Has the Flag Run Its Course in Our Sanctuary?

In my sanctuary, on the right side of my pulpit lectern, stands an American flag. The ‘stars and stripes’ has been common-place in American sanctuaries since the Civil War (1865) and varying races and social groups participate in this practice. International churches also ‘wave the flag’ in their sanctuary, making this practice universally recognized by many as a religious standard. Yet, if we look at this tradition carefully, this article will revisit the concept of ‘flag waving’ and will question if AME churches should participate in the act. The United States Congress has made a public statement on how the American flag should be displayed. When presented, the “flag should occupy the position of honor and be placed at the clergyman’s or speaker’s right.”1 Statutes also demand that, “any other flag (nonU.S. flag) so displayed should be placed on the left of the congregation or audience as they face the chancel or platform.”2 By so doing, placing the American flag to the right of the altar, has both biblical and cultural ties to supremacy. A United Methodist Church (UMC) journalist in 2013 went so far as arguing that “placement on the left and that higher placement signifies higher honor than other-flags, like the biblical or denominational flags on the left.”3 In 2017, author Joe Carter argued in The Gospel Coalition that “Civil Religion Has No Place in God’s House.” This statement included removing the American flag from the sanctuary. According to Carter, there “is a vast and unbridgeable chasm between America’s civil religion and Christianity. The God of America’s civil religion is not the God who died on the cross.”4 Carter’s argument is even more complicated when considering the racial tension forever embedded within the embodiment of the American flag. Sasha Weitman argues that “flags are one of the ways nations establish their individuality as separate from other groups of people.”5 So when considering the ills of slavery, segregation, and systematic oppression under the American flag, many have identified the flag as a symbol of racial degradation.6 African Americans have desired a reboot of the American flag as far back as Martin R. Delany in 1852, as many have argued for true ‘equal’ representation. The Rev. Henry Young Arnett, while serving as a professor at Wilberforce in 1904, circulated one of black America’s first flag designs. This prototype had “Frederick Douglass, Major Martin R. Delaney, Bishop Richard Allen, the Late Bishop Daniel A. Payne, and Booker T. Washington on the flag.”7 20th and 21st Century African Americans carried and still carry on the traditions of the Rev. H. Y. Arnett. Replacement flags for the traditional American flag include: The Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League Flag (UNIA), Republic of New Afrika Flag, Congress of African Peoples Flag, All-African People’s Revolutionary Party Flag, Black Liberation Army Flag, the David Banner ‘Official Black Fist Flag,’ Black Lives Matter Flag, and the most recognized Black Diaspora Flag. There are examples of the aforementioned flag flying in AME sanctuaries, including Mother Bethel in Philadelphia, PA, and Metropolitan in Washington, D.C. I have also observed sanctuaries that chose to implement no flag at all. Whatever your congregation chooses to do, the decision shouldn’t be dictated by a fear of disrespecting the AME ‘way’ or even Uncle Sam. There is no mandate in the AME Church concerning flag selection, and the United States of America does not have the right to force its flag upon any congregation. If anything, this article should at least start the conversation if it is best for your congregation to move a flag out of your sanctuary, or enhancing the sanctuary’s flag to something that celebrates the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ. ❏ ❏ ❏

1 United States Statutes at Large, Seventy-seventh Congress, Second Session, 1942, Volume 56 — Part I, Public Laws states in Section 3 (k). 2 IBID. 3 “Should We Have Flags in the Church? The Christian Flag and the…”. 2022. Discipleship Ministries. https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/should-we-have-fl ags-in-the-church-the-christian-fl ag-and-the-american-fl ag. 4 Carter, Joe. 2022. “Civil Religion Has No Place In God’s House.” The Gospel Coalition. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/civil-religion-has-no-place-in-gods-house/. 5 S. R. Weitman, “National Flags: A Sociological Overview,” Semiotica, VIII/4 (1973), pp. 338–49. 6 IBID. 7 “Flag for the Negro,” New York Times, 1 July 1904.

Celebrating the 137th Church Anniversary of St. John AME Church

Dr. Bridget Floyd

St. John African Methodist (AME) Church, Huntsville, marked its 137th anniversary on March 20, 2022, at the 10 a.m. worship service. The theme was “A Legacy of Faith and a Bright Future,” with a scriptural emphasis on Matthew 16:18. The service was hybrid in terms of recorded and in-person participants, with the latter adhering to Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines. The Mass Choir and musicians were inspirational under the direction of Brother Reggie Pearson, with Brother Phil Lee leading the choir and congregation in singing the opening hymn. Pastor Maurice Wright II preached the sermon for the anniversary service. A nostalgic review began the service with a video presentation of photos of people and events over the years. After which, the Women’s Month tribute to women of St. John continued, highlighting two “phenomenal women.” Ms. Joy Wright highlighted Sister Claire Philadelphia and Attorney Genevia Fontenot. Congratulations to these outstanding ladies. Sister Maeola Peoples gave the welcome and announcements. Pastor Wright introduced Deaconess Sarah “Granny” Bell, “the oldest and longest serving St. John member,” as the worship leader. The Deaconess Board recited the Call to Worship: Deaconesses Earnestine Barnes-Ivery, Eva Smith, Willie M. Heyward, Charlsie Brooks, Gwendolyn Baldwin, and Mary Powers. The Reverend Meriam Garrett gave the invocation after the opening hymn. Scripture readings were as follows: Old Testament, Psalm 100 by Addison and Breanne Bradford; The Epistle, Ephesians 1:15-23, Sister Jana Goggans; The Gospel, Matthew 16:13-18, Sister Mattie Ezell. Pastor Wright preached the third sermon in his series “What Shall We Do with the Church?” entitled “Don’t Sleep on the Church.” The scripture reference was Acts 20:7-12. He noted the negative impact of “sleeping”/inattention at this point, including social, economic, and political factors. He emphasized that “there are people sleeping on the church,” resulting in a negative impact on the youth and leadership; ministries are not as fulfilling; the message is “watered down.” He urged soberness and vigilance to avoid the negative impact. The first point made by Pastor Wright was, “The Word is for you.” There is something for every believer present when a sermon is delivered. He noted that “the Word of God always meets its target.” He encouraged participation in the church, noting that “church is not a spectator sport.” His second point was, “You can be in the right place but be in the wrong place at the same time.” In the text, the man was in the right place—the church, but in the wrong place—sitting in the window on the third level, which would allow for inattention or distractions. He cautioned that this could cause believers of today to miss their blessing because they could not focus fully on the Word. Additionally, Pastor Wright emphasized that “there is always light in the church” and that we must always “pay attention to the light,” which allows us “to see as well as be seen.” He noted that in the text,

The Connectional Lay Organization

PUBLISHING HOUSE GREETINGS To God Be the Glory—To Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfield, Council of Bishops President, Lay commissioner, Bishop Stafford Wicker, Senior Bishop Adam J. Richardson, bishops of the church, general officers, connectional officers, laity, my sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus. I have been given the esteemed honor of participating and providing greetings on behalf of the Connectional Lay Organization of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and our dynamic leader of the Lay Organization, president, Mr. Matikane A. Makiti. I bring you greetings in the powerful and matchless name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ. President Makiti could not be with us today because he had to make the very easy choice to be the father of the bride today. So please join me in sending him and his family congratulations and best wishes on their very joyous occasion. I am so excited and honored and find it a blessing to stand before you on this auspicious occasion! Look what the Lord has done! We praise God for the tireless work and dedication of the Rev. Dr. Roderick Belin and the staff of the AME Sunday School Union, who have led us to this marvelous day. The Connectional Lay Organization celebrates this day with our partner in the AME teaching and training ministry. We are excited to support and honor the AME Sunday School Union with a $10.000.00 gift of the beautiful pulpit that we will all adore at this magnificent AME Publishing House edifice. What an awesome facility we will enjoy for years to come. The Connectional Lay Organization is charged with teaching and training to empower lay persons for global leadership. With our aligned and integrated missions, the CLO rejoices with the Sunday School Union today for the awesome Christian education and Christian service you will continue to provide to the AME Church and the Nashville community through this state-of-theart 21st-century Publishing House. On behalf of President Makiti, the Connectional Lay Organization president, the Lay commissioner, Bishop Stafford Wicker, the Executive Board, officers, and members of the Lay Organization stand with you, arms locked, with our feet firmly planted on the Word of God. Congratulations, and may God continue to raise up new leaders and rightly divide God’s Word through this dynamic ministry. God bless you and our AME Church Family. To God be the glory for the great things He has done. Humbly submitted: CLO first vice president, Dr. Dorothy Henderson CLO president, Mr. Matikane A. Makiti Lay commissioner, Bishop Stafford Wicker ❏ ❏ ❏

Dedication

To the bishops of the church, supervisors, general officers, connectional officers, and all who co-labor for the Gospel of Christ: Thank you, Dr. Belin, for this opportunity to add the celebratory voices to the sound of rejoicing from the Jarena Lee diaspora representing more than 4000 women serving God in a ministerial capacity through the African Methodist Episcopal Church. We are proud to be the daughters and descendants of a resilient people. People who thrived amidst anti-literacy laws written to keep us ignorant and silent in response to the rise of abolitionism but nevertheless took our little and made much. People who took a blacksmith shop and made a church. People who took our churches and made schools. People who took our schools and educated a people who now boldly and proudly stand with you and all of African Methodism to celebrate this great work propelling us upward and forward, giving us the power to control our own narratives and publish our own stories. Stories of a beautiful and brilliant sun-kissed people who fought and won the right to worship under our own vine and fig tree. This building and the work that comes thereof will keep others from profiting [from] our pain and inspire us to chronicle the great work God does in us, through us, for us, and around us for ourselves and those who shall tread the paths we leave. This building is the manifestation of what it means to challenge our imagination and think big, and for that, we give God praise. Congratulations! ❏ ❏ ❏ The Occasion for the Dedication of the AME Publishing House

Rev. Corwin Malcolm Davis | May 21, 2022

To the established protocol, and to all of you here assembled: good morning. In the year 1977, at the Service of Dedication for the previous Sunday School Union building, Bishop H. Hartford Brookins asked this question in the occasion: “What’s going on here?” He asked, “Why have we come by plane, bus, Amtrak, and car to Nashville, Tennessee? Why this strange assembly of clergymen and laymen, of community leaders and businessmen? What’s really going on here?” I want to echo the inquiry of the late Bishop Brookins, now forty-five years later, and in short, respond that here, we are telling the story. What’s really going on here? Here we are telling the old story that reaches back to 1884 and the initial leadership of the Reverend Charles Smith, who proposed to the African Methodist Episcopal Church the need for the establishment of a Sunday School Union. What’s really going on here? Here we are telling the story of a God who has been faithful and a God who has provided. The same God, who was with the Reverend Smith, is the same God that was with Bishop Henry Allen Belin, Jr. here, and the same God that was with the Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour here, and it is the same God who is here with the Reverend Dr. Roderick Belin. We are telling the story that this edifice did not come into fruition by the acts of humans alone, but it is a work of the Divine. What’s really going on here? Here we are telling the ongoing story of those who labor in this vineyard: those who write and edit church school lessons, those who handle the designs and publications of our Zion, those who manage the administrative departments of our church, and those who offer their gifts and services to the Lord. What’s really going on here? Here we are telling the story of liberation. Here we are committed to producing resources that empower Christian believers to spread Christ’s liberating Gospel, to pursue justice, and to enhance the social development of all people. What’s really going on here? Here we signal to what the future portends. In an ever-evolving world–a world disrupted by a global pandemic, a world infected with anti-Black racism, a world where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break in and steal–here we reaffirm our ongoing commitment to the Kingdom of God and to God’s righteousness, and our commitment to serve the present age. What’s really going on here? Here we raise our Ebenezer, hither by Thy help we’ve come. And we hope by Thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home. Prone to wander, Lord, we feel it; prone to leave the God we love. But here’s our heart, Lord, take and seal it. Seal it for Thy courts above. ❏ ❏ ❏

Dedication of AMEC Publishing House General Offi cer Council Statement

Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfield, president of the Council of Bishops, Bishop Paul Kawimbe, president of the General Board, Senior Bishop Adam Jefferson Richardson, Jr., Council of Bishops, supervisors, general officers, connectional officers, and the Judicial Council: I am blessed by this signature honor to speak on behalf of the General Officer’s Council. [We are] grateful that God determined that our brother, our colleague, our friend, the inimitable, erudite, extraordinary, the Rev. Dr. Roderick Dewayne Belin, supported by wise counsel, an unparalleled support team, strong family, patient determination, a praying spirit, fidelity to the Church of Allen, and love of God. As we celebrate the dedication of the Sunday School Union, we are reminded of Proverbs 24:34 (The Voice Translation) 3 Wisdom is required to build a house; understanding is necessary to make it secure. 4 Knowledge is needed to furnish all the rooms and fill them with beautiful treasures. From the 27th bishop, Canadian-born Charles S. Smith [who in] 1882 [established the] Sunday School Union to promote curriculum [and in] 1889 dedication of the first building [and was then] elected bishop in 1900. To Bishop William D. Chapelle, Ira T. Bryant (first and 3rd GO), E.A. Selby. Charles S. Spivey, the Rev. Bishop Henry Allen Belin, Jr. [who in 1977 oversaw the building of the second Sunday School Union edifice], to A. Lee Henderson, the Rev. Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., and now the Rev. Dr. Roderick Dewayne Belin. We are following the legacies of general officers such as Belin, Barbour, Miles, Coleman Williams, Lewis, Flowers, Ingram, Reid, Dickerson, Hill, Fugh, Sydnor, McKinney, Spain, Howard, and Keller: Coleman, Champion, Wade, Harris, and Flowers, who were affiliated with, occupied, or filled the 1977 Sunday School Union building. Today we pledge to ensure rooms will be filled and beautifully furnished. Every time: Cooper informs, interprets, orders, or documents the infrastructure, polity, and Discipline; Fry Brown edits or archives history past and in the making, reinforces the head and heart of the church and scholarship; Belin publishes literature and broadens our understanding of ministry and faith through the arts; Thomas disseminates news, strengthens ecumenical connections, representing the voice of laity, Millenials, Generations Z and Alpha; Pierce educates, collaborates, supports scouting, edits liturgical resources, music, and Christian worship, DMC, Sons of Allen, certifying teachers and writers, RAYAC; Henderson projects and balances budgets and ensures fiscal responsibility and accountability; Miller assures annuity strength; Green ministers Matthew 28:19-20 to the global church; Norris spreads the /Evangelio/–the good news to expand and grow the church. In this building, constructed through prayer, faith, hope, community, vision, and required wisdom, each member of the General Officer Council understands and continues our assignment. We recognize that knowledge is necessary to make its purpose known. We will undergird the steel, brick, mortar, glass, furnishing, technology, art, and history in every room with actualized goals, beautiful spirits, care-filled responses, dedicated lives, energetic attitudes, flexible programming, generous hearts, helpful ideas, inestimable ability, just procedures, kind words, loving relationships, mindful considerations, nuanced language, open hands, professional ethics, quiet grace, responsible positions, sacrificial work, thankful deportments, valuable contributions, working cooperatively, exceptional service, yielding to God, zealous productivity–all to the glory of God. Thank you. ❏ ❏ ❏

Our Publishing Union Lives on

When vision and reality are divinely inspired, and humanity follows the design, the finished product is always what was divinely desired. This realized vision represents elemental purity and intrinsic perfection for the magnificent demonstration of God’s conception. The publishing house continues denominational collaboration, church appropriation undergirded by a legacy of self-determination. Today, we celebrate that the publishing house lives on. Gratitude is given to Smith, Chappelle, and Bryant for unimaginable foresight. Selby and Spivey, too, for incredible insight. Continued by Belin, Henderson, and Barbour who also pursued greater publishing heights! Another Belin emerged with a worldwide view, created a building that flesh and blood didn’t do, to serve an unripe harvest from unplanted vineyards in places disregarded. The AMEC Publishing House strengthens the fields already sown by more writing, teaching, and publishing God’s truth about healing, justice, peace, and equality, visions yet revealed. Right here and now, we celebrate that our boldness and benevolence endures to build and document the legacy of inspiration and greatness. With thanksgiving for the living presence of God In this publishing house, Today, our publishing house lives on. Bishop Elizabeth Anne Henning Byfield, May 20, 2022, at the dedication of the AMEC Publishing House ❏ ❏ ❏

New AME Publishing House Is Heralded as More Than a Building

Angelena Spears

When hundreds of persons flocked to Nashville to celebrate the dedication of the new 38,000 square foot AME Publishing House building, the consensus was that this was about something more than a building – this was about the future of the AME Church! The weekend-long affairs began Friday, May 20 with a “Service of Thanksgiving” at the Greater Bethel AME Church, which sits directly across the street from the new $10.8 million publishing house. The service was reverent and celebratory as a host of bishops and general officers shared in leading the worship experience. Bishop David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr. of the 17th Episcopal District and chairman of the Board of Publications, delivered a stirring message in which he commended the Rev. Dr. Roderick A. Belin, the president and publisher of the AME Publishing House, for his “commitment and staying faithful to the task.” Dr. Belin was elected as president and publisher of the AME Publishing House (Sunday School Union) in 2016 and in less than six years, spearheaded the project from beginning to completion. What made the achievement doubly impressive, was that Belin’s father, the now retired Bishop Henry A. Belin, had been responsible for the construction of the previous AME Publishing House building, exactly 47 years ago. The dedication service was held Saturday morning on the grounds of the new publishing house. The worship leader was Dr. Belin’s brother, the Rev. Dr. Henry Belin III, pastor of First African Methodist Episcopal Church – Bethel in Harlem, NY. Within the two-hour program, AME component leaders, politicians, and civic leaders joined in expressing the importance of the milestone occasion. In his opening prayer, the Rev. Dr. Jeffery Cooper, the general secretary and chief information officer, acknowledged, “Places like this don’t just happen,” and he thanked God for providing the vision and the wisdom. He added, “In a mighty way, you have ...continued on p6

once again shown yourself God -- and for that we say thank you.” The Rev. Dr. Ericka D. Crawford, the connectional president of Women in Ministry and pastor of Mt. Zion AMEC, Dover, DE, said, “This building gives us the power to tell our own narratives and publish our own stories. It will keep others from profiting off our pain.” She then added, “This building represents what happens when we challenge our imagination and think big – and for that we give God praise.” Dr. Benjamin Chavis, president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and also an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, declared, “When the AME Church makes progress, all of God’s people make progress. I know that the AME Church is blessed,” he continued. “This publishing house is to the glory to God.” Dr. Chavis shared that in two days he would be in Buffalo, NY, to funeralize one of the NNPA members, Katherine Massey, age 72, who had been killed in the mass shooting at the Tops store. According to Chavis, Massey had written for the NNPA for over 30 years and was delivering papers to the store when she and nine other persons (mostly African Americans) were murdered. State Representative Harold M. Love, Jr., who is also the pastor of Lee Chapel AME Church, Nashville, noted that those who work in government realize now more than ever how important faith is to their work. He commended the AME Church for its commitment to help shape the morals and values of society through its published materials and said, “Keep on publishing. Keep on printing and we will indeed see a change come.” Other bishops and general officers who took part in the weekend services included general officers the Rev. Dr. Garland F. Pierce, executive director of the Department of Christian Education; the Rev. Dr. Marcellus A. Norris, executive director of the Department of Church Growth and Development; Jacqueline Dupont Walker, director of the Commission on Social Action; the Rev. Dr. Teresa L. Fry Brown, president and executive director of the Department of Research and Scholarship; Marcus T. Henderson, Sr., the treasurer and chief financial officer; the Rev. Dr. John F. Green, executive director of the Department of Global Witness and Ministry; the Rev. Dr. Jeffery Cooper, general secretary and chief information officer; and the Rev. Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., former president/ publisher of the Publishing House; and bishops: Harry Lee Seawright (9th); E. Earl McCloud, Jr. (3rd); Jeffrey Nathaniel Leath (Ecumenical and Urban Affairs); James L. Davis (2nd); William Jacobus Messiah (Located); Frederick Allen White (20th); E. Anne Henning Byfield (13th); Marvin C. Zanders II (16th); Reginald T. Jackson (6th); and Ronnie E. Brailsford, Sr. (19th); and retired bishops: Gregory G.M. Ingram, Vashti Murphy McKenzie, Carolyn Tyler-Guidry, John Richard Bryant, and Henry Allen Belin, Jr. Although Bishop Adam J. Richardson (10th) was slated to bring the message on Saturday, he was unable to make it due to weather-related travel cancellations. At 3 a.m. on Saturday morning, he determined he would not be able to catch a flight to Nashville, and Bishop Anne Henning-Byfield, the president of the Bishop’s Council, was asked to bring the message. If you didn’t know otherwise, you would have thought she had planned her message for months. She began by cleverly drawing a line that showed the connections that had been made in the AME Church in Nashville over the years – that led to this moment. She began with the reference of Charles S. Smith who was born in 1856 in Canada. After heading to Kentucky to begin his career, he was run out of the area by the Ku Klux Klan, and ended up coming to Nashville. He is credited with purchasing the first AME Publishing House building in downtown Nashville in 1889 (at the then lofty price of $9,000). Smith used his own funds for the down-payment. Bishop Byfield continued her litany of connecting persons who came to Nashville and developed friendships and became general officers and bishops in the church. And she marveled at what happens “when God hooks things up!” Bishop Henning-Byfield declared that despite a pandemic, despite the Charleston Massacre (when an 18-year-old entered an AME Church during

...From New AME p5 Bible study and killed nine parishioners in 2015), despite the Buffalo killings just one week ago – this building was proof that “the AME Church is alive, and it will not die!” When Bishop Belin came forward to give remarks, he received a standing ovation for his accomplishments. He told everyone that he is working on turning 100, and has just a few years to go. “It was 47 years ago that God said it was alright to make an effort to put the building up,” said Bishop Belin. “And he gave us what we needed and he’s done it again.” Bishop Bellin summoned everyone to put their trust in God. “God says, ‘If you call on me, I will answer your prayer.’ He may not do it as fast as you want him to – but he’ll do it,” promised Bishop Belin. At the conclusion of the dedication service on Saturday, visitors were invited to lunch and to tour the new building, which was graced with beautiful artwork, which included paintings, a quilt made from African fabrics, and a mural on the outside of the building. Most of the artists were onsite for the dedication. The building also contains offices for the general officers, meeting spaces, dining areas, and there are plans to include a restaurant and other areas that can be used by the community. Dr. Roderick Belin thanked Tonya Beaird Brown, who had chaired the dedication committee, and her assistant, Yolanda Mason Henderson. He also thanked the Rev. Walter W. Reid, Jr., the pastor of Greater Bethel, Nashville, and their members, who had served as hosts for the opening night’s activities. Sunday morning began with a church school that was presented live from the lobby of the new building and broadcast around the world. The class was led by the Rev. Dr. Toni Belin Ingram, the sister of Roderick and Henry Belin, who is a presiding elder in the Augusta (GA) Conference. After the morning church school class, guests were invited to attend church at Greater Bethel, where Dr. Roderick Belin concluded the weekend with a sermon he titled: Believe. He based his sermon on John 1:12, and summoned persons not to block the power of God in our lives, or in our church. He said, “All of the resources of heaven are available to us if we believe and receive it.”

Dedication of the AMEC Publishing House, Nashville, Tennessee

Greetings from the Connectional Women’s Missionary Society, AMEC Deborah Taylor King, Connectional President — May 21, 2022 On behalf of the Connectional Women’s Missionary Society, including our beloved Young People’s and Children’s Division, [and] as president of the great organization, I proudly greet each of you today at this dedication celebration with excitement because this is truly an exciting day in the life of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. All members across this Connectional Church should be excited and extremely proud, as well. The Psalmist in Psalm 133:1 writes, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for [sisters and] brothers, [clergy and lay] to dwell together in unity.” For this is a good and pleasant day; a great and phenomenal day! This is our time to dwell together in unity to witness the favor and faithfulness of God, a time to celebrate how God has tremendously blessed us; this is a time to observe this state-of-the-art and very impressive AME Publishing House. Brick by brick, piece by piece, mortar by mortar during these pandemic and perilous times, God’s grace, goodness, and mercy have made this godly vision a reality. And the Women’s Missionary Society would like to take this time to thank God and to thank you, Dr. Roderick Belin, and the empowered planning team (you know who you are) for your dynamic leadership, determination, and tenacity! What a great accomplishment! What a phenomenal legacy for the AME Church–a legacy that will last long after we are gone! Again, thank you, Dr. Belin and your visionary team, for you understood this divine assignment. To God be the glory! ❏ ❏ ❏

...From The Hamilton-Garrett p1 King during the Civil Rights Movement. At 80 years old, Garrett lives near the Academy. She said, “I feel so much joy when I see the students taking their music lessons. I am amazed at how far we have come from the basement of the Charles Street AME Church to a building that we now call our own.” Twenty years from now, Garrett envisions a Hamilton-Garrett College of Music. About Hamilton-Garrett Music & Arts

Hamilton-Garrett Music & Arts is a non-profit affiliated with the historic Charles Street AME Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Focused on preserving black music and its cultural heritage, the academy offers superb music instruction to innovative young artists in the greater Boston area. Classes include voice, guitar, percussion, violin, music theory, history, black musical tradition, culture, and more. The school also hosts a Visiting Artist Series. Partners include the Berklee College of Music. Check out some of the student performances at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iso-MJvSjXI. Register for the free end-of-the-year concert at https://www.eventbrite. com/e/hamilton-garrett-end-of-year-concert-tickets-307152821357?aff=ebd ssbdestsearch.

Who Comforts the Comforter?

Rev. Thato Mere, Contributing Writer

Grief is the proverbial elephant that kneels before every man’s house. The world is in tears; some fall, some remain internalised, but we all suffer some form of pain. With so much darkness and the need for comfort, the comforter is often left without a comforter!

Pastors and leaders of the church of Christ are these comforters to the church members they lead and serve. As servants of God and messengers of the Word, theirs is to spiritually care for the people whose souls are tired, spirits far from God, and weak bodies. Over and above, there are administrative functions that pastors have to fulfill. Sounds like a full enough plate, does it not?

Pastors have to be there all the time; they have to be present. Many people have become reliant on pastors’ counsel and their interpretation of the Word to heal them of whatever situation they may be going through. During crises, it is the pastor who is called on to assist. The responsibilities’ list goes on and on and on. Indeed, a pastor is responding to a calling, and yes, a pastor is doing the best to be there for his or her people.

This introduction is necessary to demonstrate just how full a plate can be for a pastor who is also human. As a pastor looks with despair at the bleakness of the journey of life, doubting personal contribution towards drying the tears of those who so much need him, the pastor is alone with God! Yes, he or she is alone with God, and the tears he cries in his sanctuary, she has only herself and God to wipe them.

Congregations are going through financial meltdowns, health deterioration, and job losses, leading to unstable and negative mental states. Pastors are not immune to such encounters that lead them into depression. The sad reality is that most pastors, after motivating one soul to keep the faith, go into their little corners and break down because they, too, are human and are suffering the same fate - where they are unable to provide for their families due to finances, unable pay for children`s school obligations, and unable to find solace.

Losing loved ones can bring one to their knees, literally and figuratively. Pastors tend to believe that they are insulting their vocation by displaying signs of being human. The truth is that every living creature feels! During a period of grief, one gets so consumed by this dark cloud that everything seems senseless. It feels like a bottomless pit that one is sinking into, painfully and slowly. For pastors, this emotion is often held inside as they attend to others who are going through the same pain. As pastors comfort others, their pain doubles as they see their helplessness – but pastors have to keep it together, so they do not lose faith in our creator. After all, God is the greatest comforter, and through God, we are able to touch others.

Pastors carry a lot. Sometimes when they kneel during a period of sorrow, they cannot even bring their requests to God; but instead, they pray for others. The question is, who comforts the comforter while the pastor continues to fulfill the duties of comforting the broken-hearted, the desolate, the grieving, and the suffering? It is common, and perhaps not wrong, to say that they understand the power and sovereignty of God, but what remains is that pastors are not exempt from mental health issues, pain, sorrow, and feelings of helplessness. All this does not mean they are weak; it shows that even those who stand before multitudes of people preaching words of encouragement and life are God’s children who won’t whimper before congregations, but behind closed doors, they often find themselves communicating with God through eyes that rain tears.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the social ills within society at large. The land needs healing. Pastors are silently battling depression. My exegetical take on Matthew 26 is that perhaps Jesus Christ may have experienced depression when he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful, even to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me.” As he prayed, the disciples fell asleep. In likeness, but not sameness, pastors experience this – they pray, and because it is assumed that they have it all figured out congregations sleep.

AME Department of Church Growth and Development Partners with Churches in Nashville in Equipping the Local Church Grant From the Foundation for Evangelism

The Nashville District of the Tennessee Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (Nashville District) is the recipient of a $10,000 Equipping the Local Church Grant from The Foundation for Evangelism. Chosen from over 100 applications, the proposal for the Nashville District was one of 31 grant proposals chosen for the 2022 inaugural grant cycle, which awarded $230,000 in grant funding to small and medium-sized churches or multiple churches working together. The Rev. Dr. Marcellus A. Norris, executive director of the AME Department of Church Growth and Development, procured the grant. The grant will impact six AME churches in Nashville, Tennessee, in the Nashville District: St. Phillip, St. Matthew, St. Luke, St. Peter, St. Paul, and New Salem. It will provide these churches with additional funds for evangelism initiatives and operational projects. The grant funds will allow these churches to expand their ministry focus and the AME Church to the forefront in each community they serve. The six pastors will be leading this effort with Dr. Norris. This area is a part of the 13th Episcopal District of the AME Church, led by Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfield. “The Foundation for Evangelism is looking forward to partnering with the Nashville District as they implement their project throughout the coming year. Seeing clergy and laity working together to invite their community into a life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ is exciting,” said the Rev. Dr. Heather Lear, vice president for Grant Administration. “One of the AME Department of Church Growth and Development goals is to provide churches with resources to help grow and develop every area of ministry, where they can make a difference in each community. We applied for the grant in hopes of encouraging pastors and laity in building the Kingdom of God in this present age. It is our hope that this project is only the first in a series of local church development initiatives,” stated the Rev. Dr. Marcellus A. Norris

About the Equipping the Local Church Grant The Foundation for Evangelism’s Equipping the Local Church Grant has categories for $5,000, $7,500, and $10,000 awarded to small and medium church congregations or clusters of churches working together in a Wesleyantradition denomination. Selected applicants must show how the grant can launch an experiment or initiative to share the Gospel, tell their faith stories, and invite others into a relationship with Jesus. For more information about The Foundation for Evangelism, visit foundationforevangelism.org. About the Department of Church Growth and Development For over 60 years, the Department of Church Growth and Development has held to the principle of teaching and training AME clergy and laity in evangelism and discipleship that leads to spiritual growth in our members and a numeric increase in our congregations. The Department aims to assist AME clergy and laity in leading all people to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as one’s savior through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

About the Nashville District of the Tennessee Annual Conference of the AME Church The Nashville District consists of 15 churches in the Nashville, Tennessee, area, led by Presiding Elder Rev. Anica Howard.

Organization Contact: Rev. Dr. Marcellus A. Norris, 615-997-3965, drnorris@ amechurchgrowth.org. The Foundation for Evangelism Contact: Barby Bowser, Communications, (828) 454-6800; communications@foundationforevangelism.org. ❏ ❏ ❏

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® Gifts Morris Brown $100,000 for Endowment

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® is continuing to make good on its commitment to our nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This evening the sorority’s international president and chief executive officer (CEO), Dr. Glenda Glover, presented Morris Brown College with a $100,000 donation to establish an endowment for scholarships and other operational needs to help bolster the institution’s sustainability. A check presentation took place on the historic campus at the Dr. Gloria Anderson Multi-purpose Complex. “Alpha Kappa Alpha is pleased to make this donation to Morris Brown College as we continue our support of the county’s HBCUs,” said AKA International president and CEO Dr. Glenda Glover. “Our gift to this historic institution will be used to assist President Kevin James with scholarships, academic support, and programmatic activities that we believe will increase the sustainability of Morris Brown for years to come,” added Dr. Glover. “I want to thank Alpha Kappa Alpha for their dedication to HBCUs and especially for the sorority’s commitment to strengthening our endowment, which could not have come at a better time with our full accreditation announcement,” said Morris Brown President Kevin James. “I want to thank President Glenda Glover for her leadership and to all the AKAs for their continued support as we continue our quest to restoring Morris Brown to her former glory.” Alpha Kappa Alpha’s gift to Morris Brown is part of Dr. Glover’s four-year $10 million goal under the sorority’s HBCU for Life: A Call to Action initiative. Glover implemented the program when she took over the leadership of the sorority in 2018. A major component of the initiative is the sorority’s fundraising efforts to secure fiscal sustainability and success for accredited HBCUs around the country. For four consecutive years, members have surpassed their goal to raise $1 million in one day for HBCUs on a designated day in September. “We started this journey in 2018 with a goal of raising $1 million in one day. Certainly, unchartered territory,” explained Dr. Glover, who is also president of her alma mater Tennessee State University. “We had the audacity to believe we could raise $1 million in one day. And we did it then, as well as in 2019 and 2020, by exceeding our million-dollar goal. And, in 2021, to raise more than $2.4 million in our final year was simply phenomenal.” Dr. Glover also shared that AKA has helped thousands of students get into the college of their choice through the sorority’s #CAP initiative. It stands for College Admissions Process and is the signature program she established to increase the number of students who want to attend any college, whether an HBCU or a predominately white institution. Her focus has been on exposing students to HBCUs because she believes the needs of these institutions are so great, including the need to fill seats and to obtain funding. “Most people are unaware of the significant contributions these legacy institutions continue to make in our cities and throughout the country, including graduating 22% of all African Americans with bachelor’s degrees, nearly 80% of all African American judges, 50% of all black lawyers, and at TSU alone, we have produced more than 50% of educators that work in the Metro Nashville Public Schools District. We are also the number one HBCU for graduating teachers.” For more information on the sorority’s commitment to HBCUs, visit www.AKA1908.com. About Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA) is an international service organization founded on the Howard University campus in Washington, DC, in 1908. It is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African American, college-educated women. Alpha Kappa Alpha is comprised of over 325,000 members in more than 1,045 graduate and undergraduate chapters in the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Liberia, Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Canada, Japan, Germany, South Korea, Africa, South Africa, and in the Middle East. Led by international president and CEO Dr. Glenda Glover, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated is often hailed as “America’s premier Greek-letter organization for African American women.” Visit www.aka1908.com for more information.

AME/WIM Central Southern African: Your Credentials Matter and the Royal Presence

Rev. Lerato Pitso

African Methodist Episcopal/Women in Ministry (AME/WIM) of the Central Southern African (CSA) districts (districts 14-15, 17-20) virtually convened their monthly empowerment session on May 21, 2022. The session for May was themed “Your Credentials Matter” under the triennial theme of “Iron Sharpening Iron.” The Rev. Beatrice Mamphethe Motokoa, presiding elder of the North District in the Lesotho Conference, 18th Episcopal District, also serves in the Connectional AME/WIM as the CSA coordinator, was the convener of the session.

The session was attended by members of the CSA Districts, including a few WIM members from the Bermuda Conference and the Jamaica Conference, including supporters of AME/WIM from across the CSA District. In addition, the session was blessed with the presence of the Her Majesty the Queen (HMQ) of the kingdom of Lesotho, HMQ ‘Masenate Mohato Bereng Seeiso, the wife of King Letsie III of Lesotho. The first presenter was the Rev. Lerato Pitso, the Connectional statistician and pastor of AME Church, Ivory Park in the D.S. Modisapodi, East Conference, 19th Episcopal District. She urged AME/WIM members and attendees to work on their education, thus sharpening their credentials and widening their theological worldview. In addition, education helps to establish credibility in the church of Allen and their work in the Kingdom. The Rev. Pitso used Paul as an example, as his education prepared him to contribute to the writing of more than half of the New Testament. The second presenter was the Rev. Audrey Ngamlana, presiding elder of the Beaufort West District and pastor of Calvary AME Church in the Cape Conference, 18th Episcopal District. Her first theological diploma was from R.R. Wright Seminary in the Vaal, South Africa, and her recent Master of Divinity in 2020 is from Payne Seminary. The Rev. Ngamlana shared how her education opened doors through an internship with the church of Canada, Sault Saint Marie, and the opportunity to pastor a few churches in the 19th Episcopal District before moving to the 15th Episcopal District. The Rev. Ngamlana acknowledges that credentials give one credibility within the Connectional AME Church.

Through the CSA coordinator, Connectional AME/WIM will be working on an initiative to equip WIM in the continent on topics like AME Polity and Governance, and Church Administration, to meet the training needs of AME/WIM in the continent. AME/WIM is the official professional organization for women pursuing excellence in ministry in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. It is the prophetic voice for parity and justice through advocacy and activism for women in ministry. For more information on AME/WIM or the work of the CSA, please visit www.amewim.org. Rev. Lerato Pitso, AME/WIM Connectional statistician, 19th Episcopal District

...From Celebrating p3 no one cautioned the man about being “on the ledge” and that “the church cannot be too busy to warn people.” He indicated in the text that the people “became the church” once they attended to the man who fell from the window. He indicated that Paul directly “ministered”/attended to the man when he fell, not delegating to someone else. Another key factor was that everyone left comforted after the events in the text. Pastor Wright indicated that people should feel better after participating in worship, “leave with joy in your spirit [from being in the presence of] the power of the Almighty.” Finally, Pastor Wright ended by citing Luke 21:36 – the importance of “staying awake” to escape events that are going to take place and gave “Learn, Lead, and Liberate: examples of current events/problem situations. Truly a sermon upon which to reflect as the St. John family marked 137 years Conversation with Bishop Gregory of existence as a church serving the Huntsville community. Sister Mary Allen made the offertory appeal, and the Doxology and Benediction followed. G.M. Ingram” Congregants remained to view a congratulatory video of greetings from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqd63n5yxk regional and national clergy, church officers, members, and friends. They included Bishop Harry L. Seawright of the 9th Episcopal District; Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfield, 13th Episcopal District; Bishop Adam Richardson, Sr., Senior Bishop, 10th Episcopal District; Presiding Elder Bruce W. Hunter, South Birmingham-Huntsville Bessemer District; the Reverend Dr. Willie Eugene Marshall, presiding elder, Ozark/Troy District; the Reverend Mark Kelly Tyler, pastor of Mother Bethel AME, Philadelphia, PA; the Reverend Dr. Patrick Clayborn, Bethel AME, Baltimore, MD [former pastor of St. John, Huntsville]; the Reverend Dr. Michael Bell, Allen AME, Washington, D.C.; Brother John Thomas III, editor, The Christian Recorder; Brother Marcus Hill, St. John Steward Board, vice chair; Brother Bill Williams, St. John Trustee Board, vice chair; Brother David Person, a friend of the church; the Honorable Anthony Daniels, Alabama House minority leader, and St. John member; and Deaconess Sarah Bell – 90 years of service to St. John and longest living member. St. John is proud of its legacy and looking forward to a bright future. ❏ ❏ ❏ CONNECTIONALNEWS

Edward Waters University Earns SACSCOC Approval to Off er New Online Graduate Degree Program in Education Policy and Advocacy

As printed June 6, 2022, in Academic Affairs, Announcements, Education, News, Online Learning

Last week Edward Waters University (EWU) received formal notification from its accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), authorizing the university to offer a new graduate master’s degree (M.A.) in Education Policy and Advocacy. As such, the university plans to begin enrolling students in this exciting new graduate academic degree program beginning this August in fall 2022. Given the dynamic shifts in global policies and pedagogical frameworks throughout both the K-12 and higher education sectors, both locally and nationally, EWU is confident that this new program will fill a particularly growing need for trained educational policymakers and influencers who will shape the present and future of American education. In particular, the new graduate M.A. in Education Policy and Advocacy (MEPA) is a 100% online 36-credit-hour degree program that students can complete in as little as twelve months. Completing the all-new MEPA program will help fortify and empower intergenerational leaders for positions of responsibility as K-12 administrative policy influencers, higher education administrators and professionals, and leaders in educational non-profit and for-profit sectors. “As a second-generation educator, I am pleased to advance the development of this new interdisciplinary degree at Edward Waters University as a deliberate step in our strategic focus on producing minority thought leaders, national advocates, and committed public servants who are intellectually prepared to employ culturally relevant strategies that address contemporary issues in communities around the world,” said Edward Waters University’s inaugural dean of Graduate Studies and associate professor of Education, Dr. Walter T. Tillman, Jr.

Traditionally, fields of education have held a strong interest among EWU students. In past years, the university has produced remarkably effective and impactful educators throughout the state of Florida and beyond. Accordingly, the university’s faculty and administration resolved to develop this new market-relevant stand-alone graduate degree program in education policy and advocacy to expand EWU’s academic profile further and meet student demand while simultaneously supporting future enrollment growth. “The transformation and ascendancy of Edward Waters University continues with the promulgation and subsequent approval by SACSCOC of our second graduate degree program—the Masters of Education Policy and Advocacy—in just the last year,” said Dr. A. Zachary Faison, Jr., EWU president, and CEO. “We are excited and brimming with anticipation concerning this new cuttingedge graduate degree program of study that will produce strong educational policy-making advocates that serve and support the needs of our nation’s primary, secondary, and college/university students,” President Faison said. The Master of Arts in Education Policy and Advocacy (MEPA) will utilize an interdisciplinary and culturally relevant approach to prepare educational advocates and non-educational leaders as change agents for leadership in sundry contexts. Traditional and contemporary theory, technology, and experiential learning are collectively employed to give students pursuing the Education Policy and Advocacy degree a holistic and innovative perspective. “Introducing this new program contributes to EWU’s goal of enhancing the university’s academic profile by comprehensively inaugurating a competitive 21st-century curriculum into our institution,” Dr. Donna H. Oliver, the provost of EWU and the senior vice president of Academic Affairs, added. “Given EWU’s past longstanding presence in education as a program of study, as a career educator, I am excited to see our institution reclaim its space as a continuing producer of high-quality educational professionals,” Provost Oliver said.

For more information and to complete your application for admission to the Edward Waters University Master of Education Policy and Advocacy (MEPA) degree program, please visit www.ew.edu/mepa or contact Mr. Kendrick Dunklin, Dean of Enrollment Management, by email at k.dunklin@ewc. edu or by phone at (904) 470-8202. EWU is currently accepting students for the upcoming fall 2022 academic term, and space is limited, so complete your application today. ❏ ❏ ❏

After Roe’s Fall, Black Churches Support Some or All Reproductive Health Options

Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service

(RNS) — For Evangelist Lesley W. Monet, the week since the fall of Roe v. Wade has been a time of praise and preparation. For Dr. Miriam Burnett, it has been a time of protest and preparation. Monet, international director of the Church of God in Christ’s Family Life Campaign, recently moved to Tennessee, where the predominantly black Pentecostal denomination plans to turn a former Catholic monastery into a facility that, among other things, will offer pre-natal and post-natal care in a state where maternal and infant mortality for black women is high. The Kingdom World Missions Center, imagined well before the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling, will continue the denomination’s yearslong commitment to urging women not to choose abortion by providing financial help for food and housing, along with baby showers and encouragement after the births of unexpected children. “It helps us to help women from this court case,” Monet said. “It’s going to be fantastic.”

The center, which is being renovated over the next few months, has only become more urgent, she said. “I’m just praying that we get this off of the ground … because women need our help, as they have in the 49 years since this has been going on.” Burnett, medical director of the African Methodist Episcopal Church International Health Commission, whose denominational leaders condemned the Dobbs decision, said AME leaders’ focus is to foster women’s “education around what their choices are and what their options are, but not to become a transportation hub or to actually advocate abortions.” Most immediately she is concerned that with clinics closing, women will be deprived of ancillary services, such as physicals and breast and cervical cancer screenings. She hopes more churches in her denomination will serve as locations for community health services. “We are working to try to institute community health centers in many of our churches that have expressed interest,” she said, along with approaching others who have the space for such centers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a plurality (38%) of reported abortions in 29 states and the District of Columbia in 2019 were obtained by black women, despite a smaller population size. A third (33%) of the reported abortions were obtained by white women, amounting to 6.6 abortions per 1,000 white women, compared to 23.8 per 1,000 black women. Other sources’ data varies widely and there is much division on this hotbutton issue, but there is nevertheless broad agreement that black women disproportionately seek abortions in the United States, often due to economic and social reasons.

The 16th District Excelling in Extraordinary Times

By Joan Phillips-Bennett, 16th Episcopal District YPD Director

The members of the 16th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC), under the leadership of Bishop Marvin C. Zanders II and Supervisor Winifred H. Zanders, gathered at Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny, Jamaica, on May 26, 2022, and May 27, 2022, for their district’s Annual Planning Meeting. Chapel of Christ Our Redeemer AME Church hosted the district’s first face-to-face gathering since the COVID-19 pandemic. It was two powerful days packed with teachings, business, and worship sessions that empowered all those who attended to return to their respective conferences and communities to strengthen their teams and ministries. Business as Usual The meeting garnered more than 200 persons in attendance, which included members of the Connection, such as the president of the AME Church Council of Bishops and the presiding prelate of the 13th Episcopal District, Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfield; the executive director of the Department of Global Witness and Ministry of the AMEC, the Rev. Dr. John F. Green; pastor of St. James AME Church in Newark, New Jersey, the Rev. Dr. Ronald L. Slaughter, Sr.; pastor of St. Luke AME Church in Harlem, New York, the Rev. Stephen E. Green; and the president of Payne Theological Seminary, Dr. Michael Joseph Williams. The business sessions and teachings focused on topics such as leadership, synergy, ministry, and the district’s specific components, discussing budgets and various obligations. The Academy of Training and Service (ACTS) teachings were encouraging and informative. The Rev. Dr. Slaughter gave strategic methods geared towards making ministry relevant during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of knowing what type of leader you are for the specific members in your ministry. The Rev. Stephen Green gave a dynamic lesson on the Road to Reparations: Reclaiming Our Identity and tackled some views on how persons of colour view themselves as opposed to misconceptions of the broader society. Bishop Zanders introduced an education fund affirming the suggestion of the Jamaica Annual Conference members regarding persons who needed assistance to get the necessary qualifications to apply to tertiary institutions in the Caribbean. The members of the district and the Connection welcomed the idea. As a result, the district raised USD 12,000 at the Planning Meeting. Bishop Zanders will appoint the district’s Education Fund Committee, and the committee will oversee student selection and scholarship allocations based on student needs. Missionaries on the Move As customary, the Women’s Missionary Society of the AMEC dedicated a few hours to giving back to persons within the community. Sister Regina Mclean Prince, the Episcopal president of the Women’s Missionary Society (WMS), led the outreach. The Episcopal supervisor of Missions, Sister Winifred Zanders, WMS District worship leader, Sister Liz Debourg, District YPD director, Sister Joan Phillips-Bennett, District YPD’s 1st vice president, Brother Ahejey Mattis, and WMS Conference presidents from the 16th Episcopal District traveled to

Barrett Town’s SOS Children’s Village and Barrett Town Primary School to donate food items and school supplies and interact with the children. Serving God with Determined Faith The ordination and commissioning service was a very unique and highly anticipated moment as the guest preacher, Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfield (who was also the previous bishop of the 16th Episcopal District), was unable to conduct an ordination and commissioning service as a result of the no-movement stipulation which occurred during the Worldwide COVID-19 Pandemic. Bishop Zanders made pastoral appointments in the district and two presiding elder appointments in the Jamaica Annual Conference: the Rev. Florance McElroy to the Blue Mountain District and the Rev. Shawin Reynolds to the Pedro Plains District. Bishop Zanders gave the final word to the district, instructing that God calls people to work and build his Kingdom; therefore, God guides and guards us from the adversary. ❏ ❏ ❏

...From After Roe p14 This has affected the immediate response of many faith leaders of color to the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. No matter where they are on the spectrum of opinion about abortion, prominent pastors and institutional leaders have said holistic solutions for women of color are crucial.

Tony Evans, an influential Dallas pastor, called for compassion on the part of Christians, speaking of “humbly” celebrating Justice Samuel Alito’s opinion in the Dobbs case: “(M)ost importantly, women should never have to bear the challenges of an unplanned pregnancy on their own,” he said. “We, as the body of Christ, should come alongside those in need through spiritual and tangible support.” The AND Campaign, a nonpartisan Christian think tank with predominantly black leadership, used similar language, referring to “Whole Life,” in a statement. The group declared its opposition to criminally prosecuting women who seek or have an abortion.

“God loves women who’ve had or considered abortions and so do we,” it said. “Christianity is more than just a list of prohibitions; our faith also affirmatively commands us to love others with compassion and self-sacrifice. Our conviction to help suffering women and children should match our convictions regarding the unborn.” But despite their caring approaches to women with unexpected pregnancies, black clergy in states such as Tennessee will pursue their different strategies as new restrictions come into force. Bishop Vincent Mathews, Jr., COGIC world missions president, predicts that if the number of abortions decrease and pregnancies increase, “our work will intensify,” through operations like the Kingdom World Missions Center. The Rev. Earle J. Fisher, pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church in Memphis who sits on Planned Parenthood’s Clergy Advisory Board, described his city as being on “the precipice’’ of three southern states — Arkansas, Tennessee,

and Mississippi, all of which have or likely soon will ban most abortions. He plans to continue supporting women’s access to reproductive health care, including abortion. Asked about being part of clergy efforts such as the earlier or possibly renewed Clergy Consultation Service that helped women access safe abortions in the years before Roe, he said he had not yet been part of such discussions. “I know that it’s possible that they may be necessary in the very near future,” he said. “Especially when we think about how these rulings include even people who have been impregnated by means of rape and incest, I think it’s heinous, I think it’s unholy to use this type of governmental overreach into the lives of everyday people.” With high infant mortality rates in Memphis and surrounding Shelby County, Fisher said the Black Church will need to determine new ways to help push for resources for prenatal care and comprehensive school sex education. “Memphis is ground zero,” he said, noting that the needs must be met in the midst of a variety of religious perspectives. “But I still believe in the Black Church’s ability and capacity to be innovative and inspirational to meet the needs of our people.” Many black Christian leaders also say the Dobbs decision demands that their constituents vote to give their communities a voice on the issue. “We remain in solidarity with the black, brown, and poor people who this decision will disproportionately impact,” said AME officials, including bishops and social justice leaders. “We ask each member to recommit to vote in every upcoming election to ensure that human beings are treated with equal dignity and respect and given equal access to resources.” In early May, when Alito’s draft opinion appeared,

...From After Roe p15 the Rev. W. Franklyn Richardson, chairman of the Conference of National Black Churches, said that any push for congressional legislation to codify Roe would prompt the “awakening” strongly needed in the African American community ahead of the midterm elections. After the release of the actual opinion, Richardson added that he plans to support churches in the states where the right of abortion has been removed. “The Supreme Court’s ruling did not simply empower states to ban abortions — it gave them a license to put the lives of millions of black and poor women at severe risk,” he said. https://religionnews.com/2022/07/01/afterroes-fall-black-churches-support-some-or-allreproductive-health-options. ❏ ❏ ❏

Capital District of the M.M. Mokone Annual Conference

Rev. Maria Shadibo Diale, the pastor of Mogwase AME Church, M.M. Mokone Annual Conference TCR Contributor

Presiding Elder Mandisi Albert Mexico opened the Capital District of the M.M. Mokone Annual Conference from May 13-15, 2022, at Darie Mae Robinson African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Saulsville. This district is the largest in the 19th Episcopal District, with 18 churches in the Northwest Province, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga. This conference was the first fully attended meeting after three years of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. From each of the 18 churches, members of the church left the comfort of their homes in numbers to experience worship services and educational sessions. The opening worship service started on Friday, May 13, 2022, at 13:30, following a going-home service of one of the Lay Organization’s stalwarts and a Darie Mae Robinson Steward Board member, Brother Setsopi Harold Senosha. The Reverend Modikoe Amiel Mpye, the pastor of Ebenezer AME Church in Atteridgeville, opened the service with a sermon based on the Gospel of Luke 24:29 with the heading, “O seka wa mo dumella a fete” translated “Don’t Let Him Pass.” In the evening, the Reverend Thabang Kobue, a newly ordained deacon from the host church, gave the educational message from Luke 10:35. Mother M. L. Morewane, the District Health Commission director, gave a presentation pertaining to health and emphasized the importance of vaccination. She further encouraged members to take care of their health and have flu vaccines/ shots to strengthen their immune system, as these vaccines are free at government hospitals. The guest speaker, Ms. Molebogeng Mavimbela, came to teach about the importance of herbal medicine as a daily supplement. Among other activities, we were blessed by the presence of Presiding Elder P.J. Mengoai (retired), who used his rare and interesting skills to officiate the pastoral reports Presiding Elder Mexico, a father and mentor, introduced the Pastor’s Appreciation Service. Members of each church came to appreciate their pastors. The service was an important moment for pastors as it was the first time for some to feel appreciated loudly by their members. We thank the presiding elder for this wonderful gesture, and may the good Lord continue to bless him. The Reverend B.M. Mokgoko comforted the families of the departed members with the word from the book of Paul to the people of Corinth, 1 Corinthians 15:25-26, “Death is the last enemy to be defeated.” Members of the Women’s Missionary Society under the leadership of Mother X.F. Mexico came in numbers to be a part of the conference. They participated in the service that Mother Mpye led. The Reverend M.M. Kgositlou led a service of the installation of the Office of the Capital District Sons of Allen, which is under the leadership of Brother P. Mushatu and his executive team: vicepresident Brother L.M. Buys; secretary Brother C. Mahlangu; corresponding secretary Brother K. Reid; treasurer Brother Ernest Leeuw; financial secretary Brother Kago Seleke; and chaplain Brother Michael Matabane. The conference closed on Sunday with a message from one of the Women in Ministry members, the Reverend B.M. Ntsepe. She gave us a message from the three books about love, and her subject was “Ratanang/Love Thy Neighbor.” This service also included a high celebration with participants sharing the table of the Lord, with Presiding Elder Emeritus P.J. Mengoai as chief celebrant. The District Conference is the third and the most important conference in the AME Church. It finalizes the important decisions from the local church before endorsement at the annual conference. Hence the delegates to the district conference must be the local church stewards. Their active participation in the local church leads to the building of the entire African Methodist Episcopal Church. ❏ ❏ ❏

Rev. Betty Whitted Holley, Ph.D., Elected as Chair of the Commission on Accrediting for the Association of Theological Schools

The Rev. Betty Whitted Holley, Ph.D., was elected chair of the Commission on Accrediting for the Association of Theological Schools. The Commission oversees the accreditation of schools across the United States and Canada. She is the academic dean, director of the Master of Divinity degree program, and fully-tenured professor of Ecological Theology at Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce, Ohio.

Dr. Holley received her Bachelor of Arts from Bennett College, a Master of Education, and an Education Specialist from the University of North Carolina. She also holds a Master of Divinity from Payne Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Philosophy from Union Institute and University in Cincinnati. Dr. Holley comes to this role well-prepared. She has chaired several accreditation visiting teams and been on dozens of visits. She was a member of the Redevelopment Task Force that developed the 2020 standards presently used to accredit and reaccredit our member schools. She has previously served as vice chair of the commission. ❏ ❏ ❏