Adding Is Not the Solution. Subtraction Is

...From We Walk p2 Mt. Zion became a church in the African Methodist Episcopal connection in 1896. Sis. Taylor bought property on Penn Street for $1400, and by 1909 the present edifice was erected and occupied. Mt. Zion has always been at the forefront of the community, with many trailblazing members having served as everything from postmasters to military service personnel, from domestics to blacksmiths and builders. Mt. Zion also boasts members who were renowned opera singers, musicians, educators, and business owners.

The church’s rich history includes a visit from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. Doctor King reportedly rearranged his schedule so he could travel to Riverton to pay his respects and offer comforting words to his friend, speech writer, and lawyer, Clarence B. Jones, at the funeral of his father, Goldsborough B. Jones, a lifetime member of Mt. Zion.

A beacon of hope, Mt. Zion has provided for those seeking spiritual, emotional, financial, and at times physical refuge during the trying times of the Great Migration, the Great Depression, and most recently, the Coronavirus pandemic. During the power outage, the corner of Penn and Third would have been dark as the two crosses on the edifice would no longer shine. However, the streetlight that had never worked miraculously shines a dim yellow haze on the sidewalk, seemingly taking up the job of the crosses to ensure that light is on this neighborhood. We had a wonderful celebration with the

Rev. Tashara S. Void, Contributing Writer

Can we have a difficult conversation? A while ago I was asked to help establish a program that would address the disengaged population of the church. They, like a lot of churches, were losing staples and pillars at a pretty rapid rate, but the membership was not replenishing as quickly. The natural instinct was to figure out what could be done, what could be added, what could be brought to the table to make the people return and/or be more engaged. But, something about that that did not sit well with me. Many years ago, a group of people put together a structure for the AME Church that we, as a denomination, have gotten away from. The various ministries and organizations were built to work with and alongside each other. They were established to create a holistic spiritual experience that made space for individual and collective formation and discipleship. But, unfortunately, they are not functioning as designed. Many organizations are operating in silo. Leaders are not collaborating, and the work is not in sync. Each organization has a different focus and theme for the year, and none of it includes collaboration or working together to make development and growth more efficient for the broader church. But, the church is a body, and each organization is a part of that body with a different function. Just like with the physical body, there is the head - the leaders - the “spiritual intellects.” Then there is the heart, the most important part of the body, the part responsible for keeping the body alive - the Christian Education Department. Flowing from the Christian Education Department comes all the other “limbs” necessary for mobility and sustainability, which accounts for every single person - not the work, not the ministry, not the assignment - but the human being - the personal needs, wants, desires, gifts, talents, heart, and soul of the people. Unfortunately, too many churches are proceeding with “business as usual,” taking what they did in the physical church to a virtual platform. They have not taken advantage of the amazing opportunity given in the last year to reimagine church, redefine ministry, and restore God’s original purpose for the church. What would happen if all the leaders were brought together and asked to reimagine? What would happen if we closely studied the ministry of Jesus and allowed ourselves to redefine ministry according to Jesus’ works, teachings, and example? What if we intently and intentionally looked at the skills one may have and place them in a position that gives way for their gifts, while simultaneously teaching and developing them along the way? What if we restored God’s idea of community as the church, where the focus was not on the building or an individual focus, but on a collective focus of collaboration towards the same

Letter to the Editor

I thank the Council of Bishops of the AME Church for their action against Bishop Gregory G.M. Ingram; this is only the beginning. He is not the victim in this story. The victims are the members of the churches impacted. Men and women who often sold dinners, who gave their last dollar to the congregation, who let their lights at home get turned off before they would let the lights at the church get turned off. They are the victims, and the denomination must prioritize them now and forever. So, if you must feel sorry for someone, feel sorry for them.

In order to prevent this from happening again, we must send a real message to future leaders

1. The General Conference (either an extra session or the 52nd) must take action to defrock Bishop Ingram to deter others from following the same path. 2. A full investigation into the sale of 3801 Market Street in Philadelphia (aka First District Headquarters) must happen to provide transparency. I would like to see that property returned from the University of Pennsylvania to the rightful owners, the members of the seven presiding elder of the Camden-Trenton District, the Reverend Dr. Robert C. Wade, bringing the message of hope. The celebration was historical, with the presence of Congressman Andy Kim, State Senator Troy Singleton, Burlington County council persons, Riverton Mayor Suzanne Cairns-Wells, and other notable dignitaries. The community came together to celebrate the contributions of an African American church and her people. We, the members of Mt. Zion AME Church, look forward to the wonderful work that God is doing through this church in this community. The members of Mt. Zion AME Church will continue to “walk by faith and not by sight. The link to the celebration is https://youtu.be/ iB30-_iOgfM. ❏ ❏ ❏

goal with each part fully functioning? We do not need to add anything, for we already have EVERYTHING we need! God has equipped us with the resources and positioned us with authority and power. We only have to do like the fishermen and see what’s in our hand, what’s around us, and how we can shift. This will require some tough decisions to be made, and not everyone will like it. Some people will have to be removed from positions, and others will come under a new authority. The option “to table” will be removed and strategic objectives will be created to complete unfinished tasks. Assessments and evaluations will be a regular part of the leadership’s responsibilities, giving, at minimum, a quarterly account. It will require more time, more thought, more energy, and a bigger sacrifice, so we will no longer pimp people for their time, treasures, and talents without tithing the same back into them. To make this kind of bold move will require an entire culture shift. Mindsets have to be transformed, imaginations reawakened, resources redistributed according to necessity and not size, and some practices removed, requiring a divestment of certain luxuries. We do not need to add anything. We simply need to make better use of what we already have. Adding is not the solution. Subtracting is. ❏ ❏ ❏

annual conferences that comprise the First Episcopal District. 3. A full audit of all real estate and developer transactions in the seven Annual Conferences of the First Episcopal District during the tenure of Bishop Ingram must be completed. 4. A whistleblower protection program must be established that will allow persons to come forward to report their experiences of intimidation, threats of being removed as pastor for not “playing ball,” bullying, and other alleged offenses. ❏ ❏ ❏

Think About It: A Commentary

James A. Madison, Editor and Publisher, Florida Sun

For those who call themselves Christian or for believers of any other religion that believes in the God spoken of in Genesis of the Bible, why would THIS God give so much power to women regarding the birth of a child if he intended others to exercise control over the woman’s choice to either abort or allow a birth? It’s not a matter of sanctity of life; instead, it is a belief in the God of creation, the God of the universe who created everything with a purpose and controls all facets of human endeavor. Society is not responsible for abortion. Only the individual woman who finds herself pregnant and wishes to terminate that pregnancy is responsible for the abortion. Some believe abortion is murder, but they do not wish to prosecute the woman; rather, they go after medical providers or others who assist in the abortion. Pro-life advocates often use Jeremiah 1:5 to justify their objections to a woman choosing to terminate a pregnancy. But what of Job’s cry to God in Job 3:10-11? Or, what of King David, a man after God’s own heart in 2 Samuel 12:9; 12-18? Church members: Which is the greater sin? Pregnancy only happens to women of a certain age. It’s biological and can affect a woman’s health. I find it ironic that many who call themselves Christian stand so strongly against abortion when they make no effort to speak out against some of the root causes that would necessitate a woman to seek an abortion. For example, according to the Bible, adultery is a sin. Former President Jimmy Carter admitted he had committed adultery “in his heart” because he had lusted after a woman who was not his wife. Yet, in actual physical adultery cases, many seek an abortion to avoid embarrassment or to save a marriage. Another example is sexual impropriety which is rampant in society today. According to the Bible, sex outside marriage is wrong; it is a sin. Should there be a law banning adultery or sex outside of marriage? At one time in this country, the government sought to ban alcohol but soon realized that America’s appetite for alcoholic beverages was too strong for a law prohibiting the use thereof. Likewise, pregnancy is the vehicle by which the human species propagate. Some pregnancies are intended, and some are not. Trying to ban abortion is like saying we are banning pregnancy. Sexual intercourse is the process that produces pregnancies. People will not stop having sex; if a pregnancy ensues unintentionally, the woman must decide. By God’s direction, the child is formed in the woman’s womb, not the man’s. Why? Now, the question is who gets to decide. Abortion cannot be banned because, as the woman has control, she can self-abort at any time. Moreover, the law, at least here in the United States, does not seek to prosecute a woman for terminating a pregnancy. It just baffles me how so-called Christians claim they believe in the God of the Bible, yet consider God to sleep on the job when it comes to abortion. Has it donned to these people that God knew men and women would run amok when it came to sexual behavior, which invariably can lead to pregnancy? Yet, despite this, God still gave women of the species the power of life or death as it relates to a completed birth. There is a talking point that “we,” meaning society as a whole, have killed 64 million babies. But, first, I’m not accepting blame for someone else’s decision. Second, I fail to understand that if abortion is so egregious, why does God allow it to continue?

Some species lay eggs to produce offspring. In that case, others can exercise control if desired.

There are many religions observed in the world today that believe in the God of the Bible, Koran, etc. Although religions may vary somewhat in their beliefs, there is one constant, they all agree that each individual will have to answer to their God for their behavior here on earth, whether it be good or bad.

There are perhaps many theories as to why women of the human species were given this task, and society cannot control what the God of the universe has uniquely ordained as a woman’s choice, whether good or bad. Think about it. ❏ ❏ ❏

The Truth Is the Light

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

Based on Biblical Text: Matthew 10:31: Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. We are reminded constantly about grace, God’s unmerited favor. Grace comes from God, through Jesus Christ, and we need grace in order to inherit eternal life. However, we seldom talk about God’s careful attention to every detail of our lives through his grace. God’s grace is everywhere. It is impossible to miss, reject, or even hide from grace. The Bible says, God’s grace is sufficient for everything! He cares about every detail of our life and covers our lives with his grace.

We can be sure that God really cares! He numbers our hairs. Jesus says, “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” If God cares that much about our body, how much more he must care about our soul. There is nothing about our physical being that God is not keenly aware of.

God counts our steps. Job said, “Doth not [God] see my ways, and count all my steps?” God knows every step we take and he knows where those steps take us. God knows when we break his laws, but he also knows when we stay on the straight and narrow path!

God books our thoughts. Malachi 3:16 says, “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.” We cannot hide a single thought from God! We are admonished that God knows the thoughts that come from our carnal mind, but he also knows our thoughts that come from our heart. God knows the conflict raging inside us. Thus, his solution, “Think upon his name.”

God bottles our tears. David wrote, “Thou tellest my wanderings: Put thou my tears into thy bottle: Are they not in thy book? When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.” God knows every tear we shed and counts every tear precious. God knows when we are in pain, frightened, or disappointed. He sees our sorrow, and he harvests our tears and mixes them with the one’s Jesus shed. Yes, Jesus wept!

God takes our hands. When Israel feared that God had abandoned them, he told Isaiah to tell them, “For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” There is never a time when God withdraws his hand of protection from those who belong to him. There is no enemy he cannot conquer. When God takes our hand we are completely outfitted with the armor of God, thoroughly filled with the spirit of God, and properly anointed with the power of God. In other words, when God takes our hand, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper!”

Finally, God supplies our needs. When Paul wrote to the struggling church in Philippi, he said, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” What more assurance do we need that God really cares? If we trust him, no worry will weaken us, no trial will destroy us, and no challenge will frighten us.

Groundbreaking Held for South L.A. Aff ordable Housing Complex

Cora Jackson-Fossett, L.A. Sentinel

Published August 4, 2022

Unhoused individuals will have an opportunity to live in a residence when the new Bethel Manor Apartments open by 2024. The supportive housing complex on 79th Street and Western Avenue in South Los Angeles will contain 53 single units with private bathrooms and kitchens. The development’s amenities include a recreational room, rooftop decks, a courtyard, a laundry room, and a bike storage room. The project resulted from an innovative partnership between © Rickey Brown/L.A. Sentinel Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and the SDS Supportive Fund, which uses private capital to finance Participating in the groundbreaking are L-R: Rev. Martin Porter, Mayor Eric Garcetti, Pastor Kelvin Calloway, the construction of permanent supportive housing for people Congresswoman Karen Bass, Bishop Clement Fugh, experiencing homelessness. Bethel Manor Apartments will Deborah La Franchi, Councilmember Marqueece Harrisbe erected on church property, offering additional services to Dawson, and Presiding Elder Roosevelt Lindsey. assist clients. During a groundbreaking ceremony on July 28, Bethel Pastor Kelvin T. Calloway, Sr., explained that the ever-growing homelessness crisis moved him and his congregation into action to help resolve the problem. “We participated in the city of Los Angeles’ initial homeless counting and were made aware, firsthand, of the number of persons who were homeless and the problems they faced. As a result, we started having conversations, in both the private and public sectors, regarding ways and resources needed to address the crises,” Calloway said.

© Rickey Brown/L.A. Sentinel © Rickey Brown/L.A. Sentinel L-R: Dr. Moses McCutcheon, pro tem of Bethel’s Trustee Board; Pastor Calloway, and Leon Taylor, pro tem of Bethel’s Steward Board.

© Mayor Garcetti and Congresswoman Bass. Rickey Brown/L.A. Sentinel

© Rickey Brown/L.A. Sentinel

According to officials with the SDS Supportive Housing Fund, the collaboration with Bethel AME Church marks the first alliance between a church and private capital investment to address the needs of the homeless community. The “one-stop” model provides the sole source of funding for the project and reduces the cost per unit to $250,000, as opposed to the industry standard of $500,000 per unit. “I believe that the public/private model that we have developed in addressing this crisis is one that can be replicated by and beneficial to other churches in addressing community needs as well as providing financial stability and resources for other church ministries,” noted Calloway. “I advise other churches L-R: Councilmember Harris-Dawson, and nonprofits to consider housing developments because homes are the answer to homelessness. Bishop Fugh, Pastor Calloway, and Additionally, he added that supportive services of life skills, career guidance, mental health, substance Mayor Garcetti. abuse counseling, and case management help persons remain in permanent housing.” Reflecting on how welcome the new development is in South Los Angeles, scores of faith and community leaders attended the groundbreaking ceremony. In addition to Calloway, participants included Bishop Clement W. Fugh, presiding prelate of the AME Church, 5th Episcopal District; Deborah La Franchi, founder/CEO of SDS Capital Group and developer of the SDS Supportive Housing Fund; AME Presiding Elder Roosevelt Lindsey, and Bethel members. Also on hand were Congresswoman Karen Bass, Mayor Eric Garcetti, and Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson, as well as Pastor Martin C. Porter, managing partner of LOGOS Faith Development, and Mark Casanova, executive director of Homeless Health Care Los Angeles (HHCLA). Bethel Manor Apartments is the seventh Los Angeles project financed through SDS Supportive Fund for unhoused individuals. With a goal of building 1,800 units over the next two years for the homeless, SDS currently has 438 units under construction. ❏ ❏ ❏

© A rendering of Bethel Manor Apartments. Rickey Brown/L.A. Sentinel

Experiences of Racism Associated with Poor Memory, Increased Cognitive Decline

Experiences of structural, interpersonal, and institutional racism are associated with lower memory scores and worse cognition in midlife and old age, especially among black individuals, according to studies reported today at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®) 2022 in San Diego and virtually. ❖ In a study of nearly 1,000 middle-aged community-dwelling adults (55% Latinx; 23% black; 19% white), exposure to interpersonal and institutional racism was associated with lower memory scores, and these associations were driven by Black individuals. Experiences of structural racism were associated with lower episodic memory among all racial and ethnic groups that were included in the study. ❖ In a study of 445 Asian, black, Latino, white, and multiracial people age 90 and above, individuals who experienced wide-ranging discrimination throughout life had lower semantic memory in late life compared to those who experienced little to no discrimination.

Where Are the Church Folk?

Rev. Dr. Kent L. Poindexter, Contributing Writer

There’s an uncomfortable reality which most congregation leaders would prefer not to discuss publicly—people are not attending church. Sunday worship services and other in-person activities are not attracting the throngs of people who, prior to the COVID pandemic, would come to church if for no other reason out of habit. Pastors and church administrators who looked forward to the restart of in-person worship as a potential revival for their congregations are concerned about the lack of enthusiasm for returning to “normal.”

It’s easy to say, “Well, the pandemic isn’t quite over.” But sports stadiums and shopping malls are full of people; holiday family gatherings and summer festivals are back to normal. The return to normal is happening—except where the church is concerned. Why?

Those whose job it is to understand and interpret trends like this have noted that the current reality was inevitable. While considering how to engage those who hadn’t been attending worship regularly, pastors quietly pondered how Sunday attendance would be affected by offering online worship opportunities. Offering web-based worship could be a boom or bust for their congregations, but they have wondered how to address those who encouraged the use of current technology to attract those who were not inclined to come to Sunday worship. Congregations were not prepared for what happened in 2020, when the government mandated the closure of houses of worship to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Suddenly online worship became a top priority. Sunday morning gatherings overwhelmed the internet and social media networks—every church that could figure out how to livestream or pull together a recording of worship services worked to ensure that they could still provide time and space for congregations to gather. The response was overwhelming and the faithful were grateful! As the world moved beyond the devastation of the pandemic and congregations anticipated gathering in person, church leaders were confronted with a new reality—people had become accustomed to “watching” church services in the comfort of their homes. Why dress up and go to church when worship is available online? The new reality—how to get people to return to worship, Bible studies, and doing the real work they were called to do as faith communities.

The Christian church in 2022 finds itself at a crossroad-how to effectively carry out “the Great Commission” in the 21st Century. The pre-pandemic church was already concerned about reaching younger generations who express disdain with the lack of appeal of “traditional” church. Now that people have become comfortable with online worship, they have new concerns about what it will take to get people back on track with the mandate of Jesus Christ: “If anyone will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” If “church” and worship become the latest offerings in the world of livestream television, how can the church do its work? The answer is another uncomfortable reality which congregations must take on—change!

Jesus was the original driver of revolutionary change. His ministry was not a plan to separate from his Jewish community, rather, he was on a mission to “stir up the people,” to move people toward what God intended. Change toward realizing the vitality of relationships. Being open to changing how we “serve God” through serving one another. Changing how we interpret what it means to be disciples of Christ. When the church understands the need for change in its approach, it will find the answer to the question—where are the church folk? ❏ ❏ ❏

Safeguarding Cash Assets and Church Records

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

There are many things we can learn from the changes we’ve had to make as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The safeguarding of church assets and records may be among the most critical.

Custody of Cash

While many churches began online services during the pandemic, and carried out ministry remotely, there are some things that should not be handled remotely or on an individual basis. A church should never allow an individual to have sole responsibility for the financial management for the church; including collecting, counting, recording, depositing funds, or recording electronic donations received by the church. Even if there are only a few members, these responsibilities should not exclusively reside with one person. For volunteers who find themselves isolated in this position, they should insist that at least a second person is assigned to these important tasks. This ensures proper stewardship, accountability, and acts as a safeguard against intentional or unintentional mishandling. These measures not only protect the church, but they protect the volunteer as well. Additionally, it is important to note that the second person should not be a family member of the first volunteer.

The church cannot afford to become lax on the proper handling and maintaining of cash assets, even in a situation where volunteer efforts are slim.

Custody of the Church Records

In my profession, it has been remarkable to witness how many churches allow their financial records to reside at someone’s home. I have needed to assist many churches in recovering their financial records after someone has become disgruntled and refused to give the church the records that were in their personal possession. I also knew of a volunteer who managed all the financial affairs of their church (including maintaining the church’s records and checkbook) at their home. When the volunteer passed unexpectedly, the family refused to give the church the records that this volunteer maintained. The church had to open new accounts and start all over again. Their saving grace was that another church member was a signer on the existing account or they would have lost their money too!

While it may be convenient to operate as much as possible from home, all church records (invoices, bills, bank statements, vouchers, deposits, etc.) should be returned permanently to the church office. Ideally, it would be wise to setup electronic storage and file maintenance, but let’s start with the paper files and move to electronic files after all of these are sufficiently managed, maintained, and organized.

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