May 2024 Edition of The Christian Recorder

Failure and the Human Experience

Rev. Barry Settle, Contributing Writer

Mark 4:35-41

Howard Thurman uses his meditation, “The Inward Journey,” to discern what it means to live a life of intentionality. He holds up the orderly life and the life of crisis as the two ways one may live one’s life. He continues that regardless of one’s life orientation, one must wrestle with the reality of failure embedded into the human experience. Thurman notes that life is a pattern that is continually unfolding, revealing a wider pattern and that one’s recognition of this pattern comes from an intentionally lived life.

Although Thurman’s words are a lot to unpack, what resonates with me is the “reality of failure being embedded into the human experience.”

Merriam-Webster defines failure as “a situation or occurrence where something does not work as it should.” From this technical definition, surely, we have all been the recipients of this as our reality. Things in our lives have not worked

out as they should–careers, education, marriages and personal relationships, business ventures, health, etc. If you are like most people, you have experienced failure. Other words I will use are heartbreaks, disappointment, illness, personal trials, trauma, and trouble. As much as we plan to avoid it, we face it more than we probably want to acknowledge.

Thurman’s point is that we must not look at failure as, for lack of a better word, failure. We must embrace these occurrences as realities ingrained and rooted in our life experience— in our faith journey. God uses the reality of these “failures” to grow us and shape us into the women and men that God desires.

The obvious question is, “So, does God want us to fail?” To that, I would answer, absolutely not! However, I will say that God views failure much differently than we view failure. We would identify with the weeping that endures for a night, possibly as a failure. Still, God identifies with us finding joy in the morning (Psalm 30:5).

We would identify with what people meant for evil in our lives, but God identifies with God, meaning everything that happened was for our good (Genesis 50:20).

God is more interested in you growing, which is why failure is embedded in the human faith experience. What I am saying is don’t be afraid of failure because no one can avoid it. To never fail is to never try anything.

Jesus brings this reality to us that in spite of storms of failure, know that these experiences will not destroy you, but if you embrace them, they will make you grow in understanding that all things are working together for God’s good and God’s glory – it will make you grow in understanding that he who began a good work in you will see it to completion on the day of Jesus Christ. I can testify that I have failed several times over. I am familiar ...continued on p2

The War in Israel Is Causing Discord and Disruptions on Our College Campuses

James B. Ewers, Jr. Ed.D., Senior Columnist

I enjoyed my days as a college student. In college, I met students from many parts of America and other countries. As a result, I developed life-long friends.

College was a time for receiving new knowledge, new ideas, and new ways of thinking about important events. My teachers were the best academically and they wanted us to do our best each day. Plainly stated, they cared about us.

These times also had with them soci al unrest which led to marches and demonstrations. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. came to my college, an HBCU, to encourage us to become involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Back in

Preserving Our African American Landmarks

Jeffrey L. Boney, Forward Times

U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee secures over $4.1 million to redevelop Wesley Chapel AME to Gospel Square in Houston’s Third Ward.

When it comes to our history in this country, the Black Church and Gospel music have been a part of the solid foundation that have given black people the faith and perseverance to get through some extremely tumultuous times.

the day, they were simply called black schools. I will never forget his presence on our campus.

It was a defining moment for me as I was developing my philosophy about social justice issues. During that time, it was important for me to gain perspectives from men and women who had courage and persistence.

My first protest march was in my hometown of Winston-

A Cancer DiagnosisIn His Own Words

Rev. Maurice Wright II

One year ago today, the doctor said three words that changed our lives. “You have cancer.”

Following his words, there are about 30 minutes I still cannot account for. When I came to myself, Rita and I were sitting before a doctor at the cancer center, getting the news that my cancer was already in the middle of stage three.

He told us that I would need both radiation and chemotherapy, and I would have them at the same time for eight weeks. ...continued

with failure. I have failed academically, vocationally, and in personal relationships. However, my failures do not identify me, but God has used each of them to make me into the person I am today.

We see the disciples in this text experience failure. Even those familiar with piloting the waters cannot navigate the boat to the other side. However, we can learn a few things from the disciples about embracing the reality of failure in our human experience.

Invite Jesus into your journey. Verse 36 reads, “They took him with them in the boat.” Other boats were on the journey, but they invited Jesus with them. As we embrace the reality of failure in our human experience, inviting Jesus on our

journey is crucial. The Christ offers guidance, strength, and a steadfast presence that can transform your perspective on failure. I have learned that you cannot make this life without Jesus.

Experience Jesus’ compassion. In verses 3738, the text highlights that Jesus is asleep; the disciples reached a place where they were so overwhelmed with the experience they cried out, asking if Jesus cared that they were perishing. Their cry woke Jesus up, and he was moved to calm their storm by speaking the words, “Peace! Be still!” What I found interesting is the noise from the storm did not wake Jesus, neither did the howling of the wind or the rocking of the boat as they navigated. I am sure the disciples

Twenty-four hours of chemo to go and radiation five days a week (you do the math). However, my immune system was so low that I needed to get three weeks of iron infusions before the treatments could begin. I was told about the surgery that would last anywhere from four to six hours, and following surgery, I’d have an ostomy.

I stayed in the hospital for six days and was released to continue chemotherapy. We got word that the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes and microcells. Six more months of chemo would be necessary, and now they would add a shot. It was unbearable, and I ended up in the ER, sicker than I can even articulate.

The past year has been hard, but I’m still standing. Rita and my family

were not quiet as they tried to steer the ship, possibly yelling back and forth to each other. However, the question to Jesus is, “Do you not care that we are perishing?” That is what woke him up and moved him with compassion to care for the needs of the disciples.

Rely on the sovereignty of Christ. Even when we face failure, relying on Christ’s sovereignty can bring us peace and assurance. Understanding that Christ is in control, even in the failures of our human experience, can strengthen our faith and trust in him. Through this failure in the storm, the disciples learned that Jesus could calm the storms.

As we face failure in our human experience, we may learn this more each time.

have been amazing. I know they have had to deal with their moments of anxiety, and it’s been a tough go for them. We cried, laughed, and just sat in silence. In sickness and in health has new meaning!

My congregation has supported us in every way possible. The officers agreed with our decision to share this journey with the world. My village has come through in many ways: calls, cards, and even a little piece of money! The church universal has prayed for my family and me, and we are grateful.

As I lay in bed recovering from this week’s chemotherapy, I remain confident of God’s ability to heal. I claim complete healing on this side! ...continued on p10

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...From A Cancer p1

For Better or Worse-In Her Own Words

Rev. Dr. Joretha Williams Wright

Hearing the doctor say “Mr. Wright, you have cancer” was indescribable. The ride home seemed like it took forever; there was complete silence. I remember we both had tears sliding down our cheeks. I knew there was no time for me to panic because I could see he was a blank screen. He needed me to be present, and that is what I chose for him, for us!

The first mental boundary I set for myself was continuing to recognize the divinity in my call as his wife and friend not as a caretaker. He was to have almost 40 rounds of chemo plus a series of radiation. Cancer was pounding every aspect of our lives leaving not one rock unturned. Our personal life, parenting, finances, daily living, even simple tasks became exasperating. It did not take me long to discover my response to cancer this past year.

Gratitude| Self Awareness | Village

“Gratitude became my highest form of mental health.”

Cancer made me feel like I was losing everything. I began to intentionally reflect on the things that I have been overlooking in our life together. My mental health needed a new avenue of thinking and gratitude reflection became the solution.

“Discovering a deeper source of contentment manifested into profound self-awareness.”

My mind was constantly racing and this new feature in my life was nothing short of havoc. I was becoming a faithless pessimist. One morning at my

lowest emotional moment, I watched him drag himself out of bed with chemo in hand just to make me breakfast. The gravity of his action was filled with love intensity. In that moment my consciousness was heightened and the peace to endure forced me to center down daily with silent meditation and journaling.

“Surround yourself with people that enriched your existence.”

I soon realized that not everyone will stay in the fight. Our village became smaller but very specific. This constant pull to take care of everything drastically decreased when I began to discern the people that enriched our lives beyond our basic needs. These people gave me the power to get up in the morning. They advised me when I seemed too worn and tired to tend to myself. My greatest strength and well being has been through the service of other people. The God of our village is the heart of my existence, and the insertion of their actions have made this fight more of a beautiful love song; one that I have the privilege of listening to daily.

“Cancer will not win because he has given me the best of his energy, the best of his will, and the profound portions of his love by choosing to fight.”

Historic Campbell Chapel AME Church Gets Bluff ton Preservation Grant

Rachel Hartdegen, Bluffton Today

The town of Bluffton has awarded its ninth Historic Preservation Grant to help fund the rehabilitation and renovation of the historic Campbell Chapel AME Church.

The Rev. Dr. Jon R. Black was awarded a $20,000 grant from the town to help cover the costs of “initial engineering and architectural design services” to rehabilitate the structure. This renovation aims to restore the chapel to a condition where it can become a “prominent tourist attraction.”

According to a website set up for the historic structure, https://historiccampbellchapel.com/, once the renovation is complete, visitors will be able to tour the structure and hear about its history and “untold stories” of Bluffton. The structure will also act as a venue space for the town and residents.

“Perseverance is personified in this structure,” Bluffton Mayor Larry Toomer said. “Campbell Chapel represents the determination of the nine formerly enslaved congregants who provided a place to worship, educate, and support the community in the Reconstruction Era.”

(Provided

The Cambell Chapel AME Church, formerly known as the Bluffton Methodist Church, has been part of the Bluffton community since its construction in 1854 and is one of the oldest “standing churches” in Bluffton. This building endured historical challenges like the Civil War and the fire set during the Union Army’s Bluffton Expedition. According to town officials, the fire, known as the Burning of Bluffton, destroyed two-thirds of the town.

Glen Umberger, the town of Bluffton’s historic preservationist, presents an historic preservation grant to the Rev. Dr. Jon R. Black and members of the Campbell Chapel AME Church.

In 1874, the building was sold to nine former slaves for $500, and the historic structure became the Campbell Chapel AME Church.

Campbell Chapel AME Church is listed as one of the town’s 87 structures that are “contributing resources” in the Old Town Bluffton Historic District. This historic site was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2019 and then added to the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network in 2023.

“Campbell Chapel continues to be an integral part of Bluffton, its history, and how it has and continues to serve Bluffton. Preserving this church and its story is of utmost importance,” Toomer said.

Due to its status as a contributing resource, this structure was eligible to receive a grant through the town’s Historic Preservation Grant Program. Under the program, owners of these contributing structures are eligible for grants of up to $30,000 for residential structures and up to $20,000 for non-residential structures.

The town’s Historic Preservation Grant Program started in January 2022 and has awarded more than $200,000 in grants. For more information on the program and applying for a grant, contact Glen Umberger, the Town’s historic preservationist, at (email: gumberger@townofbluffton.com). ❏ ❏ ❏

by the Town of Bluffton)

Salem, NC at the K&W Cafeteria. The march centered around black people not being able to eat at that restaurant. I, along with my friends, were in high school at the time.

Segregation was a central theme in my coming of age in North Carolina. Not eating in certain restaurants and sitting in the balcony at movie theaters happened during my early days.

Student protests have been going on for a long time. Records and history will show when students do protest, they have good reason to do so.

Students are now protesting in increasing numbers over the Israel-Hamas war. Israel and Palestine have been enemies for centuries. Issues involving land and rights have festered into full scale wars and loss of life. American presidents like Jimmy Carter have tried to intervene with only short-term success.

Now in this latest battle, thousands of innocent people have lost their lives and hostages are being held. News reports paint a desperate and dangerous picture.

One report about the war in Israel reads, “Since the terrorist organization Hamas launched its

attacks on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023 around 1,200 Israelis died and 5,431 were injured. Through retaliation attacks by the Israeli Armed Forces against Hamas in Gaza 33,797 Palestinians were killed and 76,465 were injured.”

These numbers are sad and staggering. Families have been forever torn apart because of this war. Dreams of success have become nightmares of reality.

Students in American colleges and universities want this war to end. They want the death and dying to stop. Some student protests have become violent. College presidents like Liz Magill (University of Pennsylvania) and Claudine Gay (Harvard University) have lost their jobs because of their expressed views about this war.

Student protests and police involvement have occurred at Emerson College, Stanford University, Indiana University, and Emory University. The University of Southern California recently canceled their commencement exercises because of possible threats to campus safety.

Morehouse College will have President Joe Biden as its commencement speaker. Already, students and faculty are questioning the college’s decision to have him speak. Provost Kendrick Brown

said, “From our perspective, really having a sitting president come to Morehouse offers an incredible opportunity. This is something that is in line with Morehouse’s mission and also with this objective of being a place that allows for engagement of social justice issues and moral concerns.”

The war over there will affect the elections over here. Students will have a strong say in who becomes the next president. Mildly put, students are letting President Biden and Vice President Harris know their views about the war in Israel. Clearly, it has become a worldwide topic of heated discussion.

An interesting proposal has been put forward by Senator Chuck Schumer, Senate Majority leader. He has made the assertion to have an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. Will that happen? At this moment, there are more questions than answers.

Futuristically, there will be a correlation between the war in Israel and student demonstrations. We will see what happens.

The 128th Session of the Southwest Georgia Annual Conference Comes Back to Americus, Georgia

The 128 th Session of the Southwest Georgia Annual Conference was held in Americus, Georgia, at Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church from March 20, 2024 through March 22, 2024. This conference was Bishop Reginald T. Jackson and Episcopal Supervisor Christy Davis Jackson’s last annual conference as our Episcopal leaders in the Southwest Georgia Conference. It was Presiding Elder Joseph Baker and District Consultant Donna Devoe Baker’s first time serving as a host for the Eastern District of the Southwest Georgia Annual Conference. The host pastor and first lady were the Rev. Jermaine Harris and his wife Tara Harris. This was a special Annual Conference for the people of Americus, Georgia, and Sumter County. The annual conference had not been held in Americus since 2004.

The AME Church history of Americus/Sumter County is rich, but most people do not know about it. It is the birthplace of the 79th bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Late Bishop John Douglas Bright; and the 42 nd Bishop, the late Bishop William Decker Johnson, who was one of the most influential people of African Methodism within the geographical area of Sumter and Webster counties. He is buried at St. Mark AME Church cemetery in Archery, Georgia. Bishop Johnson was one the most influential people in former president Jimmy Carter’s life. There are still remnants of stories of their special friendship.

The conference was spirit-filled, and the host church, Allen Chapel AME Church, delivered radical hospitality. The worship services were awesome, and the preachers delivered life-changing messages. The Voices of Allen sung with power and anointing during the worship services. The Historic Windsor Hotel, built in 1892, was the host hotel. Some special guests during the conference included Mayor Lee Kinnanon, Sheriff Eric Bryant (first

black sheriff of Sumter County), and Democratic leader of Sumter County Bobby Fuse. They visited on the opening day and joined the conference for a welcome breakfast and the opening worship service. Mayor Kinnanon presented Bishop Jackson with a resolution and welcomed Bishop Jackson to Americus. Sheriff Bryant addressed the conference and offered a formal welcome to the attendees of the 128 th Session of the Southwest Georgia Conference from Sumter County.

The people of Sumter County were excited to have the AME visitors present in their city. Several church leaders from other denominations within the local area visited and participated in the conference. This included local pastors, laity, and other Christian citizens, to name a few. The local newspaper covered the annual conference, and WTVM Columbus, Georgia, provided television coverage as well. This conference will go down in history as one of the best that the Southwest Georgia Conference has ever had.

In the 1920s, a historic new black church was built on a 1.4-acre tract of land property in Houston’s Third Ward community, after several relocations prior. That church, which was located on Dowling Avenue (now Emancipation Avenue), became the redesigned and rebuilt Wesley Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church.

At recent risk of being taken over and demolished, the location where Wesley AME Church currently sits recently received $4,116,279 in landmark federal funding for the “Adaptive Reuse of Historic Wesley Chapel for Economic Revitalization of Third Ward,” thanks to U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. This historic part of the Third Ward community is also one of the city of Houston’s state-certified cultural arts districts.

The herculean effort to acquire and redevelop Wesley AME Church initially started under the administration of former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, but the process continued after him being termed out of office. The Houston City Council approved an ordinance on March 27 th, authorizing the purchase and sale of 62,500 square feet of land located at the physical address where the Wesley AME Church building currently sits—at 2209 Emancipation Avenue.

The remaining process to begin the redevelopment involved selling the land to The National Housing Partnership Foundation, which is a nonprofit real estate organization dedicated to preserving and creating affordable housing.

As the developer for this exciting new redevelopment project, The National Housing Partnership Foundation will renovate and redevelop it into a dynamic mixed-use development that will be renamed Gospel Square. As part of Gospel Square, it will house new affordable housing units, a community center, a café, a recording studio, office and retail space, a courtyard, a Gospel museum, and other amenities.

The city of Houston’s Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) issued a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the development of the 2200 Block of Emancipation Avenue back in 2023. According to their submission, the city of Houston will partner with The National Housing Partnership Foundation to build “up to” 70 new condo ownership opportunities adjacent to the historic Wesley AME Church at 2209 Emancipation Avenue. The development’s home designs will have a mix of efficiency-, one- and two-bedroom condos that will be made affordable for homebuyers and restricted to homeowners at 120% Area Median Income (AMI). The city of Houston stated that they will also finance the renovation of the Wesley AME Church to enable a transition from

its current standing as a spiritual community asset to a mixed-used economic development asset for the Third Ward.

According to the National Housing Partnership Foundation, the Wesley AME Church building will maintain its existing exterior structure in honor of the building’s historic nature. In addition to the affordable housing units, the redevelopment project is slated to also have significant ground-floor retail space and parking, while the second floor of the redevelopment is slated to be reserved for office conference space and coworking use for lease as well as rental units. As part of this public-private partnership, the city of Houston purchased the land using $3.8 million in homeless and housing consolidated funds, while $23 million is being funded by the National Housing Partnership Foundation, bringing the total budget for the project to $26.8 million.

Back in September 2021, the city of Houston and Wesley AME Church entered into a contract to purchase and sell the property, during former Mayor Turner’s administration and as part of his Complete Communities initiative.

Back on March 31, 2023, Congresswoman Jackson Lee sent a letter to Rep. Kay Granger (chairwoman on the Committee on Appropriations) and to Rep. Rosa DeLauro (ranking member on the Committee on Appropriations), requesting federal funding that would go towards the “Adaptive Reuse of Historic African American Church - Wesley Chapel AME Church” for the fiscal year 2024.

In the formal request, Congresswoman Jackson Lee stated that the funding would be used by the city of Houston “to reimagine this church, which sits at the gateway to Third Ward, into a cultural arts center to provide much needed flexible performance and community meeting space for the community. This project will be the cornerstone of a property that will eventually include affordable live work housing and street level commercial retail space for ongoing economic revitalization of Emancipation Avenue.”

Congresswoman Jackson Lee continued in the letter by stating that the goal of the project is “to preserve, protect, inspire, and share the artistic and cultural legacy of the Historic Third Ward, which has enjoyed a long and transformative history of collaboration among artists, small business owners, and community members. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because this project is an innovative communityidentified project that addresses a need and improves access for residents and visitors. This building is a historic building within a historic community and its adaptive reuse builds on the legacy of black Houstonians.”

Here in Houston, Congresswoman Jackson Lee recently held a special event to announce this first of its kind grant and had some special guests with her as she unveiled the check. She spoke to the importance and significance of this federal funding, as she was joined by members of Wesley AME Church, community leaders, elected officials, key stakeholders, national Gospel recording artists, and Grammy-award winning national recording artist Donnie McClurkin.

“Ladies and gentlemen, remember what this is going to do,” said Congresswoman Jackson Lee as the commemorative check was being unveiled. “This is going to be able to light the fire for monies coming in from around the nation.”

The Gospel Music Haus and Museum, which will be a part of the new redevelopment, was founded in 2021, to establish a cultural and performing arts center in Houston. This is a vision birthed from Gospel music and Houston icons V. Michael McKay and Yolanda Adams. The museum will preserve and promote the rich origins, rituals, oral traditions, and history of Gospel music through concerts, exhibitions, collections, educational programming, and special events.

As a 501(c)(3) entity, the museum’s primary purpose will be to foster an appreciation for African American Gospel music from which to share this unique art form with the world.

The preservation and acknowledgment of Gospel music has been a major focus of Congresswoman Jackson Lee for some time, as during the 111 th Congress, she reintroduced a resolution to establish September as the month to celebrate Gospel Music Heritage. On July 31, 2009, the bill was voted out of the U.S. House of Representatives and sent to the U.S. Senate.

Senator Blanche L. Lincoln offered a companion Senate Resolution to Congresswoman Jackson Lee’s U.S. House of Representatives bill to establish September as Gospel Music Heritage Month, which also passed the U.S. Senate under unanimous consent.

“I have been on the path to this day for sixteen years, and this is just one stop along the way to victory on several important fronts for African American people who continue to struggle for their place in the American Dream free from bias and discrimination,” Congresswoman Jackson Lee tells the Forward Times . “Gospel music has been in the African American experience for generations—it has been a source of strength and identity for so many of us. It is part of African American heritage, culture, and history.”

Oikos Institute Awarded $175k Grant From Trinity Church Wall Street

The Oikos Institute for Social Impact has been awarded a substantial $175K grant from Trinity Church Wall Street. This grant will support two new indepth case studies, spotlighting the transformative impact of the Fishing Differently TM model on faith-based anchor institutions.

The new case studies will feature two congregations in under-resourced communities effectively leveraging their assets, including Faith/Financial Capital, Intellectual Capital, Social Capital, Human Capital (F.I.S.H.), and real estate, to create social impact. These case studies will serve as practical examples for learning, offering participants insights into applying concepts in their own contexts, navigating challenges, and identifying opportunities. Selected congregations in cities with Oikosmanaged learning cohorts will enrich Oikos’ training program and engage church audiences. Beyond education, the case studies find relevance in seminaries, public administration, philanthropy, business, and professional development programs, aiming to bridge understanding gaps between churches and potential funders/ partners across sectors, fostering cross-sector collaboration.

Beyond education, these case studies will bridge understanding gaps, fostering collaboration between churches and potential financing for social impact projects,” the Rev. Dr. Sidney Williams, co-founder of the Oikos Institute for Social Impact

Trinity Church Wall Street’s philanthropies, neighborhood support, and investments teams are united in their faith-driven commitment to promoting equity and justice. They leverage the tools of philanthropy, their convening power, and their voice to advance the mission goals of building neighborhoods, leadership, and capacity. Guided by the philanthropies team, their strategic grantmaking is focused on initiatives that include mission real estate development and leadership development. These collective efforts reflect a steadfast dedication to fostering an equitable society, transcending racial determinants, and fostering cross-sector collaboration.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Trinity Church Wall Street for entrusting us to unveil the transformative stories of two more congregations.

On Monday, February 7, 2024, I had my last treatment! I praised God as I ran out of the treatment center. They asked, “Don’t you want to ring the bell?” I had thought about this moment many times and had already decided to ring the bell at St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church with my church, my faith community, and my family, who had stood by me, stood with me, and prayed for me

In 2023, Leadership Education at Duke Divinity School commissioned researcher David Kresta to capture Oikos’ impact in a case study on Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church-Morristown. 1 The case study, “ Feeding the 5,000: Small Churches Delivering Outsized Community Impact,” is a testament to any faith-based institution’s impact when it harnesses its assets toward a community solution-minded purpose. The Reverend Dr. Sidney Williams, Oikos’ co-founder and author of Fishing Differently: Ministry Formation in the Marketplace , 2 pastors Bethel Morristown, the flagship anchor institution of the Fishing Differently™ Model.

“At the Oikos Institute, we deeply appreciate Trinity Church Wall Street, a vital catalyst for our mission in building equitable and thriving communities. We are excited about the possibilities these case studies hold in catalyzing change and grateful for Trinity Church Wall Street’s partnership. The insights will enhance our training programs but also illuminate paths of possibility for others navigating the intersection of faith, finance, and community development,” said the Rev. Dr. Reginald Blount, co-founder of the Oikos Institute for Social Impact.

through this journey. I would also invite others in the congregation who were cancer survivors to ring the bell with me.

Sunday, February 11, 2024 finally arrived. I was ready. The “bell” was stationed in a prominent place in the pu lpit. When the moment arrived, I came center stage and invited all cancer survivors to go and ring the bell. Brother Childress,

Brother Taylor, Elder Oliver Allen, and Brother Norwood came forward and rang the bell. Then it was my turn. Thanking God for his mighty healing powers, I RANG THE BELL! All while saying aloud, “There is no secret what God can do. What he’s done for others, he will do for you!” We are still trusting in God for complete healing, and looking forward to the day when I can proclaim I am cancer-free! ❏ ❏ ❏

1 Kresta, David E., Ph.D. “Feeding the 5,000: Small Churches Delivering Outsized Community Impact.” Prepared by Leadership Education at Duke Divinity School, 2023.

2 Williams, the Rev. Dr. Sidney, Jr., Fishing Differently: Ministry Formation in the Marketplace. Certa Publishing, 2018.

Bethel AME Morristown and the Spring Street CDC’s Table of Hope food distribution and Soup Kitchen; the prototype for the Fishing Differently™ Movement.

A Vision Realized, A Promise Kept

G1 Training and Fitness is proud to announce its partnership with Pastor Martin Porter and Quinn African Methodist Episcopal Church, marking a significant step toward empowering youth and teens in Moreno Valley and the surrounding region.

This partnership signifies a ministry of athletic coaching and mentoring, showcasing a unique synergy that aims to benefit not just the church but the entire community. Through this collaboration, Quinn Church has leased space to G1 Training and Fitness, integrating a fitness coaching ministry that resonates deeply with the church’s stated vision of “empowering and elevating families in the community.”

“As the founders of G1 Training and Fitness, we are thrilled to introduce our youth-focused training facility to the Moreno Valley community. We are proud to announce our partnership with Quinn AME Church, leasing a space in their building as our home base. This collaboration allows us to create a unique environment where faith and fitness come together, putting God first in every fitness journey,” says G1 Fitness Founder Andre Saulsberry.

When Pastor Martin Porter was appointed Quinn AME Church over a year ago, he put forth a simple vision statement as a dream of what could be possible for the church and the community and a promise he intended to keep for the area’s teens and youth.

Pastor Porter wanted to partner with “The best of the best in the areas of athletics and academics to provide excellent coaching and mentoring for our families. G1 Training and Fitness represents the summit in this regard. For our church, it’s not just a vision realized, but also a promise kept.”

Founder and Coach Saulsberry, renowned for his expertise in athletic training, brings a wealth of experience to G1 Training and Fitness. Currently a youth football and track and field coach, Coach Saulsberry’s journey at Brigham Young University (BYU) on a football scholarship has equipped him with valuable insights and knowledge, propelling him to success as a coach, trainer, and mentor. His passion for giving back to the community and empowering the next generation to achieve their dreams drives the core ethos of G1 Training and Fitness.

Coach Saulsberry shares, “At G1, the mission goes beyond physical training; we aim to inspire,

Turner Graduation

support, and challenge each individual to reach their fitness goals while fostering spiritual growth. Our commitment to the community extends to making a positive impact, offering programs that not only enhance physical health but also build character and resilience in our youth.”

This ministry partnership between G1 Training and Fitness, Pastor Porter, and Quinn AME Church is a testament to the transformative power of collaboration to “empower and elevate families in the area.”

Coach Saulsberry would like those in the community to “join us at G1 Training and Fitness, where we combine dedication to fitness

The 65 th Commencement Ceremony of the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) will take place on May 11, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. The venue for the ceremony is Friendship Community Church, located at 4141 Old Fairburn Rd., Atlanta, Georgia 30349.

Congratulations to the graduates of Turner Theological Seminary (TTS) at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC):

❖ Reverend Frederica Alexander, MDIV

❖ Reverend Alvin Attah, MDIV

❖ Reverend Kimberly Fields, MDIV

❖ Reverend Wilbert Simmons, MDIV

with a foundation in faith, empowering the next generation to be their best selves inside and out. Together, let’s build a stronger, healthier, and more connected community.”

For media inquiries, please contact: Rev. Martin C. Porter

Pastor, Alfred K. Quinn AME Church 25400 Alessandro Blvd., Moreno Valley, CA Cell: 310-465-8001

Email: mcp@logosfaithdev.com

Coach Andre Saulsberry (via his wife, Ashley Saulsberry): Cell: 951-287-9867

Email: asaulsberry@gmail.com. ❏ ❏ ❏

Turner Theological Seminary has continually prepared men and women for ecclesial leadership in the African American tradition of theological reflection, liberation, evangelism, justice, and reconciliation, transforming diverse communities of learners into future global leaders. We praise God for a glorious legacy of prophetic voices for justice, diversity, and inclusion focused on the black community’s theological and political perspectives.

Turner still stands by its motto, “For a Prepared Ministry.” This is in line with the school’s founders’ vision to be “an institution for the preparation of training for every department of Christian work.” ❏ ❏ ❏

Pastor Porter, wife First Lady Anita, and their son baby Leo.

Funday Sunday at Bethel AME Church

Debra Whitlock-Lax

On the 4 th day of Advent, Bethel AME Church’s ultimate focus and reflection on love on Christmas Eve was coincidentally celebrated as Funday Sunday. The Reverend Richard L. Lax, our Funday Sunday coordinator, curated a fantastic service that included games, bringing together both the young and the young at heart.

Pastor Debra firmly believes that the worship experience should make room for joyous activities fostering fellowship filled with laughter. There is a call to laugh out loud and learn to jest without resorting to obscenity, foolish talk, or coarse joking (Ephesians 5:4). As the psalmist encourages, we are called to “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful song” (Psalm 100:2).

Acknowledging that Christians are sometimes perceived as too serious, stuck in antiquated traditions, and thus lacking luster, the message emphasizes that Jesus, our ultimate example, celebrated life without succumbing to sin and its behaviors.

The Bethel Sparks congregation engaged in lively games like Let it Snow, Feed My Reindeer, and Bless Me. It was great to se e both men and women engage our children. Meanwhile, the Bethel Reno senior fellowship had fun with Stack the Cup. Both groups laughed and enjoyed themselves in the Lord, pleasing God in their joyful celebrations.

Quinting S. Lacewell, Jr., Youngest Co-Chair of the United States Conference of Mayors Business Council

Mary Walton, Contributing Writer

Community of Hope African Methodist Episcopal Church

At the site of the United States Conference of Mayors 92 nd Winter Meeting in Washington, District of Columbia, on March 6, 2024, presided over by Conference President Reno and Nevada Mayor Hillary Schieve, Quinting S. Lacewell, Jr., Senior Government & External Relations for Wells Fargo, made history when elected as the youngest co-chair in the history of the United States Conference of Mayors Business Council. The Business Council, an integral part of the United States Conference of Mayors, is the association of corporate executives of some of the nation’s most important business enterprises. Mayors, the CEOs of local governments, are instrumental in running their cities like successful bu sinesses with innovation and wise investments. The turnaround of many cities is a testament to the power of partnerships between mayors and their local business partners, as well as national and international partners.

The United States Conference of Mayors values a strong and engaged business community within the organization, collaborating and working together to strengthen cities and the country. The Business Council, with its members playing a crucial role in this, is the association of corporate executives of some of the nation’s most important business enterprises. Cities and businesses — mayors and CEOs — must work together to ensure the long-term prosperity of America. With the help of the Business Council members, the United States Council members, and the United States Conference of our member mayors, we strengthened local economies across the country.

Quinting serves alongside former Portland, Oregon Mayor Charles Hales and will ascend as the senior co-chair of the Business Council at the site of the United States Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting in June 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri, under the leadership of incoming president

Mayor Andrew Ginther of Columbus, Ohio. Quinting L. Lacewell, Jr. is an experienced communication and branding professional specializing in strategic planning, brand strategies, crisis communications, and intergovernmental affairs. A native of Newark, New Jersey, he has served in the administration of three leading Democratic mayors—former mayors Kasim Reed and Keisha Lance Bottoms, both of Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington, DC. Mayor Muriel Bowser before joining Wells Fargo. He also served as the Deputy Communications director for the grand opening of Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, where he managed public relations strategy and all press logistics for the grand opening. Lacewell was honored as one of Clark Atlanta University’s 2023 Awardees and is an Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated member. He serves as the minister to Young Adults at Community of Hope AME Church in Suitland, Maryland, where Rev. Tony Lee is the senior pastor.

The Rev. Tony Lee is pastor of Community of Hope AME Church.

The High Priority of Discipling Our Children

Joseph Parker, Dir., Outreach & Intercession/Radio Hostmore

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates (Deuteronomy 6:4–9).

Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight” (Proverbs 4:1–7).

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:1–4).

Parents carry their children in their hearts. Their children are very important to them and precious to them. As parents, we want the absolute best for all of our children in every area of life.

A very important truth for all parents to be mindful of is that the best we can give to our children is Jesus. The greatest gift that they can ever receive in life is Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Jesus is eternal life.

So, as parents, we are very wise to do all that we can to help and encourage our children to receive Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.

Once our child is saved, it is o ne the great responsibilities of Christian parents to disciple them. It is our calling from the Lord to help and guide our children to become strong, vibrant believers who love and follow Jesus Christ in their life and lifestyle.

Why is this so important? First of all, we are commanded to make disciples (Matthew 28:19–20). And this very important calling is to start with ourselves and then move directly to our families – our spouses and children.

So, in considering the great responsibility of discipling our children, just what are some steps or practical “building blocks” we are to utilize?

What are things we can do to effectively and practically carry out this important responsibility?

Let’s consider a few things a parent can do to help their children begin to grow up in the Lord.

The following are some practical things – ideas and suggestions - Christian parents can do to help and encourage their children come to know the Lord and to grow in their faith as well.

Pray daily with your children. Pray the Lord’s Prayer with them and allow them to lead. Pray Psalm 91 daily with them. Allow them to hear you call their name in prayer daily. Give your children incentives to memorize and learn Bible based prayers.

Have your child read no less than three chapters in the Word of God daily. You can find shorter chapters – Psalms or simply select a given passage –for younger children. For children who do not yet know how to read, let them repeat short chapters or passages after you.

Some could be - Psalm 1, Psalm 23, Psalm 100, etc.

Ask your child questions about what is read. What are two or three important things he/she heard or picked up? What stood out?

Teach your children to obey the Word of God. Teach them to be doers of the Word of God (James 1:22).

Teach your children the meaning of each of the Ten Commandments. And have them to memorize them. Teach them to pray the Ten Commandments every day for the church and our nation.

Also, parents, it’s very important for us to recognize this reality: Someone or something will disciple your child, one way or another.

In other words, certain people or things will capture your child’s attention, interest, and/or heart in this world.

Some of these are celebrities, sports figures, television, the internet, things on his/her cell phone, video games, people they “meet” in chat rooms, etc.

Some topics that they come across on the internet may captivate them and their mind and interest.

And yes these things can begin to “disciple” them. Some of these things can begin to mold their thoughts, their thinking, and their perspectives – about life and the world in too many wrong and twisted ways.

And too often the results can be tragic.

Consider sad incidents that you hear of too often in the news.

Some of these news stories include:

A teenage boy who was shot and killed by an individual as he tried to run away after stealing something.

Elementary-age children attempting and sometimes succeeding in committing suicide.

Young people committing suicide after being bullied online or in school.

Three young girls went off into the woods, and two of them try to stab the third one to death.

A teen recently walked into his school and began to shoot murdering a number of his classmates.

Tragically, we could go on and on.

Where do these children and youth get the ideas and thoughts to do such things? Too often the Devil - through the internet and social media, TV, and moviesis discipling them in darkness. Too often these young people are consuming darkness by the gallon.

Some of these youths may attend church. But many of them, while they consume darkness and put so much negative info and ideas into their minds, may literally never or almost never, even open a Bible and read it.

Parents, without question, we have much work to do in discipling our own children. And we have much work to do through the church in reaching youth in our communities. Yet greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.

We do not have to be fearful. We simply have to trust our heavenly Father, and diligently be about his business. God can work through each of us as parents to help our children greatly in growing up in the faith.

Not only can we help them to avoid being victims of this wicked world, but we can also help them to become kingdom warriors. And as kingdom warriors, they can help to bring Christ, the solution to all of the world’s problems, to a world that desperately needs him.

CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENTS JANUARY-APRIL 2024

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

Congratulations to Dr. Thema Bryant, Who Begins Her Term as Convener of the Global Psychology Alliance With Over 70 Associations Represented From Around the World.

Thema S. Bryant, Ph.D., is the 2023 president of the American Psychological Association (APA), the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology with more than 130,000 members.

Dr. Thema completed her doctorate in clinical psychology at Duke University and her postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical Center’s Victims of Violence Program. Upon graduating, she became coordinator of the Princeton University SHARE Program, which provides intervention and prevention programming to combat sexual assault, sexual harassment, and harassment based on sexual orientation.

She is a tenured professor of psychology in the Graduate School of Education and Psychology at Pepperdine University, where she directs the Culture and Trauma Research Laboratory. Her clinical and research interests center on interpersonal trauma and the societal trauma of oppression.

She is a past president of the Society for the Psychology of Women and a past APA representative to the United Nations. Dr. Thema is author of the best seller  Homecoming: Overcome Fear and Trauma to Reclaim Your Whole Authentic Self  and host of the critically acclaimed mental health podcast  Homecoming She shares psychological and spiritual insights on television, radio, and social media.

Clinical psychologist Thema Bryant appears on  CBS Mornings  to discuss how to reclaim and reconnect with your authentic self.

Dr. Thema is also an ordained minister, sacred artist, and mother, and she is the daughter of Bishop John R. Bryant (retired) and retired Episcopal supervisor, the Rev. Dr. Cecelia Williams Bryant.

Congratulatory expressions can be emailed to:  queenakosua@icloud.com (the Rev. Dr. Cecelia

Williams Bryant).

Presiding Elder the Rev. Dr. Kenneth D. Love and the Rev. Dr. Donna S. Love, Consultant, Celebrates their 40 th Wedding Anniversary.

Congratulations to the Rev. Dr. Kenneth D. Love and the Rev. Dr. Donna S. Love as they celebrate their 40 th, ruby, wedding anniversary on January 20, 2024. They were married in Los Angeles, CA, and are currently serving in the Tennessee Mountain District of the East Tennessee Conference of the Thirteenth Episcopal District. Dr. Kenneth serves as presiding elder and Dr. Donna serves as consultant. It has been 480 months of hugs, 2,087 weeks of happiness, 14,610 days of togetherness, and 350,640 hours of love.

Congratulatory messages can be emailed to: Tennessee.Mountain.District@gmail.com.

Ninety-Third Elected and Consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Bishop Frederick Calhoun James celebrated his 102 nd birthday April 7, 2024, honored as the man who first read his favorite poem  “The Average Man”  when he was fourteen years old. Bishop James memorized the poem and it became one of the guiding principles of his call to serve his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The last stanza of  “The Average Man.”

“So here’s to the average man, to the one Who has labored on the tasks he has done, Who has met as they came all the problems of life,

Who has helped us to win in the stress and the strife,

In the forefront of progress since progress began,

Today we pay our tribute – and salute the average man.

Happy birthday, Bishop James.

The one who models making the average man a great man!!!

Bishop Frank C. Cummings, the NinetyFifth Elected and Consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Celebrates 95 th Birthday April 4, 2024.

Please send celebratory videos and birthday wishes via email to 95 thAMEBishop@gmail.com.

CONGRATULATIONS!

The Rev. Dr. Robert A. Strode and Mrs. Shelby G. Strode Celebrating Their 50 th Wedding Anniversary on April 19, 2024.

The Rev. Dr. Robert A. Strode and Mrs. Shelby G. Strode, pastor and first lady, Shorter Chapel AME Church, Paris, KY, are celebrating their 50 th wedding anniversary on April 19, 2024.

Congratulatory expressions may be sent to: Iamabibleman@aol.com or Shelby.Strode@aol.com Mailing address: P.O. Box 5422 • Frankfort, KY 40602

Washington, D.C.: E. Gail Anderson Holness, J.D., D.Min., AME Pastor Elected Delegate to the D.C. Democratic National Convention.

On Saturday, April 20, 2024, Dr. E. Gail Anderson Holness, senior pastor, Adams Inspirational AME Church, Washington Annual Conference, was elected a delegate to the D.C. Democratic National Convention. Delegates selected to represent D.C. at the Democratic National Convention help elect the party’s nominee for president, adopt the party platform, and adopt the rules for the party’s activities, including the presidential nominating process. Thirteen delegates were elected to represent the D.C. Democrats. Six delegates were elected from district one (3 women, 3 men, and 1 female alternate) and seven delegates from district two (4 men, and 3 women). Dr. Holness was elected from district 1 as noted. She will attend the National Convention that will be held in Chicago, Illinois, August 19-22, 2024. Dr. Holness serves as the chairperson, D.C. Democrats Ward One which encompasses Howard University and the infamous 14 & U Street corridor. She is a graduate of Clark College now Clark Atlanta University and Howard University School of Law and Divinity.

Congratulatory responses can be emailed to: egailandersonholness@gmail.com (E. Gail Anderson Holness, J.D., D.Min.).

On behalf of Publications Commission chair Bishop David R. Daniels, Jr., president/publisher of the AMEC Publishing House (Sund ay 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

NECROLOGY LISTINGS

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

Mr. Edward Cole, father of the Reverend Helen Crosby, pastor of Quinn Chapel AME Church, Lexington, Mississippi, Eighth Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church

Mrs. Frankie Mae Collier, the mother and mother-in-law of Brother Alfred and the Reverend Dr. Anese Collier, trustee pro tem and pastor of Miller Chapel AME Christ Centered Ministries; she was a pillar in her family, the church, and community, Fourth Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church

Sister Bwalya Shula Musa, Miss Area 1 YPD’ER, the daughter to the Reverend Dr. Charles Musa, Seventeenth Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church

The Reverend Dr. Steven Allen Jackson, a retired itinerant elder from the Pittsburgh/West Virginia Conference, Third Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church

The Reverend Maggie J. Patterson, (retired) an itinerant elder and former pastor of Wesley Chapel AME Church in Grenada, Mississippi, Eighth Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church

Sister Doris Mae Pinkney Lewis, the mother of the Reverend Richelle LewisCastine, Pastor, Zion Chapel AME Church, Patterson, LA, Central North Louisiana Conference and the Reverend Kecia A. Lewis, itinerant elder, Louisiana Annual Conference, Eighth Episcopal District, and the grandmother of the Reverend Ritney A. Castine, pastor, Mt. Pisgah AME Church, Jersey City, NJ, First Episcopal District

The Reverend Dr. Dudley Trotman, an itinerant elder and pastor of Allen Temple AME Church in Barbados, Sixteenth Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church

Mrs. Gloria Lee Grant Horne, mother of the Reverend Dr. George G. Hartsfield, Sr. (the Reverend Dr. Cynthia), pastor of New Fountain Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, in Jacksonville, FL, Eleventh Episcopal District

The Reverend Carolyn Johnson, itinerant elder and former pastor in the Eighth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

Sister Leatrice Jones, the mother of the Reverend Charles F. Flowers (Bettie),

the pastor of Friendship AME Church, Chattahoochee, Florida, Florida Conference of the Eleventh Episcopal District

Mrs. Mildred Smith, the mother of the Reverend Dr. Stanley G. Smith, presiding elder of the Philadelphia District, of the Philadelphia Annual Conference of the First Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

Mrs. Emma Jewel Stevens, the mother of the Reverend Dr. Pamela Rivera, presiding elder of the Austin Capital District, Southwest Texas Conference, Tenth Episcopal District

Mrs. M. Faye Moore, the sister of the Reverend Dr. Deborah McCaffity, pastor of St. George African Methodist Episcopal Church in Lewis, Delaware in the First Episcopal District

Mrs. Clara Barbour, the wife of retired general officer, Dr. Johnny Barbour Jr., former president/publisher of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Sunday School Union

The Reverend Robert C. Sherrod, Sr., age 47, a lifelong member of Quinn Chapel AME Church, Louisville, Kentucky, elected and ordained a deacon in the AME Church in 2022; he was the pastor of Ward Chapel AME in Scottsville, Kentucky and had been a supply pastor of Waymen Chapel AME in Georgetown Kentucky, Thirteenth Episcopal District

Ms. Shenika Weaver, the daughter of Brother John Weaver who is the husband of the Reverend Elizabeth Shaw-Weaver, associate minister at Providence AME Church, Memphis, Tennessee, West Tennessee Conference, Thirteenth Episcopal District

Sister Gertrude Long White, mother of the Reverend Dovie Lewis, pastor of Pleasant Grove AME Church, Marianna, Florida, Eleventh Episcopal District

Presiding Elder T. W. Adair (retired), the former presiding elder for the Magnolia District of the West Arkansas Conference of the Twelfth Episcopal District

The Reverend Mari Darrough served as an itinerant deacon in the greater Dallas district, serving as pastor (supply) at Evening Chapel AME Church, and then as the appointed pastor of Greater Allen Temple AME Church both in Grand Prairie, Texas, Tenth Episcopal District

JANUARY-APRIL 2024

The Reverend Susie Johnson Harris, retired itinerant elder in the Central Annual Conference of the Eleventh Episcopal District, the beloved aunt of Bishop Marvin C. Zanders II, presiding prelate of the 16th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Reverend Dr. Ronald Slaughter, pastor of St. James AMEC, Newark, New Jersey, in the First Episcopal District

The Reverend Fred Raggs, retired itinerant elder of the Eighth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

Ms. Andrea Willis, the daughter of the Reverends Andrew and Natalie Willis, Arkansas Annual Conference, and the niece of presiding elder and the Reverend Tyrone and Ina Kaye Broomfield, Twelfth Episcopal District

Dr. Dolly Desselle Adams, retired supervisor, widow of Bishop John Hurst Adams, the 87th elected and consecrated bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church; Dr. Adams was a mentor to many pastors and their spouses; she was an educator who served four years as national president of The Links, Inc., and The Links Foundation, Inc., and she served five years as national president of the Black Women’s Agenda, Inc. among her civic and social circles

Mr. Earnest White, beloved son-in-law of the Reverend Willie Bell Coleman-Smith, retired itinerate elder in the Central Annual Conference who serves on the ministerial staff of St. Mark AME Church, Orlando, Florida, Eleventh Episcopal District

The Reverend Joe Louis Gay, Sr., a retired itinerate elder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church who served in the Orlando Conference (now known as Central) and West Coast Annual Conferences, the beloved husband of Roslyn Hammond Gay; father of Consultant Kathryn Thompson (Presiding Elder Jimmy Thompson of the Lively Lakeland District); Minister Joe L. Gay, Jr. (Donna); the Reverend Gregory V. Gay, Sr. (Lashunda), pastor of Mt. Olive AME Church, Tampa, Florida, and disaster relief coordinator for the Eleventh Episcopal District, Angela Scarbrough (DuShun)

Mr. Eddie Bill Tyler, Jr., father of the Reverend Mark Kelly Tyler, Ph.D., pastor of Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Philadelphia Annual Conference of the First Episcopal District ...continued on p21

The Power of One Step

Mr. Byron Washington, Columnist

Road Rage. A car on the highway is driving in the fast lane. A car going much faster than the first car drives up behind it stays there for a minute and then flashes its lights. The first car deliberately slows down. The second car tries to go around and speeds up, and the first car swerves in front of them. Before we go any further, can we all agree that this could go terribly wrong? The outcomes are endless, but they are not good in most cases. Consider what would have happened if the first driver “stepped back” during that interaction.

Even after “brake checking” the second car, the driver in the first car could have stopped the madness by allowing the other car to pass or by moving over. Nevertheless, they continued to escalate the situation. We all have moments when we need to take a step back. We all have moments when we need to take a break. So

many people are stressed out, frustrated, and angry. From the high cost of groceries to jobs wanting people to come back into the office, people trying to find new jobs, and so on.

Suppose we allow ourselves to be consumed by the moment. If we allow our minds to be consumed by the news, social media, gossip, and opinions, we will be led by our emotions, not by the Spirit of God.

Look at what the writer of James tells us, “Ye know this, my beloved brethren. However, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”

If we do not take the time to ponder our actions or even step away, wrath and anger are often the result. This week, make it your business to take a step back. To re-assess your approach to all that is happening in your life. Listen, you do not have to respond to everything you see or everything other people are doing. Let me round

A Tribute to Our Fallen Soldiers

The term “fallen soldier” refers to a military service member who has lost their life in the line of duty serving their country. Understanding the true meaning of being a fallen soldier involves acknowledging the depth of their sacrifice and its lasting impact on individuals, communities, and the nation. The sacrifice is a solemn reminder of the human cost of conflict and the importance of cherishing and safeguarding the freedoms and ideals for which they gave their lives. Therefore, when we place these heroes to rest, we ensure they are given the highest honor on behalf of a grateful nation.

The alignment of gravestones at military cemeteries for our fallen soldiers is a deliberate and symbolic practice. The precise layout and alignment carry significance and contribute to the overall appearance and symbolism of these solemn final resting places. Gravestones at military cemeteries, including those on military bases, are often aligned for the following reasons: Uniformity and Equality: The rows of aligned gravestones create a sense of uniformity and equality among those who have served. Regardless of rank or status, all individuals are honored and remembered consistently, reinforcing the idea that, in death, all are

Take Time to Praise God

Dr. Michael C. Carson, Full Columnist

In the midst of all that is taking place in your life be a blessing to yourself pull over “on the road of life” and take a “praise break!”

Praise is giving honor through verbal or nonverbal means to recognize and exalt someone or something.

What is a praise break? Lead pastor of Dwelling Place Church International, Jamie Tuttle, shares, “A praise break means you’re ready to praise the Lord. Your praise is one of the weapons of your warfare and you’re fighting a battle. You need to use all your weapons but the Lord told me specifically to tell you that it’s time for you to get out the weapon of praise.”

The Gospel according to recording artist Richard Smallwood proclaims, “Lord, I will lift mine eyes to the hills knowing my help is coming from you. Your peace, you give me in time of the storm. You are the source of my

equal in their sacrifice.

this out with a short story: a friend took out his trash the other day. He returned to the house, put a new bag in the trash can, and continued his day. That afternoon, he left the house for an extended amount of time. When he returned, the house smelled like the trash from earlier. He had not realized the odor earlier because he had been in the house almost all day.

Until we step back, we will never know the condition of our life. Until we step back, we will never know exactly where we are in our relationship with Christ. Stepping back allows us to properly assess our lives and ensure we are operating in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. This week, make the conscious decision to step away to be a better person and reduce the stress in your life.

Respect for the Fallen: The alignment deeply respects the fallen soldiers. The precise arrangement of gravestones conveys a sense of order and dignity, emphasizing the solemnity of the space and the importance of honoring those who have given their lives in service.

Accessibility and Navigation: Aligning gravestones facilitates easy navigation within the cemetery. Visitors can locate specific graves more efficiently when the headstones are arranged in an orderly fashion, helping to create a solemn and contemplative atmosphere.

Symbolism of Unity: The alignment of gravestones symbolizes unity among the fallen. It represents a collective sacrifice and underscores the idea that these individuals came together despite their diverse backgrounds and experiences in service to a common cause.

The term “fallen” implies that these soldiers are not forgotten. Their memories are memorialized by our monuments and traditions. The sacrifices of fallen soldiers serve as a reminder of the price of freedom and the ongoing responsibility to all to preserve and protect it.

On behalf of a grateful nation, we honor our “Fallen Soldiers.”

strength. You are the strength of my life. I lift my hands in total praise to you. Amen.”

The psalmist asks the question, “If it had not been the Lord who was on my side?” (Psalm 124:1) My brother and sister, today know and believe that God is on your side and you have a great deal of things to praise God for. Take some quality time to give God the praise that God is worthy of. Give the Lord a standing ovation. Give God some uninterrupted applause!

Associate professor of clinical mental health counseling at FreedHardeman University Ryan Fraser shares: “David and the other psalmists seem to have continually offered up words and songs/psalms of praise to God. It was something they focused on throughout the day and night. For example, Psalm 34:1 says, ‘I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.’ Psalm 35:18, 28, states ‘I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise

Mrs. Virgie Coleman Hughes, mother of Brother Howard Hughes and the mother-in-law of the Reverend Orsella Hughes, pastor of Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Hartford, Connecticut, New England Annual Conference of the First Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church. Presiding Elder (Emeritus) Merrell Johnson, who retired from the Northwest Texas Conference, Tenth Episcopal District, the husband of Sister Ruby Johnson, a charter member of Conn-MSWAWO+PK’s of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

Mr. Ewart Harrison Joell (age 97), the stepfather of Presiding Elder Lucinda Burgess, pastor of Richard Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church, London, UK; the European Annual Conference of the Sixteenth Episcopal District

Mr. James Edward Rivers, the brother of the Right Reverend Michael L. Mitchell, presiding prelate, Twelfth Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church

Sister Ruth Bell Rhone, the wife of the late Reverend Dr. David Rhone, Sr. and the mother of the Reverend Dr. David B. Rhone, Jr., presiding elder of the South Atlanta District of the Sixth Episcopal District; she was first lady to many AME congregations in the West Florida Conference for over 45 years and was a long-standing member of the Women’s Missionary Society and the Minister’s Spouses Alliance of the Eleventh Episcopal District

Elder Willie Kenlaw, Jr., the father of the Reverend William Kenlaw III, pastor of Oak Street AME Church, Baltimore, Maryland, Second Episcopal District

Ernest A. Rouse, Sr., (retired presiding elder) who served faithfully as a pastor and presiding elder in the Ninth Episcopal District for 45 years, 30 years as a pastor and 15 years as presiding elder of the Mobile District; he also served as 1st vice chairman and chief interrogator of the Episcopal Committee

Mrs. Edith Chandler Kennedy, the mother of our former district consultant, Sister Deborah Davis, and mother-in-law of retired Presiding Elder James H. Davis of the Miraculous Marianna Presiding Elder District of the Ninth Episcopal District

Mrs. Juliana Lorett Mayes, age 64, the beloved wife of Dr. Terence L. Mayes, Sr., the pastor of St. Paul AME Church, Chattanooga, TN, Thirteenth Episcopal District; mother of three including the Reverend Terence Mayes, Jr., pastor of Gates Chapel AME Church, Crossett, Arkansas; a grandmother; sister-in-law of

Dr. Keith Mayes, pastor of Vernon Chapel, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and she was president of the East Tennessee Conference M-SWAWO Plus PK’s

Sister Lurena Muse, widow of the late Reverend Columbus Muse, life member of the Women’s Missionary Society of the AME Church and former president of the Louisiana Annual Conference Women’s Missionary Society of the Eighth Episcopal District

Sister Mary Louise Jenkins, age 72, the daughter of the deceased Reverend Charles Edward Jenkins, Sr., and Mrs. Lula Mae Reynolds Jenkins, long-time pastor and first lady in the Thirteenth Episcopal District

Mrs. Dorris Young, the mother of the Reverend Courtney Martin, pastor of Johnson Chapel AME Church, Fort Worth, Texas in the Northwest Texas Conference of the Tenth Episcopal District

Dr. Virginia Mae Manning, (age 90), the beloved wife of the the Reverend George A. Manning, retired presiding elder, Washington Conference, Second Episcopal District, who alongside Presiding Elder George Manning, for many years led the Potomac District of the Washington Conference with love and dedication

Ms. Vanessa Leonard, the sister of the Reverend Irvin Leonard, pastor of St. Paul AME Church in Tuscumbia, Alabama and New Bethel AME Church, Sheffield, Alabama, Ninth Episcopal District

Mrs. Earline Stanford Lewis, a member of Hopewell AME Church, St. Florian, Alabama. Mrs. Lewis is the mother of the Reverend Sandra E. Cole, pastor of Mt. Zion AME Church in Rhodesville, Alabama, and the aunt of the Reverend Michael E. Stanford, pastor of Hopewell AME Church, St. Florian, Alabama and Nichols Chapel AME Church in Florence, Alabama, Ninth Episcopal District

Mrs. Theola Blount Pompey, widow of the Reverend Franklin Pompey, and grandmother of the Reverend S. Gerrard Lindsey, pastor of Mt. Zion AME Church (On the Glade), Havana, Florida, Eleventh Episcopal District

Sister Mary Haynes Collins, a member of Zion Chapel AME Church, Sun, Louisiana, the widow of former presiding elder the Reverend Clarence Collins, Eighth Episcopal District; a life member of the Women’s Missionary Society, functioning on all levels in leadership roles as committee chair and president; a member of CONN-M-SWAWO Plus PK’S at all levels, and the Lay Organization

The Reverend Clinton J. Hall, Jr., an itinerant elder in the AME Church, his last

pastoral assignment was New Hope AME Church (St. George) African Methodist Episcopal Church, Charleston District, South Carolina Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the AME Church

Sister Willie B. Perry Hampton, the beloved mother of Sister Barbara P. Hampton and mother-in-love of the Reverend Dennis J. Hampton, pastor of Bethel AME Church, Claremore, Oklahoma, Twelfth Episcopal District

Mrs. Mary Ann Dansby, the sister of the Reverend Shirley Renix, pastor of New Bethel AME Church, Waldo, Arkansas, and the Reverend Ruthie Murphy, pastor of Good Hope AME Church, Chidester, Arkansas; she was married to Brother Clifton Dansby, the brother of the Reverend Curtis Dansby, a superannuated minister in the West Arkansas Conference

Mr. James M. Detherage, the father of the Reverend Kimberly L. Detherage, Esq., pastor of Saint Mark AME Church, New York, New York Annual Conference of the First Episcopal District

Ms. Connie Brooks, the sister of the Reverend Dr. Deborah Brooks, pastor of Saint Mark AME Church, Cranford, New Jersey, New Jersey Annual Conference of the First Episcopal District

Ms. Shirley D. Jacobs, the sister of the Reverend Cathy Jacobs, pastor of St. John AME Church, Monticello, KY, Lexington District - Kentucky Conference of the Thirteenth Episcopal District

Ms. Larrenda Gail Dunn, beloved daughter of the Reverend Evelyn G. Dunn, presiding elder, Brother Larry Dunn, Southern District of the North Carolina Conference, Second Episcopal District

Mrs. Annie B. King, the sister of Evelyn Frost, a past president of WAC Womens Missionary Society and past president of the Arkansas Conference M-SWAWO + PK, and sister-n-love of the Reverend Charles Frost Sr., retired pastor in the Arkansas Conference, Twelfth Episcopal District

Mrs. Wardean Nichols Henry, elder daughter of the late Bishop Decatur Ward Nichols, the 59th elected and consecrated bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the late Episcopal Supervisor Kay Bailey Nichols

The Reverend O. Jerome Green, Esq., president of Shorter College and member of the Judicial Council; was an ordained itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and a licensed attorney with over 25 years of experience in litigation and transactions involving business, education, politics, church law matters, and economic development

Mother Gladys Cora McGee Sparrow, pastor’s widow, member of the WMS, Lay Org. and Episcopal District and Conference M-SWAWO + PK’S, and the beloved mother of the Reverend Dr. Cassandra A. Sparrow, pastor in Suffolk, Virginia, Second Episcopal District

The Reverend Cecil “Chip” L. Murray, age 94, a civil rights icon and spiritual leader, a beacon of hope and transformation not just for the congregation of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church, Los Angeles, but for the wider community and beyond; and he was the brotherin-law of Bishop Philip R. Cousin, Sr.

Brother Samuel David (Pop) McCoppin, the brother of the Reverend Sandra Smith, pastor of Mt. Vernon (Laurens) AME Church in the Greenville District, Piedmont Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the AME Church

Little-Miss Demarriah Dior Calloway, two years old, the great-granddaughter of the Reverend Willie and Sister Jackie Weary (superannuated minister and WMS member) of the Eastern District, Oklahoma State Annual Conference

The Reverend Ogopoleng George Tlhomelang, 63 years of age, a devoted pastor in the Nineteenth Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church, survived by four children, Mamosa, Puleng, Nombulelo, and Katlego

Brother James Walter Stokes, Jr., the husband of Pastor Sheiler Stokes, and first gentleman of Bethel AME ChurchJeffersonville, Indiana, Fourth Episcopal District

The Reverend Tommy Dorsey served in several capacities throughout Camden/ Prattville and the Camden Districts in the Southwest Alabama Annual Conference of the Ninth Episcopal District, and through out the state of Alabama

Bishop Frederick Calhoun James, (102 years of age), the 93rd elected and consecrated bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the founder and first elected consultant/director of Social Action of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the oldest living bishop in Methodism in the USA

Sister Minnie L. Walker, the sister of the Reverend David Walker, recently retired

pastor in the Augusta Georgia Annual Conference of the Sixth Episcopal District Presiding Elder James Similo Nkumbi, age 67 years, an itinerant elder for 44 years, serving as president of the Presiding Elder Council of the Fifteenth Episcopal District and had served as a ministerial delegate to several general conferences

Brother Archie L. Cooley, Jr., the father of the Reverend Tracye Monagan, pastor of First Allen AME Church, Laurel, MS, Eighth Episcopal District

Mr. Newstell Dowdell, Jr., the father of the Reverend Chris (the Reverend Joseph) Walker, pastor of St. Paul AME Church - East Lake, Birmingham in the Northwest Alabama Conference, and the Reverend Sheila (the Reverend Roosevelt) Williams, pastors of St. John AME Church, Montgomery in the Alabama River Region Conference of the Ninth Episcopal District

Mrs. Jeanette J. Dyson, a member of Campbell AME Church, Southeast D.C., and the mother of the Reverend Dr. Diane Coles of the Washington Conference, Second Episcopal District

Condolences to the bereaved are expressed on behalf of Publications Commission chair Bishop David R. Daniels, Jr., president/ publisher of the AMEC Publishing House (Sunday School Union) the Reverend Dr. 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 • 615.833.6936 (CFIC Office) • amecfic.org • facebook.com/AMECFIC.

The Oikos Institute for Social Impact

The Oikos Institute for Social Impact (Oikos) is proud to an nounce its receipt of a $282,000 three-year capacity general operat ions grant from the Wayfarer Foundation! The Wayfarer Foundation was established in 2021 by Steve Sarowitz, philanthropist, founder, and chairman of Paylocity (Nasdaq: PCTY), director of Payescape, and partner in Wayfarer Studios. It operates as a Baha’i-inspired organization with a mi ssion to “advance humankind spiritually towards a future peaceful world civilization.” Operating under the leadership of Steve Sarowitz, the foun dation funds support spiritually-rooted and justice-oriented nonprofits, emphasizing universal participation to foster a more hopeful, joyful, and just world. The organization collaborates with other groups and institutions to advance racial justice, economic prosperity, gender equality, unity in diversity, religious harmony, the arts, universal education, and youth empowerment.

With grant support and program service contracts such as this, Oikos will expand its work significantly and will continue to reach congregations throughout the United States. In addition to continuing or completing its work with six previously-established cohorts, by the end of 2024, Oikos is planning new cohorts in New Orleans, Detroit, Philadelphia, and a second cohort in Chicago with 12-15 congregations each. Under Oikos’ Discover and Dream Program, the congregations will learn to effectively leverage their assets, including faith/finance capital, intellectual capital, social capital, human capital, and real estate, for communal transformation and economic mobility. The funding from ...continued on p32

How Shall We Pray?

Rev. Dr. Kent L. Poindexter

The 2020s will be remembered as one of the most troubled in the world’s history, especially for the Christian Church, as it has been challenged by politics, technology, economics, the never-ending discord between nations and races, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of these, along with other concerns, has made for a society of people who are angry and afraid and struggling for answers as to how humankind can avoid creating its demise. We stand in many paradoxical spaces. Who would have thought that same technology that helped churches reach the masses during the pandemic is now one of the causes of even more significant declines in worship attendance and church membership? These and other significant issues are making it more difficult for faith communities to spread the message of hope and love upon which they have built their foundations.

In retrospect, we should understand that our current state of existence is nothing new. Our Bible provides numerous examples of generations

of faith communities in crisis who eventually “take it to the Lord in prayer” after experiencing significant challenges. History, religion, and theology students look at these events and ask, “Don’t they/we ever learn?” History does repeat itself because humanity somehow forgets or ignores the lessons of its dark past.

Like our predecessors, we find ourselves in turmoil, shaking our heads and wringing our hands, wondering when God will rescue us. We have yet to learn from the biblical and historical witnesses and continue the cycle of moving from one calamity to the next without carefully and prayerfully assessing what God is saying to the universe through these experiences. There are answers to the challenges; God is speaking to us.

The disciples/students of Jesus Christ no doubt wondered how it was possible to be hopeful living in the midst of physical, emotional, and spiritual poverty. They marveled at the miracles and sat in awe of the new “theology” he laid

History and Theology: A Tale of Syncretism

George Pratt, Contributing Writer

Recently, I addressed the congregation at Antioch African Methodist Episcopal Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia, sparking widespread conversation and debate on various social media platforms, primarily Facebook. The Christian Post , a popular conservative and evangelical online newspaper, covered the sermon in the article “Morehouse College’s Christian valedictorian tells church they can call on both ancestors and Jesus for help.” Amidst the discourse surrounding the sermon, one fact that has become strikingly clear is a joint matter of history and theology.

As a scholar who employs preaching in a black liberation and social Gospel context for cultural performance and decolonial knowledge transmission, my comments regarding ancestor communion or veneration aimed to reflect how some African Americans have reconciled Protestant Christianity with the indigenous philosophy and spiritual science of their African ancestors. In doing so, African American Christians have forged a unique wisdom tradition and theological perspective rooted in an Africana worldview. This syncretic blending of black spirituality with Christianity is not confined to the United States but has occurred across the Diaspora and on the continent during modernity as a result of Euro-American proselytization and mission efforts. This topic of syncretism became a focal point of tension in the digital dialogue surrounding my sermon clip, contextualizing a broader public discourse among African Americans on religio-racial identity in the Information Age.

Over the past five years, social media has been ablaze with discussions concerning Beyoncé’s Black Is King , the celebration of Hoodoo Heritage Month, and the controversial image of COGIC founder Bishop Charles Harrison Mason depicted with elements of “God’s handiwork in nature.” Central to these discussions are characterizations of African heritage spiritual traditions, concepts, and related iconography as “demonic,” “blasphemous,” and “sacrilegious.” Similarly, my sermon clip received parallel responses, with many black Christians surprisingly utilizing the term syncretism when interpreting and critiquing my statements as “non-

out. They are on God’s side—all they had to do was accept the unconditional love and grace of the creator and share it with the world. But how could they access what Jesus was presenting? The Gospel of Luke reveals his answer to their question, “How shall we pray?”

The answer that Christ gave them is the answer for our troubled world—“When you pray . . .” Perhaps we are so busy trying to “make” things better that we have forgotten the importance of communication with God. Prayer is talking and listening, discerning the signs, and seeking the guidance the Holy Spirit gives. The turmoil will change to triumph when we pray, with the idea of doing what God asks of us, as we also remember what Christ said as he sought God’s presence—Your will, not mine, be done. ❏ ❏ ❏

Christian” and “sinful.” It became evident that many of these individuals were unaware that Christianity itself is syncretic, originating as an offshoot of a Hellenized 1 st-century Judaism later absorbed into a Roman state religion, and more specifically, that black expressions of Christianity are as well.

What is significant about this phenomenon is the othering and dismissal of African religious forms of knowledge by present-day people of African descent and the ignorance of one’s historical situation. This occurrence bears major theological implications and reveals a crisis within the African American psyche and religious imagination. When operationalizing theology as a social theory to evaluate how humans understand themselves and reality relative to their perceived ultimacy or god-concept, history, and cultural memory converge. In this way, an individual or group can only craft a holistic theology when possessing a healthy awareness of their history or context.

Considering the limited ideological impact of black contextual theologies beyond academia and mainline sects, I argue that the widespread occurrence of African American Christians privileging theologies framed by what scholar Jawanza Clark calls “Eurocentric epistemological hubris” indicates a fracture in the collective historical consciousness of black people.

Subsequently, a distorted and misinformed view of reality has caused continental and Diasporan Africans to continuously perpetuate harmful theologies that reinforce the dominant culture and global system of white supremacy/racism. My hope is that we abandon doctrines and dogma grounded in Western Christian orthodoxy and instead look to our history and culture as a means of theologizing, embracing Clark’s suggestion of an Africana methodological approach to theology.

Read more here: https://www.christianpost.com/news/george-pratt-tellschurch-they-can-call-on-ancestors-likejesus.html. ❏ ❏ ❏

Growing Our Faith in God’s Silence

Dr.Herman O. Kelly,Jr., Columnist

Sometimes in our faith journey God is silent. We listen and we wait, but God remains silent. In this crucial time of waiting and wondering, how do we grow our faith? Do we see the silence as no from God? Do we see the silence as an indicator regarding what we are praying for may not be in God’s plan? How do we grow our faith in the crucible of God’s silence?

First, God’s silence does not mean God is not working on our behalf. In the silence of God, we can still be fa ithful and trust God with our whole being. In the silence of God, we still do our faith work. What is faith work? Continue to work in the vineyard that God has given to us, we work in divine order as assigned by God. The silence does not mean we give up, the silence means God knows our work and God knows our assignment. The biblical mandate is clear, we work while it is day. Our faith grows as we work even in the silence of God.

Secondly, God’s silence does not mean God is not still in charge of our journey. Even if we believe God is silent God still provides and protects

When Fani Came to Bethel

Monica C. Jones, Columist

Big Bethel AME Church is an icon in the city of Atlanta, and indeed, in the state of Georgia. Of late, it is becoming an icon in the country because of the political limelight it is in since District Attorney Fani Willis came to speak. She brought the message during our Martin Luther King, Jr. Day worship experience, and it was a moment I will not forget.

What madam D.A. spoke about may or may not have been legally appropriate, as it has caused backlash and criticism from a member of the bench; it may or may not have been the perfect time for such comments; it could be that it had unfavorable political ramifications. I’m not really in a position to respond to any of those points. But what it was, and how it was received by the congregation, was a heartfelt testimony of courage and faith.

Willis talked about her journey from childhood to her current position as district attorney of Fulton County. Yes, she mentioned issues that she was facing that were challenging her very core. Yet, her most important message was that she had come a long way and that God had made

Free Indeed

Rev. Gregory E. Singleton

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36

Freedom! Freedom is the very essence of what life and living are all about. The freedom to exist in a space of our own choosing. The freedom to do life the way we see as the correct way to live. The freedom not to be confined to someone else’s idea

us. At this present moment I have been praying for something. I believe God has been silent regarding my request. I have been patient, I have been faithful, and I trust God. Yet, in my existential journey I only hear silence. The silence has called me to examine my journey and my path as directed by God. I still walk in faith, I still trust with faith, and I still believe with faith.

Lastly, our faith must be steadfast even during silence. As we live, move, and have our being we must listen for even a small voice of God in silent periods. Even in this silent period regarding my request I still see the handy work of God. I still feel God’s hand on my shoulders. I still feel God’s breath on my neck, and I still feel God’s piercing eyes on my life. I just need a small voice to break the silence. Just a small voice at mid-night. Maybe the silence is broken, but I am so busy trying to make it happen and God has broken the silence. ❏ ❏ ❏

it so. She talked about how her faith had been shaken, how her family had been threatened, how she had faced despair and loneliness, and how she had questioned the very God she served. As I listened, my heart was deeply troubled because I wasn’t sure if she was about to admit that she felt defeated. At times, the pure sadness that I sensed coming from her made me alarmed. Thank God, though, my concerns were unfounded. I had nothing to fear! For by the time the message ended, after admitting to failures, stubbornness, and mistakes, Willis declared, that through obedience and commitment to God, our very human efforts can be transformed into “something extraordinary.”

Looking back, I realize that the lesson to embrace here is that it wasn’t so much as what she had to say, as much as the fact that she had somewhere to say it. It was apparent to me that in our sanctuary, she felt safe, and she was. The congregation received her with warmth and excitement. In our sanctuary, she felt respected, and she was. It didn’t matter whether we agreed with all of her views or voted for her; we honored who she was. In our sanctuary, she felt accepted,

of freedom but to follow our own hearts and minds. The freedom to choose to follow our own path and not be forced into a particular occupation or cause because of our gender or color. The freedom to attend college if we want to or the freedom to use our hands as well as our minds to become successful. The freedom to live where we want to live and the freedom not to be “redlined” into neighborhoods where “they’’ want us to live. We are seeking the freedom, as the Prophet Micah says in 4:4 (paraphrased), to sit under our own vine and fig tree and no one will make us afraid. The freedom to express our individuality as well as our collective

and she was. Ours was not to judge her, but to listen to what she had to say.

It brought to mind how we have responded when others have come to share with us including our Jewish brother and senator, Jon Ossoff. He commented on how welcomed we had made him feel. It didn’t matter that his religious beliefs were different from ours, all that mattered was that we, as Christian believers, did not discriminate. He felt at home.

The public can say what it will; the court can say what it will; politicians can say what they will. It really doesn’t matter to me. Because as a black woman, a member of the clergy, and a congregant listening to our district attorney that day, I couldn’t be more proud of the AME tradition, my Big Bethel Church family and most of all, the Spirit of the Lord that resided in our hearts.

The Reverend Monica C. Jones, Ph.D. is director of Christian Education Ministries and a member of the ministerial staff at Big Bethel in Atlanta.

identity. The freedom to wear our hair the way we desire and not be labeled as divisive. We seek freedom to love our people, to seek the best for us, and not be called “Woke.” The freedom to live a life among people who value diversity and embrace the fact that it is our inalienable right to be treated with equity (that is: to be recognized even though our circumstances are different) and afforded equality in the resources and opportunities needed to reach to same levels of attainment as all others. We need the freedom to reach to the sky, the freedom not to be judged when we look different and act different from anyone or everyone else – The freedom to ...continued on p32

Shout Your Way Into the City

Rev. Dr. Maxine Thomas, Columnist

“And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city.” (Joshua 6:16)

Beloved, God has it under control. It doesn’t matter what it looks like, how it feels, what the doctor has said, how far it seems away, God’s got it!

Throughout the Bible, we find many examples of God giving his people victory. And so in this precious verse, the Bible says, “And it came to pass….” My friend, there are some things that God is going to bring to pass despite what the doctor says or the lawyer decrees. God is able. In the midst of hard times, trials, and tribulation, God wants you to know that he is able. And it came to pass. In other words, it happened. That which God’s people had been praying for and believing God for actually happened. My friend, your breakthrough shall come to pass! If you know that God is the same God yesterday, today, and forevermore, say, “yes!”

Child of destiny, God wants you to know that the promise may not come after the first time that you pray. Your breakthrough may not be even after the third time that you turned your plate down. But if you hold on and don’t give up, deliverance, healing, victory is on the way! The Bible says, “… at the seventh time…”

God is saying, don’t walk too fast. Don’t go ahead of me. I’ll tell you when to run full speed. I’ll tell you when to go left and when to go right. If we are going to be victorious we must take our marching orders from God. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons (and daughters) of God” (Romans 8:14).

As we look at the opening verses in Joshua chapter 6, we find that God told Joshua that he had given Jericho into his hands. Child of God, there are some things that God has given into your hands. Still, it was of great importance that Joshua instruct the Israelites accordingly. Verse 4 says, “And the seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.”

And on the seventh day after marching around seven days, the priests blew their trumpets. Now the instructions to the people of Israel was to hold their shout until the seventh round. God is saying, this is round number seven. Get ready

to shout! You’ve been marching and praying, and marching and fasting. You’ve been marching when you’ve wanted to cry, and marching when people have lied on you. You’ve been marching when the sun was shining… sometimes marching in the rain. Sisters and brothers, get ready to shout!

There are some walls of pride that must come down. If God is going to take you into a city of blessing and anointing, there are some walls of indifference and some walls of doubt that must come down! Get ready for the walls of obstruction and the walls of opposition to come down! Some walls of rebellion and walls of tradition must come down! On the seventh round, after that the trumpets had been blown, Joshua told the people to shout. And guess what—the walls came tumbling down. Hallelujah!

Exhale

I am excited about what God is doing in the heavenlies. It may not look like it, but God is getting ready to bring me into a place of promise. And so, I release self-will and doubt. With a sense of purpose and destiny, I receive willingness and obedience. In gratitude, I possess the land.

*Reprint from January 2019*

Forty Foods for Longevity That Increase Physical and Spiritual Well-Being:

Dr. Betty Whitted Holley, Contributing Writer

“Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.” III John 2 (NLT)

11. Tuna: Your favorite deli sandwich has a little secret: Selenium. This nutrient helps preserve elastin, a protein that keeps your skin smooth and tight. The antioxidant is also believed to buffer against the sun (it stops free radicals created by UV exposure from damaging cells). Tuna is also a great source of protein, contains no trans fat, and a 3-ounce serving of chunk light contains 11 mg of heart-healthy niacin, which has been shown to help lower cholesterol and help your body process fat. University of Rochester researchers determined that niacin raises HDL cholesterol (the good kind) and lowers triglycerides more than most statins alone.

12. Carrots: Think of carrots as orange wonder wands—good for the eyeballs, and good for clearing up breakouts. No magic here, though, just plenty of vitamin A, which prevents overproduction of cells in the skin’s outer layer. That means fewer dead cells to combine with sebum and clog pores. They are also spiked with carotenoids—fat-soluble compounds that are associated with a reduction in a wide range of cancers, as well as a reduced risk and severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

13. Dried Plums: Also known as prunes, these dark shrivelers are rich in copper and boron, both of which can help prevent osteoporosis. They also contain a fiber called inulin, which, when broken down by intestinal bacteria, makes for a more acidic environment in the digestive tract. That, in turn, facilitates calcium absorption.

14. Whole Grains: Whole grains—oatmeal, wheat flour, barley, brown

Part III

rice—are high in fiber, which calms inflamed tissues while keeping the heart strong, the colon healthy, and the brain fueled. Whole grains can be loaded with carbs, but the release of those sugars is slowed by the fiber, and because they can pack as much as 10 grams of protein per 1/2-cup serving, they also deliver steady muscle-building energy. But not all breads and crackers advertised as “whole grain” are the real deal. “Read the label,” says Lynn Grieger, an online health, food, and fitness coach. “Those that aren’t whole grain can be high in fat, which increases inflammation.”

15. Red Wine: Swimming in resveratrol—a natural compound that lowers LDL, raises HDL, and prevents blood clots—red wine can truly be a lifesaver. A recent review in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research , for instance, suggests that resveratrol may prevent or delay the onset of chronic disease. But limit your intake to two drinks a day. According to a study of 6,000 patients in the Journal of the American Medical Association , you are 97 percent more likely to reach your 85 th birthday if you keep your daily alcohol consumption to fewer than three drinks. Red wine is also a rich source of flavonoids, antioxidants that help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart, and may make you less likely to die of cardiovascular disease, according to Japanese researchers. More foods to come. ❏ ❏ ❏

Bankruptcy Protection Filing for Three FAME Corporations

Ominous rumors and tales of decline surrounded First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles when the public learned recently of the bankruptcy protection filing for three FAME corporations.

But the Sentinel learned critical facts about the situation in an exclusive interview with Pastor Robert Shaw and after reviewing pertinent documents. Most importantly, the senior minister, who was assigned to FAME in November, is adamant about continuing to fulfill the church’s mission.

“God kept us, even in spite of tabloid gossip and misinformation. We’re still here, we’re still standing, and we still believe in God,” insisted Shaw, who emphasized that the historic edifice, Allen House, or the church’s property on Hobart Street are not impacted by the filing.

“We recognize the importance of still keeping our mantra, ‘first to serve.’ There will not be an interruption of services as far as we can help and manage it. We’re going to continue to help those who are in need or less fortunate or who call upon the church,” he vowed.

Yet, there is no denying that the church’s history of service has been shaken by the bankruptcy filing on May 1, 2024, of the three nonprofits –FAME Assistance Corporation, FAME Housing Corporation, and FAME Good Shepherd. The entities, established during the pastoral leadership of the Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray, improved the standard of living of thousands of people in South Los Angeles through a myriad of outreach programs.

Those good works were soon undone during the tenure of Murray’s successor, the Rev. John Hunter, and his then-wife, Denise Brown Hunter. According to the press release issued by FAME, the Hunters “created an untenable financial situation for the church. The perceived mismanagement and unfair business practices in the administration that came after the Rev. Murray sparked a chain of events that led the three involved FAME entities to where they are now.”

In addition to financial mismanagement, the Hunters illegally transferred some of the properties from the church’s nonprofits to their control.  When the Rev. J. Edgar Boyd was appointed FAME pastor in 2012, he mounted a years-long effort to regain the assets and restore the finances.

“Despite the valiant efforts of former Pastor Boyd…his predecessor’s mismanagement was so grave that his efforts delayed, but could not stop, the financial crisis that Pastor Shaw received upon his recent arrival,” according to the news release.

As Shaw explained, “The last thing I wanted these entities to do was file for bankruptcy protection, but the three involved FAME corporations had assets that were encumbered or otherwise transferred to other parties under questionable circumstances. That status forced us to move quickly to avoid additional damage.”

Pastor Shaw also expressed concern about people who utilized the services offered by FAME corporations.

“The real victims in this financial crisis are community members who may be affected by receiving transportation, housing assistance, and other services provided by FAME Assistance Corporation and FAME Housing Corporation. Our aim is to ensure that services remain uninterrupted throughout this process,” said the pastor.

In the midst of the bankruptcy process, Shaw remains optimistic and totally trusting in God, and many in the FAME congregation share his outlook. Naomi Robinson, a member for many years, admitted disappointment in the turn of events but not defeat.

“We’re going to be okay. We’re going to survive this and we’re going to continue to grow the church. So, we shouldn’t lose faith, and we shouldn’t lose hope,” said Robinson.

Having a similar viewpoint, Shaw said, “The church is continuing to press on. As within any church, we always [keep] our doors open for more membership and we’d like to increase our activities of ministry.

“Our determination is to move forward.  Fueled by faith, we embrace and include the community as our own to serve,” noted the pastor.

“Our mentality for ministry is still, ‘First to serve,’ and our magnification for ministry is #FAMEUS."

When the Shepherd Gets Sick - Who Tends the Sheep?

B. Johnson

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” – John 10:27

The term “shepherd” or “shepherding” is mentioned in the Bible over 200 times. In the Bible, shepherds are used to represent leaders of God’s people (Isaiah 63:11; Jeremiah 23:2). Shepherds watch for enemies who might attack the sheep, and they defend them when necessary. They tend to sick or wounded sheep and search for and rescue lost or trapped ones.

A LinkedIn job description for a shepherd would list the following attributes of a good shepherd: Dependable, reliable, can work independently, needs little supervision, caring and nurturing, experienced with large groups, can make quick decisions, sticks to a path, moves forward with all deliberate speed, intentional, and proficient with weaponry. These would be the characteristics sought in the personality of a shepherd.

All these characteristics come to mind as they reflect on the lives of famous shepherds in biblical times. The first of these was Abel, Adam and Eve’s son and brother of Cain. Abel and Cain’s respective professions are described in Genesis 4:2: “Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.”

The shepherd has been heralded in songs as he watches over his flock as indicated in the following hymns: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night . “While watching their flocks by night. All seated on the ground, the glory of the Lord came down.” And, The First Noel , “Full reverent shepherds in fields as they lay; In fields where they lay keeping their sheep. On a cold winters night that was so deep.” Or Silent Night, Holy Night, “Silent night, holy night, shepherds quake at the sight.” Or Angels from the Realms of Glory, “Shepherds in the field abiding, watching o’er your flocks by night.” And then, Angels We Have Heard on High , “Shepherds why this jubilee?” The shepherd has been down through the ages the keeper of the flock. ...continued on p38

Two AME Church Members Receive U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom

On May 3, 2024, President Biden named nineteen Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have contributed to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public, or private endeavors.

President Biden often says nothing is beyond our capacity when we act together. These nineteen Americans built teams, coalitions, movements, organizations, and businesses that shaped America for the better. They are the pinnacle of leadership in their fields. They consistently demonstrated the power of community, hard work, and service over their careers.

Of this year’s recipients, two are members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church: U.S. Representative James Clyburn (D-South Carolina) and Deaconness Opal Lee.

Representative Jim Clyburn is the former assistant democratic leader and majority whip in the United States House of Representatives.

During his three decades in the House, he has transformed the lives of millions of Americans and created a freer country. He is a member of

Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

Opal Lee is an educator and activist known for her efforts to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday. More than 150 years after that day in Texas, she joined President Biden to officially make Juneteenth a national holiday in 2021. She is a member of Baker Chapel AME Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Rev. Dr. John E. Freeman

September 18, 1977 at the West Virginia Annual Conference saw a shift in pastoral history when Bishop Vinton Randolph Anderson, the presiding prelate of the 3rd Episcopal district made history when he ordained the Rev. John E. Freeman an itinerate elder and appointed him as pastor of Shaffer Chapel AME, Omar, West Virginia and St. Matthew AME, Lester, West Virginia. What made this appointment so historical, the Rev. Freeman was incarcerated at the time in the West Virginia State Penitentiary, Moundsville, West Virginia serving a 40-year sentence for his involvement in a robbery. He had been incarcerated for seven years and had obtained trustee status. He was ordained and licensed at Macedonia Baptist Church in Wheeling, West Virginia prior by the Rev. Dr. Lee Wright. He then became the minister of Music under the tutelage of the Rev. David C. Chappelle at Bethel AME Church in Moundsville while serving his sentence.

The Rev. Dr. John E. Freeman (Pastor John) was the pastor of the United African Methodist Episcopal Church, Xenia, Ohio, from November 2007 to December 2021. During that time, he took in many new members. He is the president of the African American Ministerial Alliance (AAMA) of Greene County; Before his appointment to United, he served at Central Chapel AME for fifteen years; under his leadership, the church grew both numerically and spiritually. Dr. Freeman served also as the pastor of Allen C hapel AME, Charleston, Bethel AME, St. Albans, and Bethel AME in Oxford, Ohio, where he was elected and served on the Oxford City Council and was assitant director of Campus Ministry at Miami University.  Dr. Freeman previously served as a former dean of students. He was an advisor and director of the Inter-Faith campus ministry at Central State University and the former voice of WCSU 88.9 FM, Moments of Meditation , which aired five days a week.

At Wilberforce University, he serves as the dean of Religious Affairs, Community Outreach, and Chaplain. During his previous administrations there he also served as the vice president of Student Affairs and the dean of students; athletic director; P. L. for a Minority Health Grant; chaplain and the director of Residence Life. Dr. Freeman received his B.S. degree from Wilberforce University; and attended Bethany and West Liberty Stat e College in West Virginia. He received a Master of Divinity Degree from Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce, Ohio, and was president of the Student Government Association. During graduation, he received several awards: The Faculty Award for Outstanding Senior Sermon and the Senior Award for Outstanding Service; and was listed in Who’s Who among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Pastor John received his Doctor of Ministry Degree with a focus on administration and music from United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio.

you…. Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.’ Psalm 100:4 says, ‘Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!’ At the close of the book of Psalms, the psalmist exclaims (in 150:6), ‘Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!’”

I can hear Evangelist Catherine L. Carson proclaim, “The time will come when you have no choice but give God praise for all that God has done, is doing, and will do for you. King David asked the question, ‘What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?’ (Psalm 116:12) Beloved, look in your mirror, go over your life, and then ask the person in the mirror looking back at you, ‘What shall I render unto God for all of God’s benefits toward me?’”

Beloved, there’s truly a major blessing awaiting you when you take the time to give God your total praise. You have so much to praise God for!

I’m just saying!

On any given day you will hit a home run, get on base, or strike out. The only requirement is that you practice and every day come up to the plate and swing! Dr. Carson can be contacted at refreshingcoach@gmail.com.

lift our hands in praise to the God that woke us up this morning, the freedom to give God the glory for all God has allowed us to gain and experience!

How do we get this freedom? Black History Month affords us the opportunity, maybe even the right, to see just how God has been working in our history to bring us to the point where we are – From a people (and not just black people) who walked out of darkness into God’s marvelous light! Oh yes. God is taking us through the process of moving from nowhere to the place where we believe all things are possible! What a time we live in! For thousands of years, people looked for and had the expectation of the freedom a Savior would bring. Even today, people look for someone to set them free; the good news is, he is already here. Jesus gave us the key to freedom–believing in God’s Word.

Scripture tells us that if we continue in God’s Word not only will we be God’s disciples but that we will know the truth and it is God’s truth that will make us free! As we continue to study and enjoy BHM it will be impossible to miss the impact the pursuit of freedom has had, not only on our history, but on the history of humankind.

The Rev. Gregory E. Singleton is the pastor of Pine Grove AMEC, Hodges, SC.

the Wayfarer Foundation provides firm support in helping Oikos aid congregations to fish differently for social impact.

“We are truly grateful for the generous grant from the Wayfarer Foundation. This support is instrumental in propelling Oikos’ mission forward, enabling us to expand our reach and impact. This funding not only sustains our ongoing work in established cohorts but also enables us to venture into new communities. As we continue to empower congregations in under-resourced communities through the Fishing Differently™ Model, we see this grant as a testament to the shared commitment towards fostering economic prosperity and racial justice,” said the Rev. Dr. Sidney Williams, co-founder and CEO of the Oikos Institute for Social Impact.

“This grant will allow us to deepen our impact and continue our mission of empowering congregations for social impact. We are profoundly honored to receive their support, which not only acknowledges the significance of our work but also strengthens our resolve to create meaningful change. Together, we look forward to advancing the cause of justice and social impact in underresourced communities,” said the Rev. Dr. Reginald Blount, co-founder and executive director of the Oikos Institute for Social Impact.

Athena Pirylis-Johnson, director of Marketing and Client Relations, Oikos Institute for Social Impact.

Who said Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees?

The 300-leaf Tree of Life pictured above is a classic design that allows for a wide range of presentation shapes and accommodates a large number of donor names. This carefully crafted Tree of Life can provide the perfect way to:

• Recognize contributors to a building fund or fund-raising campaign

• Honor contributors to an endowment fund

• Salute individuals or groups for outstanding service or achievements

• Create a tasteful memorial

• The Tree of Life is so successful because the donor’s personalized message will be on display forever

Its leaves are miniature brass plaques that we custom engrave for mounting on sculpted plexiglass backgrounds. The result is elegant and economical.

...From The Oikos p24

Free Indeed p26

Transitions

CLARA MAE JACKSON BARBOUR (1942-2024)

Mrs. Clara Mae Jackson Barbour was born January 14, 1942, in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi to O’Deal Harris. Later she was adopted by Isaac and Lucille Jackson and reared in Spring Hill, Louisiana.

Mrs. Barbour received her elementary and high school education at Charles H. Brown High School. In her junior year, she was honored to be Miss Brown High. After graduating, she attended Jabez Pitts Campbell College in Jackson, MS, where she met and later married the Reverend Johnny Barbour, Jr. She did further study at the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS

Her great passion in life was singing and working with young children. She began singing during her early childhood, and her work with small children took her to work with HeadStart, daycare centers, and the public school systems in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Mrs. Barbour was a devoted member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church since 1950, when her home church was New Bethel AME Church in Spring Hill, LA, now located in the Central North LA Conference. One of her greatest joys was working beside her husband for well over 50 years and serving the Lord in the church. She was an active worker in the local church, annual conference, Episcopal district, and Connectional church. She worked closely as first lady with Dr. Barbour in all of his pastorates.

One of the things the two of them had in common was their love and commitment to the civil and human rights movement. In 1964, when the Rev. Barbour was appointed pastor of Allen Chapel AME Church, Meridian, MS, both became actively involved in the civil rights movement, canvassing door to door to get people ready to vote. Mrs. Barbour worked in the NAACP office in Meridian, lending her volunteer support to administrative duties, including filing, documentation of statistics, addresses, telephone numbers, telephone calls, and production of educational materials. Mrs. Barbour considered it an honor and privilege to sing at the mass meetings for Dr. King and other civil rights leaders.

She further served in the churches as a singer, choir member, daycare center director, teacher, a missionary, and in the Clergy Spouses Organization. Her works of service included, but were not limited to the following:

• Member of Laura Felts WMS, Unit 6.

• Member of Women’s #1 Sunday School Class.

BISHOP FREDERICK CALHOUN JAMES (1922-2024)

• Member of Clergy Family Organization in Conference, District, and Connection.

• President of Minister’s Spouses under Bishop Richard Allen Chappelle, serving in the East MS Conference, North LA Conference.

• Honored as Silver Pathfinder in the Conference WMS (25 years plus of meritorious service in missions) in 1996, under the Conference WMS leadership of Mrs. Genora Newell.

• Connectional WMS Life Member 2004, Bishop Garnett Henning and Supervisor Yvonne Parks.

Since 1985, when the Rev. Barbour was appointed pastor, she served as a member of Pearl Street AME Church in Jackson, MS.

The Rev. and Mrs. Barbour celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary on November 24, 2023. Her family and Christian service were intricately tied together. Her special joy was her son, Thomas, and grandchildren Monroe and Brianna.

Clara was preceded in death by her birth mother, O’Deal Harris, her parents, Isaac and Lucille Jackson, siblings Lonzo Summers and Josephine Handy.

She was survived by her husband, the Rev. Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., son Thomas Monroe Barbour II (Wyvette), Jackson, grandchildren: Thomas Monroe Barbour III (Jackson) and Brianna Kathleen Barbour (Jackson); three brothers: William Singleton (Broadway, NC), Clarence Singleton Harris (Waveland, MS), Dr. Lee E. Morris, Sr. (Dianne), Greenville, MS; two sisters: Rita Singleton (Waveland, MS) and Charlotte Morris (Waveland, MS). She leaves to cherish memories, godchildren, Bernard Smith (Laurel, MS), Benjamin Brown (Chicago, IL), Miranda Walker-Freeman (Brandon, MS), Marva Walker-Bradford (Margate, FL), Kristin Nicole Miller (Hattiesburg, MS) and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

The Right Reverend Frederick Calhoun James was born on Apri l 7, 1922, in Prosperity, SC, the son of Rosa Lee Gray James and Edward James. He graduated from Drayton Street High School, Newberry, South Carolina. He earned his B.A. in history/ English from Allen University (1943) and his Master of Divinity degree from Howard University School of Religion (1947). He also studied at the Union Theological Seminary in New York.

James returned to South Carolina in 1947 to become pastor of Wayman African Methodist Episcopal Church, Winnsboro; Chappelle Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church, Columbia; and Mt. Pisgah African Methodist Episcopal Church in Sumter, a position that he held for 19 years. He was also a professor at Allen University in Columbia and, later, dean of Allen’s Dickerson School of Theology. As a champion for civil rights, he also became a community and state social and political action leader. In 1960, he was elected consultant/director of Social Action of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In this position, he formed a close relationship with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1963, he became president of the Effective Sumter Movement of Sumter, South Carolina, a historic chapter in civil rights. In 1967, as pastor of Mt. Pisgah AME Church, the Rev. James led the sponsorship of the first 221(d)Rent Supplement Housing Project in South Carolina. In 1969, he initiated the state’s first 221(h)Home Ownership Project. He was South Carolina’s first African American Congressional District member of the Department of Alcohol and Drug Abuse and the Department of Social S ervices. From 1987 to 1992 he was a Columbia Housing Authority member and was vice chair. He also served as vice president of the SC Christian Action Council.

In 1972, this eminent theologian and champion of civil rights was elected to the AME bishopric and was assigned presiding bishop of the AME Church in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia, and Mozambique. Headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, he established schools, a publishing house, churches, and other institutions. Bishop James later was assigned bishop in Arkansas and Oklahoma (1976). He

formed a lifelong friendship with then Attorney General Bill Clinton. In 1984 he was assigned to the 7 th Episcopal District, state of South Carolina. In each of these positions, he built housing projects, strengthened schools, and led two colleges to full accreditation: Shorter College, N. Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1981 and Allen University, Columbia, South Carolina, in 1992. In 1992, Bishop James was assigned ecumenical ...continued on p35

bishop and chaplaincy endorsement officer of the African Methodist Episcopal Church International. In 1993, he was given major fiscal and reconciliation duties as bishop of the Second Episcopal District (Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and North Carolina) of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and he stabilized the district. In 1994, he was selected by President Clinton as an official member of the delegation to attend the inauguration of South African President Nelson Mandela. In 1998, he was again chosen to accompany president and Mrs. Clinton on an official visit to South Africa. He and his wife, Theressa, had retired from active duty in 1996 and returned to live at home in Columbia, South Carolina.

Bishop James was a former member of the White House Advisory Board on

CECIL L. “CHIP” MURRAY (1929-2024)

The Reverend Cecil L. “Chip” Murray was born on September 26, 1929, in Lakeland, Florida, to Janie Belle Williams Murray and Edward Wilder Murray, Sr. Murray’s mother passed away when he was only four years old; he would be raised by his father who was devastated by his wife’s untimely passing. Growing up in the segregated south, Murray, his father, and his brother experienced profound racism firsthand.

Murray earned his undergraduate degree from Florida A&M University, but joined the United States Air Force after graduation where he served during the Korean War as a jet radar intercept officer in the Air Defense Command, and as a navigator in the Air Transport Command. Murray retired as a reserve major in 1958, after ten years, and was decorated with a Soldier’s Medal of Valor. After Murray left the U.S. Air Force, he attended the School of Theology at Claremont College in California, where he earned his Ph.D. degree in religion.

Murray’s first church was in Pomona, California, where he helped grow a congregation of just twelve members to a group of 150. Murray later served at Trinity AME in Kansas City from 1966 to 1971; the First African Methodist Episcopal (FAME) Church in Seattle; and Los Angeles’ FAME Church in 1977, after Bishop H.H. Brookins recruited him to join. Under

O. JEROME GREEN (1954-2024)

The Reverend O. Jerome Green, Esq. was an ordained itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and a licensed attorney with over 25 years of experience in litigation and transactions involving business, education, politics, church law matters, and economic development.

Green received his B.A. degree from Miles College, his M.A. degree from The Ohio State University, and his J.D. degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He studied at Jackson Theological Seminary in North Little Rock, Arkansas, with further study at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta.

A former assistant city attorney for the city of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, in 1991 Green became the first black partner in the Little Rock law firm of Gill, Wallace, Clayton & Elrod (now the Gill Firm), after clerking for three years for U.S. Magistrate John Forster at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. In 1993, Green opened his own law firm, Jerome Green & Associates (with offices in Little Rock and Washington, D.C.), representing clients such as the Little Rock National

Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the U.S. State Department’s Advisory Board on Religious Freedom, and the national vice president of the Interfaith Alliance. A life member of the NAACP, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and a 33rd degree Mason, he was inducted into the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame (1991) and the Columbia Housing Authority Wall of Fame (1994). In January 2003, Bishop James was awarded the state’s highest honor, The Order of the Palmetto, for his significant contributions to South Carolina.

Bishop James died on April 18, 2024. At his death, he was the oldest living bishop in all Methodism. He was predeceased by his wife of seventy-six years, Dr. Theressa Gregg James, in 2021.

Murray, the congregation grew from several hundred members in 1977, to roughly 18,000.

Murray became a nationally known figure in the wake of the 1992 Los Angeles riots; he also became actively involved in the issues of jobtraining, homeowner loans, affordable housing, condom distribution, and HIV/AIDS awareness. Murray started FAME Renaissance, a non-profit organization that focused on economic development.

Murray retired as senior pastor from the FAME Church on September 25, 2004. In 2005, Murray became a senior fellow at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture (CRCC) and continues to work as a liaison to the Los Angeles area, and to African American and Latino constituents. Murray also works on the Passing the Mantle project, which aimed to train clergy from African American churches across California in effective community development and organizing skills.

After retirement, Murray taught at the University of Southern California’s Center of Religion and Civic Culture and led a center for community engagement named in his honor. He also appeared in the award-winning 2016 miniseries “O.J.: Made in America.”

The Rev. Murray died on April 5, 2024. He is survived by his son, Drew. His wife, Bernardine, died in 2013.

Airport, 3M Corporation, Donrey Media, the Arkansas Medical Dental & Pharmaceutical Association, and the 12 th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Green was appointed by then Governor Bill Clinton in 1991 to a fiveyear term on the Arkansas Ethics Commission, which he chaired from 1994 to 1995. In 1995, Green was appointed by President Bill Clinton to a six-year term on the Panel of Conciliators for the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (a division of The World Bank). Green was also an external economic development consultant for USDA’s Rural Business Administration from 1996 to 2000 and was a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee. Green was actively involved in developing farm cooperatives across the south as a part of the Clinton Administration’s “New Market Initiative” and was a facilitator of the USDA/Burger King Corporation Memorandum of Understanding, which created millions of dollars in new markets for small and minority vendors.

Green returned to his home state of Alabama in 2005 and lectures frequently to groups on church property litigation and public policy issues. From 2005-2012, he was employed as a visiting professor of Government/director of Government Relations at Miles College in Birmingham, Alabama. He was registered on the Alabama Supreme Court’s list of

...From Bishop Frederick p34

The Promise of Spring

Rev. Dr. Alfonso Wyatt, Columnist

Spring is here—but you may not see the evidence yet. The grass may still be brown, trees still bare, and no flowers yet visible. The calendar tells us the spring season is here. A quick seasonal life lesson: The beginning of one season does not change the reality of the last season. This is how even anticipated change can cause anxiety and stress. You may have experienced a past season of devastation evidenced by a set-up, put-down, get-back, or a heart-wrenching break-up. You yearn to get through the pain of the moment. Long into the night and well into the day there are endless scenarios of what if; what next; who said; why now; why me; that take up residence in your mind. When all is seemingly lost, what do you do? Where do you turn? What hope do you have in a beautiful spring day?

If you live long enough, love hard enough, give too much, or take too much—one day you may find yourself dry, barren, bereft of solutions, yearning for a fresh spring season to find you. Your sleep is interrupted; you are either eating too much or you have no appetite. Your mind runs from distraction to distraction. You wonder if you ever will recover. If you’ve been there, are there, or know someone there, read on. I want to offer this spiritual solution to a practical problem.

Come with me to the book of Isaiah, a major prophet with a timeless “In Season” Word. I ask you to try understanding this prophecy filtered through your soul and not subject it to discerning with your mind:

Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing. Now it will spring forth; shall you not know it? I will make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19.

You are instructed in the passage of scripture to ‘disremember’ the former things. There are too many people who are stuck in past seasons that can be painful, dark, and lonely. Another good reason to ‘disremember’ is that past seasons, either wonderful or strange, cannot be changed. The next thought offered by the prophet addresses the propensity of overthinkers to overthink situations [forget the former things, nor consider the things of old] . This is a Word to shed the heaviness you can no longer afford to carry. Beloved, let go and let God.

The Lord can help you when all else fails [ behold I shall do a new thing ]. The Word will blow your mind [shall you not know it?] as you are mired in your circumstance and suddenly a way out of no way [I will make a road out of the wilderness] appears. Only God can refresh that which is dying or dead [rivers in the desert] . Your situation is not hopeless. It is not over as much as you need to turn it over to the Lord.

The promise of spring is learning how to rest assured that change is on the way even though it is not always readily visible. The promise of spring is much deeper than any New Year’s resolution or manifest thinking because it has nothing to do with personal willpower. It has everything to do with God’s omnipotent power. The brown grass will soon turn green. The branches of the trees will bring forth leaves and good fruit. Beautiful flowers will soon bloom. You may be asking what is this promise? I say the promise of spring is divine mental, spiritual, and personal renewal... Keep looking until you see your flowers blooming.

For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come... – Song of Solomon 2:11-12a

Participation Beyond Tokenism: African Participation In AME Polity

Mxolisi Henry Vilakazi, Contributing Writer

The African Methodist Episcopal Church (the church) will convene its 52 nd General Conference on the 21 st – 28 th of August 2024. The General Conference is the highest decision-making body and largest participatory structure of the church, entrusted with lawmaking, executive oversight, and facilitation of membership involvement.

Bishops, general officers, Connectional officers, and delegates from the American districts of the church dominate the General Conference. As a result, organs of power, influence, and authority are dominated by the American Districts, which bring the highest delegation block to the General Conference. This is a structural problem for equitable participation and influence in the church’s polity. It presents the phenomenon of a participatory deficit in the church.

All the 52 General Conferences of the church have not been convened outside America. Districts 14-20 never hosted the General Conference. The first district to be organised outside America was established in 1891, followed by the South African Episcopal District between 1896 and 1900. So, for 133 years of the existence of African districts, the church has failed to summon the necessity to host the General Conference outside of America.

The AME Church has a history of strong resilience to inclusion, even though its social foundation has been based on a strong call for social justice, inclusion, and participation. This observation is evidenced by the fact that women have been instrumental in the foundation of the AME Church since its inception in 1816, evolving as daughters of the conference to the Dorcas Society until becoming WMS. Still, it took 132 years for the church to agree to the ordination of female pastors. It took 144 years for the first female to be ordained an itinerant elder in the church. This is even though Jarena Lee had preached in 1817, and the General Conference revoked her earlier recognition as a preacher in 1820. Even though Sarah A. Hughes was ordained in 1885 as a deacon, this was revoked and overturned in the 1888 General Conference. Stubborn to the inclusion of females, it took 148 years for the AME Church to have a female candidate for the bishopric of the church. It took 158 years for the AME Church to appoint a female presiding elder in the Rev. Dorothy Millicent Stephens Morris. This resulted in 184 years for the AME Church to elect its first female bishop, Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, and since 2000, each General Conference has elected at least one female bishop. In its quest for youth inclusion, the church intentionally required that youth representatives

be equal to adult representatives in all delegations to the church conference. The church established junior boards, components created positions for youth representation, and conferences have considered youth concerns to ensure that the agency, voice, and influence of the youth are maintained in the church.

Literally, the church existed for at least 75 years without an Episcopal district organised in Africa. The AME Church formulated its laws, policies, structure, values, and mission without the African voice, experience, and perspective. However, the African voice has been organised for over 133 years. Still, its agency, voice, and influence remain marginalised structurally and through unfavourable organisational design, perpetuating the agency, voice, and influence of districts 1-13.

Unfortunately, the Global Development Council has had limited success in ensuring that Africans derive their agency, voice, influence, recognition, and representation in the church. The general perception is that the GDC is a ...continued on p40

There are two kinds of shepherds, one who is hired, a hireling, and one who is a shepherd, who lives with the sheep and makes them part of his life. A shepherd is one who has the spirit-given capacity and desire to serve God by overseeing, training, and caring for the needs of a group of Christians. Shepherds lead and feed, guard and protect, and oversee their flocks.

The shepherd in his role of tending to his sheep is a metaphor for the human shepherd who is assigned to nurture and care for the Christian flock of the church. But what happens when the shepherd gets sick, who tends the sheep? He cannot call in sick. He has no sick leave or days off. He is known to the sheep and they respond to him and him alone. Who substitutes for the shepherd when he gets sick?

When the shepherd of St. John got sick, who was going to tend the sheep? Who was going to be responsible for the flock? On the range, of course the owner of the flock is notified. And the owner and the shepherd decide the path forward. The AME hierarchy is already established. Just as the bishop assigned the shepherd to a church, so too then he is the first to be informed of the

The Truth Is the Light

shepherd’s illness. Then the established protocol comes into play. The presiding elder is notified, the Board of Stewards, officers of the church, and the membership (the sheep) are informed and the church moves forward.

The sheep would step up- fill in for the shepherd and assist the substitute shepherd(s). Worship service is still held; Bible study still meets; organizations and ministries continue their work; special events are held, funerals, baptisms, and weddings are still performed and the membership is still nurtured and cared for. And while all the programs of the church are going on, the sheep are praying for and meeting the needs of the shepherd and his family.

Shepherds from all over heard the clarion call of a fallen shepherd and responded with humble obedience. Shepherds from other congregations near and far came to carry on the ministry of the church. Many came at their own expense, responding to the friendships and bonds which had been forged over time. Ministers from across town or across the country came to nurture and see not only about the sheep, but about the shepherd of St. John. The ministerial staff assumed duties of caring for the sheep,

Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., Retired, Itinerant Elder, Columnist

I Have Conquered the World

I have said this to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution, but take courage: I have conquered the world! John 16:33 (NRSVU)

Our text is a message about the inner peace and the victory Christ gives his followers who rely on him when faced with tribulation.

John boldly affirms that no worldly pleasures or worldly rewards can or will distract him from his calling to preach the truth and love of God. In other words, he tells us to have peace. Notice that John highlights two points in this text. 1) Count on trouble, and 2) Take courage in Christ’s victory.

Jesus himself warns us that we will have tribulation in this world. Do not be surprised by tribulation, but take heart because Jesus has overcome the world; Jesus has come to conquer. The word “overcome” is derived from the Greek word /nikos/, which can also translated as “victory.” However, it is critical to point out that the grammar in this verse does not merely imply a single victory; rather, it denotes a continuous, abiding victory both now and in the future, overcoming the world. Jesus means treasuring the greatest commandment found in Matthew 22:37-40, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the greatest and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus overcame his obstacles by descending below all things, meaning he descended beneath and suffered the consequences of every sin and weakness, every disease, every rejection, and every disappointment. Hardship and persecution will come, but believers should remain faithful, knowing that this is all part of God’s knowledge and his will. As a matter of fact, rather than reacting in panic or doubt, followers of

leading the worship service, guiding the Bible study classes, visiting the sick, and prayingwithout ceasing. The licentiates filled in during worship and at other times when the shepherd needed them.

The shepherd, though sick, still remained present, still overseeing the sheep, caring for their needs, and fulfilling the responsibilities his role demanded; preaching, teaching, praying, meeting, and singing. And when necessary, just as Jesus stole away to seek rest, the shepherd did likewise. The shepherd did what he needed to do to restore his health in order to return to the sheep. The sheep prayed fervently for his health to be restored and for his return to the flock.

And the day finally came when all the treatments were done, visits to the doctor became routine, and life before the shepherd got sick returned to normal. And the sheep were pleased and praised God for his healing powers.

“And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up” James 5:15 Amen. Amen. Amen.

Christ should feel a sense of peace.

The message in our text is about the inner peace and the victory Christ gives his followers who rely on him when faced with tribulation. Arguably, this text sums up the essence of the Christian life. We should never be surprised when trials come our way.

The Apostle Peter warns us: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange was happening to you (1 Peter 4:12). True and lasting courage must be based on an assurance not in ourselves but in Christ.

Jesus challenges us to take heart or be of good courage. He backs this up with an assurance of his own work. The Word of God is filled with assurances of peace amidst trials and the courage to persist through them. Therefore, we pray to take heart in the midst of our troubles.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for offering peace and courage amid trials. The troubles we are facing did not surprise you, nor are they out of your control. By faith, we believe that you know all; you know what we need, even before we ask.

Lord, help us to take heart in the midst of our trouble by remembering your finished work. Heavenly Father, you defeated the ultimate enemy, and even though this trial is painful, we know it will not separate us from your love. You promised to strengthen us through our trials.

Thank you, God, for loving us so much that you sent your Son into human suffering and conquered death forever. Lord, you are a good and faithful God, and we praise you for giving us an incorruptible, unfading inheritance.

God, please help us to place our hope not in things of this world but in you and you alone. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., is a retired itinerant elder living in Summerville, South Carolina.

Anonymous Donor Blesses Historic Brown Chapel

James Jones, Selma Times-Journal

Historic Brown Chapel AME Church recently received a $250,000 check from an anonymous donor on Feb. 29. “Hallelujah, that $250,000 is a recognition of the courageous and faithful service that was provided then and that continues to be provided by Brown Chapel AME Church in this community,” Strong said. Brown Chapel member Bruce L. Holmes, Sr. said that he wrote 42 letters on Oct. 10 to famous celebrities

seeking donations to improve conditions at the church. Holmes said his first response came on Nov. 17, followed by a check.

“The donor asked to remain anonymous,” Holmes said.” We have a great leader in Pastor Leodis Strong.” Kristen Clarke, U.S.  assistant attorney general, spoke at Brown Chapel on March 3, saying she respects the church’s history during the Civil Rights era.

Reprinted with permission.

Chicago’s Oldest Black Church Is Now Debt-Free

Jamie Nesbitt Golden, Block Club Chicago

Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church has unshackled itself from the burden of debt.

Leaders of the 180-year-old Near South Side church, 2401 S. Wabash Ave., celebrated paying off the church’s $510,000 debt with a special mortgage burning ceremony earlier this month. Scores of members packed the pews for the event, said Pastor Troy K. Venning.

The church, a city landmark, now owns the building and two nearby lots outright.

“It was a full house,” Venning said of the celebration. “We had the Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, president and CEO of the Children’s Defense Fund in Washington, D.C., as our speaker. Not only did we burn the mortgage, but we also honored our Bishop John Franklin White and Supr. Penny Hartsfield White, who will be retiring at the General Conference in August. So we honored them with our two Archibald Carey Lifetime Achievement Awards.”

The celebration included renaming the fellowship hall for Venning’s predecessor, the Rev. James Moody, and his wife, Corlis. Moody retired from his post in 2021.

Venning told Block Club earlier this year that the church’s new debt-free status paves the way for expanding its community event space and creating the Underground Railroad museum, which will be built in the church’s basement. The museum would serve as an on-site archive of the church’s history and contributions to the Underground Railroad.

Venning said that the home of Chicago’s oldest black congregation is in the midst of a multimillion dollar restoration, with $5 million worth of work to go. Last year, members enjoyed airconditioned services for the first time in the

...From Participation p36

participatory structure that facilitates agency, voice, and influence that has largely been used as a participatory structure:

✍ As an outlet for African anger or frustration management and sedation about broken promises, it is used to defuse resistance. It is merely about interaction but without concrete decisions.

came to and through the Chicago area prior to the Civil War, and nearly all continued on toward Detroit and Canada.

building’s 131-year history.

Venning said the church’s plans would also put Chicagoans to work, expanding opportunities for majority-minority and female contractors and managers and offering apprenticeships to add skilled laborers.

Quinn Chapel has joined preservationists and historians in an effort to get the National Park Service to recognize the Chicago to Detroit Freedom Trail. It would recreate the Underground Railroad route along which Quinn Chapel, previously located in the Loop, and the historic Olivet Baptist Church in Douglas served as stops for freedom seekers.

Historian Larry McClellan told Block Club that approximately 3,000 to 4,500 freedom seekers

✍ Serving as a nurofen to lessen and manage the frustration of the African districts.

✍ Aimed at shifting the original African agenda but making it look original while dimming, silencing, and managing the African agency, voice, and influence in the broader polity of the church.

✍ Produced to be a scene for political tautology,

The church continues to draw Hollywood’s attention as well. Its Romanesque Revival design has been featured in exterior shots for television shows like NBC’s Chicago Fire and Hulu’s Emmy Award-winning dramedy The Bear , while crews have used some of the church’s spaces for makeup rooms and production, Venning said.

“ The Bear taped several things right outside Quinn Chapel. We probably don’t get productive credit for it,” Venning said. “In the first season of Power Book IV: Force, there was a shootout right in front of our building. If you look at Southside With You, they were filming at the church. We can go back to Halle Berry in Losing Isaiah . Scenes from that movie were shot in the church. And Chicago Fire , I think, burns the church down as often as they can.” ❏ ❏ ❏

meaning the same issues are raised but never resolved, it is not effective in addressing local challenges such as a lack of strong local leadership, economic resources, and support from Connectional structures, and is not responsive to African needs due to its elitism.

✍ For sharing problems without providing concrete solutions. ...continued

Quinn Chapel AME at 2401 S. Wabash Ave. on Jan. 31, 2024. Credit: Maia McDonald/Block Club Chicago.

What Does Resurrection Look Like?

Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again, Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” —John 20:19-22

Recently, many of us celebrated the joyful resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We welcomed life anew after a sacrificial season of prayer and fasting during Lent. But this resurrection was not initially revealed to the disciples. Rather, they were initially left with the question of where their Lord was when he was not found in the tomb.

Although the crucifixion and resurrection had been foretold to them at the Lord’s table days before, they were fearful during and even after these events. One of these fears was the possible high cost of being associated with Jesus, who had been convicted and sentenced to die by the Roman authorities. Still, Jesus gathered them, knowing their fears and that some would remain close to him and others would not. In the end, Peter denied Jesus, and Judas betrayed Jesus.

Today, we also struggle with fears of association. There are conflicts in this world today that are based on fears of the so-called “other.” Such fears have led to deep and violent conflicts and wars, resulting in polarized leadership, bloodshed, and snuffed-out lives of children and other vulnerable

populations such as women, older men, and youth on the battlefield. Such has also led to renewed crises of hunger and famine, with people not knowing if they will live.

But history has taught us that before or after wars and conflicts, a table must be eventually set to “reason together (Isaiah 1:18).” Calls for peace can and should be an invitation to be at a table to “reason together” and begin the process of peacemaking and healing for the benefit of all.

Jesus convened a diverse table of allies and those who were not before and after the crucifixion and resurrection. At the table he convened after his resurrection, he said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” This is what resurrection looked like then and now–the receiving of peace within the heart and a table that invites, celebrates, and finds new life despite our differences.

Leaders of conflicts and wars are invited to come to a table not only for peace but also to “reason together” for the betterment and feeding of our world, which saves lives. History tells us a table must eventually be set even after conflict and war, so why not sooner?

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

In Speech to White Evangelical Broadcasters, Trump Lays Out His White Christian Nationalist Vision Plus; Top WTL Resources on the Threat of Christian Nationalism

Robert P. Jones, White Too Long

I know it’s easy to dismiss Trump’s extremist rhetoric as just another occasion of “Trump being Trump.” Because the deluge is unrelenting, paying attention is emotionally and morally exhausting. But especially now that he has essentially secured the nomination as the next GOP presidential candidate, it is vital that we sound the alarm as Trump tells us exactly what we can expect if he returns to power.

Last November, I wrote a column highlighting Trump’s embrace of Nazi ideology with his use of terms like “vermin” and claims that immigrants were “poisoning the blood” of the nation. And thankfully the media has been calling attention to the speech in Dayton, where Trump said that some immigrants who are accused of crimes “are not people… they’re animals” and claimed that if he didn’t get re-elected, it would “be a bloodbath for the country.”

But a few weeks ago, Trump gave an ominous speech that—while reported by RNS, the Guardian , the Associated Press , and the New York Times —caused less of a public stir. Trump’s remarks exposed how a vision of white Christian nationalism is integral to his MAGA appeal and revealed the threat this vision poses to a pluralistic democracy.

The venue for this early campaign stop was, significantly, the annual meeting of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) in Nashville on February 22 nd. While the name sounds broadly religious, NRB was created by leaders of communications outlets that operate specifically in the white evangelical world. According to its website, NRB, founded in 1944, “exists to represent the Christian broadcasters’ right to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world.”

In his rambling 75-minute speech, Trump delivered his most thorough articulation of his vision of white Christian nationalism to date. It was received by an enthusiastic crowd, many of whom sported red hats emblazoned with the words “Make America Pray Again.”

I’m tempted to say something that writers say about Trump to their readers: “I watched and transcribed Trump’s speech, so you don’t have to.” But I’d encourage you to read these excerpts below.

Here are the most troubling highlights:

“The greatest threat is not from the outside of our country.” Trump opens his NRB speech by claiming that God is on his side and that the greatest threat to America is from within. He calls his political opponents “very sick people,” priming his audience to see their fellow citizens with suspicion and fear.

“We’re going to save this country. It’ll be thanks to the men and women like you, like the people in this audience. And we are represented by the best. The people who make God’s work your work…. Today, we are in another struggle for the survival of our nation….

“The greatest threat is not from the outside of our country. I really believe this. It’s from within. It’s the people from within our country that are more dangerous than the people outside. We can handle China. We can handle Russia. We can handle all of them if you have a smart leader. But the inside people are very dangerous. They’re very sick people, in ...continued on p44

From the Desk of the Executive Director of the AMEC Department of Retirement Services

Greetings, saints of the most high! I am deeply grateful for your faith in me, which led to my election at the last General Conference in 2021. This period between General Conferences, known as a unique “triennial,” holds immense importance in our department’s journey.

Urged by the Holy Spirit, this article clarifies the department’s recent journey and presents the newly transformed department and its responsibilities. This monthly article, leading up to this year’s General Conference, will hopefully answer many questions and fill in some information.

The department has many service areas for its approximately 3000 active participants–primarily pastors. Our first mission as a department is to serve the participants and assist them in building a secure retirement. To this end, the department is responsible for 1) Processing qualifying distribution requests from the Legacy Fund, which is the 30% of the remaining Symetra annuity, 2) Providing operational support for the New Life Plan, which are the Wespath accounts where all the current contributions are going, 3) Processing Group Life insurance premiums and claims for participants, 4) Leading The Stewardship Project, our funded program which provides matching funds for active pastor’s seminary debt, our Ministerial Excellence Fund (MEF), and offers an Executive Education Program (EEP) for pastor’s with a stipend, and 5) Managing the day-to-day operations of the department, and maintenances, as “Trustee,” the buildings and grounds of the Memphis headquarters building. In the following months, I will seek to detail each component of the department’s responsibilities, as outlined, beginning with the Legacy Fund, which is the Symetra Fund next month. I would be remiss if I did not thank Bishop John F. White and Bishop Marvin C. Zanders, the department’s chair and co-chair, for their sterling leadership in a challenging time. I thank the General Board Commission for the department, without whose help and support, most of what we are doing would not have occurred. I would like to thank the department staff who work tirelessly to serve each of you. I would like to thank you, the church, for your faith and prayers for the department and myself. And I thank God for trusting me with this great responsibility during a pivotal time in the history of our church.

Church Growth Corner: Train Leaders

We need a culture conducive to recruiting, developing, and training leaders. A portion of board meetings should be devoted to training. We should provide district leaders and ministers with resources such as books, videos, websites, and seminars. Our leaders need to stay up to date with cultural changes, their area of ministry, their geographical area and its demographics, and social issues.

Training leaders is a critical component in driving church growth and fostering a vibrant, thriving community of believers. Effective leadership within a church setting is essential for guiding, inspiring, and equipping members to fulfill the mission and vision of the church. Here are some key reasons why training leaders is of paramount importance in the context of church growth:

1. Vision Casting: Trained leaders can articulate a compelling vision for the church and effectively communicate it to the congregation. They inspire others to

Please watch for our continuing e-mail communications and visit our new website, www. amecdrs.org, for all updated information and the applications for stewardship pastoral benefits. You may call the department office, and we are ready to serve you. May God continue to bless the ministry of the clergy and laity of our Zion.

Take care, everybody, and “Keep Working for Jesus!”

Sincerely,

Dr. James F. Miller ❏ ❏ ❏

align their efforts towards common goals, fostering unity and a sense of purpose within the church community.

2. Discipleship and Mentoring: Leaders who are well-equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge can effectively disciple and mentor others, helping them to grow in their faith and walk with God. Investing in individual growth and spiritual development is crucial for building a strong and mature church body.

3. Organizational Effectiveness: Trained leaders understand how to effectively organize and manage church activities, programs, and resources. They can lead teams, delegate tasks, and ensure that the church operates efficiently and effectively, thus maximizing its impact and outreach.

4. Empowerment and Engagement: By training leaders, churches empower individuals to step into leadership roles and use their

gifts and talents to benefit the community. This fosters a culture of engagement and ownership and ensures that the workload is shared among many, preventing burnout and fostering a sense of belonging.

5. Adaptability and Innovation: In a rapidly changing world, trained leaders are better equipped to navigate challenges, adapt to new circumstances, and innovate in their approach to ministry. They can lead the church in embracing change, exploring new opportunities, and reaching out to diverse populations with the message of the Gospel.

Training leaders is essential for driving church growth. It equips individuals with the skills, knowledge, and mindset needed to effectively lead, serve, and impact their communities. Investing in leadership development is an investment in the future of the church, ensuring its sustainability, relevance, and effectiveness in fulfilling its mission in the world.

Dr. Miller with funding endowment executives

my opinion. In many cases, they’re sick. I’m here today because I know that to achieve victory in this fight, just like in the battles of the past, we still need the hand of our Lord and the grace of Almighty God. We have to have that.”

“Persecuted Christians.” Trump praises the convicted felons who have been incarcerated because of their participation in the violent insurrection he himself incited on January 6, 2021, calling them “persecuted Christians” and “hostages.” He calls his political opponents “very evil people.”

Before Trump spoke, his campaign set the stage for his remarks by playing a version of “The StarSpangled Banner” sung by a group he has dubbed “the J6 prison choir,” comprised of 20 men who have been arrested, convicted, and incarcerated because of their role in the violent January 6 th insurrection. Here is how Trump describes these domestic terrorists:

“You heard the J6 hostages. You saw the spirit, the spirit that these people have. You would think they wouldn’t have any spirit left, but they have tremendous spirit. What’s happened to them has probably, to that extent, never happened in our country before.

“The whole thing is crazy what’s happening in our country. Let’s call these brave Americans what they really are: persecuted Christians. They’re being persecuted, and let’s call them imprisoned and imprisoned. They are being imprisoned by Joe Biden and his people, evil people. He’s surrounded by very evil people. They are, I believe, just doing whatever they want to do. I don’t believe they have any leadership at all. Joe Biden, because of his gross incompetence, is a threat to democracy, a big threat to democracy. To reverse these monstrous abuses of power, the moment I win the election, I will appoint a special task force to rapidly review the cases of every political prisoner who has been unjustly victimized by the Biden regime.”

Christians “have to do what they have to do, and they have to win.” Trump casts the election in terms of good and evil, claiming that “the left is trying to shame Christians” and calls on Christians to win by any means necessary.

“But especially for Christians, nothing is more important than to defeat this wicked system and to return to fair, equal, and impartial justice under the constitutional rule of law.… Our country, I believe, is doomed. I believe it’s doomed. As you know, the left is trying to shame Christians. They try to shame us.

“And we have to save our country. But Christians can’t afford to sit on the sidelines in this fight. They have to really get out there. They have to do what they have to do, and they have to win. The chains are already tightening around all of us.

“I’m being indicted for you.” With language evoking the theological logic of substitutionary atonement, Trump talks of himself as a savior figure who is being indicted on behalf of white evangelical Christians.

“I’m a very proud Christian, actually. I’ve been very busy fighting and, you know, taking the, the bullets, taking the arrows. I’m taking them for you. And I’m so honored to take them. You have no idea. I’m being indicted for you.

“Every time the radical left Democrats, Marxists, communists, and fascists indict me, I consider it a great badge of honor. I really do. It’s crazy. I have something a little bit different up there, but I do because I’m being indicted for you. And never forget our enemies want to take away my freedom because I will never let them take away your freedom. And I’m never going to let it happen. They want to silence me because I will never let them silence you. And in the end, they’re not after me. They’re after you. I just happen to be standing in the way.

“We have to bring back our religion.” Trump privileges the interests of white evangelical Christians over everyone else and promises to restore them to power.

“They cannot stand that, in the end, we do not answer to bureaucrats in Washington. We answer to God in heaven. We do; we answer to God in heaven. So today, I come before you as a friend, ally, and fellow believer to ask for your help, support, and prayers for this country. We need your prayers most importantly.

“And I make you a simple promise: In my first term, I fought for Christians harder than any president has ever done before. You know that. And I will fight even harder for Christians with four more years in the White House. We did things that nobody has ever done for Christians in this country.

“I get in there, you’re gonna be using that power at a level that you’ve never used it before. It’s gonna bring back the church goer…. We’re gonna bring it back. And I really believe it’s the biggest thing missing from this country. It’s the biggest thing missing. We have to bring back our religion. We have to bring back Christianity in this country…

“The Biden administration wants to do major harm to you.” Trump claims Democrats are planning to “target religious believers,” “stamp out the churches,” and “tear down crosses.”

“How any Christian can vote for a Democrat, Christian or person of faith, person of faith. How you can vote for a Democrat is crazy. It’s crazy.

“Never again will the federal government be used to target religious believers. They are targeting religious believers. What they did to all of you, a lot of ground was lost by religion during COVID-19, during the China virus. Let’s

be more accurate, called it the China virus. We want to be accurate, have to be accurate, or you’ll get criticized <laugh>, you’ll get criticized by the fake news. But Americans of faith are not a threat to our country. Americans of faith are the soul of our country. They are, they’re the soul of our country….

“Remember, every communist regime throughout history has tried to stamp out the churches. Just like every regime has tried to co-opt them and control them. And in America, the radical left is trying to do both at the same time. They want to tear down crosses where they can and cover them up with social justice flags, which nobody even knows what it means. Nobody knows. They don’t know what it means.… But no one will be touching the cross of Christ under the Trump administration. I swear to you, that will never happen. Never happen. <applause> Thank you. Thank you very much. We’re not gonna let that happen….

'The Biden administration wants to do major harm to you. You cannot let people vote for these people. You cannot let people vote for the Democrats. They’re really wanting to change our whole system of values.

“We’d love to bring it back to those days.” Trump wraps his speech with an appeal dripping with nostalgia for his own presidency and a vision of a 1950s white Christian America.

“God is watching. And God probably can’t believe what he’s seeing. <laugh> I will protect the content that is pro-God. We’re going to protect pro-God context and content. To that end, at the request of the NRB, I will do my part to protect AM radio in our cars. You know, we like to listen to AM radio because you know what? We’re listening to millions of Americans who value listening to Christian broadcasters. And you’re under siege. I know what you’re going through….

“This great organization has helped spread the Word of God, the love of Christ, the stories of the Holy Bible, and the voices of famed evangelical people and evangelists. Evangelists like the late great Pat Robertson, who was a great gentleman, got to know him very well, a great evangelist. And, of course, Billy Graham. How good was Billy Graham? Right?

“We’d love to bring it back to those days. Amazing. Our country would greatly benefit by it…. But now we are a nation in decline. We are a failing nation. We are a nation that has lost its confidence, its willpower, and its strength. We are a nation that has lost its way.

“But we are not going to allow this horror to continue, can’t allow it to continue. Three years ago, we were a great nation, and we will soon be a great nation again. With your prayers, your voice, and your vote, we will

reclaim our government from these horrible tyrants. We will remove the communists, Marxists, and fascists. We will defeat crooked Joe Biden.

“We will restore faith and family to the center of American life, and we will restore power to the people. Ladies and gentlemen, with your help and God’s grace, the great revival of America begins on November 5, 2024. It’s a great revival.

“Upon taking office…” Trump makes several concrete policy promises that flow from this white Christian nationalist vision.

It’s not worth quoting Trump’s rambling justifications for the policy proposals he connects to this worldview. Lest anyone think Trump’s white Christian nationalism is empty rhetoric, however, this speech also included promises to:

❖ install white evangelical advisors in all federal agencies;

❖ appoint “rock solid conservative judges in the mold of justices Antonin Scalia and the great Clarence Thomas”;

❖ create “a new federal task force on fighting anti-Christian bias”;

❖ repeal the 1964 Johnson Amendment, which prohibits churches from endorsing political candidates;

❖ launch “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history”;

❖ direct the Department of Justice to “investigate every radical out-of-control prosecutor in America for their illegal racist-in-reverse enforcement of the law.”

❖ take “historic action to defeat the toxic poison of gender ideology and restore the timeless truth that God created two genders, male and female.”

❖ sign a new executive order to “cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content onto our children.”

❖ gut the public school system by supporting “universal school choice” and supporting homeschooling families.

I encourage you to pour yourself a glass of wine (or something stronger) and watch Trump’s full speech here.

https://youtu.be/I5apkPONql0

Robert P. Jones is president and founder of the Public Religion Research Institute and the author, most recently, of The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and the Path to a Shared American Future. This article first appeared on his “White Too Long” newsletter.

16th Episcopal District Supports College and Seminary Students

Congratulations to Bro. Johnoy Davis of the 16 th Episcopal District and a member of the Jamaica Annual Conference for being the highest-ranking junior at Edward Waters University. Mr. Davis is a part of the 16th District’s Equipping, Empowering, and Enabling Through Education Initiative.

Mr. Davis was supported by the Rev. Dr. David W. Green, Sr., and Mrs. Kimberly Green along with the St. Stephen AME Church, Jacksonville, Florida family.

In addition to Mr. Davis, there are four students from the 16 th Episcopal District enrolled at Wesley Theological Seminary and two students at

Let Us Work Together

Dr. Valeria Eloby-Slade, Columnist

According to 1 Corinthians 3:9, “For we are God’s coworkers, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.” The Bible says we must love, honor, and work together. So, why don’t we do just that? Could it perhaps be ego? Many of us often like to think we can do everything ourselves. But that is not really the truth or reality! There are no supermen or superwomen. So, the question is not whether or not you can do everything on your own; it is how soon you will realize that you cannot. We truly do need each other to survive.

Many of you may have heard that teamwork makes the dream work. Yes, this is a true statement because we are much better when we all work together on the goal or task placed before us. Philanthropist Andres Carnegie declared that it marks a big step in your development when you realize that other people can help you do a better job than you could do alone. After Jesus finished training his disciples for ministry, he sent them out in twos; there were no solo acts! You might begin to wonder why Jesus sent them out in this manner. The answer is for many reasons: to prevent one another from straying off the path, to hold each other

Payne Theological Seminary.

Bishop Zanders stated, “The 16th District is thankful to the Green family and St. Stephen for their nurturing of Mr. Davis. We are looking to be able to provide the educational requirements so that our churches will have the same excellence in the pulpit and the pew.”

accountable, to encourage one another when the going got rough and tough, and to offset weakness with a corresponding strength. We each have blind spots, and we need someone with 20/20 vision in those areas to help us see things the right way.

During our 36 th Annual 2024 Church Growth and Evangelism Seminar held in San Antonio, Texas, the theme was Church Re-Imagined Emergency Innovation. The main thread throughout every workshop and sermon was that we truly need each other to survive. As recorded in Exodus chapter 17, when Moses held up his hands, symbolizing reaching for God’s help, Israel’s armies prevailed against the Amalekites. But, when Moses got tired and lowered his hands, the battle went against Israel. What was the solution? Because Moses’ hands became heavy, they put a stone under him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and the other on the other side, and Moses’ hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword (Exodus 17:12-13). The question for us to think about now is, who is holding up your hands? Also, whose hands are you holding up? God be praised, beloved!

The Bishop Sarah Frances Davis Covenant Keepers and Intercessors

Dawn Dance Reflections

Lauren Wilson, 1st Episcopal District

I arrived at Wilberforce University on August 4, 2008, as a college freshman, wondering what to expect. With a lot of greenery and a handful of buildings physically struggling, my parents asked me if I was sure I wanted to stay. Without a second thought, I replied, yes. Wilberforce was and still is the foundation of my love for HBCUs. I did not know then that I would not finish my education there, but my love for Wilberforce remains the same. My parents transferred me to the oldest HBCU in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and I did not know what an “Orangeburg” was. To be fair, I needed to find out what and where Wilberforce, Ohio, was, too. I transferred because of accreditation issues at Wilberforce. I left kicking and screaming, not understanding why my parents would make that decision. I later understood the importance of attending a school in good financial standing and a bright future. In retrospect, my parents made the best decision, but my connection to Wilberforce will always be true.

Dawn Dance is the most anticipated event every year. Dawn Dance is traditionally an event held Saturday night until dawn and is included in a week of events for students and alumni. Dawn Dance was created because Wilberforce is a small liberal arts institution without a football team to host a traditional homecoming. For many years, Dawn Dance allowed alumni to visit the campus, reconnect with former classmates, meet the newest bulldog students, and recall the wonderful memories of their time at Wilberforce. This year’s ultimate goal was to return events to campus to generate a revenue source for the university, support the revitalization of the campus culture, support our initiative to increase enrollment by inviting graduating seniors to campus to experience alumni weekend and encourage alumni to stay connected and engaged.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Dr. Vann R. Newkirk, Sr., the 23 rd president of Wilberforce University, to learn more about him and his vision for the university. Dr. Newkirk wants to change the narrative and bring positive publicity to Wilberforce because he believes it has great potential.

Here are some takeaways from our conversation.

❖ His specialty is working with colleges that have many challenges. He owned a consulting company focused on accreditation, helping schools such as Paul Quinn, Edward Waters, Allen University, and countless others.

❖ While discussing what the Wilberforce Renaissance would look like, he mentioned that the critical problem for Wilberforce was not having at least one thousand students. Small private institutions can only operate fully to their greatest potential if they have one thousand students or more; therefore, he is currently assessing what buildings and programs are worth keeping.

❖ He is currently building a 300-bed apartment complex (10 units, 36 students per building) that he hopes will be up and operating by the spring.

❖ Wilberforce has five years to raise 5 million dollars, which the UNCF will match. Building connections is key to not only raising the necessary funds but also maintaining positive relationships.

Wilberforce deserves a leader who cares about and believes in the institution. I appreciate Dr. Newkirk’s transparency and faith that things will turn around. Wilberforce is not on life support - Dr. Newkirk.

The Hope for Our Future!

Mr. Matikane A. Makiti, CLO President and Mr. William “Bill” Ayers, Jr., CLO Historiographer

Connectional Lay Organization (CLO) Young Adult Representatives (YAR)

When the Connectional Lay Organization was recognized in 1912 as an organized body within the African Methodist Episcopal Church, there was a commitment made by the Connectional Lay Organization to include young people to support the growth of the organization. It was during the formative years when money was tight and funds were not consistently available that our leaders had problems moving the CLO forward with a youth component. However, recognizing the importance and critical need to include and inspire the “younger generation” of AMEs, Dr. Katheryn “Kay” Middleton Brown (6 th Episcopal District), her officers, youth, and others drafted, proposed, and presented the concept of young adult inclusiveness at the 1991 CLO Biennial where the documentation was adopted and added to the CLO Constitution and By-Laws and subsequently added to the 1993 edition of the AME Discipline

Because of their value added to the CLO, it was deemed that the CLO – YAR be an elected position. It was during the presidency of Mr. James L. Williams, Jr. (11 th Episcopal District), who was elected to serve from 1993 – 2000, when the appointment process began. He and his core of officers made funds available to appoint a young adult (Mila Cooper) as the first YAR. A goal was to have the young person appointed and form teams from the local church to the Connectional level to grow the Lay Organization. Another goal was to assist in teaching and training young indivi duals how to hone their leadership skills to help move the Lay Organization in its continued upward thrust.

Today, the CLO is proud to share that the young people who represent the YAR position have made a significant difference throug h the years. The first three individuals were appointed; the latter three were elected. We are also proud to announce that now all YARs are elected and have full rights and privileges as other CLO elected officers. Indeed, we continue to make progress!

Listed below are six young women and men (the current age for a young adult is 18-35) who represent the CLO’s history of servic e. We thank God for their time, talent, leadership skills, and sense of teamwork, which helped us reach this point in our support of the AME Church . You will also note that we are briefly showcasing their most recent achievements.

Mila Cooper – Her title in the CLO was director of Young Adult Activities. Currently, she is the Rev. Dr. Cooper in the 3rd Episcopal District.

James Brown – His title was CLO Young Adult coordinator. He currently serves as an associate minister in the 7th Episcopal District and teaches in the South Carolina school system.

Brent Shepherd – His title was also that of CLO Young Adult co ordinator. He is currently a businessman in the 11th Episcopal District, but when he was appointed to the CLO position, he was in the 2nd Episcopal District.

Mr. Jesse Burns, Jr. (11 th Episcopal District) was president when this decision was made to have elected YARs. His officers, youth, and Dr. Willie Clayton Glover (3 rd Episcopal District), who was elected CLO president following Mr. Burns, are responsible for the language in the AME Church Doctrine and Discipline regarding the duties, responsibilities, and qualifications for the elected CLO –YAR position. As stated above, the following three persons were elected CLO – YAR:

John Thomas III – The first duly elected YAR of the CLO. He served under Dr. Willie Clayton Glover’s presidency and as an advisor to the president. He is currently an AME Church general officer (editor of The Christian Recorder and The AME News Digest ). He also earned his Ph.D. and is currently serving in the 13th Episcopal District.

Felicia Commodore – The second person to be elected as YAR for the CLO. She is a professor at the University of Illinois and earned her Ph.D. Dr. Commodore is currently serving in the 4th Episcopal District. When elected as the CLO—YAR, she was in the 2nd Episcopal District.

Jamesha Williams – In addition to being elected to the CLO as its YAR, she is the first YAR to serve under Mr. M. A. Makiti, the CLO’s first president from Africa. Ms. Williams is a professional businesswoman and is from the 7 th Episcopal District. She is the current CLO -YAR.

The duties and responsibilities of the CLO elected officers are found on pages 479 and 480 in The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (2021). Qualifications for these positions are found on pages 487 and 488 in the same book.

The elected YARs also serve/served with the following living CLO historiographers:

❖ Mrs. Pam Tilly

❖ Dr. Emma Austin

❖ Dr. Dorothy Henderson

❖ Mr. William E. Ayers, Jr.

Many thanks to them for their continued support of the work of the CLO. ❏

EDITORIAL

I Wonder

Rev. Renita Green, Columnist

As I approach the one-year anniversary of being conferred a doctor of the church, there are a lot of wonderings in my spirit and mind. Like, what does it mean to be a “doctor of the church” in this era of Christendom? We are experiencing what some have called a “historic decline of the church.” This has me wondering what we are really doing and why.

While there is much conversation about reviving, renewing, and restoring the church, few congregations seem prepared, equipped, or willing to make the changes necessary to be revived, renewed, or restored. The “growing” congregations are not necessarily increasing the kingdom—members often come from other denominations or congregations or return after a prolonged absence—but few are coming in as first-timers to the body of Christ.

Considering all of this, I’ve been wondering:

❖ Have we become more enamored with “growing the church” than we are with healing the church? If my heart were weak, I would not be healed by adding more strain before I had the damage repaired.

❖ Are the church doctors trying to do “physical therapy” with a church that needs mental health care, or amputation, or heart care, or vision correction, or… (you get it)?

❖ Are doctors with specialties in (i.e.) “vision” forced to work in/ serve congregations that need (i.e.) “grief therapy”?

❖ Are we willing to amputate a leg

to save the body?

❖ Have we traded the soothing of Gilead’s balm for snake oil that promises to restore what God is removing?

❖ Is the cost of keeping the church alive just too high? Has the family decided that the means no longer justify the end? Is this why some have divested?

❖ Are the buildings that once contained our life becoming the coffins in which we will be buried?

❖ Could it be that the church (as an institution) has just reached the end of her intended lifespan?

❖ Is the church in need of hospice,

approved mediators. He also served as pastor of Gaines Chapel AME Church in Anniston, Alabama.

In 2012, he became president of Shorter College and served until his death. He was also a member of the Judicial Council of the African Methodist

and are we in denial because of our love for her? Are our memories too strong to admit we have to say goodbye?

❖ Could it be that we who celebrate the resurrection and life are afraid of—ashamed of—death?

And I wonder if we—the doctors of the church—are keeping the church (or a church) on life support:

❖ because we do not believe there is faithfulness in death?

❖ because we are not sure that there really is life after death?

Are we trying to keep a body alive that shows no signs that it wants to live?

Are we guilty of malpractice? Have we falsely declared hope:

❖ so that we keep our prestige, positions, and profits?

❖ to appease the institution?

❖ to assuage our guilt of complicity in the condition?

Are we akin to the prophets who told Israel, “Everything is going to be alright,” while Jeremiah cried, “Get ready for what’s about to come next”?

(Jeremiah 6)

I wonder if no one is to blame for the “historic decline of the church” or everyone?

Episcopal Church and the Connectional Board of Trustees (Board of Incorporators). The Rev. Green also served as the pastor of Connor Chapel AME Church in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternities.

The failures of the GDC to strengthen African agency, deepen African voices, and foster inclusion, representation, and influence of African districts is because those who enter the GDC pose a challenge to it by using the GDC as an avenue for self-interest politicking, vicious, self-centered, micro-politics rather than the broad base, social and political transformation are sought after by participants especially those aspiring to hold leadership positions in the church. Additionally, the GDC is characterized by hustles for livelihood opportunities and concern for grassroots socio-political actors to crack into macro-politics or obtain recognition from institutions of power in the church, whether social, political, or economic. Lastly, the GDC has been used by the African lumpen proletariat of the urban underclass whose hopes of rising in the Church are slim and therefore chose GDC activism and politics to advance a wider window of opportunities for upward social mobility through political promotion and opportunity-grabbing which can result in economic benefits.

And as I wonder about all that, what I am really wondering,

❖ Can this “historic decline” be turned around?

❖ If it can be, should it be?

❖ Or should something new be imagined?

And I search my own heart:

❖ What kind of doctor am I?

❖ Am I serving faithfully?

❖ How have I been complicit in the decline?

❖ What is God’s will concerning our future?

I wonder.

“Call to me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” Jeremiah 33:3 (NRSV). ❏ ❏ ❏

The Rev. Green departed this life on April 8, 2024. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Linda Ann Haynie Green; children, Jermicha Fomby, Dr. Linda Nicole Green Harvey, Conrad Jerome Green, and their spouses; grandchildren, siblingsin-law, nephews, a niece, and other relatives.

The General Conference must look at the issue of African inclusion and participation as linked to the representation and recognition of African constituencies. The church must be intentional in its approach to ensure that American districts 1-13 do not strip districts 14-20 of their agency and weaken their voice and influence, coupled with misrecognition and misrepresentation in church polity.

The time has come for the General Conference to appreciate that African participation in the broader polity of the church needs to be strengthened. The General Conference ought to be intentional in recognizing, including, and representing African constituencies in the broader polity of the church not as choosers and users but as makers and shapers of legislations and programmes of the church. The General Conference ought to mirror itself and ask (i) who participates in the church polity, (ii) how do the participants exchange information, experiences, opinions, values, and beliefs, and (iii) what is the link between discussions and policy actions favoring and empowering districts 14-20.

Rev. Renita Green Guest Editorial

...From O. Jerome p35

...From Participation p40