March 2023 Edition of The Christian Recorder

Second

Episcopal

District Dedicates

Valerie Faith Gary Bell Commercial Property

On Saturday, February 18, 2023, the 2 nd Episcopal District celebrated the dedication and mortgage burning of the Valerie Faith Gary Bell Commercial Property located at 7610 Pennsylvania Ave. in Forestville, Maryland. The total cost of the building was about three million dollars, and the district raised the full amount to support the building payoff after just over one year of its Level Up Campaign. We celebrate what great things God has done in partnership with God’s people who were willing to both believe in the vision and do the work to bring the vision into realization!

Sister Valerie Faith Gary Bell, the property namesake, was born on October 25, 1953, and is a fifth-generation member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and has

CONGRATULATIONS! The Hugines Celebrate 50 Years Of Marriage

Dr. Akilah Hugine-Elmore

Andrew and Abbiegail Hugine, formerly of Green Pond, South Carolina, celebrated their 50 th wedding anniversary on December 23, 2022, at the Lowcountry Conference Center in Summerville, South Carolina. The celebration was the idea of their children, Andrew Hugine III and Akilah Hugine-Elmore, who served as the event planner. The elegant affair was co-hosted by Renee Hamilton, who served as the flower girl, and Eric Frasier, the ring bearer for the Hugine’s wedding in 1972. The couple was married at the now White Hall AME Church, with Dr. George Hamilton

Nurturing Family Faith: Clarion Call To The Church

Dr. Betty Holley, Contributing Writer

In Hebrews 11:1, Paul called faith “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith helps us understand the things we cannot know. Despite everything we know, there are still many mysteries we cannot fully explain. When human reason, knowledge, and experience can answer questions about “why” they are the way they are.

We see from day to day that bad things happen to good people, but we have a hard time explaining why they happen to this person and not that person under these circumstances and not other circumstances.

Jackson Theological Seminary Awarded Full Accreditation Status

Jackson Theological Seminary, located in North Little Rock, Arkansas, in the 12th Episcopal District, has been awarded full accreditation from the Transnational Association of Christian Schools (TRACS) as a Category III Institution. Founded in 1903, Jackson Theological Seminary has endeavored and successfully produced competent and capable ministers of the gospel. Unfortunately, because of a significant hiatus for many years, the school could not support students' needs. Seeing the community's growing needs and accreditation requirements increasing, the chairman of the Board of Trustees, the Right Reverend Michael L. Mitchell, the presiding prelate of the 12 th Episcopal District,

performing the ceremonies. Dr. Hamilton officiated at the couple’s 25 th anniversary celebration

The Reverend Dr. Elmer S. Martin And The Last Decade Of Greater Allen AME Church

L-R Ret. Bishop John R. Bryant and Bishop James Levert Davis.

on p3

Valerie Faith Gary Bell Dedication Plaque.

MARCH 2023

been a member of the Lay Organization since 1974. She is a native of the 2 nd Episcopal District, and her spiritual growth and development were inspired and nurtured by the members of Mt. Zion AME Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In addition to her many commitments throughout her AME Church life, on August 7, 2017, at the 35 th Biennial Session of the Connectional Lay Organization in Columbus, Ohio, Valerie was elected as the 14 th Connectional president. Since the birth of the Lay Organization in 1912, she was the 2nd woman to serve in this capacity. Her election is a testament to her unwavering dedication to calling us all into better being. The dedication of the Valerie Faith Gary Bell building is an attempt to answer that call.

Under the leadership of Bishop James L. Davis, the 2 nd District began its

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THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER: The Christian Recorder (ISSN 1050-6039, USPS 16880) is the official organ of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and a member of the Associated Church Press and the National Newspaper Publishers Association. Founded in 1852, it is printed monthly by the AMEC Sunday School Union, 900 13th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212. Periodicals Postage Paid at Nashville, TN.

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Dr. John Thomas III, Editor, The Christian Recorder

Office: 615.601.0450

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Submissions: articles@thechristianrecorder.com

Views expressed by the editor and/or other writers do not necessarily reflect the official views of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The Christian Recorder welcomes letters from its readers on matters of general interest. Letters must be exclusive to The Christian Recorder and must be signed, including the writer’s home address and business telephone number. No defamatory, libelous or slanderous letters will be printed; and The Christian Recorder reserves the right to reject or edit any letter or article to conform to good taste, style and space requirements. Although we are unable to acknowledge those letters we cannot publish, we appreciate the interest and value the views of those who take the time to send us their comments. Letters intended for publication should be addressed to The Christian Recorder/Letters to the Editor, 900 13th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212. All photograph submissions are the property of The Christian Recorder and will not be returned.

L-R CDC Board Members Walter Morris (Washington Conference) and Ronald Flamer (Baltimore Conference).

L-R (1 st row) Bishop and Supervisor Davis, Janet Benjamin, Bishop Bryant, Donald Bell, Sr., Donald Bell, Jr. (2 nd row) Rev. Roger H. Reed, Shirley Cason Reed and family.

L-R Shirley Cason Reed and Donald Bell.

Surplus check presentation from loan payoff.

...From Second Episcopal p1

Why does this person get cancer? Why does this child die young? Why do earthquakes seemingly happen in areas where people are horribly impoverished? Why does this person linger with dementia long after they no longer know who or where they are? Faith provides answers to the kind of questions that human reason and knowledge alone cannot answer. Because human knowledge and understanding grow with experiences over time, our assumptions in faith today may be incomplete. Faith always retains the ability to incorporate new facts, experiences, and knowled ge.

Without a faith tradition, we leave our children no reasonable and hopeful way to understand the important mysteries of life. Without faith,

assembled a visionary team. Bishop Mitchell gave the team clear direction and tangible and spiritual support through administrative excellence. Students are now enrolled in Jackson’s Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and Master of Divinity programs and have access to financial aid from Title IV funding.

This achievement was made possible because of a strong administrative team led by president and chief ex-

the most basic human question, “why?” goes unanswered, leaving our children open to many demonstrably false and destructive ideas. The family is the first community and the most basic way God gathers us, forms us, and acts in the world. Therefore, there is no more urgent task for the Church today than strengthening parental and family faith and practice. At the heart of a plethora of research is the finding that the most important influence shaping children and youth’s religious and spiritual lives is their parents. The overwhelming evidence from the research studies shows that the parents of American youth play the leading role in shaping the character of their religious and spiritual lives well after they leave home and often for the rest of their lives.

ecutive officer, the Reverend Cecil Williams, past and present members of the Board of Trustees, administration and faculty, loyal alumni, and friends of the seminary for the giving of their time and gifts. We are also thankful for the incomparable expertise and invaluable guidance of our accreditation consultant, Dr. Keiona Middleton, and the sage advice of Shorter College president, Dr. O. Jerome Green, Esq. We certainly cannot forget the generosity of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

One of the consequences of the 2020 pandemic’s impact on life in the United States was rediscovering the centrality of the family and the home. Education, work, worship, and faith formation all moved home overnight. Churches that had developed strong relationships with families and had robust efforts to support parents and nurture family faith at home made a much smoother transition to the home-based church life. Those churches, especially in the African American community, that did not, struggled. As we reimagine the way forward, post-COVID, the church needs to support and nurture family faith at home, strengthening parental and family daily faith practices. Churches partnering with parents to nurture family faith may help slow down young people from exiting our denomination!

for including Jackson Seminary in the 2021-2024 budget at the 51 st Session of the General Conference, as well as the gracious support from the Council of Bishops for approving the first Connectional seed offering of $10,000.00 to Jackson Seminary through the sale of The Anvil, led by Bishop Vashti McKenzie.

Finally, Jackson Seminary is eternally grateful to God for God’s infinite grace and for the overwhelming love, encouragement, and tangible

support of the clergy and laity who comprise the entire constituency of the mighty 12 th Episcopal District.

We welcome all to support and experience the newest accredited institution of the African Methodist Episcopal Church: Jackson Theological Seminary.

This is the Lord’s doing!

Bishop Michael L. Mitchell, Chairman of the Board of Trustees www.jtseminary.org

African Methodist Episcopal Church – Eighteenth Episcopal District –Eswatini Annual Conference

Rev. Solomon J. G. Nxumalo, Retired Presiding Elder

The 58 th Session of the Eswatini Annual Conference sat at a time when the country faced political and weather challenges. Because of the political unrest in the country, the bishop could not stay in the country but instead moved to South Africa. This condition necessitated the use of Zoom for the meeting.

The Opening Worship Service started at 16:00 local time on 16 November 2023 at Labotsibeni African Methodist Episcopal Church, Manzini. The preacher of the Opening Service was the Reverend Zwelile R. Thwala, pastor of Collins Tabernacle, Manzini, who preached a moving sermon on the subject of “God the Healer.” Immediately following the Benediction, the weather grew bad.

On Day 2, 17 November 2022, the Conference failed to start on time because of electricity interruptions due to heavy storms. However, the program finally continued. The first Business Session included the Call to Order, and the Organisation of the Conference. This included the election of the Finance Committee, the election of the Conference Trustees, the election of the Judiciary Committee, the appointment of the Ministerial Efficiency Committee, and the election of the GDC Representative. There was also to be presiding elder summary report, the board of examiner’s report, and the pastor’s annual reports.

After the presiding elder summary reports, the Board of Examiners presented four candidates for admission, one for Second Year Studies and three for ordination into the Elder’s Order.

...From Jackson Theological p1

Decolonizing The Black Church

George Pratt, Contributing Writer

On a December day during the heat of finals week, I received a notification from a mentor that prompted me to pause from the blaze of essay writing. He posed a provocative question that spurred one of our usual philosophical engagements via text. Through a triplet of inquiries, he asked how one promotes the decolonization of Christianity in the church. Warm with the embers of wordsmithing, I responded in this way:

“Decolonizing Christianity requires the castration of its empire from its ecclesial bodies. This work calls for one to revisit the strategy of Constantine and the decisions made at the Council of Nicea, in which the religion of Jesus emerged as a method of controlling the masses. Applying a decolonial framework to Christianity enables one to uncover the retelling of ancient stories, co-opted as literal truths, containing symbols and allegories revealing ultimate universal Truths.

“In the case of African American

expressions of Protestantism, Black religious institutions have inherited and adopted various forms of Constantinian Christianity, conveyed primarily through patriarchy. Constructing the Black Church presented men with the possibility of gaining the same power as their white oppressors. It was a vehicle through which they could use the masters’ tools to build a version of their own house. Decolonizing is the act of destroying this house, ridding of its foundations from all forms of patriarchy and androcentrism.

A Dean’s Lament: How Long?

Rev. W. Antoni Sinkfield, Ph.D.

“This act of abolition also includes transformation. It begins with the Sankofa look: the act of reclamation, fetching what is in danger of being lost–our collective spirit. The reaching back calls us to capture what is good from the past, followed by imagination, dreaming of new worlds with the ‘ideal cosmic community.’ Finally, it means doing the work of the future in the present to rebuild.

“The Black Church must struggle to decolonize for its existence to remain relevant. While this may emerge as an uphill battle in

consciousness for the masses of Black congregants trekking toward the proverbial promised land in their Christian journey, it can begin with a collective look in the mirror. Next, we must recall the visions of wisdom from our past, remembering ways of being and knowing what is most ideal for the entire community. Finally, we must revive our spirit— our common ethos — the work of decolonization.”

In 1965, from the steps of the capital building in Montgomery, Alabama, following their historic and death-defying march from Selma to Montgomery, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood before the weary yet jubilant marchers for justice. He resoundingly repeated this inquisitive refrain (concerning the eradication of America’s prevailing and pervasive racist reality ), saying:

“I know you are asking today, ‘How long will it take?’ Somebody’s asking, ‘How long will prejudice blind the visions of men, darken their understanding, and drive bright-eyed wisdom from her sacred throne?’ Somebody’s asking, ‘When will wounded justice, lying prostrate on the streets, be lifted from this dust of shame to reign supreme among the children of men?’ Somebody’s asking, ‘When will the radiant star of hope be plunged against the nocturnal bosom of this lonely night, plucked from weary souls with chains of fear and the manacles of death? How long will justice be crucified, and truth bear it?’

I come to say to you, however difficult the moment, however frustrating the hour, it will not be long because truth crushed to earth will rise again.

“How long? Not long, because no lie can live forever.

“How long? Not long, because you shall reap what you sow.

“How long? Not long because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” (King, 1965)

And in the spirit of this profoundly relevant inquiry of Dr. King, I also ask the first half of this question: “How long?” But now, I am completely disabled in my efforts to supply the follow-up affirmation of, “Not long!”

For I am yet asking, “How long” will we have to endure these senseless acts of police brutality that rob another black person of their inalienable right to life? “How long” will we put up with another family being traumatized and another community being terrorized like that of Tyre Nichols at the hands of those hired to “protect and serve?”

“How long” will we have to witness a new episode where a routine traffic stop escalates and elevates into a brutally uncalled-for murder in the streets?

I keep asking the question, “How long” because I am sick and tired of mobs of men murdering at a whim, of people being pursued as if they are prey, of mothers being made to bury their children, and of inhumane violence giving way to incomprehensible vice!

And so, “How long” will this world’s Tyre Nichols be dehumanized and depersonalized?

“How long” will complicit officers of peace stand around and silently condone the crucifying and killing acts of other “so-called” officers of peace?

“How long” will the intrinsic brutality in so many police departments be endured before America admits that its criminal justice system is broken into pieces?

“How long” will it be before we say “enough is enough” to a culture of police militarization, an ingrained warrior mentality, flawed training, inadequate laws, lack of mental evaluation and support, racial discrimination, and deep-rooted impunity?

We must press for and demand that transformative justice take place NOW—and finally, ask and answer regarding this matter: “How long? Not long!”

THE TRUTH IS THE LIGHT

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

Based on Biblical Text: 1 Thes. 3:12 “And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.”

The greatest quality in the world is love. Without love, we are nothing and cannot have abundant life. The Apostle Paul was aware of this. His prayer to God was that the Thessalonian church and its believers might grow more and more in love. Paul knew that the church that would be a model to others is one that has a strong and abiding love. The model church exhibits an intense love for God and one another.

Paul prays to God our Father, reminding us that the God we serve is not just “out there” ruling and reigning in some place far removed from us but is, in fact, right here with us actively participating in our lives just as an earthly father participates in the lives of his children. In other words, God, our Father, is intimately involved in our lives. We see Paul approach God like a child approaches their father. A child requests of their father, knowing that he will hear and answer.

Paul prays to our Lord Jesus Christ, who has existed eternally in heaven but so loved us that he would become our Lord. He would come to earth in the flesh and dwell among us. The depth of Paul’s prayer reveals to us that both

the Father and the Son have the nature of God. The Father and the Son have co-existed eternally and continue to reign eternally.

Paul prays for what he knows is the only solution to the people’s dilemma. He prays for their need to love. Why? Because love is the necessary foundation for every church that seeks to flourish in the work of the Lord. If the church of Jesus Christ is to grow, it must allow the love of God to multiply and overflow into the world.

God can increase our love and cause our love to overflow toward others. The overflowing love of God can perfect what is lacking in our conviction and can guide and direct all our efforts. This guidance is our mandate if we are to be the church in our community that

When God Baffles Us

Dr. Herman O. Kelly, Jr., Columnist

The word baffle means to be bewildered or perplexed. It can also mean being puzzled or confused. Life can be confusing and puzzling. We often make plans or an agenda for our present and future endeavors. Some wake up and write a to-do list on their devices or a sheet of paper. Our goal for that day is to complete our list. If we complete our list, we will have a productive day. But, in the ebb and flow of living, sometimes our list is expanded and may not get completed that day or even the next couple of days.

First, God baffles us with grace. Grace is unmerited favor from God. It is unmerited because none of us deserves or can earn the grace of a loving and forgiving God. I am baffled by how God gives me grace and my family grace, and others who share their faith journey with me.

Ephesians 4:7 reminds us that “each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” Grace is a gift, and this gift should baffle us even more. It is like having a birthday celebration every day. The gift we receive is God’s grace. I wanted a new tie, but the color was not good; I wanted a new suit, but it was a little tight since I gained a few pounds, but God’s grace fits me just right. God can baffle and confuse us with grace and perplex us with this unmerited favor that we will never deserve. My seminary professor at Boston University gave me an assignment to write about my theological foundation. I searched for philosophical and esoteric titles for my presentation. Finally, God spoke, and I listened. I titled it “God’s Grace.” I looked back over my life and what God has done for me.

would be a model to others. God’s overflowing love will move us to encourage the unsteady among our congregation and the unsteady “out there” in the world. We will be able to not only strengthen the weak within our walls but also be compelled to strengthen the weak without. God’s overflowing love will allow us to inspire the dispirited in our roles and the discouraged in our community. We will be moved not just to feed the hungry in our membership but to reach beyond our membership to the hungry who are not.

Our prayer, as we aspire to be a church in our community that stands boldly as a model to others, is to God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, asking that we are strengthened and encouraged to

carry their overflowing love into all the world. The model church loves God with the entirety of heart, mind, and soul and, just as importantly, extends that same love to our neighbour. We know by faith that there is no relationship that God’s love cannot strengthen. We are encouraged that there is no fellowship that his love cannot enhance, no heart that God’s love cannot soften, nor is there any pain that God’s love cannot relieve.

Lord, we seek to be a church in our community that stands as a model to others, and our prayer is that you make us blameless, pure, holy, and our pathway sure.

The Reverend Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr. is the pastor of James Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

I took a journey through my good days and my bad days, and I realized the reality of God’s grace.

Secondly, God baffles us by God’s mercy. “He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness” (Micah 6:8). It can baffle us as God gives mercy to us, and we, in turn, are not merciful to our family, friends, and community. God is so patient with us, but we are not patient with each other. God is slow to anger, but we anger so quickly. Yes, God baffles me sometimes. However, mercy gives a wonderful glimpse of God, who looks beyond our faults and your faults and grants us mercy. At the mercy seat of God, we find forgiveness and salvation for our sins and shortcomings. At this mercy seat, the crucified Savior has atoned our sins. I am glad God baffles me many times.

Lastly, God baffles us by God’s love. “But God demonstrates God’s love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 NIV). The commercial states, “diamonds are forever,” and we see the person giving their lover some diamonds. Maybe, I cannot afford diamonds; does that mean I cannot or do not love you? God’s love is priceless and can never be bought or bargained for. We all were bought at a price. The giving of a Savior to save you and me is baffling. It is perplexing and confusing because we did not deserve such love and consideration. God loved beyond love; God gave beyond giving. God did beyond what we could ever do. It ...continued on p6

is baffling. It is confusing. It is perplexing. Philosophers can baffle us, science can confuse us, and technology can perplex us, but nothing baffles us like God.

As Aristotle states, “The unmoved mover.” Paul Tillich writes, “The ultimate concern.” James Cone alludes to this love in The Cross and The

Lynching Tree . The love of God pours out in our Savior, Jesus. We see the suffering of Jesus on the cross through our ancestors who died on lynching trees because of hate and racism in this country. God loves us even in our hatred for each other and our mean spirit toward each other. The love of God still baffles me. I am baffled, but I have faith. I am baffled, but I still trust. I am baffled, but I still believe in a baffling God. ❏ ❏ ❏

Must Illness Knock On Our Door Before We Know COVID-19 Is Real?

James B. Ewers Jr., Ed.D.

I can remember my dad saying to me that discretion is the greater part of valor. Sir John Falstaff speaks the line in Shakespeare’s play, Henry IV , Part 1, Act V, Scene 4. Simply put, it is better to avoid a dangerous situation than to confront it. All of us have been in situations that could have gone wrong had we made the wrong decision. Are we making the right or wrong decision about COVID-19?

As far back as grade school, I can recall peer pressure before the term was coined. A few of my friends wanted to do the wrong thing, and I decided not to follow them. I thought it wise not to experiment with danger. Are we experimenting with COVID-19?

There are many crossroads in life where our decisions might literally mean life or death. At the beginning of the Coronavirus, we received information about it which most of us took seriously. We followed the protocols because that was the right decision. Now, of course, some in America did not trust the health experts. They adhered to their own advice and the advice of non-medical experts. Do you remember someone saying to take disinfectant as a cure for COVID-19?

Prior to the vaccines becoming available, wearing masks, washing hands, and practicing social distancing were a big part of preventing COVID-19 from spreading. Now, vaccines have been instrumental for us as we try to keep

a safe environment. As a result, the number of people contracting the virus has dramatically decreased over time; however, over the past five months, COVID-19 numbers have been on the rise. According to reports, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Massachusetts had counties with medium to high levels of increased COVID-19 cases. Conversely, Hawaii and Maine were states with low numbers of new cases.

As we enter this new year, we should remain vigilant and aware of the COVID-19 surge. This health scare has made us both apprehensive and careful. We think it has disappeared, but it is still around and lurking. Knowing this, we must continue our safe practices;

however, some think we are totally out of the woods and are COVID19-free. Unfortunately, that is wrong and is wishful thinking.

Going about your business without any regard for a virus that has taken millions of lives is shortsighted. Reports say there are over 32,000 new cases of COVID-19, and that number is growing. The major vaccine manufacturers have produced new vaccines to combat the new variants. It is up to us to take them.

Like many of you, I have taken my booster, and my family members have as well. It is in our rational self-interest to do so. Unfortunately, while many of us do not need to be warned, many do not heed the warnings. Do not let it reach your

Questioning Faith: My First Conversion

J. Jioni Palmer, Columnist

“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.” Ralph Ellison

When I was a child, my family attended Bethlehem Lutheran Church in West Oakland, California. West Oakland was and, despite rampant gentrification, still is a predominantly working-class African American community.

In the 1960s, the people of West Oakland, many of them migrants from East Texas and Louisiana fleeing the choking oppression of Jim Crow, were harassed and brutalized by the Oakland Police Department. They migrated in search of better opportunities, but their material conditions hardly improved for many—rural poverty was swapped to urban poverty. As a result of these conditions, in 1966, the Black Panther Party for SelfDefense was founded and headquartered blocks from Bethlehem. Twentythree years later, Black Panther co-founder Huey P. Newton was murdered by a drug dealer near the sanctuary’s doors. Throughout it, all of Bethlehem has stood at the intersection of the sacred and the profane. While signs of a community in decay and turmoil proliferated on one side of the threshold—homeless encampments in the park across the street,

doorstep before you act.

Since its beginning, there has been a reluctance by too many people to protect themselves. It was and still is in many circles a political football that people just want to ignore, thinking it will not harm them. We see commercials on television daily about folks that have lost loved ones because they ignored the information. We have a role to play, and that role is to be a vaccine advocate. That can happen when we speak up and say something about it in a non-threatening way. Be proactive and protect yourself and your family. We cannot stop doing so because our lives are on the line. ❏ ❏ ❏

Mickey’s malt liquor big mouth bottles littered the streets, and prostitutes worked the corners—I found spiritual and cultural undergirding and affirmation on the other side. The congregation was predominantly black but rich in the natural diversity of the African diaspora. Prominent figures like the publisher of the Oakland Tribune and a player on the Golden State Warriors sat in the pews alongside secretaries at Kaiser and high school custodians. Pastor Herzfeld was black, and so was the ministerial staff, including several from West and Southern Africa. There, I learned about Maurice Bishop, Steven Biko, and various liberation struggles sweeping the globe in the 1980s.

I didn’t always understand what I heard, but I don’t think that mattered because I felt something. Something that drew me closer to the divine. Something that pulled me closer to those in the pews. Something that drew me closer to my community at home and abroad. There, I developed the habit of looking around to observe what other people were observing to see what moved them and how they moved. One of my most vivid memories is from a Christmas Eve service. My mom and I were sitting ...continued on p7

behind a man who couldn’t sing a lick, and he moved off-beat, but that didn’t stop him from belting out “Silent Night” like he was choir director. His passion was undeniable.

I naively thought most Lutherans were black and worshiped the way we did at Bethlehem. I would soon learn most Lutherans were white, and many held very conservative theological, social, and political views that were antithetical to my own. Decades later, I was astounded to learn that former Attorney General Ed Meese, a Ronald Reagan loyalist, grew up in Oakland and attended Bethlehem Lutheran Church. It seems unfathomable that we would ever call the same church home.

For some reason, my family left Bethlehem and began attending another church in the East Oakland foothills. There were a few other black families and families of color, but it was a predominantly white congregation. The senior pastor and ministerial staff were white. The music was flat and lacked the zeal to which I had become accustomed. I missed the pageantry of Bethlehem.

No Excuses

Robbie Colson-Ramsey, Contributing Writer

While I was much more actively engaged with this new congregation—I was confirmed there, was an acolyte, and regularly participated in lock-ins and camping trips—than at Bethlehem, I found my connection to the faith I had known slipping away. In retrospect, I realize I was undergoing my first conversion experience, away from my family’s faith.

As I went through the confirmation process, I wrestled with understanding the concept of the Trinity—how can God be three separate individuals yet also one—and the question of who created the creator. I would lay in my bed at night pondering these questions. When I put them to my new pastor, I received a mystified look and the unsatisfactory response, “Well, you just got to have faith.” His words were reassuring, but the look in his eyes led me to doubt.

As I looked into his cool blue eyes, I felt like he was searching to understand me and what I was searching to understand. In contrast, when I looked into Pastor Herzfeld’s warm brown eyes, I felt like he knew what I was in search of—that which he had not yet found but knew existed—and invited me along on the journey. ❏ ❏ ❏

On the first Sunday of the new year, my husband preached a soul-stirring message, “No Excuses,” from John 5:1-15. The sermon begged us to move from stagnant ways and pleaded that we no longer allow fear to paralyze us because it is time to move from our old ways. It mandated that we get up, stop being distracted, and stop being held hostage by excuses. The sermon reminded me of when I was pledging (intake) for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. We would say, “Excuses are tools of the incompetent that build monuments of nothingness. Those who choose to use them seldom amount to anything.” Think about it; our excuses are empty thoughts and words used to bring nothing to fruition.

As pastor’s spouses, the excuses we create often develop a hedge of hindrance that creates issues in our spouse’s churches. In 2023, we must alleviate excuses that make our spouses unsatisfied and why spouses do not get true fulfillment from doing the Lord’s work.

An ongoing excuse is that many spouses don’t work in the church because they feel it is their spouse’s

calling and not theirs; when you march down that aisle and say I do, it becomes a shared calling. Now, you did not receive the appointment, but because you are equally yoked, you sometimes feel the partial weight of the charge. We create excuses because we are not prepared to engage fully in our spouse’s churches. This is the year for you to say I am here, ready to

serve, with no excuses. Although we commit to lessening our excuses in the new year and hitting the target head-on, removing excuses and working in the church is not giving you a ticket to take over the church; it’s not your appointment, and you are not the pastor. It would help if you were an engaged member with a caring and approachable attitude.

What Does Black History Month Look Like In 2023?

Quardricos Driskell, Columnist

In February of 1926, Carter G. Woodson, a well-educated educator with degrees from Berea College, Harvard University, and the University of Chicago, observed with disdain that African American contributions “were overlooked, ignored, and even suppressed” by writers of history textbooks and the teachers who use them. As such, he had a specific goal in mind when establishing what was then called Negro History Week. He hoped that as time passed, black history would be recognized as so entrenched in American history that calendars wouldn’t indicate when society should celebrate black history.

Flash forward to 1970, when Black History Month, as we know it today, was first celebrated at Kent State University, then 16 years later, in 1986, when the United States Congress officially recognized Black History Month as the law of the land, some 60 years after Carter Woodson pioneered the celebration. Yet, as [we have concluded Black History Month 2023, we are] engulfed with the same, if not similar, concerns Woodson had at the turn of the century, which led him to establish the week in the first place.

Over the past weeks, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) sent waves throughout the country that the state was blocking a new Advanced

The members are watching and using you as a measuring stick. If you don’t support the project, why should they?

In the new year, be encouraged to lessen your excuses because you stand accountable in God’s eyes. So remember, in all you do and say, do not make excuses. ❏ ❏ ❏

Placement course on African American Studies because it included “queer theory” and depicted Black Panther-style radical racial ideology as representing black Americans.

DeSantis emphasized that Florida requires teaching black history, but the state determined this optional Advanced Placement course violated state law. No coincidence that an Education Week article notes that Florida is also one of 18 states that have passed laws restricting some lessons on race and racism. Florida’s law specifically bans teaching Critical Race Theory. However, Critical Race Theory or any discourse on race has been misused by Republican lawmakers as a cultural wedge issue that has

essentially become an across-theboard ban on the history of race, racism, and history generally. This misrepresentation has subsequently led to DeSantis refusing the College Board pilot program of African American Studies in the state. In another southern state, Virginia, Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin essentially won the governorship by campaigning against Critical Race Theory, a subject only

taught at the collegiate level.

A recent Hill article entitled, “Republicans See Education As Winning Issue In 2024,” posits that prospective GOP candidates for 2024 could use education –concerns over parental rights and school curriculum as a winning issue, citing the actions of DeSantis and Youngkin respectively.

Given these intentional ways to legislate out African American history, which is American history, it begs the question – what does it mean for a 21 st-century politicized America divided by not only race but any social construction, such as gender and sexuality, religion, to celebrate the genesis, the struggle, the advancement and achievements of the entire African diaspora, especially within the Americas?

Conversely, I understand the apprehension around why some parents would not want such sensitive topics taught to their children, most especially at an early age. However, what puzzles me, is the concern among high schoolage children who presumably will discuss and learn such topics in college or any post-secondary educational environment.

Be clear; the antics by certain lawmakers are not about education; while education is masked as a legitimate concern for the electorate, actions by mainly Republican lawmakers across the country are less about proper academic education and more so about an anti-black, anti-LGBTQI+, anticritical-thinking propaganda that continues to divide our country – the very problem Dr. Woodson wanted to rectify.

If teaching the principles of Black Lives Matter, which exist in a broader way that embraces Woodson’s idea, this would mean that we, as a country, have not dealt with 1619. Historically, we do not teach and have not dealt with Brown’s Raid, Bacon’s Rebellion, or the aftermath of the Civil War. Until we can deal with the reckoning and the truth about race, racism, and the historical traumas America has inflicted and continues to inflict on minoritized communities, most especially indigenous people and African

Americans, then we find ourselves here again, with a new set of politicians making similar claims as DeSantis and weaponizing education to divide further.

Furthermore, Republican lawmakers fail to understand and learn from the lessons of the 2022 mid-term elections. Indeed, inflation and the economy were on the ballot, but so were abortion, trans rights, race, and police brutality. Republicans do not seem to understand that cultural issues are a losing battle when it comes to voters’ concerns. What about the historical, cultural, and philosophical facts of race and other social constructions and history frightens voters?

President Biden sought to heal this nation upon his election – what will further cement his legacy on racial healing, especially during a gridlocked Congress, would be to establish a truth commission on racial justice, reconciliation—or a truth commission, a reconciliation, racial equity, and justice – one that examines tough questions and solutions, including but not limited to reparations. For a truth commission similar to that of South Africa, one of the truth commission’s priorities should be to listen to both sides because if this administration is going to have any meaningful impact in this country, the administration is going to have to open the door for a conversation between and among all sides and that requires education and celebration.

In celebration of that week, Woodson wrote in April 1927 in the Journal of Negro History, “We should emphasize not Negro history, but the Negro in history. We need not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice.”

Ninety-six years later, his words never rang so true.

Quardricos Bernard Driskell is an adjunct professor of legislative politics, where he teaches religion, race, public policy, and politics at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management. Follow him on Twitter @q_driskell4.

150 Years And Counting: Mt. Zion Ame Church Celebrates With Rebuilding Plan With Its 150 Years Church’s CDC Creating Commemorative Historic Guide

Don Coble don@claytodayonline.com

Posted Thursday, February 2, 2023, 12:00 p.m.

The Rev. James Pernell stood in the parking lot of the Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church shortly after last Sunday’s sermon and his mind wandered in several directions. Behind him was the shell of the old parsonage. In front was the church that was in a constant flux of repairs, patches, and promises. Nobody remembers the last time the church bell rang. It certainly was long before Pernell took the pulpit five years ago, yet the Rev. Pernell says with conviction, “That bell will ring again.”

Pernell also shares the same optimism as his parishioners: Mt. Zion someday will again be the beacon of the community.

“I was happy God assigned me here,” Pernell said.

The Mt. Zion Community Development Corporation of Green

Cove Springs is working to help the church celebrate its 150 th birthday on March 26, and in the process, raise money to continue many of its rebuilding projects. So much has been done; so much still needs attention.

Clay Today has joined the community development corporation’s fundraising mechanism called “Green Cove Springs and Clay County: Forward, Bonding Together.” The guide will tell the story of the church’s past and the city’s historic roots, particularly in the black community.

“The target includes locals and others with the idea of attracting them to see and hopefully engage in some manner in the community,” said CDC director of Special Initiatives and Programs, Dr. Cheryl Gonzalez.

The group will print 1,000 guides. The keepsake is looking for sponsors.

In return, money earned will be used to transform the iconic church into a hub that serves all residents.

“We plan to turn the parsonage into a community hall where we can have after-school programs, receptions, and activities,” Pernell said.

The walls of what soon will be called the Family Life Center/Fellowship Hall have been stripped to the frames. There are plans to remove some of the walls to create two open spaces.

“It needs a lot of tender, loving care,” Pernell said. “But this will be something that benefits the

entire community. That’s why it’s so important to help this project.”

The church has scheduled repairs as they collect money. So far, new restrooms have been built, most holes in the roof have been patched, old paneling has been replaced with drywall and fresh paint, and the church now has three working air conditioners.

“Some of the office space in the back used to have plywood floors,” Pernell said. “When the roof leaked, the floor got so bad sometimes when women

When You Feel Like You’ve Been Looked Over, Remember You Don’t Know God’s Plan

Dr. Michael C. Carson, Columnist

Brother Mark Lyons (someone who greatly helped me in my writing career) made me aware of Mrs. Lena “Bea” Beatrice Young. Mark informed me that Sister Young always read my columns!

Sister Young was 99 years old. She transitioned Sunday, January 29, 2023. Sister Young, God rest your soul; thank you for being an avid reader of my work! Also, a “shout out” to Sister Jennifer Lyons!

Sister Sara Thatcher shared with me a column I wrote that has been on her refrigerator for over fifteen years, encouraging her children to

embrace their dreams! Well, when you make it to the refrigerator…

I am so very appreciative of everyone who shares with me how the writing ministry that Evangelist Catherine L. Carson (God rest her soul) encouraged me to pursue and develop greatly blesses them.

To everyone who has read any (or all) of my columns since 1990, thank you so very much!

And now, a word of encouragement to anyone believing you have been overlooked in some way.

Have you ever felt you had been left out, put out, kept out, pushed out, locked out, or ran out of something or somewhere? Have you ever felt, for whatever reason, you were unneeded or uninvited? Have you ever felt as if you resided in the “Land of Unwanted Toys?”

Look into your mirror, and with all the strength and joy you can amass, exclaim: “I am wonderful! I’m chosen. I’m royal. I’m made holy through Jesus Christ! I’m peculiar.” Say, “In God, through Jesus Christ, it is upon me to demonstrate the goodness of God who has called me out of the darkness of this world into the marvelous light of God!”

Did you know that you are inspiring, delightful, extremely good; MARvelous, amazing, astonishing, astounding, FABulous, FANtastic, incredible, MARvelous, miraculous, phen omenal, prodigious, stupendous,

unbelievable, wondrous, excellent; divine, FABulous, FANtastic, glorious, MARvelous, sensational, splendid, superb, terrific, and well wonderful?

Given a current situation, it might appear you have been looked over in life.

God sent the prophet Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new king of Israel. Samuel, in talking with Jesse (David’s father) after seven of Jesse’s eight sons had passed by, said:

“Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.

“And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

“Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward” (1 Samuel 16:11-13).

Oh, I hear Evangelist Cathy saying, “Never count anyone out nor ever count yourself out either. We do not always know just what God is up to. God is always up to something!” (2 Corinthians 2:11).

Please stay tuned concerning what great things God has in store for you!

I’m just saying!

Peace with justice and mercy, be blessed real, real good, attend worship, and families matter. ❏ ❏ ❏

Underfunded Pensions And Black America 2023

Yeshiah

Grabie

Blacks in the United States have faced persistent bias and exploitation in housing, lending, and employment, which has hampered the community’s ability to build wealth and evade cycles of generational poverty. This pattern of exploitation risks repeating itself for the beneficiaries of state and local pensions, a matter that disproportionately affects black Americans. Therefore, it is important to maintain political pressure on government officials to ensure that pensions are positioned to meet their future obligations.

State and local pension funds operate as follows: pension funds collect money from employees, employers, and taxpayers, make projections about future payouts and invest in a mix of assets to meet future obligations. The funded status of a pension plan is determined based on the assets in the plan, and futu re payments are discounted at a selected rate.

In the United States, there are roughly 6,000 state and local pension plans, with assets dominated by 300 large stateadministered plans that control $5 trillion in assets in the vicinity. Per data from Equable Institute, in 2007, state and local pension funds in the United States were over 92% funded. However, the 2007-2008 housing market bubble collapse and the Great Recession that followed brought about a sharp drop in funded ratios across

the board. Still, in the past decade, increased employee contributions, taxpayer funding, and an extended bull market in stocks helped these pension funds reach a nearly 85% funded ratio across all states.

2022 was a down year for stock and bond markets, pulling state and local pension funds below 78%.

This is an aggregate number for all U.S. states. Different funding ratios vary. New Jersey, Connecticut, Kentucky, and Illinois pension

systems are severely underfunded. Further, there are risks to the markets going forward. The large government, corporate, and individual debt built up in the lowinterest rate environment of the last two decades faces refinancing risk, and a prolonged period of higher interest rates would weigh on asset prices. This is all occurring as the baby boomer generation is heading into retirement and drawing down pension balances, limiting the

ability of pension funds to make up the projected gap.

The weakening forecast spotlights governance risk, especially at smaller funds. Pension funds have diversified portfolios to include investments in higher fee-generating private equity and hedge funds. As a result, pension funds in deficit positions are more likely to take bigger investment risks or use aggressive discount rates to understate the degree to which a pension fund’s ...continued on p10

underfunded. In the 2012 city of Stockton, incompetence was identified as a factor in its underfunded pension fund.

While states have increased their pension funding, in the more severe cases, there are limitations to what a state can do. For example, New Jersey has pension assets below $100 billion, pension liabilities over $200 billion, and a state budget of only $50 billion. Outside of increased taxpayer funding to close the gap, the potential fixes are not painless. Not all states offer cost of living adjustments, allowing inflation to erode purchasing power. Funds may seek to negotiate a reduction

in benefits, which is particularly harmful to public employees who are not eligible for Social Security benefits. The alternative to no reduction in benefits is cuts to basic services. President Biden recently announced a $36 billion bailout for the Central States Pension Fund as part of the American Rescue Plan. Still, it is unclear whether the federal government will, at a later date, be willing or able to provide the current estimated $1.5 trillion needed to bail out state and local pension systems across the United States.

The weakness in pension funding poses a particular risk to black communities. State and local

government employment has uniquely been a bright spot in a country where black unemployment has been persistently higher than the national average. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, in 2005, blacks held 18.9% of state and local government jobs while representing 12.6% of the total population of the United States. This ratio has only slightly declined since. In 2019, the latest year for which data is available, blacks accounted for 18.3% of state and local government jobs while representing only 13.6% of the total population of the United States. State and local government jobs have traditionally paid less than

private sector jobs. The cost of this is a reduced ability to afford a home. The trade-off is the promise to provide a steady stream of income in retirement to workers who have earned their pensions, often through a lifetime of service, to cover their expenses in retirement and keep from becoming a financial burden on their families.

Given this, it is important for black communities and the political leadership to exert pressure on state and local governments to ensure pension funds receive the funds they need to avert a later crisis. This can be an important step in breaking the cycle of exploitation and poverty. ❏ ❏ ❏

Apathy Or Appeasement: Are We Missing The Mark For Social Engagement?

Rev. Brandon A. A. J. Davis, Contributing Writer

Lately, I have been thinking about the church’s level of involvement regarding social engagement within our communities of service. As a pastor in Southwestern Pennsylvania, I notice both black and white pastors are not concerned about responding to the issues plaguing our society. Local ministers in my area would rather meet for collegial fellowsh ip instead of creating spac e and opportunity to address the increasing violence, drug use, and educational concerns that are both loudly and largely affecti ng our community.

Are we still tired from COVID-19 and its mutating variants? Are we overwhelmed by the issues before us and are shocked into silence? Have we abandoned our sense of duty and calling and accepted a laissez-faire outlook on what the church should be doing? These varied questions overwhelm me, especially in motivating pastors and leaders to start small and tackle the essentia ls of gauging the needs of the people we say God has called us to serve.

As I am sure, pastors worldwide are struggling to find meaningful ways to engage their community and address the needs of the people, whatever they may be. What saddens me most is the lack of imagination when envisioning how church leaders can, without significant effort, provide a ministry of service to those who brave the cold, chilling, and lonely winds of societal indifference. People face social angst, social injustice, and social challenges too numerous to count. So again, are we tired from COVID-19? Have we waxed cold with apathy, a seriality of “I don’t care,” or have we vacated our deep sense of care and concern with our mediocre handouts of ministerial appeasement? Sure, all of this sounds rough; nevertheless, I am not talking to you only but myself included.

So many social issues lay before the church, yet we seem too comfortable vacillating between two opinions: do nothing or ignore everything. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., makes a poignant statement I feel honors the moment: “We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there ‘is’ such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”

Toward the close of 2022, a national survey suggested the following needed more public attention: drug policies, infrastructure, gun violence, immigration, education reform, and foreign policy. At the same time, these issues do not overshadow the lingering reality of police brutality, gang violence, racism, and women’s rights. In truth, there is enough room for the church to formulate an opinion and a plan of action to remedy their menacing presence in our communities and the lives of those we serve.

We have recently seen too much apathy as when the pandemic initially forced us to rethink how to do church. In a repetitious and constantly evolving conversation with my best friend and sister Tina DeVeaux, who consistently preaches to me that “during the pandemic, it was shocking to see so many churches close and remain closed through the pandemic and beyond. Yet they wanted to be included as an ‘essential’ business. Why did we close during a crisis instead of fulfilling our call and commitment to care for God’s people? You can’t be essential if you’re not active. If you’re not active, you cannot be a source of help and support to the very people you call members and neighbors.”

The church has lost much of its influence and luster in many cases, be it political, social, or spiritual. Even those actively part of the church no longer consider the church before making life-changing decisions – let alone as the go-to place for help, healing, and support. Truly as Tina says, we’ve lost our place within our own communities. Habakkuk 1:3-4 (NIV) says: “Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore, the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous so that justice is perverted.”

In the face of so much indecision and apathy, let us decide reverently and soberly to be the church, ready and willing to respond to the combative social nature of a growing and culturally changing world. Instead of appeasement, let us strive to reengage, reimagine, and rethink doing ministry. We can do it; God can help.

Dr. Brandon A. A. J. Davis, contributing columnist, is the 37th pastor of Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church in Aliquippa, PA.

Sassy Uncovers Peter Allen’s Secret

Congratulations to life-long St. John member Barbara Johnson (b.k.a. B. A. Johnson) on releasing her second book, Sassy Uncovers Peter Allen’s Secret, the second book in what will become a series of books with Mary Margaret Fanson, better known as Sassy, as the main character.

In this book, Sassy and her friends uncover the life of one of Bishop Richard Allen’s six children, Peter Allen. A presentation at St. John by a noted Huntsville historian, Mrs. Ollye Conley, inspired the story. The presentation’s research was done by the Reverend Dr. Mark Kelly Tyler, senior pastor of Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Mrs. Conley, having been a special friend of B. A. Johnson, shared the information and suggested Ms. Johnson “do something with it.” Understanding that this history had to be shared with other AMEs, Ms. Johnson created the narrative that children of all ages and ethnicities could read for themselves.

Sassy Uncovers Peter Allen’s Secret is published by Fresh Ink Group, LLC. The book is available online through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-

—— TRANSITIONS ——

REV. DR. HERCULES T. MILES, JR.

The Rev. Dr. Hercules Miles, Jr. was born to Hercules and Fae Miles on September 19, 1924, in Marlin, Texas. He received his primary and secondary education in the Dallas, Texas public schools. He obtained the Associate of Arts in Business Administration from Southwestern School and the Bachelor of Arts from Paul Quinn College, with additional studies at the University of Texas. He was later honored with an honorary doctorate from Edward Waters College of Jacksonville, Florida.

In his secular life, he served in the United States Army as a combat engineer from 1946-1948. He was hired as the first African American union employee at the Safeway Store in Dallas, Texas.  God called Dr. Miles to preach at Smith Chapel under the pastorate of the Reverend J. R. McGee in 1952. After his first sermon, he was assigned to St. Mary and Forreston CircuitMt. Zion Station AME Church.  That same year he was ordained an elder under the “missionary rule” by Bishop Howard Thomas Primm.

Dr. Miles served throughout the 10 th Episcopal District (Texas). At Johnson and Hamilton Circuit, he led the congregations to rebuild both structures. When appointed to Union Center African Methodist Episcopal Church, Conroe, Texas, he helped the congregation to build a new church and rebuild the fire-damaged youth center. At Grant Chapel, Austin, various physical improvements occurred in the church, including a new choir loft, office facility, and reception space.  Additionally, the church opened Grant Villa Apartments and a daycare.

Under the tenure of Dr. Miles, Grant Chapel supported the establishment of

NORMAN DEAS (1935-2022)

Norman Deas was born on June 21, 1935. He graduated as salutatorian from Howard High School, Georgetown, South Carolina, in 1954. He attended Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, North Carolina, graduating in 1958 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. He did further studies at Howard University in Washington, District of Columbia, and Roosevelt in Chicago, Illinois.

He served in the United States Air Force from 1958 until his honorable discharge in 1962. Norman worked for the U.S.

Million, Google Play, iTunes, Kobo, or your favorite retailers worldwide.

Ms. Johnson is open to scheduling virtual book talks entitled “Let’s Talk Sassy.” Contact Barbara Johnson at bajohnsonsassy1@gmail. com.

Visit Sassy’s website at http://bajohnsonsassy1. godaddysites.com.

View the trailer for Sassy Uncovers Peter Allen’s Secret at https://youtu.be/ T3CO0MJtupQ.

Ms. Johnson is a member of St. John AME Church, Huntsville, Alabama. ❏

several new churches, including Young Chapel (Austin), Anderson Chapel (Killeen), and New Hope (Austin).  He was elected to the General Board in 1968 and was president of the AME Texas Council of Progressive Ministers.

At the 1976 General Conference held in Atlanta, Georgia, the Conference elected Dr. Miles to serve as the secretary-treasurer of the Church Extension Department.  Some of the highlights in his 20 years as an active general officer include: celebrating the 100th Connectional Anniversary of the Church Extension Department; using Allen Travel Agency to charter a plane for the Bishop’s Council Meeting in Jamaica; spearheading the operations of Allen Insurance and Allen Industrial supplies; organizing mortgage relief and contributions to many small churches and letters of guarantee to build new churches; and organizing a carnival in St. Louis, Missouri as an outreach of the Department that was attended by thousands of people.

While serving as an active general officer, he was assigned to pastor two churches. First, Bishop H. Hartford Brookins appointed him to Tri-Union, St. Louis, Missouri, where he helped raise $40,000 for the building fund to construct the church’s first building. Next, Bishop Vinton Anderson appointed him as pastor of Quinn Chapel, St. Louis, Missouri—the original church founded by Bishop Paul Quinn.  Then, after his retirement, Bishop T. Larry Kirkland appointed him pastor of Bethel, St. Louis, Missouri, where Dr. Miles reorganized the church after the congregation withdrew, restored the building, and formed a new congregation.

Dr. Miles died on February 17, 2023, in Dallas, Texas, and is survived by his wife, Joyce, one son, and three daughters. ❏ ❏ ❏

Government for twenty-seven years, starting in Washington, D.C., later moving to Chicago, Illinois, and ending his career as executive director of the Cincinnati, Ohio office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He was HUD’s first black appraiser and chief underwriter. During his career, he received accommodations for aggressive leadership and significant contributions to eliminating fraud, waste, and mismanagement. One thing he was most proud of was securing fair home appraisals and insurance for poor families, the lack of which had led to many losing their homes. ...continued on p12

MARCH 2023

He moved to Conway, South Carolina, in 1991 after retiring. Never one to be idle, he volunteered at Holy Cross Faith Memorial School for eight years, where he had once been a student. He served as co-chair of the Horry-Georgetown Technical College Access and Equity Commission, which advises on equal access, especially for black males. He served as chairman and treasurer of the South Carolina Mental Health Association and on the Waccamaw Mental Health Board. He was also a member of the Conway Housing Authority Family Self-Sufficiency Commission, which advises on becoming self-sufficient. He was appointed Trustee for Allen University in 2005, serving in that capacity until his passing.

Norman was a faithful Christian and a dedicated member of St. Mary AME Church, Pawleys Island, South Carolina. He served in various capacities in all the churches he had been a member of, including church school teacher and superintendent, church treasurer, trustee, and steward pro tem. In addition, he was a delegate to the AME General Conference from 2000-2020 and co-chairman to the Seventh Episcopal District Delegation to the General Conference from 2004-2008.

Always supported by his wife Onetta, he served on all levels of the Connectional Lay Organization and was elected president of the Seventh Episcopal District in June 2003 and served until 2011. He served as president of the Council of Presidents for the Connectional Lay Organization and was an advisor for the Connectional Lay Organization from 2011-2019. He was an advisor to the Sons of Allen for the Georgetown District at his death.

Norman was united in holy matrimony to Onetta Hughes on August 14, 1960. They enjoyed 62 years of loving marriage. They were blessed with two children, Norma, Denise, and Dennis. He enjoyed watching sports, doing crossword puzzles, working in the yard, and participating in meetings.

Norman died on December 21, 2022. Those left to cherish fond memories of him include his wife, Onetta Hughes Deas, daughter Norma Denise DeasBrooks (Lawrence) of Norfolk, Virginia and son Dennis O. Deas of Rock Hill, South Carolina; a brother, Simon Deas, Brooklyn, New York; brothers and sisters-in-law; Michael (Pam) Hughes, Shirley Smith, Mary Colbert, Elizabeth (Ted) Bellamy, all of Conway, South Carolina and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. ❏ ❏ ❏

Newark’s New Safe Surrender Program A Haven For Fugitives

Patrick Tagerty, TAPinto

Individuals named in open warrants can now surrender safely at multiple sites across Newark, Mayor Ras Baraka said recently.

Baraka, speaking on the radio program Newark Today, said the city has partnered with houses of worship through the Office of Violence Prevention to create sites where someone under warrant can peacefully surrender to authorities. Baraka said that safety was the paramount concern of the city in creating this program.

“You don’t want police running into your house or stopping you at a traffic stop or anything like that, which can turn deadly,” Baraka said. “If you know you have a warrant and want to resolve it, it’s safer to go into a place that we set aside for that.”

Baraka also wanted to convey to individuals with warrants that their arrest was not a certainty and that the program was designed with a resolution, not incarceration, in mind.

Deputy public safety director of Community Relations, the Rev. Ronald L. Slaughter, who helped facilitate the program, credited Baraka for his goal of safety for both the police and the public. He said safe surrender allows for a peaceful connection between wanted individuals and the police.

“Safe Surrender is the brainchild of Mayor Baraka,” Slaughter said. “It really is a win-win process because it gives individuals with open warrants the ability to choose how and where they will surrender. This [program] gives them a sense of empowerment to face the charges they are accused of because they approach them based on terms they themselves have set. Police resources are also freed up to be allocated to other crime-reduction activities.”

Safe surrender locations include Temple Rock Community Church in the North Ward, Saint James African Methodist Episcopal Church in the Central Ward, New Psalmist Church in the South Ward, Masjid Muhammad-Newark Mosque in the West Ward, and the United Community Corporation in the East Ward. Wanted individuals interested in safely surrendering can call the program’s hotline at 973-733-5655.

After calling, a social worker will help connect the individual to the proper

location and arrange the surrender with authorities. There, the individual can talk to the police with a lawyer present if they choose. Baraka said the process is meant to be as streamlined and stress-free as possible for all parties and intended to avoid potential injuries.

“We see what’s happened nationally with situations like that,” Baraka said. Newark’s own police force is still under federal oversight following investigations into alleged civil rights abuses in 2014.

Safe-surrender houses developed from an all-day brainstorming session with the Office of Violence Prevention that focused on juvenile justice, public safety, and police intervention.

“It was easy,” Baraka said. “It was low-hanging fruit that was easy for us to set up. And we did it.”

The program mirrors a temporary surrender project that the city offered in 2009. That program, overseen by the United States Marshals Service, offered fugitives four days to surrender to police safely. Over 4,000 people turned themselves in, yet only a handful were arrested. The program was considered a success. ❏ ❏ ❏

Living Into Lament – A White Response To The Killing Of Tyre Nichols By Police

Robert P. Jones

I’m learning.

I’m learning that it is hard to feel the impact of violence. It is difficult to make it real and bring it close enough to sense its cold shadow. It passes by the window, like the neighbor who briefly triggers the dog to bark, and is soon gone. But it doesn’t come to the door, and it doesn’t force its way in.

There is a numbness that comes from the macabre familiarity of the events that led to the death of Tyre Nichols. Here is  The New York Times account:

Memphis police officers held down Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, and took turns punching and kicking him as he pleaded for them to stop, according to video footage released by officials yesterday. Nichols died in the hospital three days after the Jan. 7 traffic stop. Nichols cooperated, telling the officers, “I’m just trying to go home.” Although he showed no signs of resistance, they continued to yell at and threaten him. As he lay on the ground, officers pepper-sprayed him. Nichols then fled, and officers pursued him. “I hope they stomp his ass,” one officer who remained behind said.

The officers caught Nichols and held him down as they punched and kicked him, hit him with a baton, and pepper-sprayed him while he grew increasingly incapacitated. He did not appear to fight back or resist. Instead, he yelled for his mother at one point.

It is too easy to say an exasperated, “Again?!” and then move on to the next item on the to-do list. It is too easy to read quickly past even the heartbreaking detail of a man pleading for mercy and then, fearing for his life, desperately calling out for his mother. And it is too easy to forget that the brutality of police also brought George Floyd to this final invocation: “Momma!” Floyd called out. “Momma! I’m through.”

It is hard to make the al l-too-familiar headline real.

It is difficult, that is, if you’ve grown up thinking of yourself as white.

But when I see my African American friends stopped in their tracks, pouring out their anger and grief on emails, phone calls, s ocial media, and columns, I know we white people have to do and be better.

So, I’m sharing the voices of my African American friends and colleagues here. And I invite those of you whose skin looks more like mine to use each of these lamentations as a moment of meditation today, slow down, open the door, and sit with our brothers and sisters.

And here’s a lament from W.E.B DuBois, written after the Atlanta race massacre in 1906, in which roving mobs of white citizens killed dozens of African Americans—a reminder of how deep the roots of this inhumanity goes in America.

Bewildered we are, and passion-tossed, made with the madness of a mobbed and mocked and murdered people; straining at the armposts of Thy Throne, we raise our shackled hands and charge Thee, God, by the bones of our stolen fathers, by the tears of our dead mothers, by the very blood of Thy crucified Christ: What meaneth this? Tell us the Plan, and give us the Sign!

Keep not thou silent, Oh God!

The final meditation comes directly from Tyre Nichols. As the Associated Press noted in a moving piece entitled, “Tyre Nichols remembered as a beautiful soul with creative eye,” Nichols was a self-described “aspiring photographer.”

He was on his way home from taking pictures of the sky when police pulled him over.

...From African Methodist p3

His photography portfolio website is titled “Welcome to the World Through My Eyes.” On his “About” page, he tells us:

My vision is to bring my viewers deep into what I see through my eye and out through my lens. People have a story to tell. So why not capture it instead of doing the “norm” and writing it down or speaking it? I hope to one day let people see what I see and to hopefully admire my work based on the quality and ideals of my work.

Do take the opportunity to see the world through his eyes.

Tyre’s vision, his story, and his life have been cut short by police violence. It is right to lament, with the psalmist, “How long, O Lord?” But it is also necessary for white folk to feel the losses upon losses enough, to decide they matter enough, that we speak up and demand change. ❏ ❏ ❏

The Conference committees and auxiliaries submitted their reports and recommendations in advance to the bishop.

On Day 3, Saturday, November 18, 2023, there was still a power interruption, including unfinished business: Memorial Service, Retirement Service. The Retirement Service was held, and many wished her a good rest. Because the bishop was not on-site, she decided that ordination was to be done at the Lesotho Annual Conference. The preacher of the Closing Worship Service was Bishop Francine A. Brookins, who preached a moving sermon. The Disciplinary Questions and the Commissioning Service were conducted. The Conference adjourned, and Benediction was pronounced. ❏ ❏ ❏

Tyre Nichols

AME History Is Not A Fairytale, Founder’s Day Preacher Tells North Ohio

Rev. Rose Russell

The history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is not an entertaining narrative. Though it may seem as if Richard Allen and all the Africans walked out of St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church in agreement, it was not that simple.

“I came to tell somebody that as we celebrate Founder’s Day, the AME Church story is not a Walt Disney movie,” the Rev. Dr. Erika D. Crawford told Founder’s Day celebrants in the North Ohio Conference in the Third Episcopal District, where the Right Rev. Errenous E. McCloud, Jr. is presiding prelate.

“The walkout was no fairytale, … no Disney story,” she said, noting that some refused to follow directions. The pastor of Mt. Zion AME Church, Dover, Delaware, was the guest of Presiding Elder LaCreta Clark, Cleveland District, and Presiding Elder Louise Jackson, Youngstown District. Both districts comprise the North Conference that gathered on February 5, 2023 for the occasion at St. John AME Church in Cleveland, Ohio, where the Rev. Henry F. Curtis IV is pastor.

“We are a people who have survived because we have not been willing to bow, bend, or break,” she said, noting the young Hebrew men’s refusal to worship the gold image.

A two-term Connectional president of AME Women in Ministry, Dr. Crawford was also welcomed by the Rev. Dr. Mila Cooper, president of the Third District WIM; the Rev. Deia West, coordinator of the North Ohio Conference WIM; and Lenora Brogdon Wyatt, president of the Third District Lay. The Grace AME Church Men’s Chorus of Warren, Ohio brought joy to the event, as did choirs from St. Andrewes AME Church, Youngstown, and St. Paul AME Church, Cleveland.

“Since 1619, … we have been living, hearing, reading, and now watching stories of traumatic accounts of brutality. And if we learned nothing else [from what happened to Tyre Nichols], we learned that everybody who is our color ain’t our kind,” she said.

The five former Memphis police officers who brutally beat to death Mr. Nichols, 29, are also black. That tragedy sparked protests, moves with which black Americans are intimately familiar.

“Protest is what we do. We protested when we walked out in 1787 of St. George’s Church, the first time that a Protestant church was broken up, not by theological discourse, but by racial oppression, suppression, and repression,” the preacher said.

There were protests and other ti mes when unarmed black men and women were shot or otherwise harmed and died in police custody. Recent demonstrations are on a centuries-old, long list.

“We have survived because we have not been willing to bow, bend, or break,” said Dr. Crawford, a candidate for Episcopal service in our Zion. “Beloved, who we are as people committed to the Word of God, unwilling to give

in or surrender, goes back to the written Word of God.”

While Founder’s Day celebrates Bishop Richard Allen, Dr. Crawford noted that the Hebrew boys demonstrated how to protest. That the boys were removed from their homes, stripped of their culture, heritage, and religion, and renamed and re-educated to benefit the Babylonians, is akin to the African diaspora.

“The truth is that not only would they not bow, but they also wouldn’t even bend. When they were reported, they made a decision that it’s going to be what it’s going to be. We should never forget that it is not the empire or system that has provided protection for us. It is God,” she said. “Any time you serve God, it is counter-cultural. You are either going to serve God, or you are going to serve the people.”

After they were thrown into the furnace, the king looked in and saw four men inside, and Daniel reported that “the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Therefore, when people make up their minds to honor God, they will not bow, bend, or break, “but you will also not burn,” Dr. Crawford added.

“We’re not here today because the road has been easy, but because there were some people who decided, ‘We won’t bend, bow, break, and we refuse to burn,’” she said.

And not even was one of the Hebrew boys’ hair singed by the fire. They were obedient to God, and he protected them.

The Rev. Rose Russell is pastor of Payne Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church in Holland, Ohio, in the Cleveland District of the North Ohio Annual Conference, Third Episcopal District.

The Reverend Dr. Elmer S. Martin And The Last Decade Of Greater Allen AME Church

Judith Edna Earley

One hundred and twenty-two years after its birth in September 1892, Greater Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church in Dayton, Ohio, welcomed the Reverend Elmer S. Martin in November 2014. While the appointment was the fulfillment of a career-long dream, the new pastor had little time to marvel at the goodness of God; he was focused on the scripture God had given him (Nehemiah 3) and the command to “rebuild the wall.”

Fiscal transparency became a hallmark of the Reverend Martin’s handling of the church’s finances; under his direction, the church’s credit rating improved significantly. From day one, Pastor Martin began updating the property by authorizing repairs to the driveway and cutting down dying trees adjacent to the building. He continued his pred ecessors’ goals of acquiring abandoned properties in the immediate square block by paying off the property taxes and demolishing empty houses; the former Pollack Building next door, which had housed Greater Allen from 1952 – 1979, was torn down to provide additional parking. In August of 2018, property that was originally 19 individual lots was officially consolidated into one lot under the church’s name and address. Freezing temperatures in February 2015 caused pipes to burst in the Charles L. Scott Fellowship Hall; hundreds of gallons of water poured into the facility for over five hours before officials could turn it off. Pastor Martin continued to provide godly leadership during the extensive renovations to the fellowship hall and adjacent classrooms. In addition, the Young People’s Division and Girl Scouts enthusiastically took on the renovation of the Ethel C. Prear Library as a project; the updated and streamlined result was dedicated after service on Sunday, December 11, 2016.

The theme of rebuilding the wall continued to gather steam. The church purchased new carpeting for the entire facility in 2017. The sanctuary was also enhanced with new lighting, refurbishment of the pews, new paint on the interior walls, and wood treatment for the pews and railings; ceilings were also refinished, floors repaired, and new furniture purchased for the vestibule. The kitchen in the fellowship hall was remodeled and updated with custom-built cabinets and granite countertops. Repairs to the church roof have been an ongoing project. The uninvited raccoons were evicted from the attic and have yet to return to date.

While the work on the church property progressed, Greater Allen hosted the graduation ceremony for Payne Theological Seminary in May 2017. The pastor and Associate Minister Lucinda V. Burgess honored graduates that evening. Later that year, at the Ohio-South Ohio Annual Conference in October, Greater Allen was transferred from the Dayton District to the Columbus-Springfield-Xenia District. Additionally, during that time, Greater Allen adopted a struggling sister church, Upshaw AME Church, and the Rev. Dr. Martin was named its pastor. For over a year, he held regular Sunday service at Upshaw at 9:00 a.m. before serving at Greater Allen at 10:45 a.m. Eventually, Upshaw’s final few members joined Greater Allen, and the building was closed and sold.

During the next two years, the church’s food pantry flourished with a partnership with the local area food bank. The church parking lot was repaved, and in the fall of 2019, Greater Allen hosted a highly successful

...From 150 Years p8

walked back there, their heals poked through.”

annual conference. A new structure housing the church van and additional storage space was built and dedicated in the names of two of Greater Allen’s most faithful members.

The early months of 2020 brought massive changes as the Coronavirus pandemic surged around the world. Two weeks before Easter, the bishop instructed all AME churches to close their doors out of an abundance of caution. Greater Allen then began the great adventure of offering its mostly senior congregation Sunday school, worship service, and Bible study online through a combination of Facebook Live, Zoom, and telephone dial-in. While the doors were closed to community worship, Dr. Martin installed a new air purification system and instituted a process for online giving.

Greater Allen remained closed for two years, but the pastor never lost touch with his members. Information was disseminated through frequent robocalls and a beautiful monthly newsletter edited by First Lady Mrs. Patricia Martin. When in-person worship finally returned, strict rules were implemented, including sign-in at the door, no admission without proof of vaccination, and a mask mandate. Pews were roped off to ensure worshippers maintained a minimum six-foot separation, and communion was served using pre-filled juice and wafer cups.

Greater Allen AME Church has thrived spiritually, physically, and fiscally under the leadership of the Reverend Dr. Elmer S. Martin. However, only time will reveal the next step in God’s plan for his faithful servant. ❏ ❏ ❏

The University of Phoenix and Baptist Health in Jacksonville have donated office furniture. The sanctuary now has monitors so e veryone can see and hear Pernell’s sermons, including those who watch on the church’s website.

“The church is available to all,” Pernell said. “Whites and Blacks started this church. I know we’re an African Methodist Episc opal Church, but everyone is welcome. If Whites and Blacks can worship together, we can build this church … and we can build this community.”

At the same time, Gonzalez said it’s important to preserve the church’s rich history and culture.

Clay Today has joined the Mt. Zion CDC to help them find sponsors to celebrate the church’s legacy of service and faith. To be part of the guide to acknowledge the last 150 years – and the next 150 – contact Clay Today at (904) 264-3200. ❏ ❏ ❏

MARCH 2023

and participated again at their 50 th. Other ministers who offered prayers were the Reverend Allen Parrot, the Reverend Jack Lewis, Jr., and the Reverend Robert K. White, who also participated in the silver anniversary celebration.

The couple was escorted by their grandchildren, Amir and Nylah, with their son Andrew Hugine III, and his wife Karen and Akilah Elmore and her son Kal-el serving at the anniversary wedding party. Special guests included the wedding party from 1972: Brenda Perkins, Benita Brown, Martha Adams, Theresa Hamilton, Walter Fields, and Isiah Hamilton III. Sadie and Steven Jarvis of Orangeburg, South Carolina offered toasts for the past; Brenda and Stefanie Davis of Huntsville, Alabama for the present; and Jasmine Brown and Delvin Brown, godchildren of the couple, for the future.

Sheniece Smith, pianist, provided music for the program, Deborah Frazier sang “Center of My Joy,” for the entrance, and Benjamin Abraham was the DJ. The couple’s

first dance was to “Just as Long as You Need Me” by the Independents, the first record Andrew gave to Abbiegail, and concluded with “Loving You Is Sweeter than Ever” by the Four Tops, Abbiegail’s favorite group.

Over 200 guests viewed many artifacts, including Abbie’s wedding dress, the 1972 and 1997 cake toppers, videos, and pictures of the couple. Cecil Williams, who took Abbiegail’s 1972 wedding dress portrait, was the event photographer. To commemorate the milestone, Andrew gave Abbiegail a specially designed triband diamond ring with the three bands representing the couple with God at the center; forever love— past, present, and future; and the five center cluster diamonds denoting their five decades of marriage.

Dr. and Mrs. Hugine are members of St. John AME Church in Huntsville, Alabama. ❏ ❏ ❏

quest toward securing a revenue-generating property dedicated to relieving some of the financial burdens of local congregations who are paying into the general budget. For many, the hope of that financial possibility inspired their support for the project. With 17 suites and over 90% capacity, several churches have already begun to reap the property’s revenue benefits. “Valerie Faith Gary Bell’s life of service epitomizes the excellence we have committed to the stewardship of this property,” said Dr. Loxley O’Connor, CDC Board director.

...From Second Episcopal p2

The service of dedication/mortgage burning was complete with remarks from Sis. Valerie’s husband, Donald Bell, Sr., Bishop Davis, Bishop John Bryant, Bishop Adam J. Richardson, and several partners in acquiring the building. Of all the remarks, there was this common theme: Sis. Valerie’s work and her leadership spoke for itself. She is the blueprint for excellence among lay members and an inspiration. Her honor is more than deserved. More specifically, in the words of Bro. Donald Bell, Sr., the building forever named for her “is a true testament to Valerie’s legacy coming full circle.”

On February 4, 2020, Sis. Bell transitioned into ancestry and assumed her role as a beacon of light in the great cloud of witnesses, as an ancestral voice and spirit that the sting of death cannot shut out. We do not count her transition as a loss because she remains an extension of God’s heart and love toward us as long as we continue to call her name and tell the story. Let this moment of celebration, honor, and reflection propel us onward to greater, in Jesus’ name.

See keepsake booklet: https://online.flippingbook.com/ view/781109251/

SEE SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 25

CONGRATULATORY Listings

* Purple font connotes Episcopal Family; Red font , General Officers; and Blue font , Connectional Officers.

Amid Larger Push Toward Diversity, College Of Charleston Quietly Makes Key Hire - John Thomas III, Ph.D., Editor, The Christian Recorder

As does the city in which it resides, the College of Charleston has a long, complex, and troubled history.

Given the city of Charleston’s prominent role in the international slave trade and the magnitude of which enslaved labor shaped and influenced nearly every facet and institution in the Holy City, it is no surprise that slavery also helped form the city’s 250-year-old institution, an uncomfortable truth the college has increasingly recognized.

The school’s ongoing struggle over racial tensions bubbled up over the years, noticeably in 2014 amid the hiring of former Lt. Gov. Glenn McConnell as the school’s president. Many opposed the hiring, mainly because of McConnell’s support for the Confederate flag. Yet, it appears now that the school is pushing toward reckoning with its past, some ways in which are more obvious and direct. In 2020, President Andrew Hsu announced a 10-year strategic plan that included requiring, among other things, mandatory diversity education for staff and a commitment to recruit more minority students.

This month, the college is celebrating Black History Month with a wide range of programs and events focusing on the accomplishments

and struggles of African Americans. The programs include a film screening of “If These Walls Could Talk,” which brings attention to the labor and ingenuity of enslaved Africans who were tasked with building the first municipal college in the United States.

And then there’s continued success of the school’s Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture, which just landed a $2 million grant to increase staff, enhance collection archives, create a fellowship program, and more.

But even amid the school’s more noticeable strides toward a more inclusive future, the hiring of the Department of Political Science’s first African American male, tenure-track professor is the latest, lesser-known display of the school’s strides toward diversity.

Without much fanfare or a major announcement, the school last semester hired John Thomas, whose research interests include comparative race politics, social movements, democratic consolidation, minority rights, and public policy with a regional focus on Latin America and the Caribbean.

Thomas, whose dissertation at the University of Chicago examined the evolution of the social movements of black activists in Peru and Ecuador from 1980 to 2016, also has religious affiliation. He serves as the editor of the African Methodist Episcopal Church’s Christian Recorder, an inhouse publication serving a denomination that has been among the most influential institutions in the lives of blacks in Charleston.

Several AME clergy and college staff celebrated the new hire by conducting on Jan. 31 a ceremonial blessing of Thomas’ new office, decorated by books about Latin American social movements and black political thought, alongside numerous artifacts and mementos that honor black and brown cultures.

The Rev. Norvell Goff, presiding elder of the AME Church’s Edisto District, during the ceremony appeared pleasantly surprised by the college’s push toward inclusion. Goff

said he was unaware of the school’s seriousness about hiring minority professors and urged the school to keep at it.

“I can be a real witness to the fact that the College of Charleston is moving in the right direction,” Goff said.

Thomas, 41, said he wouldn’t have come to the school if he didn’t feel it was making a genuine effort to change. The Nashville, Tenn., native said he wanted to invite faith leaders to the school Jan. 31 so they could see the progress being made at the college.

“What I can say about the school is I have felt supported, encouraged, and I felt like I belong here,” Thomas said.

Thomas’ arrival is significant because it’s important to professors for students to learn about political systems and events happening in different parts of the world, said Gibbs Knotts, dean of the School Of Humanities And Social Sciences.

Hiring a more diverse staff was discussed as a top concern when the college, along with many other institutions across the nation, had a “racial reckoning” following the 2020 murder of George Floyd, said Hollis France, chair of the Political Science Department.

The college has also discussed the need to diversify course offerings, Hollis said. Thomas’ studies in Afro-Latino social movements help address that need, she said.

Best Lawyer In America List 2022-23 - Attorney Derek E. Bruce Is On The List

Before the cusp of the New Year 2023, Attorney Derek E. Bruce,  managerial shareholder, GunsterLaw Firm, Orlando office was cited and named on the Best Lawyers in America List for  the last six (6) years: 2018 - 2023.

This award was given for stellar leadership in giving back to the community in mentoring young lawyers, entrepreneurial business, and professional service. Derek is an inspiring and faithful member of the Mt. Olive African Methodist Episcopal Church, Orlando, Florida.

In the fall of 1980, his parents, the late Dr. Y. Benjamin and Gloria S. Bruce, became the clergy family of Mt. Olive. His father, Dr. Yale Benjamin Bruce, Sr. became a general officer in African Methodism from that pulpit; executive director of Church Growth and Development, 1985-1992. Mt. Olive continues to be the family’s place of worship. Most professions have publications or guides to help select top-tier employees

NECROLOGY Listings

* Purple font connotes Episcopal Family; Red font , General Officers; and Blue font , Connectional Officers.

Sister Mary Banks Wright, president emeritus of the Fourth Episcopal District Lay Organization, former trustee, African Methodist Episcopal Church; and former member, African Methodist Episcopal Church General Board

Sister Aida Ocasio, 99, mother of First Lady Judith Ocasio Holmes and motherin-love of the Reverend Bernard Holmes, pastor of Rehoboth AME Church, Chesapeake, Virginia, Portsmouth Richmond Roanoke District-Virginia Annual Conference, Second Episcopal District

The Reverend Walter Raymond Perkins, Jr., retired itinerant elder who served well for many years in the West Tennessee Annual Conference, Thirteenth Episcopal District

Mrs. Ruth Tolefree, the wife of the Reverend L.V. Tolefree (deceased), a faithful member of the East Arkansas Conference of the Twelfth Episcopal District, and past president of the old South Conference M-SWAWO

Sister Pearl Marie Ramsey, a faithful steward of Bethel AME Church, Rocky Mount, Virginia, and very close aunt of the Reverend Robin Hopkins, pastor of Meadowview AME Church in Martinsville, Virginia, Second Episcopal District

Sister Sharon Battle Patterson, the mother of First Lady Leslie Maria Patterson-Tyler and the mother-in-law of the Reverend Mark Kelly Tyler, Ph.D., pastor of Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of the Philadelphia Annual Conference, First Episcopal District

The Reverend Henry Dampier, an associate minister of Mt. Olive AME Church in Orlando, Florida, Eleventh Episcopal District, the spouse of Sister Jeannette Dampier

The Reverend Ora Lee Longley Thomas, age 83, retired itinerant elder in the West Tennessee Annual Conference of the Thirteenth Episcopal District; she was licensed in 1992 and pastored Mt. Pisgah AME Church in Hollow Rock, Tennessee, and Carey Chapel AME Church in Burlison, Tennessee

Mother Sarah McElrath, the mother of the Reverend Jerry Wilder, pastor of St. Mark AME Church West End, West Birmingham Ensley Greensboro District in

the Northwest Alabama Conference, Ninth Episcopal District

Mrs. Carrie L Jones, wife of the Reverend Charles M. Jones, Sr., retired, mother of the Rev. Charles M. Jones, Jr. and mother-inlaw of the Reverend Dr. Jacquelyn Dupree, pastor of New Mt. Pisgah, Lake City, Florida, Eleventh Episcopal District

Mrs. Velma Sue Smith, spouse of the Reverend Roy D. Smith, pastor of Beech Hill and New Seminary AME Church, Stephens, Arkansas (West Arkansas Conference), Twelfth Episcopal District

Bishop Harvey M. Wallace (Soul Winners Worship Center in Wilson, NC) the father of the Reverend Jeaninne D. Wallace, Ph.D., pastor of Ebenezer AME Church, New York, New York Annual Conference of the First Episcopal District

The Reverend Rodney E. Dailey, the husband of the Reverend Janine Dailey, pastor of New Bethel AME Church in Lowell, MA, where he was the associate minister; also, he was the First Episcopal District Sons of Allen coordinator, and served as the Connectional Sons of Allen chair of the Commission on Christian Service

Mr. Louis Manning, Jr., the father of the Reverend Eric S. C. Manning, pastor of Mother Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Edisto District, South Carolina Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District AME Church and the father-in-law of Mrs. Mrs. Andretta M. Manning

Brother Cornelius Nelson Holliday, the brother of the Reverend Clay A. Holliday, Sr., pastor of Greenwood AME Church, Millington, TN and the uncle of the Reverend Clay A. Holiday, Jr. pastor of New Wrights Chapel AME Church, Arlington, TN, West Tennessee Annual Conference, Thirteenth Episcopal District

Mrs. Fannie R Davis, the sister of Mother Carrie R. Grady, retired supervisor, AME Church; she was a Sunday school teacher, Sunday school superintendent, member of the choir, the Women’s Missionary Society, director of the Young Peoples’ Division locally, also a steward and a stewardess and served as the director ofthe Young Adult Choir

February 2023

The Reverend Dr. Hercules T. Miles, Jr., retired general officer, African Methodist Episcopal Church, served as secretary-treasurer of the AME Church Extension Department, 1976-1996

Mrs. Carlie Garnette Buchannan, oldest sister of Mother Porter and aunt of Connectional Officer Robin-Porter Smith, chair, Fellowship of Church Educators of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

Mr. Henry James Burch, brother-in-law of Mother Porter, uncle of Connectional Officer Robin-Porter Smith, chair, Fellowship of Church Educators of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

Joel Cousin, son of the Reverend Steven Cousin and Mrs. Linda Cousin, first family of Trinity AME Church in Kansas City, Kansas, Fifth Episcopal District; Joel is also the grandson of Bishop Philip R. Cousin (retired) and supervisor retired, Dr. M. Joan Cousin

Dr. Susie M. McClure, philanthropist and global missionary, centenarian plus seven, the maternal matriarch of the (Funderburk) family of the Reverend Dr. William W. Easley, Jr., presiding elder, retired, the immediate past parliamentarian of the Connectional Presiding Elders’ Council of the AMEC

Mr. Willie James Williams, 79 years of age, served as the third Connectional director of MCAM; the husband of the Reverend Willie Mae Williams

Retired Presiding Elder Robert Kirk, Sr., 100 years of age; during his lengthy tenure he pastored five churches in the Indiana South District, Fourth Episcopal District and served as presiding elder in that same district for 12 years

Mother Betty Elizabeth Davis Thompson, the maternal aunt of the Reverend Dr. Missiouri McPhee, Connectional director of Boy Scouts (The Association of AMEC), Chief Conference secretary (Central Conference – Eleventh District), and North Orlando District administrative assistant

Sister Shelly Fern Hodges, age 60, the only niece of Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram (ret.) and beloved niece-in-law of Supervisor Jessica Kendall Ingram (ret.)

Condolences to the bereaved are expressed on behalf of Public ations Commission chair Bishop David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr., presid ent/publisher of the AMEC Publishing House (Sunday School Union) the Rev. Roderick D. Belin and editor of The Christian Recorder, Dr. John Thomas III.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”  Matthew 5:4 (NRSV)

To share or receive information about Connectional clergy family bereavements and congratulations, please contact the AME Church Clergy Family Information Center. Mrs. Ora L. Easley, Administrator • 5981 Hitching Post Lane • Nashville, TN 37211  •

(CFIC

• amecfic.org • facebook.com/AMECFIC

to hire. Best Lawyers in America is the only purely peer review guide to the legal profession for those who have excelled in their practice area.

For almost 40 years, Best Lawyers List has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the lawyers best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. The lists are published in leading local, regional, and national publications across the globe.

With twenty plus years of practice, Derek Bruce has developed experience in numerous areas of the law, ranging from the representation of clients in complex business litigations and property tax disputes, to the negotiation of large real estate transactions and the resolution of sensitive land use issues. Today, he primarily represents clients before state and local governments throughout the state of Florida on land use, procurement, and regulatory issues.

Before joining Gunster, Attorney Bruce led the statewide governmental affairs team for one of Florida’s most recognizable entities and Central Florida’s largest employer, Walt Disney World. In that capacity, Counsel Bruce developed relationships with some of the state’s most influential decision-makers in government. He is dedicated to accomplishing his clients’ goals by working effectively with government officials and their staffs. His experience in dealing with elected officials on all levels helps him to provide clients with a

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

1. “Evolving Future of the Hybrid Workplace,”  Orlando Business Journal,  roundtable participant, June 16, 2022.

2. “Embracing History: Juneteenth Celebration,” UCF Downtown, panelist, June 15, 2022.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS

1. Florida Prepaid College Foundation, Board of Directors- 2020-present.

2. The National Black Lawyers – Top 100.

3. Orlando Economic Partnership, Alliance for Regional Transportation (ART) workgroup, 2019-present.

4. BusinessForce, board member and past chair.

CIVIC AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

1. Victim Service Center of Central Florida, board member.

2. Randy Roberts Foundation, board member.

3. Frederick Leadership Initiative, board member emeritus.

4. Orlando Marine Institute, past board member.

5. National Kidney Foundation, past board member.

6. Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida, past president.

comprehensive understanding of how governments operate.

Within GunsterLaw, Derek has held a number of leadership positions, including currently serving as the Orlando office managing shareholder and formerly as chair of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee.

In his community, Derek has been actively involved with Leadership Florida (Class XXII member, Class XXXVII Chair and former board member); the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida where he serves as general counsel; the board of the Florida State Parks Foundation, Victim Service Center and the McCormick Research Institute. He is a founding board member of the Randy Roberts Foundation and a past board member of the Central Florida Foundation. He has also had the privilege of serving as president of the Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida and chairman of Business Force, Central Florida’s largest political action committee.

Attorney Bruce has received many citations of recognition as counsel and legal leader.

HONORS - The Best Lawyers in America List - Government Relations Practice, 2018-2023.

A V Rated by Martindale-Hubbell

3. “The Intersection of Law & Politics: Navigating an Unpredictable Environment,” CLE Lunch & Learn, presenter, Association of Corporate Counsel, Central Florida, June 9, 2022.

5. Leadership Florida, past board member.

6. Kissimmee/Osceola Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors-past member.

7. Florida Chamber of Commerce, East Central Florida Regional Leadership Council, past chair.

7. Seminole State College of Florida Foundation.

8. Lastly, Attorney Bruce made a presentation with the Orlando Business Journal on an “Executive Insight on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.” The link is given below.

Continued prayers and comments are welcomed as Attorney Derek E. Bruce honors God in doing his best as a legal leader and counsel.

EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS - DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION - ATTY. DEREK BRUCE https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2021/06/07/executive-insights-de-i-with-gunster.html Congratulatory messages can be emailed to: DBruce@GunsterLaw.com (Attorney Derek E. Bruce) gloriasbruce@gmail.com (Mrs. Gloria Bruce)

On behalf of Publications Commission chair Bishop David R. Daniels, Jr., president/publisher of the AMEC Publishing House (Sunday School Union) the Rev. Dr. Roderick D. Belin, and editor of The Christian Recorder Dr. John Thomas III, we celebrate and applaud your achievements.

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NRSV) To share or receive information about Connectional clergy family bereavements and congratulations, please contact the AME Church Clergy Family Information Center: Mrs. Ora L. Easley, administrator • 5981 Hitching Post Lane • Nashville, TN 37211 • 615.833.6936 (CFIC Office) • amecfic.org • facebook.com/AMECFIC.

The New Rules Of Engagement: Building Community And Bonds In The Hybrid Church

Dr. Cathryn Stout

Two pastors and a writer walk into a bar, and instead of a joke, a solemn conversation ensues.

“The bar is packed. The stores are packed,” said a veteran pastor taking in the scene. “Everywhere is packed again except the pews.”

His sentiments reflect conversations and frustrations that many pastors nationwide are holding. As the pandemic wanes and May 11 approaches marking the Biden Administration’s official end to the nation’s COVID-19 public health crisis, a crisis of confidence is emerging among church leaders who have yet to see a return to their pre-pandemic attendance.

Over the centuries, adaptation has helped sustain the Black Church, with the institution shifting from hush harbors to hybrid worship. And now that we have touched and agreed that hybrid worship is more than a mega-church enterprise or pandemic fad, we must improve the hybrid experience to build community and convert casual viewers into engaged members. For church leaders ready to level up their hybrid experience, here are four ideas:

Visit Sick, Shut-In, & Virtual Members: Visiting the sick and shut-in has long been a clergy priority, but the time has come to expand from the sick and shut-in list to the sick, shut-in, and virtual members list. Some former in-person members have settled into worshiping virtually due to social anxiety spurred by years of social distancing. Others have simply forgotten the value of fellowship. But whether someone is homebound by force or choice, a scheduled visit from a deacon or church peer can soothe the anxious, disconnected, or ailing soul. If the member is inclined, capturing the visit in a photo makes a great social media post or simply documents the moment for the church and the host as a testament to the power of presence.

Include Virtual Members in Service: The typical order of service has several parts before the preaching moment begins. There is the call to worship, a hymn, a scripture reading, a visitors’ welcome, tithes and offerings, and additional songs. Traditionally, folks inside the sanctuary lead these activities; however, inviting virtual members to lead a scripture reading or visitor welcome through a recorded video is a powerful act of outreach. If asking for submitted videos, include instructions on camera angles and lighting; however, for best results, the church’s media team should visit and record virtual members.

Today’s church media teams must spend as much time in the streets as they do in the sanctuary. In the digital age, they are one of the church’s most powerful ambassadors. Their house calls will ensure the quality of recordings and create authentic touchpoints between members. This casual meeting may be just the connection needed to reassure virtual members that familiar faces are waiting if ever they walk through the church doors.

Host a Virtual Meet the Pastor Game Night: While converting many virtual members into in-person members is possible, others have decided that streaming service works best for them. Thus, church leaders must meet them where they are–online–and, ironically, fishers of souls have always needed the net.

A virtual Meet the Pastor Game Night is just one of the quarterly events that churches should plan with their online audience to build community. We’ve all come a long way in planning Zoom events in this pandemic era, but I cannot overstate the importance of engagement. Bible Trivia can inspire friendly competition, yet a savvier twist is Worship Service Trivia because it encourages virtual members to tune in from week to week and recall humorous or powerful moments from recent services. At-home scavenger hunts are also hilarious over Zoom. All you need is breakout rooms with teams of 2 to 4, a list of common-ish household or Sunday Best items, and a timer. There are tons of online activities that church leaders can adapt for a Virtual Game Night to help virtual members build memories and bonds.

Create a Virtual Receiving Line: Whenever I watch my favorite Virginia pastor online, I am always disappointed that the broadcast ends too soon. However, one of the highlights of church is standing in the receiving line after service to greet the pastor. So how can we recreate that highlight online? Consider this: one Sunday a month, invite online viewers to a 20-minute post-church Zoom session. Promote it as a time for the pastor to greet the virtual members who watched that day.

Another option is to create a call log and invite listed viewers to join a one-on-one, 2-minute FaceTime call with pastor one Sunday a month immediately following worship. As a devout Android user, I admit that FaceTime with Pastor does have its limitations. Still, for those who insist on using iPhones, FaceTime with Pastor could be a brief but meaningful way to help a virtual viewer feel seen.

I often think about that conversation at the bar when a pastor I greatly admire lamented, “everywhere is packed again except the pews,” a circumstance he wrongly attributed to a personal failure instead of a cultural shift. He longed for the instant gratification of a packed house. He longed to engage with the seemingly disconnected. He longed for the familiar.

While how we do church may have dramatically shifted, why we do church has remained remarkably unchanged. Now more than ever, people are desperate for hope and authentic connections, and pastors must be teachers and students as they learn the new rules of engagement. To be sure, the future of the church is no joke. In this age of shifting membership and hybrid worship, we must expand our view of fellowship so that we not only welcome members and guests into the sanctuary but also meet them wherever they find sanctuary.

Dr. Cathryn Stout is a scholar of American cultural history and chief of Communications and Broadcast Services for Memphis-Shelby County schools. She is pursuing her Master’s in divinity at Interdenominational Theological Center.

Dr. Cathryn Stout Guest Editorial