational ministry creates community and relationships.

We tend to regard clergy as special, privileged, sacred, or hyper-holy. But this special treatment, this separation, creates problems in communicating the message that Christ died for us all and that we are all sinners saved by grace. Pastors choosing to work bi-vocationally are sending the message that they depend upon God’s grace and hard work for their livelihood.

When pastors are willing to serve school lunches or drive a delivery truck, they are saying they are on par with the other members of the congregation, not above them. Further, when pastors serve bivocationally, they must count on lay leaders of the congregation to do more of the work of the church, thus further breaking down the sacredsecular divide. A bivocational pastor, for example, may depend on a lay leader to plan the worship service, make hospital visits where they will give communion, or work with vendors and volunteers to take care of the building. The bivocational pastor is forced “to equip the saints for the work of ministry” (Eph. 4:12a, NRSV) more often than the full-time pastor. Perhaps one of the greatest advantages of bivocational ministry is building community and relationships outside the church’s walls. Outside of family, most fully compensated ministers limit their primary relationships to other church folks, whether in their own or other congregations. As a result, full-time pastors must be very intentional about building community and relationships outside their congregation. And when they do, they often face jealousy from members of their congregation, who may accuse them of dereliction in their service to the membership of the church. Bivocational ministers naturally build these connections, and their being bivocational often strips away the congregation’s idea that they own the pastor’s time.

3. Bivocational ministry can reveal unique ministry opportunities.

A third way bivocational ministry helps the church incarnate Christ is through discovering unique ministry opportunities in the community. Due in large part to breaking down the sacred-secular barrier and the pastor’s broader community and relationships, bivocational pastors find unique connections for ministry. One pastor, whose ministry career has been largely bivocational, told me about when he worked in banking and a relative of one of his customers committed suicide. The customer reached out to him to care for the family because “you’re the only pastor I know!” A bivocational pastor can open unexpected pathways for the church to encounter ministry opportunities to love others as Christ has loved us.

4. Bivocational ministry reduces pastoral dependencies and increases prophetic potential.

Bivocational pastors who earn their livelihood outside the church have freedom of the pulpit not enjoyed by fully compensated pastors. For example, when serving a rural church whose members’ cash crop was tobacco, I did not preach about the evils of tobacco. I am aware of many fulltime pastors holding egalitarian views on gender yet reluctant to challenge the complementarian practices of their congregation by elevating capable women into leadership positions for fear of creating too much turmoil in the congregation. Their reluctance is based on more than simply maintaining order. Job security also plays a part in these actions and lack of action.

In contrast, bivocational pastors who earn their livelihood outside the church have freedom of the pulpit not enjoyed by full-time pastors. I am aware of another situation where a bivocational pastor confessed that financial independence allowed him to move the congregation out of some long-held theological and liturgical beliefs and practices. For example, he led the church to soften their views about the sacredness of the sanctuary and building, leading them to open it up to tenants. He also challenged them to move away from a staid, rigid form of worship to a more inviting and culturally relevant style of worship. He could accomplish this in a very short time because he was unafraid of the consequences of his actions and could be prophetic from the pulpit.

The church must take great strides to reframe its understanding of bivocational ministry as formative. But whether or not we make this shift in understanding the value of bivocational ministers, their service will be required for the sustainability of the church. Surely, we should be doing all we can to support and sustain this vital work instead of discouraging it by asking the pastor engaged in bivocational ministry, “When are you going to become a real minister?”

A Mentor – Not a Dictator

Byron Washington, Columnist

Mentorship can be a delicate balancing act. Mentorship can come to fruition through different modes. Some people ask you to mentor them, while through a series of events, you “become” a mentor to somebody. In our current society, everyone says they want a life coach or a mentor. However, few people realize that the coach or mentor is only there to instruct, provide guidance and, in some instances, walk them through specific scenarios. The mentee, not the mentor, does the heavy lifting. Give instruction[a] to the wise, and they will become wiser still; teach the righteous, and they will gain in learning. Proverbs 9:9 Some mentors are lifelong, while others are temporary. Whatever the duration of the mentormentee relationship, an individual must always be careful not to become a dictator. The mentor must allow the mentee to make their own choices (even if it is to their demise). I recall one mentee a while ago that enlisted my assistance, and as I was providing them guidance, it was as if they were not hearing a word I was saying. I provided my mentee with more details, sat with them, connected them to people in my network, and had numerous telephone conversations, yet it still felt as if they were not hearing me. So, I asked more questions to ensure I was not missing something. They said they understood everything, and the information was excellent. I later realized my mentee asked three people’s opinions. So they were assessing three options, my option and two others. My mentee chose one of the other options. As they journeyed down the road following somebody else’s option, it was hard; why? Because I knew the directions they followed would not give them the desired results. They had chosen the easiest path, not the path that would get them to their goal. The result for the person was not good. They then spent a lot of energy reestablishing themselves because the path chosen was essentially a dead end. For mentorship to work, the mentee has to trust the mentor, and the mentor cannot abuse their position of power. The final decision should almost always rest with the mentee.

If you choose to mentor somebody, you cannot bully them or force them to follow your directions. A mentor is almost like a coach, but the mentor cannot play the game. Nevertheless, the mentee, like the athlete, can make their own decisions.

As a mentor, our job is to provide insight and guidance to our mentees. If our mentees choose to ignore our guidance, it may hurt, but it is ok. We are mentors – not dictators.

“An Apology Way Past Due”

Dr. Brandon A. A. J. Davis, Contributing Columnist

The emerging danger within American society is a narrative that forbids our progression as we deal with the same issues constantly before us. Amira Baraka best coined “the changing same,” which identifies how America’s struggle for human equality is not a discourse over new and emerging principles. These struggles are relative to the plight of being black. It confronts the narrative of justice that continually pushes the line of racial responsibility further away from who is responsible. Systematic racism, racial violence, gun violence, racial disparities in black health, education, economic injustice, and financial reparations are too short of a list that accurately outlines the daily struggle of being black and brown in America. Each day brings a new level of understanding relevant to our struggle, which leads back to the system of white oppression and privilege. Yet, ironically when injustice and violence fall at their door, white Americans continue to find excuses to justify its happening or, too often, simply mislabel the problem as mental illness. The reality of the changing same begs to differ whether or not our struggles are the changing same or the fighting same. It is the latter; we are fighting the same issues for change, yet our opponents are new, younger, creative, and look like us in some regards, like Herschel Walker. To further perpetuate the narrative of black people always assuming issues of race, rich white Republicans put up unqualified and issue-specificuneducated candidates who, along with their white benefactors, label our issues of injustice as baseless fodder. During the candidacy of then-Senator Barack Obama, the Reverend Dr. Jeremiah Alvester Wright, Jr., was demonized for his biblical and theological stance against racism and violence in America. Sermons were taken out of context and used as sound bites to discredit his intellectual brilliance and maim his life’s work and commitment to African Americans. Then Senator Obama, senseless and baselessly, threw his pastor under the bus by articulating that Dr. Wright’s views of America were “profoundly distorted.” Furthermore, he did not speak for the Black Church, nor did his views and sermons readily identify with others regarding what they thought the Black Church represented. One sound bite that gained national coverage was Dr. Wright saying, “America’s chickens have come home to roost.” With skillful sociological and psychological precision, Dr. Wright pointed out American militarism, which created worldwide havoc through capitalism, war, and bloodshed domestically and internationally. As a result, America is now receiving the recompense of being a world’s stage bully. Mass shootings in supermarkets, schools, churches, doctor’s offices, and other public spaces have been a weekly succession of events from Buffalo, Uvalde, California, to Oklahoma. Gun violence, racism, sexism, and hatred are some of the most significant issues that plague the minds of caring individuals – yet still, when broken down and compartmentalized, they remain the root causes for social change in America. When you listen to Dr. Wright in full and not through sound bites or from four pages in Michelle Obama’s 2018 book – which further trampled upon his legacy as a prophetic voice in the Black Church, when you contextually and objectively listen to him and place his view of America parallel to our current state of affairs, the only thing that comes to mind is that Dr. Wright is owed an apology. And that apology should come from former President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama! The roosting chickens of America’s complicity in violence, its lust for capitalism, its bloodthirstiness for guns, its legislative control over women’s bodies, and its unchecked hatred towards African Americans and people of color are an accurate assessment of who and what America is. Our present-day issues have not changed; our reasons for protesting police brutality, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and the fight for human equality remain the same. The supporters of governmentsanctioned racism, violence, and injustice take their orders from the tweets of Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Mitch McConnell, and others who paint themselves as victims as their rights are under siege by those who are anti-American. Dr. Jeremiah Wright was right then, and he is without question right today. Voices like Dr. Wright speak to America’s national consciousness and its approaching social collapse as it is every day tearing itself apart. America’s chicken has roosted, and it is saying Dr. Wright is due an apology. ❏ ❏ ❏

Check out the latest episode of The Leadership Ledge Podcast, where I talk more about the role of mentorship. ❏ ❏ ❏

3rd Episcopal District YPD Hosts Intergenerational Leadership Retreat and Podcast Series

Episcopal Supervisor Patricia Russell-McCloud, JD

Cultural anthropologist and author, Margaret Mead, once said, “Somehow, we have to get older people back close to growing children if we are to restore a sense of community, a knowledge of the past, and a sense of the future.” The so-called “generation gap” is increasingly being relaxed or erased in the Third Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, under the leadership of Errenous E. McCloud, Jr., presiding bishop, and Patricia Russell-McCloud, Esq., supervisor. Indeed, to our collective advantage, the young and the “young at heart” have, through intergenerational programming and beyond, begun to reimagine their joint interest and joint concerns and the fact that working together works. The tendency to emphasize the differences between and among different age groups has transitioned to collaborative ownership of the theme of the Third Episcopal District, “We Are Better Together!” With intention, our District plans and executes inclusive transformational program initiatives that offer information, education, and interest to all age groups. Often young people (21 years of age and younger) and senior adults (60 years of age and older), experts conclude, are becoming increasingly separated. Older adults are the fastest growing portion of the U.S. population, with over 31 million people in the target age groups often becoming isolated and insulated one from the other. There is measurable benefit in the interaction of the older adults giving guidance, insight, and a mature perspective to young people, as they benefit from the issues of concern and lessons learned from young people. Age segregation does not curate the benefit of sharing time, talent, and programming initiatives that would benefit both groups when they try to share information, seek understanding, and show appreciation for a different, if not shared, point of view. “Intergenerational programming,” as defined by the National Council on the Aging, involves those “activities or programs that increase cooperation, interaction, or exchange between any two generations. It involves sharing skills, knowledge, or experience between old and young.” Identified benefits of intergenerational initiatives embody educational objectives, arts and recreation interests, desired states of health and welfare, and religious and spiritual well-being. The intergenerational initiatives of the stakeholders in the Third District build and sustain the belief that we can. They must support each other and benefit from the ideation and program planning of others—young and seasoned. Our members daily manifest their commitment, awareness, and willingness.

The interaction of different age groups assists in giving realtime shared experiences across diverse topics, including but not limited to excellence without excuses to aging gracefully. The younger generation was /is very familiar with technology and quickly lessened the stress levels of older adults by helping them to navigate virtual platforms, to select one device vs. open and active calls on multiple devices while on a single call, affixing a virtual background to their virtual screen, and mastering both the use of the “mute, speaker, and gallery button(s)” and sharing comments in the chat room. The vision for this Inaugural Intergenerational Leadership Retreat, hosted by the Third District Young Peoples Division, would not have become a reality without the significant success of title-level partners who understood the value add of enhancing the personal and professional toolkits of all program participants. In addition, numerous donors from the public and private sectors also donated a plethora of premium gifts for recipient winners of diverse competitive moments throughout this program initiative. Collectively, we greatly benefitted from their generosity, support, and affirmation of this transformational programming initiative. “The Podcasts and Leadership Retreat have been very informative, which proves that even old timers like me can learn something new, Keep up the good work. I have enjoyed all the sessions.” —Freda Stargell, Grace AME Church-Warren, Ohio

“I was thoroughly blessed by the Virtual Leadership Retreat and the Podcast Series. As the saying goes, ‘you are never too old to learn something new.’ I found the mix of participants amazing. I was so encouraged by the young adult participants. They gave me renewed hope and confi dence that they will and can succeed. The candor and openness with which they spoke and the enthusiasm they showed when talking about their respective topics were refreshing and very informative. Job well done.” —Verna Gaskins, Greater Allen AME Church-Dayton, Ohio The eager, energetic, and enthusiastic, young and seasoned, virtually joined with curious, quizzical, and some who were hesitant naysayers to view the inaugural launch of the Intergenerational Leadership Retreat, “Navigators, Not Passengers!” Saturday, January 8, 2022. The presenters were prepared, relevant, and compelling as they imparted their pearls of wisdom on how one curates professional and personal success by their willingness to take charge of being in charge of their destiny. Presenters emphasized the urgency of NOW. They welcomed all participants to become actively engaged in their preparation for solid decision-making, problem-solving, and developing a tool kit that would be life-sustaining as they seek the fulfillment of their dreams and aspirations. Participants were urged to discover the difference between transactional and transformational programming. Although there is value in both program styles, transformational programming introduces change, new ways of doing things, and paradigm shifts. The “programming stretch” introduces new program participants, thought leadership, and program activation. Attendees learned the value add of cultivating like-minded collaborative partnerships to support their program interests and efforts. In sum, relationships matter, and there are community resources that can and will review and support proposals for programming initiatives that meet people at their point of need. “ACCOLADES…supportive team for your effectual planning.” Expressions of thanks for your choice of highly skilled presenters. Their wealth of knowledge was readily received by an intergenerational audience. I, too, (was) academically blessed. Young people…empowered as a generation of “new navigators!” — Adrienne A. Morris, 6th Connectional YPD/WMS-AME Church

PODCAST ONE: MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT

MARCH 12, 2022

Adults and children face managing stress, worry, and boundary-less anxiety daily. In addition, adults are seeking worklife balance, managing themselves, families, work, community engagement, relationships, and multiple roles and responsibilities. While youth are often faced with bullying, peer pressure, and academic issues, without appropriate support, stressed-out individuals may be at a higher risk for mental health problems, academic problems, and health issues. The manifesting signs of stress include but are not limited to headaches, sleeping too much or too little, challenges at home, work, or school as the person becomes consistently more irritable or socially withdrawn, negative behavior, mental distraction causing lack of focus and task completion. Expert panelists helped participants in their need to be positive, to provide a toolkit of what works and what does not, and to actively discuss the impact of peers and social media regarding attitude, behavior, image, fads, trends, and projected priorities. Panelists were affirming, informed, and positive in their presentations and highly resourceful as they discussed the metrics of healthy ...continued on p32

living. Significantly, panelists advised participants that they were not alone. The presenters shared apps we could use, such as Calm, Headspace, and Moodpath. In addition, we received information about the Suicide Prevention Hotline. America is increasingly rightly concerned with the prevailing issues of suicide. Unfortunately, many have opted to cop-out when coping is the requirement. Stress, mood disorder, and depression continue to push people to end life itself. Bullying, self-harm, negative thinking, and thinking that there is no way up and out require collective action.

...From 3rd Episcopal p31 This program effort was intentional, informative, and, by design, chock-filled with tools that participants can use for holistic health and wellness as they Iive, lead, and learn.

PODCAST TWO: CAREER PREPAREDNESS AND READINESS: EXCELLENCE WITHOUT EXCUSE

APRIL 23, 2022

“I especially enjoyed the last series as it pertained to establishing credit. I was happy to share with my college housemates our series as they tuned in and found… fi nancial fi tness extremely important as college students. It is my hope that I will (expand) on this topic and fi nd a way to break generational fi nancial curses for our young people.” — Rudolph V. Collins IV, Community AMEC–Cleveland North Ohio Conference, YPD President “The podcast series that the Third District YPD put on was very informative. Hearing the information that Ms. Taylor Timmons gave regarding entering the fi eld of law would have given me that added push to actually pursue the fi eld!” — Dara Daniel, Grace AMEC, North Ohio Conference YPD, Graduating Senior -Youngstown State University

Both the young and seasoned experienced the same global pandemic. Yet, the need to continue educational pursuits remained. Thus, active career-field presenters, some of whom were former YPD members, all under the age of 35, were identified for program participation. They shared their career choices, challenges, and career navigation to achieve their goals, timetable, and objectives. Interestingly, the presenters stressed the importance of knowing that everything is not academic-knowledge, skills, communication - speaking and writing, active listening, performing basic math proficiencies, critical thinking, and problem-solving as soft skill readiness, knowing what to say and do, when and why are also critical component(s) of career preparedness and readiness. Students seek not only college admission and matriculation but graduation. Indeed, the assignment is to gain competencies that will assist them in their survival on the global stage.

PODCAST THREE: FISCAL FITNESS: THE BOTTOM-LINE MONEY MANAGEMENT

MAY 14, 2022

“To be honest, I didn’t think that the District YPD had anything to give that I would be interested in...I was wrong! I was really impressed with the presenters and subjects…I want to major in fi nance going to college…hearing the young people who (have) held offi ces in the YPD and moved on to be successful…makes me want to keep doing what I’m doing for church.” — Nathan A. Collins, Community AMEC -Cleveland North Ohio Conference

“(My daughter)… is interested in investing. Every subject has been so needed and relevant. I’m excited for the YPD and looking forward to what’s next.”

— The Rev. Emma Barnes, Pastor, Allen Chapel AME Church Cincinnati, Ohio

Comments that let you know you understand and seek to ensure personal fiscal management is comfort, assurance, and ease. In other words, you are taking care of your business, budget, credit, savings, and investments. Simply stated, the goal is to have a viable plan and a dedicated willingness to work your plan - to keep your affairs in order through good decision-making. As a result, one’s money can work for them without having a dependence upon loans, credit card debt, or being inundated by the anxiety of having a need to manage debt. Participants were urged to consider their financial blueprint by setting, as a priority, their financial goals – debt payoff, emergency savings, short-term savings, and retirement savings.

Participants became aware of the value of organizing their finances, prioritizing spending, and managing debt. The rewards, including having an emergency fund, a nest egg for “your tomorrows,” or creating financial options for yourself, will be measurable in the benefits realized by setting and adhering to financial goals and timetables. “People would be well-advised to pay heed to Warren Buffett’s sage words: ‘Do not save what is left after spending; instead, spend what is left after saving.’”

Presenters paid real-time attention to the convenience, accessibility, assets, and pitfalls of credit card use. Credit cards can assist the owner in managing their purchases, booking travel, online shopping, and the convenience of not having to carry large cash amounts. However, this often attractive green light to pay with a credit card and not cash can ultimately hold the owner hostage in interest payments and major debt. If there is no intentional effort to pay the credit card balance every month, trouble looms. Guardrails are necessary. “We learned the importance of developing our direction and living a life serving others. It is important that we take care of our mental and physical well-being. We can’t serve others if we are unhealthy.… Youth and Adults learned about various career pathways they may not have considered otherwise. The presenters shared the importance of internships, getting involved with organizations, networking, and creating a profi le on LinkedIn.” — Sheila Floyd, Third Episcopal District, YPD Director

“On January 8, 2022, the Third Episcopal District YPD boarded a train…. pathways of excellence and success. The fi rst stop was leadership empowerment. On that stop, we learned that we were navigators, not passengers. We took a stop to learn about our health, both mentally and physically. We took another stop to explore different career paths. On our last stop, we learned how we can be fi scally fi t. We aimed to educate, expose, and elevate …Now, the train has come back to the terminal (to) continue to climb the ladder to success.” — Andrew Coleman III, Third Episcopal District, YPD President

Supportive partners, dedicated work, and technology afforded intergenerational stakeholders the opportunity to participate in a virtual training experience that offered tips, techniques, and strategies for lifelong personal and professional development enrichment. The global health pandemic was not a deterrent. Instead, it was possibly the driver that encouraged all participants to familiarize themselves and to employ the apparent password -“pivot”; to cling to their faith; and, to demonstrate their “anyhow” spirit of resilience to frame the resulting success. Together, we listened, learned, and responded as intrigued, interested, and appreciative beneficiaries of this essential and rich training opportunity for our common good. Indeed, “We Are Better Together!” ❏ ❏ ❏

...From Dedication p20 Operations manager, “because tithing and giving to the church is not what it used to be. So you have to think outside the box.” Before heading to Richmond, the group took a quick walk through the building to view the beautiful back garden with lemon trees in large planters and strawberry plants bearing fruit lining the walkway. At Anvil House, more guests gathered from local AME churches and outside organizations to hear about the opportunities for residents. The property, which will accommodate up to 20 men, consists of a five bedroom, three bath main house and a smaller two bedroom, with one auxiliary bath house.

Steady-Taylor affirmed, “There will be training, including computer training offered.” In addition, residents will participate in training in “how to interview for a job, how to complete an application, counseling, and other supportive programs to help [residents] reenter society.” Bishop Fugh thanked the volunteers during the dedication ceremony for their due diligence. “We got the chance to preview this setting yesterday, and we saw the persons who were really behind the scenes preparing for today. We salute each one of you for the job that you did,” said the presiding prelate. Front and center in the ceremony were a hammer and anvil, the namesake of both properties. “Our founder, Richard Allen, who, prior to starting our church, started the Free African Society in a blacksmith’s shop [as] a self-help organization that helped African Americans in a particular time in our society,” says Pastor Shaw. “The first pulpit was an anvil. An iron block on which metal is placed to be shaped and forged. The anvil took what was not and brought it into existence.” James Hooker, a trustee at Bethel San Francisco during a presentation, became very emotional. “It’s only by the grace of our Father that we have an opportunity to take and do his will,” says Hooker through tears. “We’re here, step by step, to return them to our community… under civil and godly responsibility. Let us move forward to the task at hand. And let this be just the first step in carrying out God’s will.”

Following the blessing and dedication of Anvil Arms and Anvil House, those attending were asked to take the hammer and hit the anvil as a sign of their commitment to “Build Back Better”—the slogan for Anvil House and what the house represents. According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California’s recidivism rate has averaged around 50% over the past ten years. Recidivism negatively impacts the community with victimization, the offender’s lives, and their families. Anvil House wants to make a difference. “We look at the crime rate now; we look at the homicides; we look at all the things that are going on with our